# Jons workshop (pictures...!)



## Wood Monkey (5 Jan 2008)

Finding the time to do as much woodworking as I would like is difficult and even when I do it’s virtually impossible to find the time to submit a decent post. I enjoy reading about other people exploits and in particular the workshop build threads have been immensely helpful to me over the last 2 years (yes I did say 2 years) whilst I built, fitted out and equipped my own workshop.

The Christmas holidays gave me a rare opportunity to tackle a ‘start must finish’ job. The reason I describe it this way is that it necessitated a complete workshop dismantle…. Yup, it was time to upgrade the workshop floor. Then it dawned on me that I may as well put a post together to show the whole build and not just the floor upgrade and include lots of pictures (at least those that survived a PC failure). So here it is.

Early 2006… The theory was pretty simple, remove the existing 6x10 shed, remove a few small trees and dig out an area to fill with hardcore over which I could pour a concrete slab large enough to accommodate the desired size building.







As soon as the spade hit the ground, I found an existing slab and other assorted hardcore.….!






After the initial clearing it was apparent that I had a little more space than first though. So I did the decent thing and increased the size of the workshop from the planned 16x12 to 18x14. I now wish I’d gone a little larger but at the time we were worried it may look out of place, but it doesn’t.

I lost lots of photos at this stage, so no pictures of the hardcore and shuttering so instead you’ll have to take my word for it. The site looks flat, but there is a gentle slope and this necessitated some levelling which meant 18 inches of digging at the back of the site reducing to 6 at the front. Into this hole went the hardcore that was dug out plus 6 bulk bags of type 1 (600kg each I think). After compacting all the hardcore a DPM went down then 5 cubic meters of concrete with steel reinforcing mesh for good measure. Everything was moved using wheelbarrows and the total run from driveway to site is about 150 feet.






I considered building my own building from scratch but dismissed it due to the time it would have taken. Eventually I selected a company who specialize in stables but have diversified in to other garden buildings and timber garages. They offer a lot of flexibility for building size and options, the spec was good and the cost was reasonable. I selected one of their standard garage buildings, coz I wanted 7ft double doors on one end, and upgraded the doors, windows and roof. Final building is 18x14ft and 7ft to the eves. Construction is ¾ pressure treated shiplap on a 4x2 pressure treated frame and includes a vapour barrier. Roof is ¾ OSB on 5x2 bearers and then felt shingles. The entire building stands on a single course of semi engineering bricks and is then bolted down (my first ever attempt at bricklaying).
The price included erection.











I decided to clad the interior with 12mm ply as it would be substantial enough to apply fixings directly for small wall mounted items with fixing directly into the frame for heavier items. The cavity was filled with 100mm insulation. I painted the whole interior white and I can’t stress enough what a massive difference this made – so much brighter.
You can just see in the picture a full length bench at one end with storage space under.






A local DIY shed was doing a 2 for 1 deal on T&G pine cladding, so I elected to use this instead of sheet material on the ceiling.






The workshop has trees on 3 sides including some large Oak trees and this soon became a problem, especially in the autumn when I had to clear the gutters weekly. The solution was 5mm steel galvanised mesh pushed under the last row of shingles and secured with wire clips through small holes drilled in the gutter lip. It’s been very effective and this autumn I didn’t need to clear them once.






The outside was painted with Sadolin Extra after a year or so. I guess this wasn’t completely necessary as the cladding is pressure treated, but it stops water take up by the cladding and looks much better as the cladding was fading unevenly.

The pathway also required re-routing so that it met the door and some new grass needed to be laid as the old pathway veered off left.






Possibly the most difficult job was the electrics, partly due to part P and the unhelpfulness of my local building control office and partly because I kept putting it off. Initially I was going put the cable behind the internal cladding and flush mount the sockets. However a job lot of steel galvanised conduit, fittings, steel clad sockets and four 5ft twin strip lights came my waycompletely free. I also managed to obtain 50m of 10mm SWA from the same source.

The electrics comprise of a 10mm SWA (RCD protected) back to house consumer unit. There is a consumer unit in the workshop which serves a socket ring (6 double sockets), a lighting circuit with 4 twin 5ft strip lights and 3 16amp sockets individually protected.
















There are still lots of small jobs that keep getting put off, but the last sizable job, the floor upgrade, was completed during this Christmas holiday. I decided to do this for three reasons; the concrete wasn’t the best finish and made clearing up dust and shavings really difficult, it helps to insulate the workshop and lastly some good advice read on this very forum – a wooden floor is so much kinder to a dropped plane than concrete…!

Before - Bare concrete can cling onto dust and shavings like its life depends on it.






