Hello, my old shed fell down

[Mouse007]

Well it did after I hit it a few times

So I cleared the site

made the base bigger

and got myself a kit

nearly there

First time I've built a shed - it's going to be my new workshop

Hello everyone,

 

[Fred48]

@Mouse007
Welcome to the forum.
Nice size for a workshop
Fred

 

[Bingy man]

Hello and welcome looks like you got your hands full

 

[Graculus]

As above, nice size - any links to the supplier? I was contemplating a block built workshop but that looks to suit my needs better.

 

[Mouse007]

As above, nice size - any links to the supplier? I was contemplating a block built workshop but that looks to suit my needs better.

Dunster House - and price is back down to what I paid

 

[Graculus]

Thanks for that - looks like a summer build project is coming on! Have you found any issues with it?

 

[Jameshow]

V nice!

Don't skimp on wood preservative / stain.

Go top brand for long life.

 

[Mouse007]

Have you found any issues with it?

I wish I had watched this before my build, I'm not bad at DIY and got it up but some logs were a challenge. The use of clamps as leverage would have made life easier.

Secondly do keep it square, keep checking that. Mine moved as I went up. When I went to fix the first roof boards I realised it was out.

 

[Yojevol]

Thanks for that - looks like a summer build project is coming on! Have you found any issues with it?

These are the problems I've had to deal with over the last 16 years:-

1. Timbers distorting, shrinking, splitting, despite treatment
2. Water entering corner joints causing unseen rot
3. Small sections, eg, window frames, bargeboards rotting prematurely
4. Water seeping in under the walls even though built on a brick course
5. Felt shingle roof tiles lifting
6. Lightweight shiplap cladding on doors. This was attached vertically for cosmetic reasons. It would have lasted longer if horizontal.

Recommendations

1. DON'T go down this route but if you do:-
2. Treat timbers BEFORE election, preferably pressure treat
3. Ensure allowance for wall shrinkage in vertical elements, eg,windows
4. DO. NOT have any concrete base projecting out beyond the walls. Water will collect and be forced in under the walls by strong winds
5. Insulate internally
6. Pay attention to roof materials

This is an interesting example of a building in the Skansen museum in Stockholm which I visited some years ago:-

Note the use of a heavy traditional preservative which is frequently reapplied and the vertical planks protecting the log ends

My building came with a 15 year guarantee and I would say that was about right for the basic structure but I have now replaced the windows with UPVC. I am cladding the walls with hanging felt shingle tiles and protecting the log ends with plastic flashing (Flashband). The roof has been retiled with artificial slates. It should be good for another 15 years.

This must be the 4th time I've warned against this type of construction here on the forum.
Brian

 

[Jacob]

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Good idea to box in the end-grain sticking out ends.
I wonder if that is just straight iron-oxide linseed oil paint? Looks like the ideal solution - modern paints would be a peeling disaster and linseed oil paint is about as easy to apply as creosote. One thin coat every few years would do it.

 

[Mouse007]

I did treat the first 11 rows of timbers before construction, and washed large quantities of the wood preservative stuff down the corner joints and all around the door and window frames. You can see the slight discolouration to the bottom half of the build in my last photo above.

I will add another 2 or 3 treatments before painting it.

I agree about the water getting in under the walls. Luckily I’ve been able to see that over the last few weeks before putting a floor down. I had replaced the supplied bearers with bigger ones which means I have sufficient clearance to put paving slabs all around the shed sloping away from the walls. In doing so I will leave a small gap between the exposed bearer and paving slab edge.

Before I do that I will seal the gaps under the bearers. I’m currently thinking about using a mortar gun to run a 20mm bead of cement along and under the bearer frame (inside and out). I then intend to paint the outside bead with roof sealant.

Guttering to water butts should complete the water defences. I certainly won’t be putting the floor down until I know water is not getting in.

The Dunster House design allows for movement around the door and window frames - which have adjustable bolts like the storm braces have.

