Garden shed

Pep

I know Xmas break is not the best time for garden work but nevertheless ...

I'm going to buy a garden shed and install it.
How much hassle is it?
Also, many advice to erect it on solid ground. Is it really so? What if I erect it just on grass?
To make solid ground of course it would be so much much more work...

Advice welcome!

nevman

Wife built two recently,while I supervised;heres some tips

two people to hold the sections in place while drilling/driving
ergo, cordless drill/driver handy
if locating against a wall/fence,paint or waterproof rear facing panel before erecting.
need some steps for the roof section
make sure you have solid foundation-paving slabs are good
locks are usually flimsy-upgrade.
stand back and admire-its like Grand Designs on a smaller scale.

Yossie

Don't buy a garden shed - buy a builder's shed: better construction, less flimsy.

Buy as big as you can - preferably with double opening doors to gets in and out easier without scratching. You'll also need room for a workbench , setaing area and drawers/boxes of bikle bits.

Bear in mind hanging space as well: it saves space to hang bikes rather than have them on the floor.

Don't build it yourself: chuck the dude at the shed shop some wedge to do it for you (£40 or so will do it) then either have it delivered or throw it on a flat bed trailer (when empty these things weigh nothing at all - four blokes (two either side) will pick it up easy as): much less hassle.

When you get it home, it needs to go on a level surface: either concrete slab or levelled and hardcored surface. Throw some thick planks underneath to raise it off the ground (6'' gap between the planking) - this will allow the area underneath to keep dry and not get damp. If you're not going to do this, then you'll need to put damp proof matting underneath unless you want it to rot away in no time.

Either way, just on plain grass is a big no - no: it'll just go all lopsided and fall over while you're in there and your mates are outside.

Fit 'leccy, a couple of strip lights, some carpet in there to keep things warm. Small heater, radio, comfy chair and a beer fridge are essentials. Line the roof as well. Baby monitors are also a good idea if you have anything valuable in there as you can set them up to hear what's going while you're in bed.

If you want a locking post in there, put it in place, drill through the floor where you want your locking post. Then get a couple of mates to pick it up while you dig a hole and fill it with concrete. Drop the shed down down, drop locking post through hole into the concrete. This way no one can nick stuff attached to the locking post by picking the post out of the ground because its held in place by the shed and the concrete. If you put the post in the corner as well it makes bolt cropping the chain a pain as well.

Fit curtains if you are having windows so nosey buggers can't look in and see whats in there.

Big lock on the ouside, then fit the hinges with security bolts (the ones that are round on the outside so you can't undo them) so people can't just take the hinges off to steal everything, If you don't want to get security bolts, just round off the normal screws/bolts so you have to drill them out.

Erect it (oooeeerrrr) out of sight of the road so passing thieves can't see what you have.

Don't let the wife/kids/their associated tat go near it.

HTH

Y

McBain_v1

Is Yossie the "Garden Shed Guru" for whom we have all been waiting?

I would also suggest getting it made out of tanalized timber so you don't have to keep painting the damn thing every year to stop the boards rotting. Also, if you are putting a valuable bike in there (and what bike that you own isn't valuable?!) then consider one of those shed security brackets that you can anchor your bike to.

I'd advise against having curtains on the windows though because humidity changes will eventually make them go mouldy, instead go for blinds - easier to adjust and clean!

nevman

Heh look,garden shed keepy uppy

secretsqizz

Is this shed1?

cornerblock

secretsqizz wrote:

Is this shed1?

Oi come on you, back to shed 2.

Yossie

Get orf ma shed!!!

nevman

Not sure which I prefer-Garden shed or garden shed?I like the formality of the first,but the second one seems just right for the `casual` look.

MattC59

They're really easy to do. I built my shed on my own and in the corner of my garden, so I didn't have access to all sides as they recommend in the instructions. It wasn't too much of an issue, but would have been easier with someone to help me.

One tip: If you're building it on your own, you'll probably end up inside it as you construct assemble the sides (it just makes it easier to hold them in place). You have to have the door attached by the hinges when you put this end panbel in place, so that evrything remains square. However, as you will be inside the shed, make sure that you leave the catches to the door undone when you errect the final panel. Otherwise, lik eme, you'll find yourself stuck inside the four walls and having to climb out over the top !!!

