Nick Maclaren wrote:
Unfortunately many sheds DO evolve from slime and leftovers but they are
usually inefficient and ugly. I wish you well in your ambition to build a
shed and do stick around. There are some extremely knowedgeable people here,
and helpful and friendly ones. Peter is usually one such ...
And to slime they return ....
When we moved in, we had three sheds: the good, the bad and the ugly.
The last was an old chicken shed with a "foundation" of a single
layer of loose bricks - we demolished it with our bare hands, including
tearing the corrugated iron apart.
The second we used for years, as it leant over, yearning for the slime,
and burnt it a few years back. Its foundations were two layers of
loose bricks.
The third we moved, resoaked with creosote, reroofed and laid on paving
slabs and tanalised bearers. It was originally on poor-grade concrete,
which I broke up. At a guess, it is 50 years old and should last for
at least another 25, perhaps 50.
Because of this, I can't advise on buying sheds, but I can say that
not skimping on the foundations, preservative and roofing will make
a major difference to the life of a shed. Note that a foundation's
main purpose is to keep the ground wet away from the shed, and so
need only be a single layer of paving slabs and some 4"x2" heavily
treated bearers (yes, tanalised or equally toxic).
Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QH, England.
Email:
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679
Must agree with that "not skimping on foundations" remark. Also
agree sheds should 'just happen' in response to need or the
availability of materials; preferably free materials!
But in my opinion, there are two approaches to 'foundations'.
1) Something substantial such as digging a trench to below frost
line, constructing a concrete block or poured concrete wall to
above ground level, the usual precautions against damp etc.
Expensive, heavy work and in most cases unnecessary (unless your
are building a garage or boat shed etc. designed to carry 6000
pounds on the floor etc.), in which case a concrete floor is
almost a necessity.
Typical garden shed on posts to allow ventilation and prevention
of rot and damp underneath.
We have two. Both are same colour/trim as house with similar
horizontal clapboard cladding.
2a) One is about 25+ years old (built from scrap wood originally
as a playhouse for son!) about two metres square; on four long
posts (actually fir trees that I cut myself) set into the ground
which extend up as the four corner posts of the shed. Last year I
levelled it, repaired some of the siding (old pine clapboard) and
repaired part of the roof. If/when they do more repairs to the
local school roof I'll 'buy' a tub of hot tar and do over the
roof slopes with it and some/sand gravel. Be good for another 25
years! So this shed is on four corner posts and its floor is
about 15 inches above ground. Because it is some 40 feet from the
house it normally houses petrol for the lawn mower etc.
2b) The gift of some four foot by eight foot, third hand 19mm and
13 mm plywood (one piece had been part of a large sign, some of
the rest part of a roof, decided the second shed built as an
addition to the house and a wall that flanks the patio/deck.
Although attached to the house and said fence, there are a
minimum number of attachments to the house so that it can be
removed if when necessary without damage/effect. Sheds last 25-50
years, houses usually longer! This shed is built on posts also;
its floor is about 12 inches above ground, ventilation beneath
(after all the snow which has both of them half buried at the
moment, has gone) is excellent. Although a refuge for
neighbourhood cats!
Use preserved (pressure treated) wood posts, old telephone pole
scraps for the posts if you can get them. Put them in and cut off
level with a chain saw. A post hole digger and crowbar are best
aids to digging the holes. If you do concrete the posts into the
ground (unnecessary!) don't fill the holes to ground level with
concrete; frost may 'heave' or lift that concrete plug,
especially if there is no snow cover during cold weather.
The other important end is the roof! Impermeable yes, roof/shed
adequately ventilated and with sufficient overhangs (despite our
high winds) to keep roof water and melting snow away.
Shed building is lots of fun creating/building something
useful/functional, doing the d-i-y thing!
Ideas anyway.