DIY Shed Query

Alan Ashe

Hi folks,

I am trying to get started with the diy construction of a shed but after an initial search and plenty of phone-calls I cannot seem to find long lengths of pressure treated timber! My requirements, minimum 6.6 meter lengths of 7X2, 7X3, 9X2 or 9X3 , length being the important point here, or least I think so anyway.

I want to build a shed 21 ft 2 inches by 12 feet 2 inches. It will have a floating floor and all the weight of the shed will sit on this timber so obviously it will have to be pressure treated. There will be cement blocks, pebbles and weed mat under this timber.

Can I simply add lengths of timber together to make up the overall desired length of 21'2"?, or will that weaken the entire set-up?

Thanks in advance for the help.

my3cents

At the lowest level how about treated 12ft 2inch timbers going across then your hopefully full length (21ft 2 inch) bearing on those soak the ends and bearing surfaces of the longer timbers with Larson preservative.

If you build a good dry shed its only the cladding timber and beam ends then really need preservative.

Try timber yards that make sheds and do fencing for the longer treated lengths you require.

looksee

You could make a series of 1m wide cells and screw them together as your basic structure and it would be sound. Certainly you can join timber, just don't have all the joins in a vertical row down. Do lapped joins and they will be solid. I would not think of the substructure of the side of a shed of that size as being one single wall, divide it into manageable sections and make each section rigid.

mp31

This is interesting... I'm thinking of replacing my old shiplap shed and building my own much larger shed/log cabin thing.

At the moment I'm thinking about using a concrete base but I'm interested in your idea of cement blocks.

I presume the blocks will take the entire weight of the shed - if so how many and in what configuration do you plan to use?

TIA

my3cents

mp31 wrote: »

This is interesting... I'm thinking of replacing my old shiplap shed and building my own much larger shed/log cabin thing.

At the moment I'm thinking about using a concrete base but I'm interested in your idea of cement blocks.

I presume the blocks will take the entire weight of the shed - if so how many and in what configuration do you plan to use?

TIA

I recently put a row of blocks on their side blocks to make two walls either side under our 30ft x 10ft static caravan with 9 pairs of 9"x 2" x 10' timbers to support the rusting sub frame (pairs of timber as I made a box section either side of the rusting cross members). Foundations were about a foot deep by 18 inches wide with a few reinforcing rods added. Plan is if the caravan eventually rots away to replace it with a similar sized shed. Shed could be weigh tens of tons on those foundations.

the_pen_turner

What part of the country.

I know dinnans in Thurles pressure treat to order.
I'm sure others do as well.

Alan Ashe

I'm in Stillorgan.
Regarding the base under the timber, I will be using standard large solid cement blocks. I think it's important to point out that they need to rest on the pebbles for soakage.
I guess I could lay down 5 of the 12'2" treated lengths instead of 3 of the 21'2" lengths.
So, to be clear, from the ground up, weed mat, 3 inches of pebbles, cement blocks, all level, 5 of the pressure treated 12 ft lengths, say 9X3, then sit 6X2's down on the 9X3's for the wall floor joists, and lots of 6X2's gapped at 18 inches for the floor joists, on top of all then maybe sheets of 18mm marine ply. All pressure treated.

vwlt

Hi,

Try giving http://www.woodindustries.ie/ a call,  they can treat the timber themselves which might allow for longer lengths ???