Byrons Official Workshop Build Thread

[ByronBlack]

Day 3 Summary

Yesterday I was a bit annoyed and frustrated with the hardwork of clearing, and not seeing much in the way of physical progress, so today I was looking forward to starting work as the base was now clear to put down the timbers.

I've made a small change to the original plan. Instead of making concrete plinths and laying the 6x2 timbers across them. I creosoted 2x4's and bolted 2 together to make a 4x4 plinth - these were then concreted to the original base. This was decided because it was quicker, easier and seeing as the original concrete was almost perfectly level the timbers just had to be held in place.

So, that was the main job today. the 6x2's were cut to length and will be placed into position tomorrow.

No more work can take place until Friday now as the woodyard didn't have enough timber, so no delivery tomorrow (thursday).

The other changes to the original plan are:

1. I'll be using a flat roof afterall. The left-hand side wall will be 8'8 and the right-hand side wall will be 8'4, this will give me the run-off to the right, where there will be guttering to take any water to the water butt that belongs to the missus

2. I'm extending the length of the shed to 18' from 16' and doing away with the front veranda - this is so I don't have to cut away another 2' of hard soil - i'm fed up with shoveling! However the roof will still overhang a few foot, and i'll put down some flagstones infront of the shed to achieve a similar effect.

Pics:

SWMBO:

Me:

Rain stopped play, so the base is under tarpaulin, until the rest of the wood arrrives on friday, where the floor will be put down, and the frames will be made - or atleast started.

 

[johnb]

You'll regret it!

Those timbers need to be higher off the ground (on lintels or bricks!!), with the possibility of water running past them in all directions as well being protected from ground water by a damp-proof layer of some sort.

Given the higher ground around, water will run down, get trapped, and water-log them. They'll probably rot in a few years despite the creosote. (They don't look as though they've been soaked/submerged in creosote for any length of time)

I though creosote was banned for the DIY market a few years ago? - look-alike products often only have mould-protection properties and not necessarily rot-protection properties.

 

[PowerTool]

I though creosote was banned for the DIY market a few years ago? - look-alike products often only have mould-protection properties and not necessarily rot-protection properties.

Yes,you're right - it is no longer for sale for general use.
And although hindsight is a marvellous thing,I would have placed the timbers running with the slope rather than across it,so any water could run off/out.
But thanks for all the piccies - it's still an enjoyable thread

Andrew

 

[ByronBlack]

Based on a number of factors that I havn't detailed here, i'm confident the timbers will be fine, I however appreciate your ideas. Andrew, there is no slope, thats a trick of the camera, the slope is actually left to right on the edges of the base, hence why I have placed the timbers that way.

 

[beech1948]

ByronBlack,

Not to get to much like being pushy here but I would like to know what factors you have that mean your timber on concrete on the ground won't rot in a couple years. It seems to me that it will rot and is possibly an area where you might want to rethink.

Help us to learn please.
regards
alan

 

[ByronBlack]

Firstly, the soil area to the right is due to be completely cleared and sloped with drainage, so any water will drain away from the base, secondly the dropoff at the edge of the grass area, is going to be filled with concrete as will be the gap to the left of the base.

Edging backed with DPC will also be run around the base, so basically no water will actually be able to get under the workshop, or very little.

 

[mailee]

I agree with Beech, I would get those timbers up off the concrete and on blocks or bricks. Use a DPM between the timber and blocks too. The last thing you want is to be replacing the flooring joists in a couple of years!

 

[WellsWood]

Sorry Byron, but I'm with everyone else on this. You should at the very least be using pressure treated tanalised timber. Bearing in mind that everything else is built on top of these timbers it doesn't make sense to me to take any chances. If they do give up the ghost it will not be like fixing a leaky roof or a draughty door. Even a single course of bricks laid on the concrete with the 4 x 4s on top and DPM in between would have made the world of difference to its life expectancy IMO. Incidentally 4 x 4 fence posts would have done admirably for the piers.

I'm not sure I understand the bit about running "edging backed with DPM" around the base. Do you mean that you are planning on closing in the gaps by boarding over the ends of the plinths? If so you might want to rethink this also to ensure that adequate ventilation of the joists is maintained. I'm sure you know this already and it's just me misunderstanding, worth mentioning though just in case.

Finally, whats going on with the gap in the second plinth over the dirt patch in the middle? I'm concerned you may have a "bouncy" patch in your floor as a result.

