Shed internal extras

[Ashes]

As some background...
I've settled on a pre-fab 10.8m x 6m colorbond shed (2.7m roof). This gives me 3 x (3.6 x 6m) bays which I will use one of the 3.6 x 6m bays as a hobby room (housing the train set, TV and beer fridge..) and the remaining 7.2 x 6m as a workshop.

I'm getting Air Cell installed in the roof and all the sealing options for walls and roof to keep dust/moisture out (I hope).

I'll line and insulate the walls with gyprock and batts.

I'd appreciate your advice and experience on how I should setup internal power and lighting. It would be good to give the sparky a starting point.
My thinking at the moment is to have
- the shed power isolated/keyed/locked somehow so that the kids can't accidently use the tools.
- should I get 3 phase power installed?
- many power points (more than I need) - most positioned above bench height
- overhead lighting for the workshop (not sure what type - fluro's help...)
- guessing I might as well get a phone, data and tv coax cable run as well at the same time
- anything else?

[Big Shed]

Running water and sink and/or laundry trough.

[Ashes]

Thanks, I had forgotten about that. I have a poly water pipe close by that I can splice and might be worthwhile running a pipe to the hobby room as well for a future air con as well. Is it worthwhile getting this plumbed into the slab of just run in through the wall after the shed is put up. It would be in a place no-one would see.

[Ivan in Oz]

G'Day Ashes1,
Where abouts are you?

I'd go 3 Phase if you have it,
even run the 2 extra Wires if in Conduit for later.

I'm soon to do the Drain [Sewerage] for my Shed.

In the same W I D E trench will also be;
1 Conduit for Power
2 Town Water to the Shed
3 Tank water to the House
4 Phone conduit

5 I'm in Two minds if to run Hot water from the house to the shed.

I'd much prefer to NOT have to go back and run something at a later date.

I also like my Power Points at 1100mm or so
and Light Switches at about 1350

Big Shed said "sink and/or laundry trough".
I'm now thinking an Outside Sink, an old Kitchen Stainless Sink, one or the like.

[Ashes]

Located in Melbourne. Profile now updated

[malb]

I am assuming that your shed will be clear span, but I built an nice big American Barn two years ago 12 x 16 x 4.3 side walls/5.5 centrewalls/ 6.5 ridgeline. This will have mezzanines both sides (one for storage and one for office + lounge/hobby room/computer room + small recording/production area, and 3m high workshops accross the back centre bay and one side bay. (One side section is drive through for rear yard access)

Power plan as evolving is

3 phase to shed with dist to car hoist (10), woodwork and metalwork shops (3x 10 A ea), air comp(20 A), and centre roller door (10A)

Ground floor zoned into 3 areas with individual boards containing RCD's and breakers. Centre section 3x 400W Highbay lights hanging at 5.5m, outer sections 1 x quad 18W flouro troffer style light per bay, flush in ceiling (switched for single light (x2) and double light so that lighting can be controlled for current use. 1 10A double GPO plus 1 15A single gpo on casings arround each upright in the open areas, plus 2x 15A and 4 x 10A double GPO in each workshop. All light switches plus oiled and dry air outlets will also be on these casings.

Upstairs area also be zoned into office, lounge, hobby and computer, recording areas. Both areas to have lots of outlets to cater for loads of low power connections (mostly under 100W per outlet, many under 20 W). Lighting to flush in ceiling but type to be decided.

Power setup is complex but I figure it is needed as I don't want to to have computers shutting down because a portable tool somewhere in the building has tripped an RCD.

Facilities planned include phone extension and comprehensive computer network cabling, AV cabling, hot and cold water (25000l tank and pump at rear) kitchen sink for washup, hot/cold water cooler with built in 20 L fridge, microwave, Laundry trough and drainer for parts washing and dirty stuff, washing machine for yard/ greasy clothes.

Metal shop to include lathe, mill, possibly a shaper, pedistal drill, metal saw, and Mig. Wood shop to include table saw, jointer, RA saw, Thicknesser, Dust ext, benching, fair collection of portable gear etc.

Hope this might give you some ideas. Definitely worth considering zoning workshop from rec area electrics and seperate RCD's in my view.

[Chris Parks]

I put in a 100mm conduit (storm water pipe) and left a draw cable in it. If I need anything else in there I just drag it through. I have added TV computer network cables and added more power circuits since the original installation. Never under estimate future needs, home computers were not even around when I did mine.

[Ashes]

Extra pipe for cables sounds like a cheap, easy option when I did the trench along with running some water pipe as well.

Hopefully I'll get some trees removed this week, permits underway and get moving on this.

cheers.

[ausGee]

Where is a good place to buy air-cell insulation in NSW or ACT?

[Ashes]

Trees removed and others lopped.

A pretty demanding/physical job that one!! Definately don't envy the job those guys do. The guy losing his grip at about 15m high when a big limb was cut off and swinging upside down attached by his safety rope certainly earnt his $'s for the day. Certainly not a job for the DIY bloke at that size!

The trees ranged in height from 20-30m. Removed 2, lopped 5 to a low height.

Waiting on the owner/builder certificate now

[wdyte_dan]

I'd pay attention to the plumbing. Such finely appointed shed could surely have a corner for a dunny, and a drain for a sink (washing paint brushes etc, pooring dodgy homebrew down).

With water and plumbing, if you don't do it in slab you'll have pipes galore running out the sides of your shed, and it will look pox. rough in the connections to the water/sewer now and will be heaps easier, you can get the points hooked up to the sewer before you even do the slab.

Consider the slope of the slab and put a drain in the middle if needed in case you spill a tin if something messy, and a drain below the sink in case it overflows. Talk to a plumber for some other (better) ideas too

As for power, yes talk to your sparky, you'll probably just need one fairly big entry point for the cables (conduit rising through slab) rising straight to the shed switchboard. Since you are lining the walls there isn't much need for any other in slab conduits as you can run all pp's and lights behind the gyprock. Just plan where it would make sense to located the switchboard (near the door obviously, so you can reset CB's/RCD's in the dark without tripping over in the shed). Get a sparky to advise early on.

[Ashes]

Hopefully the drawing attaches OK. It's in a word document as I was having trouble scaling down a jpeg or gif and maintaining enough detail.

I'd appreciate a constructive critique of my shed plans. The externals such as shed size, height, window and door positions are set. Any of the internals can change. Please forgive the use of non standard symbols. Hopefully it makes sense anyway.

I'm planning on placing a flat ceiling in the hobby room and storage room and using the void above that for storing long timber lengths and other odds and ends. I will keep the full gable height in the workshop.

[Big Shed]

That looks very professional, a lot of thought has gone in to that.

Great job.

About the only thing I would suggest in addition to what you have, and I'm sure you can always think of more to add, is in-floor power point(s)
.
In hindsight I would have had 2 or more in/on floor power points in my shed for reasonably fixed big machines, such as the tablesaw, it does away with either leads lying on the floor or suspended from the ceiling.

[Ashes]

In floor power is a great idea I can see the tablesaw/triton regularly in the middle of the floor and the workbench as well. Would be great for handtools if the cord's wern't running across the floor. I'll add that to my wishlist design.

[Chris Parks]

Big Shed, how can you have in floor power points, Is it possible? I would have thought they would constitute a trip hazard and get full of dirt etc. My power points are overhead for machinary except for the 3 phase. BTW Your discs are done.