My shed build and advice along the way

Merch

Ok, I'm building a shed for storage and as a workshop and a retreat

I'm looking for some advice along the way as i go along.I have started the foundation trenches and am effectively finished. I had a mini digger as on the first day (first day of digging) it took me a long time to make any progress and i could see the job draggin on, so I rented one for the bank holiday weekend. my shed is to be 3m x 6m approx (under the 25m squared allowed) and I have over 25m sq left over also.

1. First, just wondering what depth my trenches should be and what width they should be before I pour the readymix?

2. I dug one of the side trenches a bit too deep, about 80cm and the front trench is only 40-43 cm deep and about 60cm wide, I am getting a lot of stones and what looks like hardcore (maybe from the original house builders rubble years ago, general looking stones and also a kind of bluish stone) I have filtered out some stones using a wire mesh to keep some of the soil to fill in and tidy up after but have a pile of stones too, was wondering can I use the stones to fill the deep trench partially and tamp it down with the back of a sledge using an up down motion? or should I just pour it full of concrete? bearing in mind its a shed but also that I do not want any cracks forming either? opinions please??:)

I also have some other questions but these are the most relevant for now, i will post some pics of progress if that is of any interest.

I did a day of clearing plants/emptying the old barna shed, moving it and the refilling it, laying out the plan on the ground using spray.

paddy147

Merch wrote: »

Ok, I'm building a shed for storage and as a workshop and a retreat

I'm looking for some advice along the way as i go along.I have started the foundation trenches and am effectively finished. I had a mini digger as on the first day (first day of digging) it took me a long time to make any progress and i could see the job draggin on, so I rented one for the bank holiday weekend. my shed is to be 3m x 6m approx (under the 25m squared allowed) and I have over 25m sq left over also.

1. First, just wondering what depth my trenches should be and what width they should be before I pour the readymix?

2. I dug one of the side trenches a bit too deep, about 80cm and the front trench is only 40-43 cm deep and about 60cm wide, I am getting a lot of stones and what looks like hardcore (maybe from the original house builders rubble years ago, general looking stones and also a kind of bluish stone) I have filtered out some stones using a wire mesh to keep some of the soil to fill in and tidy up after but have a pile of stones too, was wondering can I use the stones to fill the deep trench partially and tamp it down with the back of a sledge using an up down motion? or should I just pour it full of concrete? bearing in mind its a shed but also that I do not want any cracks forming either? opinions please??:)

I also have some other questions but these are the most relevant for now, i will post some pics of progress if that is of any interest.

I did a day of clearing plants/emptying the old barna shed, moving it and the refilling it, laying out the plan on the ground using spray.

Stick some mesh rebar into the foundation trenches aswwll.This will add extra strength too.:)

Merch

I'm going to do that alright, I mentioned it to someone that says they do a bit of block laying and they said that steel is over the top for a shed, having said that, this was the person who when I mentioned I dug one trench too deep and their suggestion (not someone from boards) was to throw some soil back in :eek:

I'm going to call the builder providers and see how much it is to deliver a small load, say a tonne of builders sand and appropriate amount of cement and the steel too (Ive no room to put all the blocks until I move the soil from the back garden)

few q's, is the bar 5/6mm? and do I need supports (told called chairs) or metal ties to hold them together? steel is placed at the base/near the base of the foundation trench? not middle? oh yeh and what lenght do they deliver. K assume I need to cut it up a bit, but it would save me time and effort if they would.

thanks for the response

side1

Hi i will be happy to help you along the way with your new build, your foundations need to be 900mm wide x 900mm deep approx, (MAKE SURE ITS ALL NICE AND SQUARE) also make sure its free of any loose soil,now set your levell for the concrete (laser levell is good for this) you will require 300mm of concrete right round the foundation if you have no laser levell you can get some 2x2 timber battens put a sharpe point on them and by using a lump harmer you can drive these into the ground aprrox 300mm deep then using a spirt levell you can levell these around the foundations,hope this helps good luck:)

Merch

900 wide and 900 deep?

I have 600-700 wide and about 450-500 deep, is that not enough for a shed??
I dont relish the thought of digging out anymore

Merch

paddy147 wrote: »

Stick some mesh rebar into the foundation trenches aswwll.This will add extra strength too.:)

I've been pricing around, mesh rebar is that 6mm called A142?

Merch

Thought of few things I need to ask

What is the best piping and insulation for; a cold water supply pipe? I'm also planning on putting two 22mm pipes under the walls when its built in case i ever get an alternative boiler type and fit it in the shed.

I've read MDPE for the cold supply but have not seen it in any ordinary diy place, the latter i plan to use copper, which will just be fitted and will probably never be used, buts a just in case.

Just want to make sure they a) dont freeze and b) dont lose heat, oh and c) cant be damaged easily.

Buford T Justice

Merch wrote: »

Thought of few things I need to ask

What is the best piping and insulation for; a cold water supply pipe? I'm also planning on putting two 22mm pipes under the walls when its built in case i ever get an alternative boiler type and fit it in the shed.

I've read MDPE for the cold supply but have not seen it in any ordinary diy place, the latter i plan to use copper, which will just be fitted and will probably never be used, buts a just in case.

Just want to make sure they a) dont freeze and b) dont lose heat, oh and c) cant be damaged easily.

If you're putting the pipes underground from the house, then you should use hydradare pipe. Its heavy duty and won't be as prone to bursting in the cold.

