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Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

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Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 12 Aug 2015, 22:13

Hi all!

I have finally got around to posting some details of the shed I have been thinking about for the last few years and have been doing the preparatory work for the lasts few months. I am by no means an expert in any sense as regards any aspect of this build. Im finding out as I go. I have spent a long time thinking about it, researching it online and taking advice. I have already made mistakes! I am happy to receive any type of feedback as the learning and experience of others has already proved invaluable. I will post questions and quandaries online as part of this as the collective experience available on this forum is very beneficial to me as I go. I am currently at slab stage (cant change 4 cubed meters of reinforced concrete!) but will post the steps that got me there in order to demonstrate the steps I took. I have tried to catch it all in photos. As I say - im a beginner at this, I am committed to a fairly heavy workload with my day job so progress may be slow and am happy to have any feedback you may have so here goes...

Dan
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby TrimTheKing » 13 Aug 2015, 00:28

Hi Dan

We love pictures as you will know from other threads.

Have you checked out Mike G's shed build 'How To'? You will find everything you need to know in there, pretty much! ;)

Cheers
Mark
Cheers
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Andyp » 13 Aug 2015, 07:04

Can't wait to see more details Dan.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 13:07

....so it started life as a 8x18 shed from a local supplier on slabs.....but as always seems to be the case with me I wanted something a bit better than that and thought I could build something better, so I held of purchase and looked at having the shed built (by them) on a concrete raft I could build giving a sturdier base that I could use as a finished floor. Then I managed to get my hands on some excess insulation sheets from work, that I would fit to keep warm, only trouble was the shed I wanted was built with framing on 400 centers with timber 50mm square, the insulation was 100-50mm deep (assorted). Hmmmmm. Then I started reading about timber framing and airgaps and osb... and it sounded like 4x2 was probably what was needed as a minimum.

I live next to farm land and on a slope, much of the water that falls on the fields drains towards the house, only ever causes a puddle on the patio in freak weather, but its damp none the less. I needed a way to drain the water away from the shed, and also deal with water that fell on the roof. This got me thinking about rainwater harvesting and water for my newly built raised beds, water being the price it is these days, and some moanin from the oracle.

I have always been interested in woodwork, from many years as a youngster in a freezing workshop in winter with father building boats furniture and god knows what else. The shed gave me an idea that I could torture my son (five) with the same experience that will prove invaluable later in life.

So it seemed that I needed to build my own shed (I call it that because it then doesn't ring alarm bells with the oracle) who still has visions of a posh garden shed with a rake and mower inside!

The last thing was that I needed somewhere to rest my eyes (not sleep you understand) but when I am on nights the house is a noisy place and would be helpful if I can get some rest away from the chaos that my house degenerates to when I am trying to (rest my eyes).

Bringing me on neatly to planning... I originally planned to build within 1 meter of the boundary and accept the 2.5 meter restriction, thus to minimise the space used by shed. However the day the digger came I chickened out and came away from boundary 2.2 meters (2m + eaves) to allow me the 4m total height restriction. Glad I did.

I only ruminate on all this so as to give some indication that this build is most of all an evolution. I accept that this may cause me issues at some point, but it seems to have worked so far, I get to a problem and ruminate for a week or so, read a few forums and chat to others and come up with a solution that works for me. The slab height is an example of the mistakes this approach can cause, more of that later...

BTW - im a bit of a biff with technology so may get things wrong as I go on this forum - pls point me right if this occurs, I understand there is quite an etiquette these days!
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 13:43

Struggling putting photos into posts currently - standby....
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 15:46

By golly ive done it I think! Here's the first photo, I started with the fact that I would have had a huge amount of earth to move, 50 tonnes in all! So on that basis, and because im getting old I decided to build some raised beds, (to fill with earth# already benefitting - eating beans and other veg daily. Other important point to mention is that access to the rear of my house if extremely confined 720mm wide! So anything moving etc is hard work #wheelbarrow req).

I bought 35 sleepers and started laying out on the patio, this I found heavy work on my own, but all sorted in the end.

Image

I layed up three beds the same and filled up with about half of the soil...

Image

The garden is on a slight slope so moving soil hardcore etc is a real chore. The shed base is pegged out to the right of the beds.
Last edited by Dan0741 on 04 Jun 2017, 21:24, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 16:10

I then managed to get a digger in through a gap in the fence and we started digging the hole, I went with a shed base of 22x11. This was about as big as I could go to get the requisite space around the shed that I thought I would need. I went with the fact that the base would end up being about 400 deep - hardcore insulation, dpm and reinforced slab. On the basis that I wanted the overall roof height to be as low as I could, I decided to dig down to achieve this. On reflection this was a mistake, but I was still harbouring thoughts of the 2.5m limit and trying to get closer than 2m to boundary, anyhoo, it will look better from the front without a massive step up. I will have to grade the area around now that is all.

