Darn, I need a shed

[sickasapike]

Hmm, now my airy, spacious summerhouse office has become a densely packed workshop and having little storage in general; I now have a dozen plastic crates full of essential rubbish under a tarp in the garden, and a bike in the lounge, and a set of metal shelves full of timber, err, also in the lounge behind the telly...

I do however, have a nice unused corner of garden - I need a shed.

Purely for storage, so as long as it doesn't leak more than a plastic tarp with a plank on top, it's fine.

Looking at Wickes as a low bar, 250 quid gets me a basic 6x8, which would do, the question is, will I hate myself forever for buying the cheapest ?

For 100 quid more they will build it, I'd be doing it alone, which might be near impossible / not a fun day, so tempted; it also means they sort out any 'oh, that piece is supposed to fit there' problems rather than me lugging it back or repacking etc.

450 quid gets a better quality one from a few places, that would be the next step up but really don't want to get so close to half a grand and I still have to build it alone/rent a second pair of hands... the lounge/tarp solution isn't so bad !

Might they get cheaper ? - Wickes say that's 15% off, am thinking they might get cheaper when the snow comes, who wants to put up a shed just before xmas...

I keep an eye on gumtree etc for free/2nd hand ones but if it's just me doing it, they usually need pulling apart before transport, marking/remembering where it all goes, potential to break it pulling apart, needing to rent a van/man; but if the right one pops up I might go that way.

 

[MikeG.]

Now price up some 45x45's , feather edge boards, and some OSB. DIY, and you'll never have to worry about whether your shed is going to survive a winter......

 

[sickasapike]

Now price up some 45x45's , feather edge boards, and some OSB. DIY, and you'll never have to worry about whether your shed is going to survive a winter......

Hmm, really ? - I was mulling a self build back in the summer to make a workshop in but ended up hijacking my office space instead... thus creating the need for a shed

The thing that put me off was the assumption that I probably coudn't buy the timber itself for less than the price of a ready-rolled, I could be way off though - is that what you're saying ?

I'll check out your sig link...

....done so, looks mighty but a bit major for what I need, and I'm not allowed to put concrete down, has to be take-awayable one day so I'd need a semi-temporary base.

I have many of those rigid plastic open top crates that supermarkets carry vegetables around in, my plan is to make a solid matrix of maybe 24 of them, sunk half into the soil, planks on posts tight around the outside of the visible portion for neatness, keeping them together and securing the shed to, and fill them with hardcore.

The space is right in a corner, so tall fences 2 sides that it'll be 20-30cm from, big solid summerhouse on the 3rd side half a metre away, under a huge tree that dominates the airspace over that end of the garden, doesn't get blowy there at all.

 

[HappyHacker]

I bought a cheap shed, self assembly, it was carp. it did the job for a few years but it offended me every time I used it. I have had a slightly better shed from a local shed man who also assembled it but after a few years the roof and floor were sagging. Both have now gone to shed heaven.

I have third shed which was reasonable, self assembly, no idea where from. It is about 20 years old now, the roof has been fixed twice but despite being treated large parts of it are rotten and the roof leaks again. It to will be going to shed heaven when I get some time.

So if you have the time I would recommend the self build option , You can make it so it can be disassembled easily and of decent sized and quality timber rather than the cheapest offcuts. You do not need a concrete base, concrete slabs are OK or even brick piers with decent joists. There are also many decking options which can be repurposed.

Or if you want a ready made solution try your local shed man and see what he can do for you. May be more expensive but will last better than the really cheap ones. He will be buying materials in bulk and be set up to produce sheds so can probably do a 1/2 decent sheds for a good price.

I would not recommend a second hand one. Unless it is really old it is probably the cheap type that will break as you try to take it apart, I speak from experience.

 

[MikeG.]

Now price up some 45x45's , feather edge boards, and some OSB. DIY, and you'll never have to worry about whether your shed is going to survive a winter......

