My First Shed

[wheelinround]

Geebung a top little shed

no corner to sit and have a beer in out of site of other half

Now dont despairer over Ivan's comment to wet weather one of the those enclosed plastic heavy duty gazebos will do nicley like an extension to he workshop
Can also be used when you hold a BBQ get together to keep people dry or out of the oh thats right Melb sun

Ray

[RobTro]

Hi Geebung.

It's a bit late but for the next time; if the member are too thin to M&T then you could use a half lap joint.

In a perfect world where the z braces are in compression (being pushed at either end) there would be no problem with racking but everything is not perfect and there is probably some bending (moment force) in the joint and some gaps etc which allows things to move a bit. You might find that the doors don't move anymore after their initial move and if yo are OK with it then you can leave it.

Personally I would add the ply sheet on the inside of the doors. It would brace the doors and it would give your another place to hand some light tools and things. You could move your saws etc onto the doors and use the wall space for other storage. Or your could get some cheap plastic (the hard type) little draw units for putting screws and nails etc into. You could hang them on the doors and it shouldn't be too heavy for the hinges.


Was it easy to get the materials for building your shed in OZ? In Japan I found it quite hard for non-tradespeople to get a lot of stuff. It took me forever to find roofing material (that I liked- you have to look at it from the second floor) and I ended having to get someone to organise custom flashing for the roof. My shed probably cost about 10 times what yours did. But this is Japan.

I think you will be happy with your huge shed there. Before moving to my place now, my shed consisted of the shelves in the entrance hall for storing tools and using the utility closet infront of our apartment for storing wood and a small workmate type bench.

With your shed out there in the courtyard you'll be able to work a bit and have your little woman sit by sipping cocktails watching you work up a sweat. And she won't be able to say, "you never talk me".

Have fun. And show us some of your handywork.

[Geebung]

Personally I would add the ply sheet on the inside of the doors. It would brace the doors and it would give your another place to hand some light tools and things. You could move your saws etc onto the doors and use the wall space for other storage. Or your could get some cheap plastic (the hard type) little draw units for putting screws and nails etc into. You could hang them on the doors and it shouldn't be too heavy for the hinges.

I might just do that...I was planning to use the doors to hang stuff...I thought I would just see how it panned out in terms of how I use the shed - I am sure I will rejig the interior layout at some stage.

Was it easy to get the materials for building your shed in OZ? In Japan I found it quite hard for non-tradespeople to get a lot of stuff. It took me forever to find roofing material (that I liked- you have to look at it from the second floor) and I ended having to get someone to organise custom flashing for the roof. My shed probably cost about 10 times what yours did. But this is Japan.

Can't say I have experienced Japan in any way apart from refusing to eat raw fish in a Japenese restaurant. It was extremely easy to get materials, but then again I was not asking for anything as fancy as your shed (or your workbench for that matter - I am keeping an eye on your blog!). I went to a place called Tait Timber here in Melbourne and as I said in an earlier post got great service and assistance with the materials...the first guy I dealt with spent about an hour with me going through the plan ensuring that I optimised the timber request (I am a bit anal - I had drawn up the shed and worked out the metreage on a spreadsheet which I presented to him), he ended up saving me money.

Oh...and for all that are interested, I went through the numbers last night and calculated the cost...it works out to be a smidge over A$800. You could argue that I spent probably a lot more than $800 in my time and you would be right. At first I was just aghast at the cost of cedar kit sheds ($1200 to 1600 for the size I wanted - and you still had to erect it!) but looking back on it I would still rather build a shed than just purchase an off the shelf - even if it cost me more.

I think you will be happy with your huge shed there. Before moving to my place now, my shed consisted of the shelves in the entrance hall for storing tools and using the utility closet infront of our apartment for storing wood and a small workmate type bench.

I am happy as a pig in er...anyway, I can commiserate with the indoor shed, as my better half will attest we now have a four bedroom house.

With your shed out there in the courtyard you'll be able to work a bit and have your little woman sit by sipping cocktails watching you work up a sweat. And she won't be able to say, "you never talk me".

Funny you should say that...just last night I was tinkering on my first project from the new shed and there she was sitting within talking distance sipping a hot chocolate (even summer can be cold here).

[RobTro]

Funny you should say that...just last night I was tinkering on my first project from the new shed and there she was sitting within talking distance sipping a hot chocolate (even summer can be cold here).

There ya go. But be careful; if you do anything too good a list will appear.

$800??????????? WoW! Just the siding for my shed cost more than double that. I miss Oz. Where are my ruby slippers?

Raw fish, by the way, is rather nice. One of my favorites. Fish eggs on rice is noce too. But I does have to be fresh. I'm sure I could surprise you a lot with some of the thigs I've eaten.

[Geebung]

$800??????????? WoW! Just the siding for my shed cost more than double that. I miss Oz. Where are my ruby slippers?

YEGADS - Some quick calculations suggests that your shed is somewhere in the vicinity of A$6400...not including the workbench! Ouch. I don't feel so bad about spending the (what now seems) paltry $800 on my shed (and I thought I was being fiscally irresponsible mind).

[Geebung]

There ya go. But be careful; if you do anything too good a list will appear.

There is ALWAYS a list in my house.

[RobTro]

Yep, it was getting up there in the price stakes. But a lot of the cost was mainly because we wanted it to fit in with the garden and landscaping etc. No use plonking a metal shed in the middle of an expensive garden.

The garden is for relaxing and we wanted to keep the atmosphere.

AND I did it myself. Well not actually all by myself. My Dad came over in August and helped put it up.

[Geebung]

Yep, it was getting up there in the price stakes. But a lot of the cost was mainly because we wanted it to fit in with the garden and landscaping etc. No use plonking a metal shed in the middle of an expensive garden.

The garden is for relaxing and we wanted to keep the atmosphere.

"why don't you just buy a stratco shed" was the response when I visited the timber yard, "it's cheaper than buying the material and building it yourself"...I said, "well, yes it is but then again I don't want some ugly, flimsy metal oven sitting in my costly, just completed, landscaped backyard looking as welcome as a boil on a backside"...or words to that effect.

Anyway, all I can say about my shed is QED. As for you RobTro...I have you at the top of my list for my next shed build - although I think I better handle the budget...

[TommyC]

Geebung, I built a similar (not nearly as nice) shed as yours in my backyard in Richmond. As a solution for the small yard, it is very effective, isnt it? You still have to pack up at the end of the day, and the yard/garden beds get covered in sawdust and offcuts, but its better than keeping your gear in the house! I used to vacuum the pavers rather than sweep since there was such a small area. I fitted a Triton, and all sorts of things into my little shed.

One thing it did for me was make me very good at fitting heaps into a small space without major cluttering problems. When we moved to a bigger home in Elsternwick, I built a bigger shed. Of course, your shed could always be bigger than it is, but its good to have what you have.

Watch the sunburn on the back of the neck while your "in" the shed!!

[Geebung]

Geebung, I built a similar (not nearly as nice) shed as yours in my backyard in Richmond. As a solution for the small yard, it is very effective, isnt it?

Thanks for the compliment - you do what you can with the space available. I am sure that your shed must have been even smaller than mine...Richmond residents have next to nothing in terms of outdoor space - unless of course you were living on "the hill" in which case you wouldn't need a shed as you would just pay for flunkies to build you stuff.

You still have to pack up at the end of the day, and the yard/garden beds get covered in sawdust and offcuts, but its better than keeping your gear in the house!

Hmmm...yes it certainly is. My wife thinks so to.

Watch the sunburn on the back of the neck while your "in" the shed!!

Luckily my shed is bathed in shade until about 3:30 in the afternoon