Garden shed with cavities and a tiled roof

needaholiday

I`m starting to build a shed. It`s going to be roughly around 4m x 3m. I have the foundation in for the walls and i was planning to build it out of cavity blocks. (which is better, solids or cavities?)
Just looking for some advice for some of the build.

1. Is it ok to have just 1 row of solids on the flat for the floor level or is it better to have 2 rows of solids. (looks like a big step into the shed with the 2)

2. When you lay the damp course, do you just put the door frame straight on this or do you cut space for the it.

3. What do I do around the window. Do you have to seal under the sill with damp course. Is it ok to fix directly onto the cavity and is it ok to cut cavity in half if I have to.

4. Also I`m planning to have a slight tilt on the roof. I`m planning to top the cavities of with a row or 2 of solids on their flat. The question is what to do after that. Do I try to get the angle of the roof by cutting the angle in the blocks on their flat or do I get it from the timber. Also what space is needed for the joices as I`m hoping to tile it.

Any other heads up would be appreciated, I`m going to go straight at it as soon as the weather gets better. Would hate to be half way through, then find out that i did something drastically wrong.

Cheers:D

Merch

Well if you get any info can you pm me
I'm planning a block shed myself but haven't started, I'm going to get some quotes but want to do the labour/order materials myself and get a block layer to lay cavities.
How deep and wide did you do the foundations? did you put any gravel/hardcore under the foundations? if so how much do you need?
Thinking of getting a book from easons, rather go a bit deeper than I need than have cracks appearing.

needaholiday

Hi there Merch,

After getting feck all advice on this site, I decided to go a head with it anyway. I`m nearly finished my shed. All I have to do is nail the roof tiles and put up the fascia board. The prep work is done for the tiling.

• I never laided blocks before but I decided to cut down on costs and built it with the help of my brother and his friend.

• As for the foundations. It really depends on the the type of ground out your back. I tried to go about 2 feet deep and a foot wide but I couldnt go past a foot in some cases because I was hitting slate rock. I figured that would be fine because it would be solid and the foundation for the wall would not be budging.

• After that I then dug a trench down the garden for a SWA electrical cable to go up to the shed. Get some sort of pipe with a u bend and place in your foundation trench, pointing up just inside the wall so that you can pull a cable in the future if you wish, into your shed.

• I then stared pouring in the foundation. Leave that for a few days then lay about 2 solids on their flat. These solids are then used as your floor height. They should be above ground level.

• I then put hardcore into the base for the floor and wacked it with a wacker from a local hire centre, I then put a plastic membrane down and then started pouring the floor. After this all sets, you are ready to go. You just have get a window and a door so that you can get your measurements for the openings. You are best of checking this site in adverts.ie on the for sale stuff or else you might get lucky in the freebies.

Give it a shot yourself, its not impossible. See if a friend will give you a hand. Also one thing that I do advise is to buy your own mixer. Search for a second hand one. I ended up getting one in B&Q for around 200 euros. Also get the blocks, hardcore, sand and gravel from the quarrys, its alot cheaper than the builders centres. I also tried google alot for the do`s and donts (eg the size and height of a shed)
Dont worry about a few mistakes, you can always rectify these with an alternative and some good advice from a builder centre or sites like this(I hope).

Hope this is helpful.

Give me a shout if you want to know how I did anything else on the build.

Merch

Cheers, I've a few things to get of the way before I start, but it sounds like it's exactly what I need to do. I need to have a word with the neighbour, they built a wall at our boundary years ago, but its cracked and the piers are on my side so they get in the way, as its cracked I intend to approach them and see if they mind if I knock that part down and build my shed wall in its place, that way I will be able to render it too.
few q's though
did you put any hardcore under the foundation? is it needed there? I was thinking if the neighbour gives the go ahead as above to break the solid blocks up and put them under the foundation, save getting rid of them too.

When you were mixing cement for the foundations and after that dried the base, for both these did you manage to mix and pour it almost continuously? just heard its a problem if you dont.