Image

And more digging... All the spoil I couldn't get in the raised beds went in a trailer supplied by a fine local farmer!

Image

We ended up with a relatively square and level hole...

Image

Then came 6 tonnes of scalpings and a petrol whacker plate that seemed to have a mind of its own!!

Image

Image

In this last photo you can see the 8 tonnes of gravel sand and pipe bedding for the drainage - more of that to come...
Last edited by Dan0741 on 04 Jun 2017, 21:28, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby RogerS » 13 Aug 2015, 16:36

Excellent update thanks, Dan. Great pictures. Friendly local farmers are a Godsend.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Andyp » 13 Aug 2015, 17:21

Well done Dan, both on the ground works so far and getting to grips with the forum.

Good idea on using some of the excess soil in those raised beds.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 19:49

So - Drainage - where we live the back garden is backed onto basically by fields, the slope that extends up our garden also extends beyond the fence line for about a mile. In the winter when it rains there is a considerable amount of water about and although it doesn't seem to run off on the surface, I think it seems to traverse along strata not too far from the surface. It doesn't help that next door have an old large garden barn that doesn't have a gutter that pours into the fence line between her property and mine. I was also aware that there was going to be water poring off the roof of my new building that I needed to get rid of. On this basis I decided to put some drainage in. Effectively two soakaways, one near to the new shed and another nearer to the house to catch anything that the first one doesn't, or that overflows from the first. I used soakaway crates never used them before, and they are very straightforward. So we dug two holes 2.5 meters deep and long enough for the crates. I put 4 crates in the main soakaway and then two in the second. I dug a trench about 12 inches wide and 3 feet deep.

Image

As you can see at about 2 meters deep we hit grey sand, and it really is like beach sand and hasn't seen the light of day for millennia!

Image
Last edited by Dan0741 on 04 Jun 2017, 21:30, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby 9fingers » 13 Aug 2015, 20:00

Good to see proper preparation of the site and consideration of special needs such as the field drainage.

Great start to the project.!


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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 20:28

The soakaway crates were easy to fit together and wrap - like big xmas presents! And were placed in the holes basically surrounded by 100mm of gravel in each direction, up down and both sides. Because the soil where we are has some clay in it I have doubled up on the membrane in some places and also put the perforated pipe in a membrane sock.

Wrapping soakaway...

Image

And then placed in hole... Quite big when you have 4 fixed together, luckily I didn't have any observers!

Image

Then I poured gravel all around so as to leave the top of the soakaway 600mm below finished surface level. I put an extra sheet of membrane over the top to act as an umbrella due to the very small sediment size we have.

All connected up with perforated membrane pipe 80mm dia

Image

The pipe that you can see leaving this soakaway is still exposed, I intend to run this around the slab to deal with any water that reached the slab either across the surface or from the shed itself. This will be the uphill side and should catch anything that could present a moisture threat from the ground. Will be set in about 12 inches of gravel all around the slab.

This is the smaller of the two - the "safety net" just wrapped in slightly different membrane..

Image

I have installed an overflow from the smaller one towards the house drainage, should it be needed I will connect it up, but I will be very surprised if that is so. I only did it is with the trench dug it made sense to do all at once.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 20:33

TrimTheKing wrote:Hi Dan

We love pictures as you will know from other threads.

Have you checked out Mike G's shed build 'How To'? You will find everything you need to know in there, pretty much! ;)

Cheers
Mark


Yup - Mike is the cause of this post..! I thought having learnt so much it was worth repaying for others interest. Mike, I have added myself to the back of the queue of people who owe you a beer!

Dan
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 20:35

RogerS wrote:Excellent update thanks, Dan. Great pictures. Friendly local farmers are a Godsend.



I couldn't be without mine - I owe him a princes ransom in favours. A true Gentleman.

Dan
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 20:38

9fingers wrote:Good to see proper preparation of the site and consideration of special needs such as the field drainage.

Great start to the project.!


Bob



I asked a commercial drainage professional mate of mine to give me his view on what I have done - he said " well its belt and braces!" I take it that he thinks I wont be getting wet! From the bottom up anyway!

Dan
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 21:03

I filled the trench with gravel and wrapped the whole lot in membrane.

Image

On top of the drainage by about 500mm and to the left and right of it I have dropped ducting in for any services once finished...I don't really know what I will want but I have dropped two ducts in so home that will be enough...

Image

...and at the shed end have installed two toilet waste pipes to pass the ducting through so I don't have any holes in the walls or outer shell.

Image

I have put warning tape in at the required depth...

Image

Then graded over the top, I have since seeded and its the best part of the lawn!

