My First Shed

[Geebung]

Hi All. This is my first post on this forum. And I thought I would share my shed build with you. I have not completed it as yet so I thought I would open myself up for critique from the more experienced among you.

Some background...I have been on the look out for a timber shed kit that would fit neatly in my small courtyard size backyard. Having called up numerous places in Melbourne I came to the conclusion that $1000+ for a shed that I would have to erect was a little pricey. So, I opted to design and build my own shed. Once I had the design (a 700d x 1500w x 2200h timber construction with skillion roof) I visited my local merchant (Tait's Timber) to order the timber...they were very helpful in assessing my estimates of timber required and ended up saving me some cash. Although they did ask me why I don't just buy a steel kit shed...apart from making the backyard look ugly they just don't build kit sheds that are tall enough for me (and I am only 6'1"). I don't have much room in which to erect a shed and if I had enough room down the side of my house I would have put a crappy steel shed down there. So, the shed build needs to be symnpathetic to the house in order to fit into the small space (see the first two photos for the space that I am filling!).

I have attached four pics of the build that relate to the following four steps...

Step 1. Foundation - Since I already have a nice paved area all I needed were some skids on which to put a floor. 90x90 treated pine did the trick

Step 2. Flooring - I could have used some timber flooring here. But for the same price I bought a massive sheet of yellow toungue board. I inverted the floor so that the shiny side pointed down - why you may ask, well I did not use a damp course on the skids (the chap at Tait's reckoned I would not need damp course) so to make sure there was not any water penetration I inverted the floor. I have so much yellow toungue that I will add another layer inside the shed the right way up. The excess flooring I am going to use as shelving.

Step 3 - Frame. I used 70 x 35 mm treated pine. Originally the back wall was 2300 mm high but I decided in the end that would produce a roof with too steep a slope. The dimensions are now 2200mm at the back and 2000 mm at the front. The front will be covered with the doors. Yep, that is right, I am building an outdoor wardrobe. I am happy to say that the frame squared up pretty well...in the front I was out by only 1 mm on the vertical.

Step 4 - Cladding. I put cement fibreboard on the back wall and one side wall since these will be hidden once the shed is moved into place. I have used square edge weatherboard on the other side (to match existing house) along with the same size weatherboard stops on the edge.

And that is where I am up to at the moment. So far, I have only used my circular saw to cut the flooring. Everything else has been cut using my trusting hand saw...I have found that I get more accurate cuts doing it by hand (I never believe the "V" on my circular saw is actually aligned in the right place, and cutting framing timber with a circular saw it is impossible to see the pencil line). Anyway, I am happy to receive criticism or helpful suggestions or questions. I will post more as I continue my build.

Cheers
G

[Wild Dingo]

Gidday mate and welcome...

Now weve got the niceties out of the way we can rip strips outta yer... right? RIGHT!!

THAT IS GONNA BE YOUR SHED????? Comeon yer pullin our legs right?... strewth Im 5ft 6 and Id be pushin shyte uphill to get ME in there let alone ANY tools!!! MAN thats gonna be one SMALL shed

Not pickin on yer mate... not at all... but you reckon your 6ft 1in tall? that wouldnt have bumscratchin room let alone cat swingin room!! why dont you use the WHOLE section rather than just that dunny closet sized bit? I mean look at all that now wasted space around it!! and its gonna look like a... well... a dunny closet stickin up there in the back yard!!

Strewth man thats gotta be a candidate for the shed scientists smallest shed for the tallest bloke in the smallest yard contest surely????

You have my utmost sympathies... and I will keep my eye sockets peeled for whatever you can create in that tiny space

THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD!!!

[mitasol]

Gidday mate and welcome...

Now weve got the niceties out of the way we can rip strips outta yer... right? RIGHT!!

THAT IS GONNA BE YOUR SHED????? Comeon yer pullin our legs right?... strewth Im 5ft 6 and Id be pushin shyte uphill to get ME in there let alone ANY tools!!! MAN thats gonna be one SMALL shed

Not pickin on yer mate... not at all... but you reckon your 6ft 1in tall? that wouldnt have bumscratchin room let alone cat swingin room!! why dont you use the WHOLE section rather than just that dunny closet sized bit? I mean look at all that now wasted space around it!! and its gonna look like a... well... a dunny closet stickin up there in the back yard!!

Strewth man thats gotta be a candidate for the shed scientists smallest shed for the tallest bloke in the smallest yard contest surely????

You have my utmost sympathies... and I will keep my eye sockets peeled for whatever you can create in that tiny space

THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD!!!

lol, I hear ya! When I bought my house it had a 6 x 6 shed in the yard, oh and that's metres

[Wild Dingo]

lol, I hear ya! When I bought my house it had a 6 x 6 shed in the yard, oh and that's metres

And so now youve got what?? Im always interested in what some fellas (and sheilas) have as sheds... Im gettin nigh on as curious about sheds as the shed scientist fella is!!... and thats "bad" man!

