# Mikes New Workshop thread --- I hope somebody's interested



## mpooley (9 Feb 2007)

Hi All
I hope you lot can stand reading yet another Workshop build thread but I would love to know what you think and any ideas that you have that i might incorporate.

I had a digger in to prepare the ground and laid a concrete foundation.
then the wood arrived!

then i got stuck in! layed a DPC and fixed a base wall plate to the concrete making sure all the diagonals were equal.







Next me and a mate did the walls.

not bad for a day!




spent the next few days resting and preparing for the trusses - making up some of my own design scaffold etc. Then the trusses arrived at 10am in the middle of a snow storm! Had to unload them by hand and this is dinner time!





next morning!





I've had a couple of days refining the design! (Having a rest!) and am waiting for my mate to come tomorrow so that we can get the facias up and the insulation in the walls,
after that i am building on a side porch - felting the roof etc

hope you find this interesting
Mike


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## Neil (9 Feb 2007)

Great progress, Mike! :shock: 

Keep us posted...

Cheers,
Neil


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## dedee (9 Feb 2007)

Another small workshop :mrgreen: :wink: 

Also great to watch these builds - thanks for sharing.

Andy


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## syntec4 (9 Feb 2007)

Quick work Mike, Nice one. keep the pics coming.


Lee.


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## gidon (9 Feb 2007)

Wish you lived a bit closer! Excellent suff - I need to build a new workshop - mine's falling to bits. I don't even know where to start!
Keep the pics coming.
Cheers
Gidon


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## Shultzy (9 Feb 2007)

Nice work Mike, strange to see the walls built from the inside out :lol:


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## Adam (9 Feb 2007)

Whoo hooo, now thats going to be some workshop!

Bet its a bit chilly working out at the moment though!

Adam


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## Paul Chapman (9 Feb 2007)

Always interesting, Mike  It's looking good.

Cheers :wink: 

Paul


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## Evergreen (9 Feb 2007)

Mike

It looks very good and soooooo big! Down here in the Hampshire Everglades, at least two whole families would be living in it......

Regards.


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## greggy (9 Feb 2007)

i get it, thats not a workshop. come on you are bernard mathews, your location gives it away. joking aside i think its going to be great, loking good. and keep the picis coming :lol:


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## Fecn (10 Feb 2007)

Looking so good already.. and after only 6 days. 

Planning on any windows?

Keep those pictures coming


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## mpooley (14 Feb 2007)

Thanks for all replies , i'm glad your not all fed up with worshop builds yet!  

Yes i am putting in windows, I have put all noggins in place in the walls and will be cutting them out later when the worshop is working so i can make my own frames.

Thw weather has been awful here this week and i'm afraid i rushed putting the facias up in the pouring rain!  they are a bit in and outy!!  
I have tried packing them out to get them straight but it just wont stop raining!

One question : Soffits ? It would be easiest to nail them to the bottoms of the overhanging trusses at an angle but i have never seen it done this way. Is there any reason that they are normally battened out and fixed at a right angle?

Ok two questions  
I have put DPC under the bottom rail and folded it 6 inches up the wall this is then covered by the wall wrap so that no water can get to the bottom tinbers. I am then going to shiplap over that. My question is that i am thinking that the bottom plank of shiplap will get a lot of splashback and maybe i should replace it with 6inches of the fibre cement sheet roofers use as undercloaking.
Do you think that would be suitable?

Oh 3rd question  would that fibre cement be good to use as the soffit also?

Thanks for your interest

Mike


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## Freetochat (14 Feb 2007)

Shultzy":1bd0qegm said:


> strange to see the walls built from the inside out :lol:



When I built, I did it like that. The sheeting was quick to fix, and helped in the stability.


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## mpooley (14 Feb 2007)

Freetochat":3kudxvp7 said:


> Shultzy":3kudxvp7 said:
> 
> 
> > strange to see the walls built from the inside out :lol:
> ...



Yes it makes the whole job much quicker to erect and more stable.

Mike


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## Anonymous (15 Feb 2007)

Could you speed it up a bit? :wink:


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## mpooley (15 Feb 2007)

OK I'll try :shock: 

more pics tonight i hope


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## mpooley (26 Feb 2007)

Ok sorry about the delay in adding photo's but i've been so exhausted I havnt had the strength :lol: 

I have been busy as you can see. I have built the roofs for both porches. insulated and cladd the walls in 'wallwrap' and started studding out for the shiplap.
I have also done some work inside and am a third the way through laying the joists, Blimmin hard getting them level as the wood is not exactly straight :shock:

I have done a lot of cladding now but am waiting for some sunny day to take a picture  
Couple of problems, I've forgotten to put waste outlet through the foundations so i'll have to use one of the Ventilation holes instead. Just hope i can get enough ventilation down there.