Hmm, really ? - I was mulling a self build back in the summer to make a workshop in but ended up hijacking my office space instead... thus creating the need for a shed

The thing that put me off was the assumption that I probably coudn't buy the timber itself for less than the price of a ready-rolled, I could be way off though - is that what you're saying ?

I'll check out your sig link...

....done so, looks mighty but a bit major for what I need, and I'm not allowed to put concrete down, has to be take-awayable one day so I'd need a semi-temporary base.

I have many of those rigid plastic open top crates that supermarkets carry vegetables around in, my plan is to make a solid matrix of maybe 24 of them, sunk half into the soil, planks on posts tight around the outside of the visible portion for neatness, keeping them together and securing the shed to, and fill them with hardcore.

The space is right in a corner, so tall fences 2 sides that it'll be 20-30cm from, big solid summerhouse on the 3rd side half a metre away, under a huge tree that dominates the airspace over that end of the garden, doesn't get blowy there at all.

No, no, I'm not suggesting you build a storage shed in the same way as a workshop. It can be done fairly simply, and without concrete and bricks.......yet getting the thing up off the ground such that it will dry off after rain.

I'd need to see your plastic tray things, but if instead of timber on top of them, if you laid PCC lintels or fence posts, you've got a decent base on which to build a 2x2 framework. The thing is, most sheds are made with 2x1 battens as frames, and the thinnest crappiest cladding you can imagine. Even if you material costs the same as a pre-built shed, you'll get a decent building of the size and shape you want.......but one which isn't falling to bits as soon as you erect it.

 

[MattRoberts]

I bought a shed from tiger sheds - think it was about £300. It was dead easy to assemble on my own, and reasonably good quality for the price. If I was using it for Anthony other than storage, I'd want something more robust, but it does a perfect job of keeping the rain off the stuff inside, so I'd recommend it for that.

 

[giantbeat]

my little spray booth is a shed out the back of my workshop, like Matt, i bought it from tiger sheds, easy to build reasonably made & now i have insulated & lined it, its bang on.

 

[paulm]

I bought a shed from tiger sheds - think it was about £300. It was dead easy to assemble on my own, and reasonably good quality for the price. If I was using it for Anthony other than storage, I'd want something more robust, but it does a perfect job of keeping the rain off the stuff inside, so I'd recommend it for that.

That's a coincidence, I bought a large one from them too recently, just for storing turning blanks and timber to free up space in the workshop proper. It's half decent quality, 2x1" framing as Mike says, 12mm cladding, won't last a lifetime but plenty good enough for a ten year or so spell I would guess (if treated now and again).

Cost a lot more than £300 though due to size, but I wanted to spend my time sorting out the workshop rather than building the timber shed, so worth it for me to get that project moving.

 

[sickasapike]

I'd need to see your plastic tray things, but if instead of timber on top of them, if you laid PCC lintels or fence posts, you've got a decent base on which to build a 2x2 framework.

That's what I mean, the planks would be around the sides, secured to a pair of posts on the outside of the corners (hmm, better solution, or maybe not needed) - the top edge of the planks would be level with the top of the crates so the cross beams/joists (?) of the shed floor can rest on the hardcore and attach to the planks on the ends - almost like the whole thing was resting on joists attached to the posts like builds I've seen on youtube where you use concrete but these are more just to keep the shape, look neater and give something to attach the shed base to - I can use planks on the inside of the outer crates and bolt through to keep them solid.

Attached photo of one of the crates, they're very sturdy things (of unspecified origin), I have stacks of 6 & 7 of them full of firewood (stocking up !) with almost zero wobble. If there were 24 of them, depending on shed footprint, bound together in a tight rectangle, half buried and full of hardcore, maybe with bricks and bigger rocks at the bottom; I think it'd make a good solid base that drains well (vent holes all over the underside) and can be removed without much of a trace - at some point the concrete round the back of the lounge needs redoing, the hardcore would be useful for that I guess.

 

[MikeG.]