But this one... man this one is gonna be some serious SMALL!!! especially for a 6ft 1in git!! mmm thinkin... I reckon he may be able to swing a cat... as long as its a day old kitten... and if hes about 60kl soppin wet in his jocks and socks... then he might stand a chance... but if hes even got one rare stake worth of meat on him hes in deep shyte in that cupboard!!

oooh I feel his pain... well actually Im projecting here cause Ive never had a shed THAT small but Im bein real empathetic and friendly toward our deprave... errr deprived new mate...

I tell yer what though... Im really startin to hang out to see him in their cuttin something!! man thats gonna be THE DAY!!! Yeah... ooops sorry my bad not allowed to say that anymore... but its gonna be so cool man its gonna be far out man funky an super baby!! ahem so Ive got Austin Powers on the brain just now BUT!!! its gonna be good to see our lanky skinny mate doin stuff in the cupboard eh! Bloody oath it is...

Mate were takin the phiss its okay... COME BACK!!!... strewth I sure hope you havent run him off with all yer muckin about at his new ubeaut shed mitasol... hes new you know gotta go gentle with the new fellas


So its okay Geebung!! COME BACK WE WUBS YER!!

Hey I knew a powem ones about the Geebung Polo Club... you a memba?

[Wild Dingo]

WOW!!! Hey I just realized somethin!! YOUR BOTH NEW!!!

Well buggar me eh?

WELCOME TO THE PAIR OF YOU!!


Dont mind me I tend to get a bit loose around the edges from time to time... but never a nasty thing is intended just good fun an ribbing

[Rossluck]

WOW!!! Hey I just realized somethin!! YOUR BOTH NEW!!!

Well buggar me eh?

WELCOME TO THE PAIR OF YOU!!


Dont mind me I tend to get a bit loose around the edges from time to time... but never a nasty thing is intended just good fun an ribbing

I think you lost him Shane.

[wheelinround]

Hi & welcome

My old man used to work out of the dunny out back of course after it was decommissioned. Long after he couldn't stand the smell.

There is one thing about your new shed it will be portable easy as just need couple strong blokes and or a trolly to roll the tools to where ever you need them bit like a Porta-loo.

Oh hang on I get it this is one of the cupboards we all got it wrong you starting from the indside out. not the usal way but unique

Keep us posted is should be the fastest shed built

[Wild Dingo]

I think you lost him Shane.

Nah... hes out there tryin to work out how to prove me wrong!!

Actually thats what I thought wheelin... that he was building the cupboards first then the shed around it... but then I re read the post... nope he says hes building the shed... an I went into shock.

Come on mate wheres the next installment!!! I love WIP of sheds!!

[Geebung]

Nah... hes out there tryin to work out how to prove me wrong!!

Actually thats what I thought wheelin... that he was building the cupboards first then the shed around it... but then I re read the post... nope he says hes building the shed... an I went into shock.

Sorry Dingo, didn't mean to induce a heart attack...if you read my post carefully I did mention that it is really an outdoor wardrobe. I prefer to think of it as a large tool box. I wish I had the room to build an extravagantly sized shed...but I don't...gees, my block is only 300 sq metres - and most of that is house!


So, I had to be a tad creative...hence the oversized toolbox approach. I plan to make it functional by adding a removable workbench which packs neatly away when I am done hacking at pieces of timber.

If you think this is bad, my other shed was the front porch. At least it was under cover mind. My new shed...err sorry, toolbox, will be outdoor operations only...one would think that in melbourne that would reduce the number of timber destroying days to but a few weekends of the year...but, the drought has taken care of that!

Hey, I don't mind the ribbing. At least you can now say that you have seen it all. I am not sure if the shed scientists have heard about the company that sells "bay boxes" which do in fact resemble out door toilets in size...they want $800 smackers for them!


Not sure if this is going to be a quick build...I am fairly new at this stuff and tend to take my time and think things through before I start cutting and hammering. I am sure the doors will take me ages.

Tomorrow is Sunday, the holiest day of the week - it means I get to commune with my tools. Unfortunately I don't have all day to spare so will only get the chance to do some work in the afternoon. Next instalment coming soon...

[Pat]

Depending on the woodworking gods, you maybe able to run power to the 1/2 shed and trump Ding!

A bigger pic of the courtyard, if the pavers are removable and if you want too. Even if it is an outdoor powerpoint close to were the 1/2 shed will live.

[Wild Dingo]

STRIKE ME ROAN!!! MATE I WAS JOKIN!!!

