# Jack's Garden Workshop Build



## JackM (9 Apr 2020)

Hi all, I just wrote a long and detailed post about my ongoing workshop/shed project. 

Then I deleted it in the process of. trying to figure out how to attach the photos of my progress so far... 

Coooooooool...

Anywho, I've been lurking for ages. There has been loads of good stuff on this site that I've used.
Thought I'd post my build process, in case its useful to anyone who's thinking of doing similar in the future.

(Apologies for the order of this post. I cannot seem to re-jiggle the order of the images, I've no idea why the post has formatted itself like this)
Feel free to pick my efforts apart.

I've no experience in these affairs at all, I just like to learn new skills and get stuck in.

Hopefully I'll be using it as a mini workshop where I can make more finely tuned shapes of wood. Or it may be a place to store rubbish, we shall see...


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## MikeG. (9 Apr 2020)

Well that looks just excellent to me, Jack. Well done. Next....... OSB on the inside?


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## DBT85 (9 Apr 2020)

Looking forward to seeing it grow Jack!

Though you might need to rename the thread Jacks wifes workshop as she seems to be doing all the work  

I might manage to persuade my wife to help drag some concrete around and light a frame if I'm lucky!


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## JackM (9 Apr 2020)

Thanks guys,

Mike - Unfortunately I've not got any more OSB for the internal walls, and no-one is open to sell it to me at the moment 

I have however got the breathable membrane and external batterns/corner posts to create the gap for the cladding (when ever that may be available again..) so I'm covering the building in that at the moment!
If anyone knows of any suppliers open in the south, that'd be great!

DBT85 - Thanks mate. She is a trooper. If it weren't for her 'motivation' I'd never have the balls to crack on with stuff like this in the first place.


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## Blackswanwood (9 Apr 2020)

Looks good. I have been told that our local MKM is still open and delivering so if you have one nearby may be worth giving them a try for some more OSB. Congratulations on getting assistance from the significant other ... I’ve shown my wife the pictures and told her she needs to up her game! (Well I thought about saying that and then thought better of it!)


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## Stanleymonkey (9 Apr 2020)

Wickes is making a big noise about it's click and collect and delivery service. They might be worth a look if you are desperate

Fantastic looking work by the way. It might be where you're sleeping if the lockdown continues and you annoy the wife too much! Would explain her enthusiasm!!


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## Fitzroy (9 Apr 2020)

Looking great!


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## DBT85 (9 Apr 2020)

JackM":17ikjp7l said:


> DBT85 - Thanks mate. She is a trooper. If it weren't for her 'motivation' I'd never have the balls to crack on with stuff like this in the first place.



You say motivation, she says "Jack hurry the chuff up so I can get my lathe in there."



Stanleymonkey":17ikjp7l said:


> Wickes is making a big noise about it's click and collect and delivery service. They might be worth a look if you are desperate
> 
> Fantastic looking work by the way. It might be where you're sleeping if the lockdown continues and you annoy the wife too much! Would explain her enthusiasm!!


When I tried to order bits from Wickes they wanted 3 weeks to deliver. May be different across the country though.


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## JackM (10 Apr 2020)

*Blackswanwood* - Thanks, but I'm in Southampton area and we dont seem to have any locally unfortunately.

*Stanleymonkey* - Thanks pal, I have tried Wicks. The click and collect is. working a fter a 1hr wait to access their site! They may be a goer. However delivery is stating '28 working days' att he moment which is a bit brutal, as I wouldn't be able to get the OSB in my car.

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*Bit more progress over the last day and a bit;*

Wrapped the house with breathable membrane that I'd ordered with the framework.

Sealed it with some shiny tape, because shiney = good.

Flashing tape in the window -hole

5x1 frame slotted with force into said hole (I swear Id given a 4mm allowance for the flashing tape when making this turnip hole)

Window caressed into said opening with more trusty hammer work.

Then i began to batten off the outside ready for when ever I can get cladding ordered! I've slapped up some 1x1 on the corners so as not to have any cut edges of the cladding visible when its installed.

I now need a load more 5x2 for the soffets, (no idea if thats actually the correct word, but it feels right), I need something to put up at either end of the building (the pointy ends), im thinking 5x1. but I'm not really sure about that.

I need 1 x large pile of OSB (thinking 9mm for the internals, or should I be using 11mm...)

And lots n lots of Rockwool insulation. Again, in terms of thickness in mot sure what to use. In the walls (which. are 4x2's) I was planning 90mm if I can get it, and something similar in the ceiling as this is constructed with 5x2's so there should be an air-gap above the roof insulation when its installed.

Roof covering; WHAT SHALL I USE? 

I was going to install steel sheeting, but I cant currently get it. Are there any other more sexy (but still not extortionate) alternatives anyone can recommend?

Any tips or pointers on the above are much appreciated. 