Merch

Fingers McGee wrote: »

If you're putting the pipes underground from the house, then you should use hydradare pipe. Its heavy duty and won't be as prone to bursting in the cold.

never heard of it, where is that available? in standard sizes?

side1

Ok if your walls will 300mm wide (4"block 4" cavity 4" block or maybe a cavity block) then your foundation will need to be 900mm wide to support the load,the deept will ok at 600mm but dont forget you will need 300mm of concrete,the rebar should be 12mm (forget the code) set in the concrete about a third of the way down,the pipe for your main water supply 3/4 heavy gage the main thing about this is to make sure you bury it below the frost line approx 600mm,hope this helps.:)

Merch

side1 wrote: »

Ok if your walls will 300mm wide (4"block 4" cavity 4" block or maybe a cavity block) then your foundation will need to be 900mm wide to support the load,the deept will ok at 600mm but dont forget you will need 300mm of concrete,the rebar should be 12mm (forget the code) set in the concrete about a third of the way down,the pipe for your main water supply 3/4 heavy gage the main thing about this is to make sure you bury it below the frost line approx 600mm,hope this helps.:)

3/4 inch heavy guage? what material is that constructed from?

I was going to use 6 or 10mm bar, I dont actually know what the code specifies?

It has been mentioned in boards before that I can get something called "chairs" (plastic components) used to support the rebar at the right depth? do i just ask for this or are they called something else, presumably they are available in builders providers.

When I was 300 depth my neighbour thought I was mad diggin "so" deep, at 500mm Someone else asked if i was mining gold lol. I might scrape out another 10cm's off the shallowest trench, but I was nearly going to bring the deep one (ie the one I dug to 800mm up usingn hardcore.

nophd08

How high are you building the walls? I think you have enough depth. Drive in a few lengths of re-bar vertically into trenches and tie horizontal lengths to it with a bit of wire, no need to be too exact.

Merch

2.4 metres

side1

the chairs are not neccessery you can simply put 200mm of concrete in, put the rebar in then finish off with the last 100mm of concrete 6mm rebar is fine for a 2.4m high wall ....ps if you are going to continue to dig for gold give me a shout i might be interested:):):)

Merch

I was rather hoping to put them in before pouring as it will be less hassle I think, if the chairs aren't dear I might just get them
as for the gold, unless its in the middle of the rubble i dug out, cant say i saw any. If gravel and soil becomes worth anything I'm rich cos I have a huge mound of the stuff.

Merch

I was rather hoping to put them in before pouring as it will be less hassle I think, if the chairs aren't dear I might just get them.

I thought the rebar was best fitted near the bottom 100mm not the top??

as for the gold, unless its in the middle of the rubble i dug out, cant say i saw any

side1

ok give me a shout when you have the foundations in and we will go throught the next stage (dead building,services ect) good luck pm me if your stuck.

Merch

ok cheers pm sending :D

VNP

Don't stress about the chairs they re only to stop your steel rusting inwards if its exposed out of the bottom or sides of the concrete use old rubble half blocks or something uniformish, you're not building a high rise on it so only a bit of steel needed dont bother buying them. Tie your steel together on the corners if you re going to all that bother too.

Merch

VNP wrote: »

Don't stress about the chairs they re only to stop your steel rusting inwards if its exposed out of the bottom or sides of the concrete use old rubble half blocks or something uniformish, you're not building a high rise on it so only a bit of steel needed dont bother buying them. Tie your steel together on the corners if you re going to all that bother too.

tie them together with metal/steel ties? This is new to me, I hadn't even planned for it but so many people have recommended steel mesh. Its all learning but good
thanks for the advice

harry21

side1 wrote: »

the chairs are not neccessery you can simply put 200mm of concrete in, put the rebar in then finish off with the last 100mm of concrete 6mm rebar is fine for a 2.4m high wall ....ps if you are going to continue to dig for gold give me a shout i might be interested:):):)

Do not listen to this..... the rebar needs to be near the bottom to provide tensile strenght.
Putting it in 100mm from the surface of the foundation is completely pointless. It needs to be about 70mm from the bottom.

Regarding the services, you could put in one 4 inch pipe below foundation level to allow the addition of any services after if you wanted, although this may be overkill.

This is not structural advice, but remember that the old brick houses were built using no foundations and most of those are still standing today. By those standards your shed foundations should be fine!!:D

Merch

I appreciate all the opinions
No foundations at all ?? I'd have thought they would have had issues, surely they must have had something? must be on solid ground??

martin46585

Merch wrote: »

Thought of few things I need to ask

What is the best piping and insulation for; a cold water supply pipe? I'm also planning on putting two 22mm pipes under the walls when its built in case i ever get an alternative boiler type and fit it in the shed.

I've read MDPE for the cold supply but have not seen it in any ordinary diy place, the latter i plan to use copper, which will just be fitted and will probably never be used, buts a just in case.

Just want to make sure they a) dont freeze and b) dont lose heat, oh and c) cant be damaged easily.

For your flow and return heating pipes have a look at calpex Duo piping, cost of approximate 50/55 urns per metre plus fittings, though with the price of fuel at such a high price nothing else is worth considering, just try to get below the frost line (was approx 450mm but after the last two examples would be closer to 600mm ) and lay your cold supply in the same track, maybe even think of an extra duct for future use........a 6" x 45degree bend will allow you to make the turn if you decide to put in the insulated pipe at a later stage....