I dont really have anyone that can help me so I still think I might pay a block layer, will see nearer the time.
I'll see what the cost of renting a mixer is, although I thought I saw one for sale in aldi/lidl, dont really want to get stuck with one lying around, or suppose could always sell it on.

I might pm you for other details closer to the time when I'm getting started, thanks for the reply.

needaholiday

I cant see any harm in putting rumble at the bottom for the wall foundation. The cement will grip to it and might make it stronger. I threw off-cuts of steal and the odd broken block in.

I also poured the cement into the wall foundation my self. I ran out of cement during this and put a piece of wood in both ends where i stopped. The next day I simply took the wood out and carried on. Before I poured the cement I hammered in a steel bar every so often (people also use wood). I did this so that i would get the cement near enough level all the way around (I poured the cement to the top of the spikes). Its alot easier for when you are laying blocks.

I poured the floor continusously with the help of my brother. I shouldnt see a problem if you did it yourself. Just start early ( I used a 4 to 1 mix, gravel and cement for the foundations).

If you paid a block layer to help you, the blocks should be up in no time. I`m sure you could get a good deal these days.

To rent a mixer, I think its around 30 euro a day. For me it worked out alot cheaper to buy as I will also use it to lay a path from the shed. After that I plan to sell it. I cant see a problem with selling it as they are snapped up on the internet.

Also I have a boundary wall but i decided not to use it as I didnt want to get into any complications in the future, but alot of people do build onto their boundary walls.

If you worked at it full time, had all the materials and if you did decide to get a brickie you would have it up in no time.


You will probaly want to get a wheel barrow if you dont have one( easy to pour the cement into then tip it where you want).

If you need any more information close to the time give me a shout.

All the best

Dont make it too small or you`ll be kicking yourself.

AckwelFoley

What amount of steel have you put into the foundation?

The foundation needs to be done in one single pour, stopping and doing a pour the next day makes a weak point in the foundation as the 2 parts never bind like they would with one pour.

The rumble idea in the foundation is a bad idea, although it may seem fine and im sure its been done over the years, it will settle, leaving a void underneath the foundation, you cant backfill either if you dug too deep in a section of the foundation for the same reason.

Merch

needaholiday wrote: »

I cant see any harm in putting rumble at the bottom for the wall foundation. The cement will grip to it and might make it stronger. I threw off-cuts of steal and the odd broken block in.

I also poured the cement into the wall foundation my self. I ran out of cement during this and put a piece of wood in both ends where i stopped. The next day I simply took the wood out and carried on. Before I poured the cement I hammered in a steel bar every so often (people also use wood). I did this so that i would get the cement near enough level all the way around (I poured the cement to the top of the spikes). Its alot easier for when you are laying blocks.

I poured the floor continusously with the help of my brother. I shouldnt see a problem if you did it yourself. Just start early ( I used a 4 to 1 mix, gravel and cement for the foundations).

If you paid a block layer to help you, the blocks should be up in no time. I`m sure you could get a good deal these days.

To rent a mixer, I think its around 30 euro a day. For me it worked out alot cheaper to buy as I will also use it to lay a path from the shed. After that I plan to sell it. I cant see a problem with selling it as they are snapped up on the internet.

Also I have a boundary wall but i decided not to use it as I didnt want to get into any complications in the future, but alot of people do build onto their boundary walls.

If you worked at it full time, had all the materials and if you did decide to get a brickie you would have it up in no time.


You will probaly want to get a wheel barrow if you dont have one( easy to pour the cement into then tip it where you want).

If you need any more information close to the time give me a shout.

All the best

Dont make it too small or you`ll be kicking yourself.

cheers for the advice, I'm more encouraged to tackle it really

snyper wrote: »

What amount of steel have you put into the foundation?

The foundation needs to be done in one single pour, stopping and doing a pour the next day makes a weak point in the foundation as the 2 parts never bind like they would with one pour.