Sorry to be such a harbinger of doom, you must be wishing you'd never started this thread, all we seem to do is berate you at every turn.

Good luck as always with the build.
Mark

 

[wizer]

should the DPM be on the underside of the base or ontop of the base (under the walls)..... or both?

 

[ByronBlack]

Day 4 Notes

All the work from day 3 has been un-done. The timbers have come up, the concrete broken and cleared, and the base is back to how it was on day 2.

I'm on my way to wickes to get the bricks, and today i'll mostly be laying the bricks down and getting the joists cut to size. Tomorrow will see the delivery of all the flooring, and the 2x4 for the frames.

No Summary Today.

 

[Sawdust]

Firstly, the soil area to the right is due to be completely cleared and sloped with drainage, so any water will drain away from the base, secondly the dropoff at the edge of the grass area, is going to be filled with concrete as will be the gap to the left of the base.

Edging backed with DPC will also be run around the base, so basically no water will actually be able to get under the workshop, or very little.

Byron,

Sorry to sound like a know-all but water WILL get under the joists whatever you do, unless you seal it so tight that there is no ventilation either. In either case they will rot surprisingly quickly and will be an abslolute B!"£$$r to replace.

I really would think about a few rows of bricks running cross-ways to those joists, put a piece of DPC between each brick and the joist and allow for plenty of air circulation underneath.

Cheers
Mike

 

[Mcluma]

Byron

Before you progress do what everybody says and change those joist

go for tanalist and for much larger 2*5 and gross braces

you will get a lot of flex on those small timbers and moisture will creep up

Listen i have done it before and so have others on this site,

plus put plastic vapor barrier on top of the joists

 

[ByronBlack]

Day 4

- Bricks have been laid
- Old joists removed
- DPC fitted
- 6x2 Joists cut to length

Pics to follow.

Tomorrow will see the flooring material arrive and the 2x4 for the framiing. A poly sheet will be laid over the 6x2 before the sheeting for the floor goes down. Noggins will also be placed between the floor joists to make it more rigid and sturdy.

Cheers for the info regarding the floor, im more confident about this brick setup, even though it was more hardwork.

 

[PowerTool]

Cheers for the info regarding the floor, im more confident about this brick setup, even though it was more hardwork.

Sitting here not doing any of the work,I'm glad you've changed it - it will definitely be worth the extra effort (although you probably felt like you were going backwards..)

Looking forward to the next installment/pictures

Andrew

 

[JFC]

Now you have changed everything and lost alot of time i have to ask ..... Why are you putting in a timber floor ? Why not use a concrete base as the floor ?

 

[Mcluma]

Now you have changed everything and lost alot of time i have to ask ..... Why are you putting in a timber floor ? Why not use a concrete base as the floor ?

its true

you have easy access and it would have made things a whole lot easier and quicker

but having said that a wooden floor feels a whole lot better underneath your feet :wink:

 

[ByronBlack]

It's funny how during the majority of my previous thread and this thread, the timber floor was always the way to go and in the plan, and now that I have done that, posters are saying 'you should have done concrete instead' - it's a bit late for that piece of advice now! However, i'm happy with the timber floor, as I hate concrete floors, I had one in my old workshop. Not to mention that this 'shop will not be having heavy machinery in it, therefore a wood floor will be warmer, easier to stand on, and easier for me to work with.

Day 5

Wood arrived at 8.30am this morning, I was still asleep and dreaming of cracking some age old conspiratorial mystery, but soon had to realise I had literaly a shed-load of timber to unload off the truck - bah, not a good morning. I'm a grumpy bar-steward as it is in the morning!

So, today will see the floor joists made rigid with noggins and the OSB floor laid on top with a poly sheet underneath for protection, then work on the frames can start.

Luckily the rain held out last night, so no troughs of water in the tarpaulin to deal with today which is a nice bonus.

 

[Alf]

Byron, I think wood's much nicer too. Yeah, more work now but nicer in the long run. Wish I had a wooden floor.

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

Have I missed something, shouldn`t the electric supply be sorted before anything else ? You are going to bury the supply fom the house arn`t you.
What do others think as I am about to do the same, build a workshop in the garden that is.

Koolwabbit :?

 

[llangatwgnedd]

therefore a wood floor will be warmer, easier to stand on, and easier for me to work with.

and kinder to fallen tools

I have converted from a solid floor to wooden, easier on feet and for moving machines about.