# Building workshop



## Woodandstuff (2 Apr 2021)

Hi I have moved and want to create a workshop 

One problem I have is the plot I have earmarked has the potential to be water logged as it is slightly lower and I suspect the surface drains have been designed to get the water away from the house . ( there is no mains drainage so the water ends up in my garden . ) 

I need to install some form of drainage and possibly raise the shed .

Does any one have advice how to build a shed where surface water is high . I was thinking of raising it but it this is too excessive then could come a cropper with the planning regulations as the structure may become to high . I am considering a french drain around the base to act as a cut of drain but have never installed one .

My preference would be to use a permeable base rather than concrete as it may act as a barrier at the end of the garden and water will just pond . 

does any one have any experience of putting up a shed where water logging is an issue.


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## Inspector (2 Apr 2021)

You could consider screw/helical piles and then put built in place beams of 2X treated wood. If height becomes an issue joist hangers on the beams and joists between. If height isn't a problem than put the joists on top of the beams and use clips to hold them down. Instead of piles you can make holes and put sono-tubes (cardboard forms). Then fill them with concrete and rebar if needed. The screw piles are fast and don't disturb the soil but cost a little more than concrete piles. 

Pete


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## Ttrees (3 Apr 2021)

Are you not limiting any future direction that your work may take, like having machinery
by wanting a suspended floor?

Tom


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## Inspector (3 Apr 2021)

Well we don’t know how big the OP wants to make his shed or the intended machines in it. If the floor is made of 12’ long 2”X6” joists on 2’ centres with 5/8” plywood it won’t hold much and bounce like a trampoline. Use 2”x10” on 1’ centres with 2 runs of blocking (noggings?) 4’ apart and 1” plywood it will hold up a tank. I hope the OP will get someone qualified to specify the materials to fulfill his needs. 
Sorry about the imperial measurements but it is hard looking up the conversions on a cell phone.

Pete


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## Woodandstuff (3 Apr 2021)

Thanks for the response

It will be easier to do when i am in the property. i am doing a back of a fag pack scoping excise from memory to avoid any clangers in the design. In summer it is easier to forget about water and i don't want to make that oversight. 

I want to build a shop approximately 3 meter by 8 but this will evolve as what is feasible structurally and within planning permission and bosses , I am aiming to design the space to minimise having to swop machinery around . Which is a pain. 

In terms of heavy machinery I don't have any three phase stuff and have no intension of getting industrial machinery I probably will be looking to have large hobby equipment /small professional machines, etc band saw, thickness planer , pilar drill and maybe a table saw, a lot of hand tools . Most will be on wheels and would like to over engineer this to future proof. 


As it in argyll where it is wet and humid , i need to decide on a construction design suitable for the climate. I really don't wanted rusty tools. That will be my next step


Alister


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## RobinBHM (3 Apr 2021)

I built a shed and combined garden cabin - right next to a small brook whose invert level is 2.4m lower than garden ground level.

I bought a post hole digger for fencing and dug a hole about 1600mm deep on the side nearest the brook, I then filled it with concrete and laid down Universal beams across.

The shed part is 2.7m x 5.4m I did 4 rows of 3 pads and fitted 4x2 joists in between.

Another way is to dig holes, put in stainless studding with a 100mm x 100mm washer on it, set 100mm up from bottom. Cast One into each concrete pad. Oakwood garden rooms have a YouTube channel that shows this technique.


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## Fergie 307 (3 Apr 2021)

First thing I would be looking at is can you improve the drainage, not just for your workshop build. What is the substrate. For example I had problems where the previous owner of our house had built up the back garden about 18 inches at the back of the house. When this was levelled we had a problem with standing water whenever it rained for any length of time. I am lucky in that I have about a metre of topsoil and clay but below that is sand and gravel. I simply dug a hole about 6 feet in diameter in the garden through into the gravel. This was lined with dry bricks taken from walls in the house that were being knocked through, then the middle filled with rubble from the build and 20mm shingle. The whole lot topped off with some old paving slabs then topsoil and the lawn on top. I have French drains across the back and side of the house which lead to this soakaway. The house is surrounded by gravel anyway Did this twenty years ago and never a puddle sice, no matter how hard it rains. My roof glittering also feeds into the same set up.


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## pils (3 Apr 2021)

Fergie 307 said:


> First thing I would be looking at is can you improve the drainage, not just for your workshop build. What is the substrate. For example I had problems where the previous owner of our house had built up the back garden about 18 inches at the back of the house. When this was levelled we had a problem with standing water whenever it rained for any length of time. I am lucky in that I have about a metre of topsoil and clay but below that is sand and gravel. I simply dug a hole about 6 feet in diameter in the garden through into the gravel. This was lined with dry bricks taken from walls in the house that were being knocked through, then the middle filled with rubble from the build and 20mm shingle. The whole lot topped off with some old paving slabs then topsoil and the lawn on top. I have French drains across the back and side of the house which lead to this soakaway. The house is surrounded by gravel anyway Did this twenty years ago and never a puddle sice, no matter how hard it rains. My roof glittering also feeds into the same set up.


Serious: This all sounds excellent (a friend is considering much the same)
NotsoSerious: Do you have photo's of your roof glittering?


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## mikej460 (3 Apr 2021)

Another strategy might be to raise the garden level? This is what I'm doing to overcome the same problem. That way you stay within permitted height.


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## Woodandstuff (3 Apr 2021)

Thanks i have a few things to think about. I will need to do a bit of site investigation of the the sub strait and the surface drains and how they work or don't .

Improving the drainage will help just hoping there is a natural fall to the garden and space to create a soak away. I suspect that may take a bit of time, and just my look it will probably not rain when i want it to to test it.


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## Fergie 307 (3 Apr 2021)

pils said:


> Serious: This all sounds excellent (a friend is considering much the same)
> NotsoSerious: Do you have photo's of your roof glittering?


Unfortunately not. Sounds much more glamorous than guttering doesn't it!


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## Ozi (3 Apr 2021)

I'd look into insulation and ventilation as well. I'm not an expert on this but someone here will be. I expect you will need some low level continuous heating through the winter to keep the damp out and can recommend tube heaters there are lots around 40 Watts and above. I first saw them used in exposed lift motor rooms on top of various buildings where they make a huge difference, lifts pump a lot of air in and out as they move in the shaft and without these you can get a lot of condensation and rouged cables


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