25mm pressure treated battens screwed to the concrete making sure not to go deep enough to pierce the DPM and in-filled with polystyrene sheet. I would have liked 50mm, but couldn’t afford to lose the height and it would have failed the bottom of the door. The battens are at 300mm centres which is probably overkill, but it was easier to over do it now than to try and rectify a bouncy floor later.






Additional battens were placed where the table saw stands. Bandsaw, bench and (yet to be purchased) drill press get the same treatment.






Job finished and I cannot believe the difference. It’s warm to touch, cleans easily, looks good and there is no bounce. I used P5 moisture resistant flooring that comes in 8x2 T&G sheets and was reasonably priced at the local shed.











Now I’ve got the hang of posting, I’ll share some pictures of future projects. If I ever get round to making anything…  

Jon


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## Slim (5 Jan 2008)

How dare you come on here and show off such a lovely workshop! Down right rude if you ask me! :evil: :wink:


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## Waka (5 Jan 2008)

Jon

Thanks for sharing the WIP pic's, really looks a super workshop, good size as well.


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## motownmartin (5 Jan 2008)

Nice one Jon, I particularly like the casual top from NEXT hanging on the inside of the door  seriously though Jon very well done and thanks for posting, I want to do my own one day.


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## mailee (5 Jan 2008)

Very nice Jon, I take it that the young lady in the picture is the owner of the dolls house on the bench? I did build one of those for a fried a few years ago and found it very rewarding. Good luck with your new workshop. :wink:


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## Maia28 (6 Jan 2008)

That's a great looking workshop Jon, and so tidy. I see that you installed the same heating system as me 

Andy


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## Travis Byrne (6 Jan 2008)

Hi Jon

Thanks for sharing--It looks very nice and well thought out.
I'm sure that it will provide many hours of enjoyment. Nice touch putting the beautiful young lady in foto.  

Travis


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## filsgreen (6 Jan 2008)

Cracking Job, thanks for taking the time
.


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## wizer (6 Jan 2008)

What a treat for Sunday morning! Looks fantastic. Very envious over here


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## OLD (6 Jan 2008)

You may have done this but the metal conduits all need to be connected together for safety, best place being the space behind the distribution box.
The workshop is very impressive with good construction and proper sized timbers used ,all finished by you to a high standard a very nice and well thought out job.


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## stewart (6 Jan 2008)

Looks great - jealous of the size too!
Thanks for the pictures.


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## llangatwgnedd (6 Jan 2008)

Proper job. 8)


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## Corset (6 Jan 2008)

That is a very ce workshop. I am very envious.


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## Woodmagnet (6 Jan 2008)

Thanks for making me envious Jon  :lol:


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## Rich (6 Jan 2008)

You should be a clerk of works, so well planned out from start to finish, if it's not a rude question, what did it all cost?
Rich.


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## speed (6 Jan 2008)

impressive setup youve got there,


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## Gordon T (6 Jan 2008)

Well done, a light and airy workshop, well thought out. Makes mine look even more like a dungeon, and I wish I had thought of doing the floor like yours, just put me on the jealous list!
GT


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## OPJ (6 Jan 2008)

That is indeed a lovely workshop, Jon!

You're probably right about using 300mm centres for the floor; 400mm would've been fine. What did you use to fix the timber bearers to the concrete? I seem to make a mess when I come to fix _anything_ to some kind of conrete or masnory, so I'd appreciate any advice you have - especially if it saves me having to plug the hole first.


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## PowerTool (6 Jan 2008)

Very nice (wish I had shares in your local Wickes.. :wink: )

Andrew


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## Shultzy (6 Jan 2008)

Top job - very envious - twice the size of mine - hope you have much fun in it.


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## aitchem (6 Jan 2008)

Nice shop,

Mine will also have a similar floor arrangement.
Has anyone tried to use the void below a raised floor for shavings extraction.?
My thoughts were to have a slotdown one side of the shop, when clearing up, I would turn on the extractor and brush the shavings over to the slot.
No dustpan necessary, or, is that just being lazy.?

Howard


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## Escudo (6 Jan 2008)

Well done John, excellent.

I am going to give some further thought to something very similar to yours.

I would also be very interested to know how much the building/works cost? Sorry to be rude and ask but it would certainly provide a guide and budget. 

Did you make a floor plan for machines, benches etc before determining the size of the workshop? 

Cheers, Tony


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## opener (6 Jan 2008)

aitchem":3vhnfbgm said:


> Nice shop,
> 
> Mine will also have a similar floor arrangement.
> Has anyone tried to use the void below a raised floor for shavings extraction.?
> ...