Also if anyone works in a builders merchants in Southampton and wants to let me know that the above supplies are available that'd be greeeeeat.


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## DBT85 (10 Apr 2020)

Roof coverings can vary a fair bit in price. At a lowee end you can do it in onduline sheet. I think the rough cost to do the roof on my 30m2 shop for sheets alone was like £600. Compare that to a metal tile like metro tile or decra which were like £1500. They'll look nicer and more in keeping with the surrounding buildings probably!


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## JackM (10 Apr 2020)

Thats brutal! I'm not in a position to get that spendy unfortunately. I don't want it to look too budget after all of the effort though. I'll keep on looking. 

How has your Onduline held up? Did get that from them directly?

Cheers!


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## DBT85 (10 Apr 2020)

Oh sadly I've not even got a slab down yet so I can't comment. I think Mike has used it before.

I just tried to do some rough costings so I had an idea what kind of budget I need to get started.

I guess you could do the black rubber stuff. Probably the cheapest option.


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## MikeG. (10 Apr 2020)

Onduline (other brands are virtually identical) is fine, but there are some caveats. Firstly, no matter what colour it is when you put it on your roof, in 4 or 5 years it will be black, so the sensible colour choice to start with is black. Secondly, whatever spacings they specify for the supporting battens, halve it. It can sag, particularly if south facing. Other than that, and being horrible to cut, it's a perfectly good product.


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## Lons (10 Apr 2020)

Hi Jack
Great build and lucky you to have a willing apprentice to help =D> 

Did you fit any cross bracing to the rafters to stop the weight of the roof pushing the side walls out? Not saying whether it's required or not but I've always done it.


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## JackM (14 Apr 2020)

Hi Lons, I will be adding more supports yes. I actually ran out of 2x4 to use at this stage.

Quick Q: Could anyone recommend cedar shingling, or warn against it? It looks really nice and i've been quoted. £550 for the covering including ridge pieces and appropriate fixings which isn't a million miles off of the price for basic metal sheeting. Seems prettier than the stuff that Mike has mentioned which the other half will prefer.

I know I'll have to battern off on top of the OSB to do this. Tis is a good or bad idea for the cost?!

Thanks in advance!


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## MikeG. (14 Apr 2020)

If you can get a cedar roof for roughly the cost of a metal roof, go for the cedar. It looks beautiful, I assume these will be sawn rather than riven, which aren't quite so nice but are still lovely. Some people distinguish these linguistically by calling the sawn version "shingles" and the riven version "shakes", but this isn't universal.

If you use shingles, you won't need OSB. Treat them as a normal roof tiles (ie rafters-breather membrane-battens-shingles).


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## pitch pine (14 Apr 2020)

I am not sure that the roof pitch is steep enough for cedar shingles or shakes. The lower the pitch the more slowly it drains and the faster it rots. I did my workshop in cedar shakes (riven on the top face) and they are beautiful but check the minimum pitch required.


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## MikeG. (14 Apr 2020)

Believe it or not, the minimum pitch for cedar shingles is 14 degrees. That's about the shallowest for any sort of tiled roof material.


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## pitch pine (14 Apr 2020)

That suprises me Mike, especially when you notice how quickly wood that has no pitch (say the cappings on a fence) rots.


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## DBT85 (14 Apr 2020)

Jack how large an area is your roof needing to be?

As a quick look in Silva Timber (just the first place I looked at) suggested the best price worked out at around £18 m2 for #3 grade Black label shingles with prices rising to £25 for #1 blue lable ones.

I never considered these for my plans purely from the cost perspective but for you they seem quite affordable.


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## macca (14 Apr 2020)

Hi Jack, 

My local bradfords seem to be the only real builders merchant still operating although I had to collect and they were only dealing with existing trade customers, it may be worth phoning to see if they can help. There seems to be one close to southampton.

I must say I personally wouldn't trust shingles on a low pitch ( yours may be steep, i cant see any images so i cant say.) I don't lay them, never have but i do a lot of tiled roofs and i urge you to do plenty of research if you choose shingles. There is math involved in roofs and every material has its own rules. 

It was of no use to me as i'm too far for delivery but in terms of roof covering, have you considered steel sheets with PIR insulation (Celotex) bonded to the underside? it seems an expensive option but there are yards stocking sheets that have been (I presume) mis measured at a reduced cost. You may find a yard close to you. 

I'm building myself a workshop during isolation, have pretty much finished but received an email yesterday to tell me my sheets for the roof wont be delivered as they've closed the branch making them #-o 

There seems to be a lot of praise for warm roofs, I do wonder what mikes opinion would be as there is obviously no ventilation between the sheet and insulation?

I myself am a bit of a lurker here but sometimes feel the urge to pop up and offer my 2 cents

Good luck with build! its a hard time to get anything like this done but hopefully we can come out of this with a positive note


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