Roof is coming along also and at least i can hide in there when it rains!!
which seems quite a lot of the time at the moment :shock: 


Thanks for the interest !









BTW my date has been reset on my camera - i didnt use a time machine lol


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## kafkaian (26 Feb 2007)

Excellent. Have the local council reps come for a nose yet?


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## mpooley (26 Feb 2007)

No
I didnt need planning permission so they told me :shock:


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## kafkaian (26 Feb 2007)

mikepooley":k8lamzv3 said:


> No
> I didnt need planning permission so they told me :shock:



That's good then. No worries. 

In Birmingham I worry about breathing before doing anything. Am about to put up a shed at the bottom of the garden but worry about that.

Anyway, you're doing a great job. Keep it up


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## PaulO (27 Feb 2007)

mikepooley":1d06hb7a said:


> No
> I didnt need planning permission so they told me :shock:



What about building control? You need to inform them even if you add an electrical circuit.

Looks fantastic, fits in its surroundings very well.


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## mpooley (27 Feb 2007)

PaulO":losj66a7 said:


> mikepooley":losj66a7 said:
> 
> 
> > No
> ...



Thanks very much I am hoping it will look good when its finished.

I think i might have made a tiny little mistake over the building control.
I thought if you didnt need planning permission then you didnt have to worry about building regs as its only a shed????? :shock: :shock:


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## Adam (27 Feb 2007)

mikepooley":1t28oalz said:


> I thought if you didnt need planning permission then you didnt have to worry about building regs as its only a shed????? :shock: :shock:



I'd say it is a "temporary" building. Building control are interested if you meet the regulations for permanent structures. which, for a "temporary" building which doesn't need planning permission - well, I wouldn't worry. I'm not saying thats correct, just that I wouldn't worry. Then again, your workshop is about 20 times the size of mine.

Provided a spark has the suitable part P registration, there is no need to inform building control at all.

Regards, 

Adam


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## mpooley (27 Feb 2007)

Yes i must admit that what i was thinking - that i wouldn't do anything and worry about it if it ever becomes an issue.
I have taken loads of pictures at every stage so i should be able to prove that it was built to regs if i ever need to :? 

I prefer to let the council know as little as possible  

they will probably try to put my rates up if i do! :shock:


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## kafkaian (27 Feb 2007)

There's a good Government pdf download here on whether or not you require planning for such structures:

With respect to Sheds and out-buildings, Section B is where it hints at the devil in the detail


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## mpooley (28 Feb 2007)

kafkaian":2g3wh8u9 said:


> There's a good Government pdf download here on whether or not you require planning for such structures:
> 
> With respect to Sheds and out-buildings, Section B is where it hints at the devil in the detail



Thanks I have got a copy of that but i checked just to put my mind at rest and i'm certain i dont need PP Phew!


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## Chris Knight (28 Feb 2007)

Mike,
Just had a look at those regs and the volume limit of 10 cubic metres seems small - your workshop looks bigger?


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## Adam (28 Feb 2007)

waterhead37":3n55i8of said:


> Mike,
> Just had a look at those regs and the volume limit of 10 cubic metres seems small - your workshop looks bigger?



Didn't that only apply if your house was a listed building? Or you live in a conservation area, a national park, an area of outstanding beauty or the Broads?

Adam


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## mpooley (28 Feb 2007)

Adam":2dlvzlyr said:


> waterhead37":2dlvzlyr said:
> 
> 
> > Mike,
> ...



Yes that gave my heart a flutter untill i read that bit again :lol:


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## kafkaian (28 Feb 2007)

Stop worring and get on with it: I want to see the end result


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## mpooley (28 Feb 2007)

kafkaian":g47dxnv6 said:


> Stop worring and get on with it: I want to see the end result



Yes sir i'll try better in future sir :lol:


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## mpooley (28 Feb 2007)

here i popped out in my lunch hour and did this - just for you :lol:


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## kafkaian (28 Feb 2007)

Excellent. It's amazing what you can do woth Photoshop these days :wink: 



Only kidding. Looks fantastic Mike with the tiled roof and cladding started


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## davy_owen_88 (28 Feb 2007)

I would quite gladly live in that. Good job, can't wait to see it completed.

