Yet another shed project.

[Redbug]

Just an idea George. I have sprayed untreated wood around my place with a product called Timbor. It is cheap and easy to apply, (with a pump up sprayer). Good way to protect from insects, etc.

TIMBOR, Tim-Bor - Free Shipping

 

[N80]

That's a good idea. That is what the logs of my cabin are treated with. They came that way. And it must be good stuff because Southland Log Homes increased their warranty (on the logs) from 20 years to lifetime.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

George,

Keep the pics coming with details. I need to put one of those up very soon. I have thought about putting up one of those metal carports but I think I could build cheaper.

Did you get your 4x6's at the lumber yard? I talked to lowes about 16-20 foot 4 x 6 but they said I would have to order a bundle which had around 30 post .

So I will be heading to a local lumber yard to look for treated 4.6's. This guy also has a large selection of metal for roof and sides.

David

 

[N80]

I lucked out on the 4x6's. My B-I-L and another local farmer were ordering several of those big bundles and were getting a volume discount from some lumber yard in Camden. So I got them (14') for $15 each, which is much cheaper than Home Depot and Lowes. Lowes did not have them in stock, but Home Depot did, at least they had 12' and 16'. HD is on my hitlist so I'm not doing business with them (long story), but you may want to check there as they do have the longer ones you can buy individually.

I'm buying my roofing today and the rest of the lumber. I don't think I'll finish this weekend, but we might get everything up except the metal roof.

Will post pictures on Sunday.

I think mine is engineered to handle decent snow loads, but you might need to research that carefully as you are far more likely to get snow loads than I am. We might get a few inches every few years down where my property is, but that's it.

 

[N80]

Here is the result of yesterday's work:

I was expecting help from my B-I-L but he had hay on the ground and a threat of rain so it was just me, my wife, my son and daughter again. My dad did come by and helped for a while. Didn't get as much done as I'd hoped but we're plugging right along. And the weather was just beautiful, about 75 and breezy, perfect.

Several rows of rafters still need to go up. And I still have to decide where I'm going to put diagonal bracing for front-to-rear strength. Side-to-side it is rock solid with those 4x4 diagonals bolted in the corners.

I've got to work next weekend, but the weekend after that I hope to get the 2x4 nailers on and then the roof. And that will be pretty much it for now. My B-I-L says he has some surplus metal siding I can have so that might be step two. But I'd prefer to put up wood siding just for looks (to go with the cabin). The is a local fellow with a saw mill; I may see if he can get me some rough cut planks for siding.

 

[EddieWalker]

Looks really good. I think with all your bracing and the size of your headers, that it will be there a VERY long time!!!

Eddie

 

[N80]

Okay, got 'er done. Mostly anyway. This past weekend I planned on finishing the shed up. Had Friday off but spent most of the day doing other things. plus I had no help. Saturday, my wife and son came down and we got the last few rafters and all of the nailers up. Spent a lot of time measuring and trying to get things square. For some reason, it took us most of the day and it was about 93 out with 80% humidity and we took a siesta during the middle of the day.

After church on Sunday started to put the metal on. Couldn't get my lines right with the 3-4-5 rule and wasted some time with that. Then my B-I-L and his middle daughter showed up and we scratched our heads for a while and then more or less eyeballed it.

Let me tell you, I'm glad he showed up. Laying tin is harder than it looks! That's one of two things I did not do myself on my cabin (foundation and metal roof). I'd still be up there now if they had not been there to help. And I'm still sore today from all that work.

Here is my B-I-L and niece putting some tin down:

Here they are, and my son doing the same:

And here is the finished product. Not much to look at but it beats a tarp and bungee cords.

The total cost is right at $1800. Labor was cheap (and mostly unskilled). Engineering was free, which was probably high considering the engineer. I am going to add some front to back diagonal bracing next weekend. The bay to the right will eventually be set up as a loafing area/stall for horse. We'll fence the whole area around the shed too. My B-I-L says he has some surplus metal siding that he'll give me. He thinks it will at least cover the back. Eventually I'll side the ends with rough cut wood siding. The floor is likely to stay dirt or may get a load of crusher run one day.

 

[EddieWalker]

George,

Congrats on a job well done. Your tractor and impliments look great in there.

There is one thing that you might want to take care of before rainy season gets started. The front edge of the roof and the very firt purlins looke exposed to the weather. at the very least, I would install a 2 inch L shaped drip edge, or flashing under the metal, but over the wood. Is that purlin preasture treated?

Eddie

 

[Redbug]

That turned out really good, George. The more projects you attempt, the more knowledge you gain and that's how folks become skilled. Horse sense.

One question for George and the Gang, When do you thru bolt vs nailing or deck screws? I'm not sure when you do one or the other...

 

[N80]

Eddie, a metal drip edge across the front is a good idea and I thought of it but they did not have them in stock when I bought the metal so I skipped it. The front and rear nailers and the outside rafters are pressure treated but the rafter ends are not. I suppose I could put water seal on them. Or, I could just put a strip of 1x4 PT decking across the front.

Dave, I have no idea. I used carriage bolts (plus nails) to join the headers to the posts and the angle braces to the headers. I used metal rafter brackets to join the rafters to the headers. I used 'oly-log' screws (8" screws left over from joining logs on my cabin) to join the angle braces to the posts. All probably over kill. But, when my B-I-L found out that I'd used 12 or 16 penny nails to join the nailers to the rafters he made us go back and add a 20 penny or two to each point. So if the roof leaves, the weak link will be the nailers and they'll go with it.

I think deck screws all around is never a bad idea. Just expensive and time consuming.