:roll: :roll:

nevman

On reflection,I now think that garden shed is a giant carbuncle-call me old fashioned if you must,I cant be having all this leaning glass,structure on the outside modern architecture

Posted from Nevmans greenhouse.

cornerblock

Think I heard recently that men who have a shed tend to live longer and happier lives. Maybe this is Pep 'two sheds' thinking.

nevman

and how is your shed going as well?

One Man And His Bike

Yossie wrote:

Don't buy a garden shed - buy a builder's shed: better construction, less flimsy.

HTH

Y

Yossie IS Tommy Walsh!!!!

Redhog14

I just had 3 sheds and dog kennel built, and my advice is... what ever size you think you need - add 20% if you can. Except for the Kennel bit, cause if it is too big the dog won't use it, however even although our kennel is the right size, Christmas Puppy still hasn't go the hang of it yet!
Roof top protest!

Monkeypump

Redhog14 wrote:

I just had 3 sheds and dog kennel built, and my advice is... what ever size you think you need - add 20% if you can. Except for the Kennel bit, cause if it is too big the dog won't use it, however even although our kennel is the right size, Christmas Puppy still hasn't go the hang of it yet!
Roof top protest!

Ummm... why 3 sheds and a kennel instead of one decent sized shed and a kennel? Garden now looks like a shed showroom.

Redhog14

Monkeypump wrote:

Redhog14 wrote:

I just had 3 sheds and dog kennel built, and my advice is... what ever size you think you need - add 20% if you can. Except for the Kennel bit, cause if it is too big the dog won't use it, however even although our kennel is the right size, Christmas Puppy still hasn't go the hang of it yet!
Roof top protest!

Ummm... why 3 sheds and a kennel instead of one decent sized shed and a kennel? Garden now looks like a shed showroom.

that is not the extent of my garden, nor the extent of my Sheddery.. s+1

jordan_217

Redhog14 wrote:

Monkeypump wrote:

Redhog14 wrote:

I just had 3 sheds and dog kennel built, and my advice is... what ever size you think you need - add 20% if you can. Except for the Kennel bit, cause if it is too big the dog won't use it, however even although our kennel is the right size, Christmas Puppy still hasn't go the hang of it yet!
Roof top protest!

Ummm... why 3 sheds and a kennel instead of one decent sized shed and a kennel? Garden now looks like a shed showroom.

that is not the extent of my garden, nor the extent of my Sheddery.. s+1

Ah shed envy my old friend, we meet again......

nevman

Shed Terrace that is,someone has to ask,what on earth is in there?
More sheds, awaiting development?

One Man And His Bike

I'm guessing it's the Shed equivalent of Russian Dolls!

Redhog14

Housing required for 12 bikes, one is for bouncy bikes and one for road bikes, one is for Christmas Puppy and one is for the kids... there is also (not in the picture obviously), a workshop, greenhouse and garden tools shed; I do acknowledge that they are a bit bright at the mo, as I said it is quite a big garden, it is a happy household when everyone has their own shed!

Monkeypump

Redhog14 wrote:

Housing required for 12 bikes, one is for bouncy bikes and one for road bikes, one is for Christmas Puppy and one is for the kids... there is also (not in the picture obviously), a workshop, greenhouse and garden tools shed; I do acknowledge that they are a bit bright at the mo, as I said it is quite a big garden, it is a happy household when everyone has their own shed!

Err... right. I still don't understand why. Shed fetishist? Compulsive sheddery? Surely one shed for all bikes/tools/workshop, then a greenhouse, kennel and (maybe) one for the kids would make more sense. Or is the intention to make your back yard look like a garden centre?

Redhog14

Monkeypump wrote:

Redhog14 wrote:

Housing required for 12 bikes, one is for bouncy bikes and one for road bikes, one is for Christmas Puppy and one is for the kids... there is also (not in the picture obviously), a workshop, greenhouse and garden tools shed; I do acknowledge that they are a bit bright at the mo, as I said it is quite a big garden, it is a happy household when everyone has their own shed!

Err... right. I still don't understand why. Shed fetishist? Compulsive sheddery? Surely one shed for all bikes/tools/workshop, then a greenhouse, kennel and (maybe) one for the kids would make more sense. Or is the intention to make your back yard look like a garden centre?

Oh dear, it is a long story and maybe it is not perfect and I am learning to live with it, but after some deliberation a series of small was better than one big one, the garden is sort of triangular in shape. I have a nagging suspicion it will be changed at some point.
Anyway, one day I will take over the world with my sheds and who'll be laughing then, eh?

mudcow007

ive just bought my self a 10 x 10 shed...its name is the "porn-shack"