Hi Howard
It's a good idea. When my joinery workshop was being built some years ago it was suggested to me by a friend just in time that I could have all the trunking set in the floor rather than hanging from the ceiling and getting in the way, and it's been a great success. It includes a box I can sweep chips into, clears the floor in seconds.
Malcolm


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## Wood Monkey (6 Jan 2008)

Thanks for all the replies. Sorry for it sounding like a gloat, it wasn’t intentional – honest. To answer a few of the questions.

I haven’t kept a running total of costs, but I know it’s within the budget I set myself. We moved house in 2005 and a budget for a workshop was factored in. The building cost a shade over £3K and this included the upgrades to doors, roof and windows, plus the internal cladding and insulation. The base was about £600 and all the work was done by me and a few friends/family after I had a quote for £5K…! The electrics was next to nothing as all the expensive stuff came FOC, but circa £150 was spent on cable, fixing, consumer unit and 16amp sockets/plugs. There was also a little extra cost for a few drinks for the guys who sourced the kit and helped with the part P compliance. Most of the material used for internal fit out was scrap or stuff that was scrounged, including a nice shelving system (not shown in the pictures) that was second hand for £20 and is now a timber rack. Finally, the recent flooring upgrade cost £210 all in.

The steel conduit is all bonded to earth via termination tabs on the brass end bushes and these in-turn are connected to the earth connection points on the back of the steel socket boxes.

The dolls house does indeed belong to my daughter and was supposed to be complete for Christmas. Unfortunately, my day job got in the way it wasn’t complete, so it was back in the workshop for some post Christmas fettling.

The workshop build became a bit of an obsession and now it’s nearing completion I seem to be getting over it. But, I’m showing early symptoms of a hand tool obsession which I think I contracted from this forum.. :?


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## Wood Monkey (7 Jan 2008)

> Did you make a floor plan for machines, benches etc before determining the size of the workshop?
> 
> Cheers, Tony



Hi Tony – I didn’t have a floor plan before I built the workshop, but I did know roughly what I eventually wanted to put in the workshop. Once the plot was clear and it became apparent that I had a good deal more space than I first thought, I increased the size of the workshop which meant I could accommodate my planned kit and a bit more. In fact when I upgraded my table saw I bought it with a 1.4m sliding table, but when it turned up it was the 2m model so the extra space came in handy. If I was advising someone I’d say go for the biggest you can afford/fit in/get away with. You’ll adapt to the space available and, if your anything like me, you’ll soon fill it up if you have any spare.



> You're probably right about using 300mm centres for the floor; 400mm would've been fine. What did you use to fix the timber bearers to the concrete? I seem to make a mess when I come to fix anything to some kind of conrete or masonery, so I'd appreciate any advice you have - especially if it saves me having to plug the hole first.



Hi Olly – I used screws and raw plugs. I used the heavy duty plugs (grey ones) and no8 screws that were 60mm long (I think). I found the best method was to position the batten, stand on it to hold it down and then drill through the batten and into the concrete with a small diameter bit and then re-drill the concrete with the correct bit for the size of the plugs (6mm) I put about 200 screws in and only one hole refused to drill and I think this was because I hit the steel reinforcing. I knackered 5 drill bits in the process and I noticed that the first 15-20 holes after putting a new bit in drilled much easier and cleaner.


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## lucky9cat (7 Jan 2008)

Great job Jon and thanks for writing it up. What a difference the white paint makes. I'm working in a double garage but left the brickwork, err, brickwork coloured. Really gonna have to do something about it this Summer.

Cheers, Ted


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## Escudo (7 Jan 2008)

Thanks Jon for that further info. 

I have just spent an hour or so surfing the net to find costs / options for sheds / workshops and I think you have done really well. 

It is good to save money on the building (without making compromises) as this leaves more for tools and machines.  

Cheers, Tony.


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## woodbloke (7 Jan 2008)

jyates wrote:


> But, I’m showing early symptoms of a hand tool obsession which I think I contracted from this forum..


welcome to the club...and the 'Slope', once on, never off  - Rob


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## HowardM (13 Jan 2008)

That's a nice Shed,

I have an idea for such a raised floor, while designing my shed.
I was thinking of using a hole in the floor to brush waste shavings in, if it was sealed well a connection into the extraction system would have it away.
Or am I just being lazy.?

HowardM


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## chicken_house_man (13 Jan 2008)

I think you'll find that when you sweep the dust into the hole it will just block up. I had a extractor set up under the bench and it was forever blocking up. I figure you need an excess of air to keep things flowing.


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## arch (16 Feb 2008)

Jon,

Really nice workshop, what was the name of the company that you got the workshop building from ??

You can add me to the envious list aswell!!