Davy


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## mpooley (28 Feb 2007)

well i've just finished laying the last floor joist  
Now i'm waiting till it gets a bit darker and i can use my laser level to see what adjustments i'm going to have to do :? 

does anyone here have any tips on getting a floor level?
the joists are the normal 4x2 wavy type  

i've bought a cheapo electric plane to get the high spots off!

Mike


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## kafkaian (28 Feb 2007)

mikepooley":23ebbb91 said:


> does anyone here have any tips on getting a floor level?
> the joists are the normal 4x2 wavy type



This does my head in. I made a room partition a few years ago and got the uprights perfectly level. A few months later after the plaserboard was up and the door liners in, the one end started to bow.

Not happy


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## bobscarle (28 Feb 2007)

Ok Mike, I see the house, where's the workshop going? :lol: Can't wait to see the inside all kitted out. I bet in about 6 months time you will be saying if only I had a bit more space........

Looking great. Keep the pictures coming.

Bob


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## Shultzy (28 Feb 2007)

Mike I think you are winding us up  Its bigger than our local Tesco's
I'm very envious of your space


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## woodbloke (1 Mar 2007)

Mike - personally, I wouldn't worry too much about getting the floor dead level, as long as its pretty much there all will be good. I have a suspended floor in my 'shop and its nowhere near flat and level. The absolutely *crucial* thing tho' IMO is to get the bench the correct height (inside leg measurement  plus about 75mm) and *dead* level in both planes...I use little hardboard shims under each leg to chock it up so its true - Rob


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## ByronBlack (1 Mar 2007)

I didn't really bother too much levelling my floor either, it's on 6x2 joists and I breifly checked them with a spirit level, but once I put the sheeting on and starting moving heavy items in and walking on it, it feels very level. I agree with woodbloke, makesure the bench is level but don't get too anal about the rest of it.


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## kafkaian (2 Mar 2007)

I take it there's a settled concrete pad for the base? Would it be pertinenent to set in a damproofed concrete subfloor just where you think any benches are going to go, to meet and marry with the wooden floor? I'd be confident getting this level.

You could have a series of raised concrete pads where all the tables, benches go. The benefit of this would also help in reducing vibrations across the entire timber subfloor.

Also, I'd feel more confident that any future settling of the site would facilitate better management of bench/table levels.

PS - I'm still very envious of this creation. As green as green can be


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## mpooley (3 Mar 2007)

Thanks for your comments - I must admit even thinking about getting the floor level is a nightmare :shock: so i'll keep it simple  

I have two sleeper beams at right angles to the joists and i am supporting these on concrete pads with timber posts.
the sleeper beams are 1.6mtr apart and the supports for them are 1.6mtrs apart as as well IYSWIM around the bench and tablesaw i will put in quite a few more supports as well.
This is my job today if i can get up the energy to get out there!
Then i suppose i should put in noggins :shock: 
another awkward job i dont really want to do  
I like all the jobs where you can stand back after a hard day and see something for it.
Any way It was a lovely day yesterday so i didnt carry on with the floor but got outside and nearly finished the shiplap.
Only the front to to but I might be held up for 6 weeks :shock: 
My mate is having an extension and has promised me his set of french doors but i was told yesterday his build is delayed for 6 weeks!!!!
so the front will probably stay uncladd till then


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## kafkaian (3 Mar 2007)

<tsk, blamin' his mate for the delay now>

Mike, you're working at a phenomenal pace mate. Have a break and give the rest of us a chance.

Looking great


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## ByronBlack (3 Mar 2007)

That's going up a very fast rate, I bet you'll have it finished before I can even get my interior boarding done. top class job there, and i'm not at all jealous in anyway oh no, not jealous at all


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## mpooley (3 Mar 2007)

Thank you  

Its going good but i'm wearing out fast LOL

I'm taking it a bit slower this week so it wont be until thursday that i actually lay the chipbaord floor.
I dont want to rush it and make mistakes.
I should have all the floor supports finished tomorrow and hopefully the noggins in as well.
monday i'm fitting the insulation and teusday and wednesday i'll stay in bed recovering :lol:


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## ByronBlack (3 Mar 2007)

Mike

When you've finished your's, fancy coming round and finishing mine of? You should have it done in a couple of hours, if the rate of your build is anything to go by 

It's good to see more workshop builds though, I always find them interesting, maybe because i'm a nosey git


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## Jake (3 Mar 2007)

That is going to be a hell of a workshop - it looks great.


