New Garden Shed Build

I did a little more reading of UK shed height rules. I didn't realise that a max height of 2.5m only applied for a shed within 2m of the boundary. If building beyond 2m, I can increase the overall height of the pent roof to 3m.

Roofing:
Has anyone had much experience with using rubber roof EPDM? It is more expensive than felt, but the overall look is far nicer.

 

Lots of sheds are built using feather edge as cladding…….even seen houses use feather edge for cladding too

 

@jowwy Funny you should say that. On my morning walks I always pass a very cool wooden designer eco house. On closer inspection this morning I noticed every inch is actually clad with feather edge. I believe the house was built 15 years ago and the timbers look nicely silvered yet in immaculate condition.

@Loofah is that a personal choice or because you find heavy duty felt to be better?

Twice I reroofed our previous shed with felt. The first time using a 10 year guaranteed felt, which lasted 5 years before splitting. The second time using a 15 year guaranteed felt which seemed fine after 5 years and still going strong (last I looked). For a basic shed I didn't mind using felt, but for something a lot larger which may have double glazed french doors and windows, I can't help but wonder about a better more attractive, yet inexpensive, roofing alternative.

 

A picture paints a thousand words as they say - here is a picture of my potting shed base:



It is made out of 100mm x 100mm fence posts - which are placed in a shallow trench dug into the ground. The posts are already treated against rot - but for added protection I painted them with a bitumen paint. In the centre of each cross bar you can see the top of posts - about 50cm tall - concreted into the ground and attached via brackets to the cross bars. The base is 5cm wider and longer than the potting shed base - so none of the shed - including the floor - rests on the ground - so rot will be slowed down.

The ground you can see in the pic is sloping down towards the right - the base has been levelled up using different depth trenches. The wooden frame and gravel complete the illusion that it is level ground - the gravel is deeper on the right.

You can also screw the shed floor to the base to make it secure.

 

There is feather edge and feather edge.
I think we are talking about the more expensive cedar cladding that seems to be the beginning and end of every new build housing that gets chucked up these days.
Half the time its fixed with ordinary steel nails and you can see the staining running down after a few months.
But it is just ornamental, there is a weather proof wall behind it.

Some sheds are built with feather edge as the actual wall, with nothing else.

 

@Loofah good to know. I won't necessarily rule out felt, but it will need to be top quality fitted with belt and braces.

@clanless Thank you for the input, however I'm don't think your approach is appropriate for my location. I'm essentially building a shed, at the lowest point, within a slice of woodland with very uneaven ground. Rainwater will pass through the location, although has always drained well, without signs of flooding (so far). Having read and listened to everyone here as well as additional expert advice from professional tradespersons via youtube videos, setting timber in the ground no matter what it is painted with, will always rot.

I'd prefer to go the tried and tested route of using concrete blocks with a DPC and timber frame above that.

Yesterday I finished removing the base and discovered large paving slabs sat direct on the earth (not bedded in mortar or concrete) with concrete blocks resting on top. Over the years, the elements must have caused movement, as the shed base was far from level. The lowest points had a build up of soil which caused parts of the floor and side panels to rot (I could put my boots through it). However, where there was good airflow, many of the structural timbers are fine and easily reusable somewhere in the new shed.

 

Pleasure to chip in where I can Phil.

 

Top tip for anyone who may in the future read this thead - a final word from me on wooden posts - whether for raised decking or fencing or whatever.

I have previously treated the bottom of fence posts with a waterproof bitumen paint - the part that goes underground - in the belief that this will make the post last longer. It doesn't - don't do it - save your money and time.

Tanalised (pressure treated) posts will last for a number of years under the ground - without any additional protection - that's the point of tanalising. The post will in any case rot first above ground level where it is exposed to the elements. This is why when removing rotten posts - they break off above ground and leave the concrete block and remaining post in the ground.

I've been waterproofing the bottom of posts since forever - not any more - the saying is true - you learn something new every day .

 

That's why all fences I've built myself or had someone else put up, I've always got concrete spur posts in the ground. In time the wooden post will inevitably rot at ground level - but then the concrete spur will hold it. And even when the post dies altogether, it's easier to replace it.

Clanless, I have to ask. Why didn't you simply set some concrete in the ground there? It's cheaper than the wood, even if you need to hire a mixer. And if you only want some simple footings for a shed, you can just dig a little trench for each wall/support - you don't need the hassle of making forms. IMO that would just be the right way to do it.

That wood is going to rot before the shed does. Then you're going to have to dismantle a perfectly good shed because of crappy footings.

 

It's been a while since I started this thread. Progress has been slow as I've been busy with work and also had a lot of building research to do - including material costings with timber prices going through the roof.

Over the past three weeks, I completed laying a block work foundation and last weekend, started to construct the timber base frame (until I ran out of nails and have been called away for work).

For each block, I dug down to solid ground, filled with compacted hardcore, then poured around 5-10cm of concrete to achieve a level for laying the block piers. I used a rudimentary water level to easily get the foundations perfectly true.

Hopefully I can my workshop built before the middle of August………