The rumble idea in the foundation is a bad idea, although it may seem fine and im sure its been done over the years, it will settle, leaving a void underneath the foundation, you cant backfill either if you dug too deep in a section of the foundation for the same reason.

Snyper, quick question, just wondering how does the void appear, I was meaning putting broken/smashed blocks before the foundation is poured as a hardcore, do you reckon this isn't advisable? what do you mean by backfill?

AckwelFoley

Merch wrote: »

Snyper, quick question, just wondering how does the void appear, I was meaning putting broken/smashed blocks before the foundation is poured as a hardcore, do you reckon this isn't advisable? what do you mean by backfill?

Backfill is - if you are digging a trench 20 inches wide by 20 deep and say for example you dig up a big rock that now makes part of the trench 36 inches deep, any gravel etc that you throw back into the void left by the rock is backfilling.. regardless of how you pack it back in tofill the hole.. it will settle.. ever notice when you dig a hole you can never put back all the clay you dug out?

Throwing rubble into the floor of the foundation is not advisable, and haphazardly throwing in bits of steel will do no good but make the integral structure of the foundation weaker.. the proper placing of steel in a foundation is essential, it needs to be in the lower third of the foundation to combat the downward pressure of the structure wall, steel is good in tension, but bad in compression, concrete is good in compression and bad in tension, somewhat like a biscuit, its much easier break it than to put your finger through it.

Im not going to worry you needlessly, chances are your foundation will be fine, and as its only a shed, a crack is not the end of the world, but ive built houses and i apply the same principles to building a chicken shed as i would to a house.. im a bit of a pendant when it comes to these things

As it happens im building a 7.2 by 6m shed out the back now! Wallplate tomorrow evening if the rain stays away!!

needaholiday

Horay, we have somebody to give some advice.

I only threw in the of-cuts from the steal spikes that i drove into the solid ground(to get a level).

Its a bit late for me as i`m nearly finished my shed but maybe snyper could direct you in the right direction.

I dont think Merch is planning to dump all the rubble into the trench.
Remember to try to compact the pour into the trench.

I found the wall foundation to be pretty solid after a few days of drying. I`m not suggesting that you dont try to finish it in one go. However, when I shuttered the wall foundation due to a lack of cement, I found it to be satisfactory as there would be nowhere for the finished foundation to move. Maybe I will regret it in a few years but I`m confident that its not going to fall down or that cracks will appear in the plaster(fingers crossed).


Thats what this site is about, discussing the topic and getting what you want out of it.

Sounds like Snyper has alot more experience.

Merch

snyper wrote: »

Backfill is - if you are digging a trench 20 inches wide by 20 deep and say for example you dig up a big rock that now makes part of the trench 36 inches deep, any gravel etc that you throw back into the void left by the rock is backfilling.. regardless of how you pack it back in tofill the hole.. it will settle.. ever notice when you dig a hole you can never put back all the clay you dug out?

Throwing rubble into the floor of the foundation is not advisable, and haphazardly throwing in bits of steel will do no good but make the integral structure of the foundation weaker.. the proper placing of steel in a foundation is essential, it needs to be in the lower third of the foundation to combat the downward pressure of the structure wall, steel is good in tension, but bad in compression, concrete is good in compression and bad in tension, somewhat like a biscuit, its much easier break it than to put your finger through it.

Im not going to worry you needlessly, chances are your foundation will be fine, and as its only a shed, a crack is not the end of the world, but ive built houses and i apply the same principles to building a chicken shed as i would to a house.. im a bit of a pendant when it comes to these things

As it happens im building a 7.2 by 6m shed out the back now! Wallplate tomorrow evening if the rain stays away!!

i never heard of steel in a foundation (even in my own limited experience) I was looking through the library, found a good book which confirms what I was thinking about doing but gives me some piece of mind, still no steels in the foundations from what i can see in drawings??
Maybe in larger construction, ie larger than a 3-4 bed house, anyway its just a side curiosity, and I dont think really applies to me anyway