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## seanybaby (21 Mar 2007)

Great work :shock: It's bigger than my house :wink:


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## kafkaian (21 Mar 2007)

I can't wait for the latest piccies. C'Mon Mike, where are they?

Anybody think you've got a big workshop to build :wink:


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## Paul.J (21 Mar 2007)

Just caught up with this.
Looks fantastic.
This is more like my ideal workshop.
Paul.J.


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## mpooley (9 Apr 2007)

Hi all and thanks for the comments!  
I've been a bit busy so have been too knackered to post pics on here when i get back from t workshop build!!
Been getting on well but i'm tiring fast - I thought I was going to have a rest when i retired :? 
As you will see I am getting near the finishing mark now, just got to paint the ceilings walls and floor - do the lectric and move the tools in!
Then I can get building the windows and back doors - finish the porches etc etc etc :shock: 
I got my free front doors at last and got them in and finished the front. :lol: 
The plasterboarding was hard though :shock: and so was that floor eeek!


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## mpooley (9 Apr 2007)




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## mpooley (9 Apr 2007)

Been Having problems loading the pics hope this is ok :shock:


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## ByronBlack (9 Apr 2007)

What a lovely building! Puts almost all our workshop builds in the shade. I really dig that colour scheme - very smart!

By the way, I think your location is amazing as well, all that open land, must be very nice to live in!


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## mpooley (9 Apr 2007)

ByronBlack":1kbrmhl2 said:


> What a lovely building! Puts almost all our workshop builds in the shade. I really dig that colour scheme - very smart!
> 
> By the way, I think your location is amazing as well, all that open land, must be very nice to leave in!



thank you! we werent sure about the colour scheme so we chose a traditional Norfolk out building colour although the style isn't very "Farm outbuilding" 
yes we have some lovely views here =pity we dont own the land though :lol:


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## Shultzy (9 Apr 2007)

Mike, what's with the extra beams coming down into the shop?


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## mailee (9 Apr 2007)

That is looking really nice Mike. I think I could get my workshop in there twice! I know it is hard work but just think of when it is finished, that should spear you on. :wink:


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## mpooley (9 Apr 2007)

Shultzy":qdmy7mif said:


> Mike, what's with the extra beams coming down into the shop?


They were temporary (going to be permanent sort of) braces to give rigidity to the walls,
Its my solution to the fact that such long unsupported walls are weak.
By bracing like that it will stop any tendancy for the two walls to collapse in the same direction if you know what i mean!
a normal long structure like that would have internal walls to brace it,
I cant think of another way to do it without building an internal wall.

They have been removed for the plastering and the place seems rock solid but i wont take any chances- a good wind might blow it over :shock:


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## mpooley (9 Apr 2007)

mailee":3hzfzk01 said:


> That is looking really nice Mike. I think I could get my workshop in there twice! I know it is hard work but just think of when it is finished, that should spear you on. :wink:



its the only thing that keeps me going :lol: 
I just hope i've enough energy left to make the kitchen swmbo wants :?


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## kafkaian (10 Apr 2007)

Love it. Mike, are you going to bother plastering the interior?


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## mpooley (10 Apr 2007)

kafkaian":1oz8kphg said:


> Love it. Mike, are you going to bother plastering the interior?


No I'm not the best plasterer!
I am fairly good at jointing the boards though so that will be good enough!
in fact that is all done now and the first coat of paint is on the ceiling.
I hate painting though :-(
I Have been lazy this weekend - cos we have familly here but i'll be painting on wednesday and if i can stick at it i'll be ready to start shifting tools in next week!
I do HATE painting though! LOL


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## DomValente (10 Apr 2007)

Very nice Mike, looks to be a fabulous location.

Dom


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## mpooley (10 Apr 2007)

DomValente":3nsix0so said:


> Very nice Mike, looks to be a fabulous location.
> 
> Dom



Thanks
I got to admit i'll be spending a bit of time out on the deck at the front during the summer enjoying the lovely view!


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## ByronBlack (10 Apr 2007)

Wherabouts in Norforlk are you? (Don't worry, I won't be stalking you - just wondered as my dad spends a lot of time on the broads).