Image

The Bedouin tent in the background is so I can arrange the shuttering in the rain! I picked the only two days in the month that it rained...
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Mike G » 13 Aug 2015, 21:34

That is some of the neatest digging and groundworks I have ever seen! Congratulations. The soak-away is exemplary, as are the drains from what I can see. This looks like a really great start to a project. I'm looking forward to watching this grow..........and of course, if you want any help (design-wise), just shout.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby RogerS » 13 Aug 2015, 21:45

You're lucky with your soil, Dan. If it was clay (like ours) then there is only one sure way of getting rid of excess water. An open ditch.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 21:50

And this all brings us to the slab...

So first the insulation I got free from work - horrible fibreglass cover to it! All placed in sections and leaving a 200mm gap around the side so that the deeper concrete formed a stronger section similar to a ring beam...

Image

and then setting the rebar (A142) - haven't put the DPM in yet but just sizing the rebar so I can ensure 50mm coverage on all exposed steel work..

Image

Then the big day. I paid a bloke (concrete contractor) to help me as I was conscious that concrete is a fickle mistress and generally a one hit deal. He did a super job as you will hear..

First we had to arrange a pump as the alternative was 100 wheelbarrow runs..

Image

Which then went straight over the roof...

Image

Image

And here was the first lesson. As you can see, the pipe was rested on boards at the joints. This proved invaluable - we had 4 blockages before we got a barrowful of the stuff out! It was torture, the sun was redders, I had had 3 hours sleep off a nightshift and the pump bloke blamed the mix, the concrete bloke blamed the pump and my contractor blamed both. In the end we had to disconnect each time, at the right pump junction, and let it spew forth 3 wheelbarrow loads of concrete slurry all over the lawn and boards... And as I said - this occurred x4!!!

In the end the bloke I had hired sorted it all out with my help and we got the concrete flowing...

Image

....and in the end a slab I am proud of. Skip floated - I didn't want anything power floated as it will be the finished floor and for me will be more practical having the non slip aspect.

Image

One mistake though!

Image

Well not really a mistake - I thought I was being really smart, and its actually Mike G's fault. I purchased at great expense 20 10 mm stainless J bolts and I set them in the concrete so that I could bolt the sole plate to it. Really neat and smart.... Well no actually because I have; since reading posts by those much more experienced than me decided to put a very short dwarf wall around the slab that I will build the wooden frame upon - only because it is a much better idea than I was going to use....hey ho - its all learning... :D
Last edited by Dan0741 on 12 Sep 2015, 12:57, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 21:55

RogerS wrote:You're lucky with your soil, Dan. If it was clay (like ours) then there is only one sure way of getting rid of excess water. An open ditch.



Its got some clay in it! Hoping its good enough -winter will let me know!
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 13 Aug 2015, 21:58

Mike G wrote:That is some of the neatest digging and groundworks I have ever seen! Congratulations. The soak-away is exemplary, as are the drains from what I can see. This looks like a really great start to a project. I'm looking forward to watching this grow..........and of course, if you want any help (design-wise), just shout.


Mike - I have a list that already has 14 questions on it, was going to do them all at once rather that a question a day for the next fortnight! Does that suit you Sir?

Dan
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Mike G » 13 Aug 2015, 22:00

Don't waste those cast-in bolts. Depending on their location you should be able to use them with straps to hold the plate onto the plinth wall.
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Wizard9999 » 14 Aug 2015, 06:59

Looks like amazing work below ground Dan! Looking forward to seeing more.

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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Mike G » 14 Aug 2015, 10:18

Dan0741 wrote:
Mike G wrote:That is some of the neatest digging and groundworks I have ever seen! Congratulations. The soak-away is exemplary, as are the drains from what I can see. This looks like a really great start to a project. I'm looking forward to watching this grow..........and of course, if you want any help (design-wise), just shout.


Mike - I have a list that already has 14 questions on it, was going to do them all at once rather that a question a day for the next fortnight! Does that suit you Sir?

Dan


It doesn't matter how you do them, Dan, the answers will only come when I get a moment. I'm a bit busy these days. :) I'll do my best. Ask them in the order that you need the answers, and if there is anything urgent, send me a PM reminder.

Cheers

Mike
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Re: Dans Shed - Large(ish) workshop construction...

Postby Dan0741 » 14 Aug 2015, 10:30

Mike G wrote:
Dan0741 wrote:
Mike G wrote:That is some of the neatest digging and groundworks I have ever seen! Congratulations. The soak-away is exemplary, as are the drains from what I can see. This looks like a really great start to a project. I'm looking forward to watching this grow..........and of course, if you want any help (design-wise), just shout.


Mike - I have a list that already has 14 questions on it, was going to do them all at once rather that a question a day for the next fortnight! Does that suit you Sir?

Dan


It doesn't matter how you do them, Dan, the answers will only come when I get a moment. I'm a bit busy these days. :) I'll do my best. Ask them in the order that you need the answers, and if there is anything urgent, send me a PM reminder.

Cheers

Mike


Will do, Thank you.

Dan
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