You'd need something to stop those bulging at the perimeter of the shed. That aside, it sounds like it could work. However, you are still proposing wood at ground level, and that is a basic, fundamental flaw. Do anything you can to avoid that. Your lowest timbers should be at least 6 inches above ground level. As I said, some concrete lintels or fenceposts (or even the ones made from recycled rubber) laid on the ground would be better than timber.

 

[MikeJhn]

I built this in my garden for under £750.00 and no OSB in sight, only use OSB if you don't want it to last, this is a workshop and observatory, been there for over 15 years now without any problems.

Mike

 

[sunnybob]

Almost afraid to mention the "P" word here, but if you want storage only then Plastic is the way i would go.
i bought a 6ft x 4ft plastic shed from wickes, 12 years ago. Put it up in an hour.

Its been disassembled and moved twice, including from the UK to here in a shipping container. Its stood up to 10 summers at 40 plus degrees c. and 10 winters of torrential rain and howling gales that have thrown a metal gazebo across the garden so many times I scrapped it.
Not one second spent on maintenance, and it still works exactly as advertised.
I expect my kids will inherit it.

 

[MikeJhn]

I have a plastic container for cushions and other things in our French garden and could not understand why it was always moved around, that is until very early one morning I saw the wild boar using it as a scratching post. :shock:

Mike

 

[sunnybob]

Biggest wild animal we have here is a hare. No way it will move that shed, not if it gets a dozen mates to help it (lol).
But I do have to be careful of snakes and rats that want to hibernate.

 

[MikeJhn]

I have a resident Barn Owl that seems to take care of those type of problems, built him an Owl box about two years ago and he took up residence immediately, just wish he would bring up his pellets outside the workshop. =D>

Mike

 

[sickasapike]

However, you are still proposing wood at ground level, and that is a basic, fundamental flaw.

Hi, gosh yes, I know not to do that, been watching lots of youtube 'build a shed' videos - especially with it being a bit of a quagmire right now after swamping a wasps nest I've been trying to depopulate all summer with soapy water !

Yep, the planks would need to be off the ground, 6 inches you say... maybe.. just... - I'm hoping to minimise the digging as there's a lot of root there, from the huge live tree and a dead stump in the corner (with wasps nest conveniently below !)

Thanks for the advice but with a fresh morning, I'm remembering that I have a bathroom to finish and the kitchen to do before my daughter comes on the 27th of December (it's her place I'm doing up)... and I'm learning almost everything along the way; so think I need to come back to the chaep and cheerful, pre-made, get them to build it option, or leave it til the spring, am still thinking Wickes might drop their proces further as it gets colder - they didn't drop the price for the Black Friday thing, the same '15% off' has been there for ages.

What would just dropping the hardcore into a shallow hole be like as a base ? - ditching the crate idea - as I mentioned it's in a corner protected on 3 sides within half a metre and above (fence, fence, summerhouse and tree cover) so it's not going to get blown around, it'll have a fair bit of weight in it too.

I want to build the shed that Colin Furze has... the one with the trapdoor to a massive play room under the garden.... not sure my daughter would be into the 'dig the garden up for 6 months' part of the process though

 

[MikeJhn]

Foundations for small sheds can be made out of Concrete fence posts or gravel boards, level them on the ground and put the joists on top, use felt/DPC to fine adjust the height and take out any discrepancy in the concrete.

Mike

 

[sunnybob]

Hah! thats an idea.
There is a local screech owl that flies low over our garden very often.
Scares the hell out of visitors when it barely clears the 6 ft high fence.
Trouble is its wing span must be 2 ft plus and I would need another shed just for it.

 

[sickasapike]

Almost afraid to mention the "P" word here, but if you want storage only then Plastic is the way i would go.

Hmm, interesting compromise between the tarp and a 'nice wooden' shed - thanks.

 

[MikeJhn]

In case you don't know, popular name Screech Owl, real name Little Owl.

In Greek mythology, the little owl was the bird sacred to Pallas Athene, the goddess of wisdom. The connection to Greek mythology is celebrated in the bird’s Latin name, Athene noctua, very active during the day unlike the Barn Owl.

Mike