Your tellin us that... that... gawd flamin geeeeeeeeeeeeeeehazusHKEEEEEEEEEEEEIKIEY!!! Mate... geeeeezz Im bloody gobsmacked an speachless

you poor buggar

300sq??? thats the size of our new house... when it gets built!... bloody hell... man ooooh man geez friggin cripes thats shockin!!!

When we went and had a gander around thinking to sell this and buy another house we thought it pretty shocking that the developers are now down to around 600sq mtrs for the blocks... BUT FRIGGIN 300???? I mean good god man!!

All I can say is... you must LOVE your job... well either that or your totally troppo not sure which but me Id have to be totally and utterly in LOVE with my job to live in something so small... sorry really I mean that mate sorry if Im goin on here but strewth honestly I cant understand that... 300sq?? house and yard?? good greif!!

maybe I better re-read your first post maybe you said unit or somesuch and I missed it?... okay back in a tick!

300??

ookayalydokely gotcha now... Melbourne right? mmm that would do it... Ive been there... theyre all bloody mad as a pack of cut snakes in a wet paper bag that mob... but still... how bigs the house dunny plus bedsitcome kitchen come dining all in a space no bigger than a 50c peice? right to the street verge too eh? probably paid half a mil or more for it too... poor buggar

No seriously its gonna be a bonzer shed... hell ANY shed is a bonzer shed if you aint got a shed!!! so this is gonna be a right ripper!... tad tiny... tad sorta smallish... but hey ITS A SHED!!!

[Terrian]

Geebung, don't mind Wild Dingo, anything less that 10m x 10m shed with 3 phase power doesn't rate, and anything less that a 1/2 acre block is, well, not a real house block )

What suburb are you in (I am guessing western suburbs ?)

[mitasol]

LOL, this thread is a scream - oh and yes I still have my 6m x 6m shed, plus a 2m x 3m pool shed and then there's the garage. The previous owner of this house was a RAAF engineer and he liked things big

[batcat]

Geebung, don't mind Wild Dingo,
anything less that a 1/2 acre block is, well, not a real house block )

LOL, come live in the inner 'burbs of Sydney..
This vast estate is 4 mtrs at its widest down to 3.7 at the back.
Makes you get creative with building and storage solutions.
1 stick of timber spans the whole property

[Wild Dingo]

Geebung, don't mind Wild Dingo, anything less that 10m x 10m shed with 3 phase power doesn't rate, and anything less that a 1/2 acre block is, well, not a real house block )

What suburb are you in (I am guessing western suburbs ?)

and your point is???? oooh right Im in West Aussie ala Best Aussie... no wukkers yous mob wanna sit on each others laps you go for it me I like some SPACE around me... man didnt I say yous mob were mad?

As for shiterly not a chance Id go anywhere near that place!! I mean how the blazes anyone in a half sane state of mind could even contemplate living in such tight proximity to anyone else as they do over there is beyond me!!... man Id be throttling everyone within arms length within a week... mmm call me a mass murderer then eh? since an arms length does the entire block!! be what 30 - 40 maybe even a couple hunderd people crammed into thats size area in Shiterly

Nah gib me the wide open spaces of good ol Sandgroper country anyday Heck... so your saying these matchbox sized blocks here in the new legoland developments are big comparitively? shyte!! Well thank gawd I live where I do is all I can say

Now back to our ol mates dunny sized shed... Ive been thinking about it a bit overnight... and you know we still have only a clue to what our old mate looks like... Im assuming as hes 6ft 1in tall hes a skinny buggar... well most tall peoples are skinny buggars... okay maybe he takes steroids an hes a manmonster hey its my assumption here!!... anyway so if he makes it all hinged and foldoutable he should be pretty right... I mean you can get those tiny on bench jointers now and if he makes it solid enough he could put a triton setup in there on hinges of course a small 12in thicknesser tucked into a slide out cupboard and a few cupboards for chisels tools etc an fold down up whatever little pen lathe an bobs yer uncle

Yeah I can see it... wouldnt wanna be it... but can see it...

Okay so weres the updated pics mmmm??? comeon sunshine its only a shed get yer finger out!!


As to you young Mitasol... lets get somethin straight okay... you are young I am old I am right you are wrong its the way it is get over it and move on... your sheds are a matter of history now and you now under the guidelines of all thats blokey and good shed like must post pics of said sheds... thus gain your accolaides and good blokes cheers backslappin and general mateship that only sheds can give a bloke when hes with other blokes

So??? Wheres your shed pics eh? Look mate get yer damned finga out alright? heres our new mate... yeah yeah your new too so stop your sookin and start yer postin... anyway our new mate up there see hes brave hes come out an said striaght up IM a friggin giant of a bloke with a massive quantity of tools and machines and Im building a friggin shed alright? RIGHT and its gonna be a friggin part time dunny and so get over it... truely legendary is out mate up there... while you? well dont get me started sunshine!