General thoughts of whether better to buy a metal or wooden shed particularly if I want a stove with a chimney?

[woodlearner9810182]

I get the impression reading the thread that there are lots of ideas but almost no focus. You need to be clear what your priorities are.

If you want dry shed quickly that will probably last 5-10 years + the best route is to buy one. If you have the money - great. If not perhaps a few days labouring or similar will generate the cash. You need a level base - otherwise very quick and a known quantity.

Ok so a new requirement has reached the fore lately and that is whatever structure it is has to be rodent proof! Those little things are crawling all over the place. They would run all over my van at night including the roof. I seem to have been able to curb them going on the roof by taping up the seams of the doors so now they, fingers crossed, are not able to get a purchase to get up there. This was really important not only for the creepyness factor but because my solar panels are up there and they would cause havoc if they chewed through those.

I have seen that most plastic cartons I leave out they will just bulldoze through those. Hard plastics too. There isn't even any food in them in most cases so I don't know why they do it? Just to be troublemakers?

With this in mind it seems it would be much better to buy a modern shed with its regular and clean lines as other stuff like using roundwood or wattle and daub would be awful to try and seal I would imagine.

Since they chew through plastic of considerable thickness does it mean they would also be inclined to chew through a wooden shed too? That might narrow it down to metal then.

Hmm just a quick search and it seems they do indeed chew through wood.

 

[AJB Temple]

What you need is a house. Not a woodland never ending fairy tale.

 

[Jameshow]

Ok so a new requirement has reached the fore lately and that is whatever structure it is has to be rodent proof! Those little things are crawling all over the place. They would run all over my van at night including the roof. I seem to have been able to curb them going on the roof by taping up the seams of the doors so now they, fingers crossed, are not able to get a purchase to get up there. This was really important not only for the creepyness factor but because my solar panels are up there and they would cause havoc if they chewed through those.

I have seen that most plastic cartons I leave out they will just bulldoze through those. Hard plastics too. There isn't even any food in them in most cases so I don't know why they do it? Just to be troublemakers?

With this in mind it seems it would be much better to buy a modern shed with its regular and clean lines as other stuff like using roundwood or wattle and daub would be awful to try and seal I would imagine.

Since they chew through plastic of considerable thickness does it mean they would also be inclined to chew through a wooden shed too? That might narrow it down to metal then.

Hmm just a quick search and it seems they do indeed chew through wood.

Could be squirrels tbh.

The tin of your van will make it sound worse.

I think you need to invest in a good sized log cabin or shed 12x12' minimum 16x16' better. You can have a sofa, kitchen and toilet perhaps with a bed up in the roof above the kitchen.

 

[woodlearner9810182]

Could be squirrels tbh.

The tin of your van will make it sound worse.

That was said elsewhere but pointed out squirrels are not nocturnal. I know what it was after several weeks of the same. They climbed on the the back bumper and I hear them climbing up to the roof. My head inside is right by the back door so very close to their activities. Since I put the tape on I have heard them now and then on the bumper or around the general underside of vehicle on wheel arches or such but no longer, touch wood, on the roof.

I think you need to invest in a good sized log cabin or shed 12x12' minimum 16x16' better. You can have a sofa, kitchen and toilet perhaps with a bed up in the roof above the kitchen.

Don't need so many 'mod cons'.

Would log still prevent them biting through? I will also want it to double as a dry food store so want to make sure there is no way they can get in if they somehow smelt it and besides no way I want them in there if sleeping in it! Don't want to have it as main sleeping place, just a backup in case of van failure.

Maybe I would grow to want to use it more as habitation but not my main goal right now except as backup for security.

Mainly for storage, workshop in worst weather and food expansion store.

 

[woodlearner9810182]

What you need is a house. Not a woodland never ending fairy tale.

and bills and jumping through hoops to appease references, annoying landlords and material possessions and space I spend a huge wedge of monthly income maintaining I don't need or mortgage. I will stick to my neverending fairy tale.

Fairy tales are fun after all.

 

[Inspector]

Mice can get themselves through a hole as small as a 1/4 inch/6-7mm so any building that isn't tight won't keep them out, even metal. That basically boils down to a very well built metal shed with right detailing along all edges and openings. If you can stand cats a few of them will take care of the problem. Right now it is roughly -30ºC here at night so they don't travel far from their holes but when it warms up to near zero they will be getting into my garage again through the overhead door seals etc. Peanut butter baited mouse traps then take over until spring arrives and the wee besties take off for greener pastures. I don't like cats.

Pete

 

[Nail]

That was said elsewhere but pointed out squirrels are not nocturnal. I know what it was after several weeks of the same. They climbed on the the back bumper and I hear them climbing up to the roof. My head inside is right by the back door so very close to their activities. Since I put the tape on I have heard them now and then on the bumper or around the general underside of vehicle on wheel arches or such but no longer, touch wood, on the roof.

Don't need so many 'mod cons'.

Would log still prevent them biting through? I will also want it to double as a dry food store so want to make sure there is no way they can get in if they somehow smelt it and besides no way I want them in there if sleeping in it! Don't want to have it as main sleeping place, just a backup in case of van failure.

Maybe I would grow to want to use it more as habitation but not my main goal right now except as backup for security.

Mainly for storage, workshop in worst weather and food expansion store.

You need to put your building on some staddle stones - it’s what old grain stores were built on.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staddle_stones