I have got the roof boards on now, and very pleased with that result. I have further edged and reinforced the roof all the way round. I will be putting insulation and osb boards on top. The shed currently has a sheet of dpm on the roof because of the ongoing rain. This will in due course be stapled to the osb boards before the final roof covering is attached. Undecided between shingles or roof panels at the moment.

I do like the vertical planks protecting the log ends, I will give that some thought.

 

[Glitch]

My first and probably only shed build was full of learning points.

I (literally) splashed out on Sansin SDF to finish the Siberian larch cladding. Each board got two coats front and back before fitting. It is thin and soaks nicely into the wood.

It's expensive but so easy to apply and two years in the finish looks as good as day one. They have a load of different colours and finishes, mixed to order at Silva Timber.

The front aspect is an afternoon sun trap and gets surprisingly hot. This has caused the larch to give up little beads of sap which will probably need sanding and a recoat to get it back to looking new. The rest should be fine for a few more years.

 

[RC23]

I have a very similar log cabin garage workshop - from the fencing centre in Dorset.
Seven years old and very happy with it.
Painted the timber in Sadolin super dec - about 3 coats and still looks good as new! Bloody expensive paint tho!
I have had a few similar issues to Brian, especially with the roof which has been my biggest problem. The felt shingles have started to lift (didn’t realise) and have had to treat/repair sections of the roof where water and slugs got underneath. Will never go back to felt and have just ordered GRP slate tile effect roofing sheets, which should last 40yrs and slightly cheaper than artificial slate tiles and look the same.
I found the rain would come under the garage door so had to fit rubber storm guards to the bottom of the door which are effective.
If I was to do it again, would definitely put a better roof on from the beginnning. Would also swap out the pressure treated bearers for composite decking to prevent rot. But have to admit I have not had an issue, and I did place DPC between the bearer and the logs, which I saw someone else do and thought was a good idea.
Would also insulate the roof, didn’t have the money at the time. However when I come to replace the roof in a couple of weeks will be adding 25mm or 50mm foil backed insulation board.
Will also be replacing all the fascia boards for larger pressure treated boards so I can lower the guttering and and obtain a better slope to prevent blockages.
Brian, you mentioned you put flash band on the ends of the logs. Never heard of this and just googled it. Did you use tape or the paint? And is it easy to work with? Tempted by this.
Rupert

 

[Mouse007]

Thought you might enjoy this - how i got it down

 

[Yojevol]

Brian, you mentioned you put flash band on the ends of the logs. Never heard of this and just googled it. Did you use tape or the paint? And is it easy to work with? Tempted by this.
Rupert

Brian, you mentioned you put flash band on the ends of the logs. Never heard of this and just googled it. Did you use tape or the paint? And is it easy to work with? Tempted by this.

Here are a couple of photos showing my use of Flashband to protect the log ends. In the first pic the covering on the left, in front of the downpipe, was done 6/7 years ago. I made a neater job of the right hand one last summer. I attached a capping batten with rounded over edges before applying the Flashband. I used F/B primer on the woodwork. This certainly helps with adhesion. The F/B finishes with an inch or so on the log faces and then the hanging tiles were attached.
The first pic also shows the use of F/B applied to the concrete base and up the wall to prevent water ingress.
Brian

 

[Ollie78]

Looks good

Having some experience with a large dunster house shed like yours I would make very sure that the tar shingles supplied are actually working as they should.
Assuming you have them of course.
On my Mums one we had trouble as the pitch is too shallow to allow the correct drip effect off the end and into the guttering, so what was happening was the water was crawling back under the edge of the soffit and down the face of the shed.
After we figured out what was happening I fitted a plastic drip bead ( cheap in 5m lengths from Eurocel ) all along both edges and felted over with normal felt. Now the roof works properly.
Additionally I would fit a drip moulding like a door weather bar over each window and door as this has been another point of water ingress due to the loose nature of the design.

Ollie