We have a tiny alleyway to the side of our house (slighly less than 1m wide) that would be ideal for storing our bikes if we could keep them dry and secure. We have a wooden shiplap fence with concrete posts to one side and a flat, rendered wall to the other. There is already a wooden gate to the front so the plan is to build a little wall to the back and a lean-to roof over the top to allow us to keep bikes inside without having to further lock them up - about 2-3m long at the most. Looking for advice on how to build the roof - particularly on how to attach it to the house wall and to the fence. This doesn't have to be anything spectacular - I doubt we'll live in this house for more that another few years, so I just need something very simple. I understand how to build the roof structure but not sure if we need to add flashing along the house side? Also, can we build a board roof with felt like a shed or would corrugated polycarbonate be better (I don't need any light and security is more of an issue). With regard to the fence side, we can't sink more posts very easily due to the narrow space and because the alleyway has a concrete floor which acts as a retaining wall and sits a good 50cm above the road to the other side, so really it will have to sit on the top of the fence posts, though we can add timber to the sides of the posts. Any advice greatly appreciated.
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All you really need is a ledger board on the house wall and a ledger at the other and some joists in between. by the sound of it 4x2's should do for ledgers bolted to the wall at 500mm centres and joists and some 18mm osb (12mm would do if you can easily reach all of it to felt it. If you need to climb on it to felt it then 18 would be better and 2 or 3 quid difference.
A flashing would keep it drier but the amount of water that is going to get in without one is very small so its up to you how much effort you want to go to. It will make a mess of the render should it be removed by you or someone else.
As for your concrete posts then bolting some timber up the side sounds best. some treated 4x2 or similar up to your desired height then connect them with the ledger board on that side. Consider the detailing of the felt at this side when constructing it to make it easy to finish.
Im assuming the fence is 6ftish? If its only small 3ft posts you may need to rethink.
A flashing would keep it drier but the amount of water that is going to get in without one is very small so its up to you how much effort you want to go to. It will make a mess of the render should it be removed by you or someone else.
As for your concrete posts then bolting some timber up the side sounds best. some treated 4x2 or similar up to your desired height then connect them with the ledger board on that side. Consider the detailing of the felt at this side when constructing it to make it easy to finish.
Im assuming the fence is 6ftish? If its only small 3ft posts you may need to rethink.
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