Building a shed in Finland

[DennisCA]

I'm building a 5x5 meter shed because my workshop is full and we need more storage.

I started on the foundations for my new shed last July.

Cad preview of what it will look like:

The cat donesn't seem to be afraid of heavy machinery, as soon as there was a lull in activity they'd be right in there, curious about everything, weird cats.....

And this is it done, earth dug out and moved around, replaced with gravel that's been compacted and leveled. Still need to get insulation that will sit under the concrete "foot" and underground drainage pipes that will circle the foundation and lead away water towards a ditch off picture. The next step is building concrete forms:

One of the twins (David) had a swell time with all the big machines, got to run the compactor for a time as well.

Some screenshots from the cad showing the general build. It's just going to be an uninsulated shed for storing things that don't need to be in the warmth. It will also serve as a place for more tools, I hope to store my anvil and a forge or two permanently by the door.

 

[DennisCA]

This is going to be a budget build so I am working slowly and by myself mostly now that the major earth works are done.

These are the drainage pipes, they will go around the foundation. I will need to make the concrete "foot" before I finalize their positions but it's rather simple, they will ring the foundation and carry away water away from the shed into the woods near a ditch.

Then I started building the concrete forms. Since I will be doing this myself, I am making the form one quarter of the completed size and casting it in four portions. I will provide for a step to make it a lap joint.

Then I cast the first segment, it's pretty intense work and I have a back that's been a bit problematic, I could barely get up out of bed the next day. But walking around helps and then it lets go. I really worked out my back this summer and I think it got better by the end.

I went through the following two segments and I was going to cast the last part of the foundation but I noticed I saw the sun through my cement mixers bowl. It's getting worn out, it's a pretty old but durable 3 phase mixer. I replaced the bearings for the mixer bowl a few years ago so I am not gonna give up on it just yet.... I used tig and silicon bronze to work on this thin metal without blowing through.

Here is a picture of the finished foundation:

Next step is to start laying down LECA blocks. I have them ordered but around this time my vacation was over and I had no more time of energy left to start doing it. Once spring is here I will get on it. I hope.

 

[DennisCA]

And the next update happened a few weeks ago, I got lucky and some people where clearing away trees on the lot across the road. I caught them before leaving and they agreed to take down some trees for me. I'm building this shed with roof beams, three of them, instead of rafters. It's illegal to build rafters here without testing them, so everyone buys rafter. But using this older style of construction is fine. So I am hoping to get three 8x8 inch beams at least out of the material taken down.

 

[DennisCA]

I then started moving some of the logs and debarking them

 

[Jameshow]

Wow good work I do love Scandinavian countries!

Cheers James

 

[Cabinetman]

Very good work! you Finns don’t seem to mind getting stuck in to a job at all. Wonderful setting as well.

 

[shed9]

I'm loving this. I've started my own new 'delayed' build due to space although I'm making the new building the workshop (despite being smaller) and using the old one for storage. My foundation is down and just prepping the metalwork. Similar setting to yourself - middle of nowhere in a forest with lots of land. Will be watching this one. Are you milling the logs yourself?

 

[DennisCA]

Yes I'll be using a chainsaw and axe to prep the logs into beams. I might also use the electric hand plane for final fitting. Right now I wish we'd have some warmer weather, had a week of real warm weather and thought spring was coming early. then a snowstorm blew in and last night it was -25C in the morning and today -13C. I want the snow to melt away so I can work on the logs. Though I guess the higher priority this spring is the leca blocks. I got them last autumn and they've just been sitting there.

Got more blocks than I need, wondering if I should make the foundation higher and shorten the studs to compensate. House might look weird with too tall a foundation but the panelling can always just go down over it to hide that.

 

[DennisCA]

I'm hearing they are expecting some radical price hikes for building materials in Finland, worst possible timing for me.

And my dad said last night that he's tearing the greenhouse down. It's 16 m by 100 meters long (~50 by 330 feet google says). They had another one but it was removed last year. Been standing empty since they retired. Used to grow tomatoes in one, cucumbers in the other.

Anyway he says I can get as much wood as I want from here. It's all impregnated though, most of it is 4x4 or thicker. There's probably enough 4x4 material there to allow me to replace almost every 2x4 wit a 4x4 post... Those bent beams are hella thick and quite straight for a good portion of the length. I am tempted to replace all the standing 2x4s studs with 4x4s though it'd be a deviation from the approved plans. And I am not sure impregnated is suitable except as the lowest portion that will sit against the foundation. But it's held up this greenhouse for decades.

 

[Jameshow]

Use the timber any chemicals would have gone in your salad and killed you by now!

I presume your going to vapour barrier / board it on the inside so that will stop any chemicals coming into the workshop.

Cheers James

 

[DennisCA]

No it'll be an unheated and uninsulated shed (already have a heated workshop), so all the timber will be accessible. All I am planning to do is nail up wooden panelling. This is more a storage shed and perhaps a smithy.

 

[MARK.B.]

Looks great so far, use the recycled timber from the green house

 

[DennisCA]

Forgot I had a thread here. I've finished the brick laying part of the foundation and applied render to the inside, outside left.

And I am working on the roof beams:

Some of my tools

Restored this old hewing axe I found for this work, derust, sharpen and new handle:

 

[Limburger]

Very nice job so far, love the wood work. Folowing!

 

[Stanleymonkey]

Please tell me that cat is not called Render!!

 

[DennisCA]

The cats name is Oskar

Oh and the other cat is Sooty. They're littermates.

 

[Spectric]

No it'll be an unheated and uninsulated shed (already have a heated workshop), so all the timber will be accessible. All I am planning to do is nail up wooden panelling. This is more a storage shed and perhaps a smithy.

So that will be a really cold place in winter, I know how cold it can get in Finland and although it was a dry cold it still freezes the bits that don't get frozen here in the Uk.

 

[pe2dave]

Forgot I had a thread here. I've finished the brick laying part of the foundation and applied render to the inside, outside left.









And I am working on the roof beams:






Some of my tools


Restored this old hewing axe I found for this work, derust, sharpen and new handle:

Just how easy / hard is it using a hewing axe (for the intended use) please?

 

[DennisCA]

This was my first time but I have some axe woodworking experience which maybe helped in that it might be a bit easier to hit where I want to. Still I miss a lot too, but I could tell I was getting better with time. It is however really taxing, your back and your arms, at times my arms felt like wet noodles that were shaking when I was done. Might do two sides in one day, but I'd spend more time trying to refine the surfaces afterwards.

 

[George of the Wood]

Any further updates? Absolutely fascinating axe work. Can't wait to see the roof beams being installed.