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## mpooley (11 Apr 2007)

ByronBlack":okuealhx said:


> Wherabouts in Norforlk are you? (Don't worry, I won't be stalking you - just wondered as my dad spends a lot of time on the broads).


West Norfolk Near Downham Market :shock:


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## Benchwayze (11 Apr 2007)

Are the tiles clays or concrete, or maybe lighter 'imitation' roof-tiles? Just thought you might need those braces inside if those tiles are the normal 'Marley' roofers.

It reminds me of the billets in HMS Ganges, all those years ago. Not much smaller either. They had 1.5" diameter, metal tie-rods across the span of every few rafters, at about twenty feet intervals, to spread the roof load. The rooves were just felted, over floor-boards. Nothing inside to insulate us at all! 

Your roof looks good, but I like the idea of cedarwood shingles. However, it's your workshop after all. And it's four times the size of mine :mrgreen: 
 
Nice job.

John


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## mpooley (11 Apr 2007)

Clay tiles! and yes I like shingles too but i think they might have cost even more!
also trying to stay looking traditional to fit in with the locality.

I will need to put those beams back I'm sure! 
I'm waiting till i finish the painting then i want to replace them with something a little bit more attractive. 
I'm not sure about how many i need though?
The building is approx 50ft long so definitly needs bracing. I had them at 17ft intervals eg just two sets?? do you think thats enough 
I want to make them smaller too - dyou think that will be ok?

this is one one thing (among lots of others) that i'm unsure of!!


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## Woody Alan (11 Apr 2007)

Mike ref the wind braces, we have a fair number of sectional buildings across the country about 2-3,000 I guess and they do have wind braces but they are not as obtrusive as yours they start at the same sort of height on the wall but don't go to the centre of the building. they go sharply up to make a couple of small triangles with the joist and rafter, almost like another truss on it's side if you see what I mean, then the rest of the roof truss making up the strength. Could be worth thinking about with the winds these days, and you do look a bit exposed  

Alan


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## Adam (11 Apr 2007)

mikepooley":1htf06n2 said:


> I want to make them smaller too - dyou think that will be ok?this is one one thing (among lots of others) that i'm unsure of!!



Could you brace outwards, with a metal tie, down at 45 degrees in some fairly unobstrusive place? i.e. on the outside instead? 

Or build a partial wall out on the inside - not right across but to add some bracing - could hold some shelves - it wuold effectively give you some more wall space, and could be done as to no impede the main run of the room.

Adam


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## OLD (11 Apr 2007)

Might be worth thinking about where you are going to have your benches +tables+ cupboards and how you secure them they may do the job for you with some careful design and layout.


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## mpooley (12 Apr 2007)

Woody- Thanks yes that was something like i was thinking about but wasn't sure if they would brace the building enough? do you build sectional buildings then? how many would you think i would need each side?

Adam- I did try to work out where something like that would go. I am tight up a hedge one side - i did think about connecting it to that but reckoned that the workshop would sway with the hedge in the wind :lol:
Damn I knew I should have built it in the Gothic style the flying buttresses would have looked great! :lol: :lol: 

Old: that is a good idea, I will think on that one, immediate problem i can see is that one side i want a long bench the whole side but i suppose a very strong wall cabinet would do???? depends on how many i need i suppose.


I definately need to do this before the next big wind i think. it would be terrible to see it all in a heap one morning when i get up!!!


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## Adam (12 Apr 2007)

mikepooley":1e5yumc4 said:


> I am tight up a hedge one side - i did think about connecting it to that but reckoned that the workshop would sway with the hedge in the wind :lol:



But if you dug a hole, popped some concrete in with a "U" shaped piece of metal, somewhere "in" the hedge, could you not brace down to it with some metal bar at 45 degrees?



mikepooley":1e5yumc4 said:


> Old: that is a good idea, I will think on that one, immediate problem i can see is that one side i want a long bench the whole side but i suppose a very strong wall cabinet would do???? depends on how many i need i suppose.



Having a long bench doesn't mean you can't have regular piece of ply to add triangulation in there. (underneath). Wouldn't interfere with you bench at all.

Adam


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## mpooley (12 Apr 2007)

Would the triangulation work under the bench?? mmh i suppose it would wouldn't it!! :shock: 
the idea after all is to stop the walls moving in or out so i don't suppose it matters wether its tied to the ceiling joists or the floor????

mmh good thought -- i wonder why i never thought of that


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