Arch


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## AndyBoyd (16 Feb 2008)

Someone who like me paints the walls white and insulates the floor

Well done Jon =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> looks super


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## andycorleone (18 Feb 2008)

jyates":2vfi66wl said:


> after I had a quote for £5K…! :?



This quote is for the only concrete floor or for the whole workshop, BTW beutifull and tidy workshop


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## beech1948 (21 Feb 2008)

Hi,
Like Rich I was curious about the eventual costs of the wooden workshop. And as I live not too far from Woking who were the company who supplied it please. I have to add a wooden extension to my workshop so they may come in handy.

regards

Alan


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## Adam (21 Feb 2008)

HowardM":14y35h0n said:


> That's a nice Shed,
> 
> I have an idea for such a raised floor, while designing my shed.
> I was thinking of using a hole in the floor to brush waste shavings in, if it was sealed well a connection into the extraction system would have it away.
> ...



Just imagine.....

Couple of nails brushed in, hit the fan on the way through the extractor, small spark which sits in a bed of sawdust for a few hours, gently smoulding.....


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## DaveL (21 Feb 2008)

Adam":3ngoodki said:


> HowardM":3ngoodki said:
> 
> 
> > That's a nice Shed,
> ...



Sounds like another good reason for using a cyclone to drop the dust (and nails) in the bin before the fan. 8)


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## woodray (19 Mar 2013)

Great workshop Jon, can I ask you what problems you had with building regs and Part P as I am in the process of wiring my workshop up again due to more machinery going in.
I plan to bury 10mm SWA 600mm deep and install a new 8way cosumer unit with a ring containing 6 double 13amp and 3 16amp power sockets and 3 double batten light fittings.

I will get a sparkie to connect up both ends and check out my work and sign off. It would be helpful if you could let us know of any pitfalls you experianced.
P.S If there are any sparkies in the Nottingham area interested in the final work I would be interested to talk to them.
Ray


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## Wood Monkey (20 Mar 2013)

Hi Ray

My problems were twofold.

1. I couldn't find an electrician locally who would install what I wanted. Basically they did not want to work with the steel conduit. I offered to do all the steel work but still no takers.

2. My local building control office couldn't have been more unhelpful. I understood, from them, that I could put in lots of the electrical stuff i.e. the conduit, mounting all the fittings and running the SWA so long as I paid my building control fee and notified them up front. They would then arrange for this part to be inspected and then I could get the final commissioning done by a local sparks and he could sign off. I followed their advice, but then couldn't get them to cooperate. A comment from the BCO summed it up perfectly "If we came out to inspect every Tom, Dick or Harry who wants to put a light in his shed we'll never get any real work done.".

In the end I got the work certified by a sparks I met playing in a golf competition.

I did mine some time ago and I believe Part P has settled down since then. My understanding is that you'll have no issue if you get the whole job done by an electrician as he'll simple sign off his own work.

Jon


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## onlinename (25 Mar 2013)

Hi John, I want to install a floor that's basically the same as yours. My workshop is tiny, i'd say 4.5m x 2m or so with a concrete floor. Unfortunately because I am renting it from a landlord who doesn't know the history of the shed, I do not know what goes on under the surface of mine. It gets really cold in there and the floor is freezing..

How is this floorboard dealing with the cold so far? Any mould or dampness?

Do you think there is need for under insulation? I found the same board at Wickes: T & G Chipboard Flooring 18x600x2400mm

Did you use 18mm?

Many thanks,
Charles


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## Wood Monkey (27 Mar 2013)

Hi Charles

I think the underfloor insulation is really worthwhile. If you didn't want to batten the floor first you could actually lay the insulation and then the T&G boards floating on top - glued together obviously.

My floor is not showing any signs of damp. In fact I haven't had damp or condensation issues at all.

The boards are 18mm.

Jon


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## JuzzyD (27 Mar 2013)

May I ask what company you bought the workshop from please? I'm looking to build an office and this looks like the sort of building I'm after (I've looked at loads of companies but their framing is too weedy) like you I would love to build completely from scratch but I wouldn't have the time so adapting, like you have, is ideal.

Many thanks in advance.

Justin


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## Wood Monkey (29 Mar 2013)

Hi Justin

It was a company called Chart Stables. At the time they did mostly stables and garages (mine is a garage) but now they seem to have expanded into Chart Timber Buildings.

http://www.charttimberbuildings.co.uk

I was impressed with them at the time as they provided drawings and documentation which satisfied the building control office before I'd even made my final decision. The guys who erected the building we good and the building is still as good as it was on day 1 (albeit with a coat of Sadolin every 2 years).

Good luck, Jon.


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## JuzzyD (29 Mar 2013)

Thanks Jon

I'll take a look and I may even open a thread for the build of whatever we decide to do!

Justin


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