Let the shed extensions commmence!

[rwbuild]

5mm max

[DaveTTC]

But i like zero

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[ian]

Question though: what would be regarded as an acceptable percentage error of square? Zero sounds good of course, but is perhaps asking a little too much?

+/- 5mm is "acceptable" less is preferred

"normal" for domestic sheds is probably ~20mm

[FenceFurniture]

Ok, thanks for that chaps. As it turns out, I have to settle for about 7-9mm (need to recheck the measurements in daylight tomorrow).

This is because the shed itself appears to not be square.

When I:
1. put the ends of the two edge joists flush with end of the shed
2. have the distance between the joists at exactly 3001mm each end
3. have the other ends of the joists marked off at 3500mm (and with the 3001mm gap between the outside edges of them)
4. AND have it as a more or less continuation of the leading edge of the shed (and this is where the error comes in)

Point 4 is the killer, and needs some explanation. The joist coming off the northern wall of the shed needs to be a continuation of that wall, otherwise, even though the deck might be square to other things, and within itself, it would look like things are out of whack, so it's a visual cue that needs to be correct visually, and compensated for elsewhere.

The kicker is the this leading edge of the shed is that one that has been bowed out slightly because of the weight of the thicky and bench pressing down on it for a significant period (Ray will know what I'm talking about here, as I have discussed it with him while he was looking at it - I think Dave may have seen it too). One of the corrective tasks that I want to do is to put a couple of decent sized foundations + concrete pillars along this wall to prevent any further movement. Almost like underpinning, but not quite - it hasn't moved since I took the pressure off it to a certain extent.

So, getting that visual cue right means that the square deck will have to be angled off the front of the shed ever so slightly to maintain that 3001mm between both ends of the two outside joists. The gap for the angle will be at the back of the deck, and have benches, chairs etc in the way so it prolly won't be seen. That is, the shed ain't square any more - if it ever was. The only other alternative, in keeping the leading edge visuals being right, will be to have a slightly tapered deck that comes flush off the front of the shed - this will create problems of its own that would be even more significant in the construction, and mean tapering more deck boards than I would have to etc - bugger that.

That is why the current error is diagonal 7-9mm. To get it less AND have the visual cue right will mean that the deck cannot in fact be square, or have different gaps between the two pairs of the joist ends (which will mean even less square of course. A contradiction in terms which is mutually exclusive.

Thus, it has to be compensated for at the fence side of the deck, which is fine by me (the deck edge will not be parallel to the fence - pffft - I'll stop seeing it after a while - I dunno, say 7-8 years? ). It's just the way it goes working with old buildings sometimes.

Does that all make sense, or only to me because I can see it and have done the measuring?

[rwbuild]

[attach]358056

As per pm Brett

[DaveTTC]

[attach]358056

As per pm Brett

I like the note Ray

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[rwbuild]

Brett, if the head clearance for the large beam is an issue, use the alternative as per attached

Brett Roof Alternative.pdf

[FenceFurniture]

A very big thanks to rwbuild who dropped in yesterday for an hour or so to chew various bits of fat. Thanks Ray - it helped to settle some ideas and paths to progress. As discussed I've had quite a bit of "interference" which has left me confused and undecided.

The short story for the roof over the deck is that I have simplified it enormously. I've been using a (too small) tarp over the doorway for five years. Why complicat things with a full on roof? All I want is a flat, solid, dry(ish) outside area to work on. So, some lengths of 1" water pipe that were scabbed from the Club years ago, a couple of small posts in concrete and I can put up a damned decent tarp I reckon.

[FenceFurniture]

Today I got my first look at the finished boards, and I'm a happy chappy.

These are the 1350mm boards (the longest of them) with one coat of Minwax Decking Oil (Natural. The tint is very very slightly yellow and so doesn't change the colour of the timber much. It's another excellent Minwax product so far (don't know about longevity yet). Any decking etc oil has to have some tint otherwise it can't block UV.





These 750mm boards will run off the ends of the 1350 boards. They are placed in their actual position on the deck, where they will get dappled light through the trees (deciduous).




I almost followed the Minwax instructions to the letter, but I added my own step - picked up from the Rustin's Danish Oil instructions - wipe the oil-wet timber down with one stroke of a soft cloth about 10 minutes after coating to get a super-even coverage. This stuff stays tacky for 6-10 hours (it was pretty cool here today.

As a result of sanding the boards up to my usual grit (to bring out grain, not for unnecessary smoothness which will get knocked off in no time at all) the oil sits up on top of the timber more than a coarse sanding would. Obviously this means that less oil gets into the timber (less surface area quite simply put) but it also works to advantage in mitigating other moisture (aka water) from getting into the boards. Kinda like a supersmooth cut on end grain green boards allowing less moisture crossover than a rough cut does. Well, that's my theory and I'm sticking to it!

[DaveTTC]

They do look good

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

[Sawdust Maker]

That red one looks out of place - can you send it to me?

[Ross]

Just getting out my deck chair, my straw hat, my corn pipe and my enamel tea mug.

Yep! I am ready for the barn oops..... shed raising.

Ross

[FenceFurniture]

Been a while since I updated this.

Last Sunday was a milestone day. I got the two posts I need for the tarp in. Couple of gal pipes make great ridge poles. All the pads are poured, and you can see in the pic I've just poured the last two which are still formed up (musta been Monday for this pic)



That's a new tarp that I bought this week. Unfortunately they only come in Henry Ford colour on the underside which sucks the light out of the shelter. However, I knew this would happen, and this cheap tarp is just to make sure I'm happy with the arrangement. If all is good then I'll probably get a tarp made out the sail triangle thingo stuff. I had some tarps made by Nan's Tarps in Lidcombe 20 years ago and they have been excellent (one has been mounted permanently at the front of the shed for over four years now - still reasonable but pin holes are starting to show up.)

I need two retaining walls so I put in some short posts to support them. In the pic below the wall (three planks of 150x25 pine) for the right hand side will run behind the main posts and in front of the short posts. For the left it will just be attached to the short posts (there are 3 or 4). It can also be screwed to the joist when it is laid (with a Kerry Packer to keep a gap).

Then, I will back fill behind the wall with rubble at the bottom and blue metal over that - will place builders plastic on the wall and some netting at the bottom to keep the blue metal in (it will wash towards the bottom with the first few decent showers).. The tarp runs down the fence (about 100mm from it and is secured to the bottom fence rail





Hard to resist . NCArcher was visiting that day and thought he might steal a march on me. I crossed his initials out of course, as one does.





After doing the last pad I was able to give the pit its final levelling, hose it down to check for run-off, and place the bearers. They needed docking and the ends re-Eco coated.

It's been a busy week with this - lots of little tasks coming up that I hadn't foreseen. I bought some Polyester Resin in a tube, drilled some holes in the pads, cut 3/8" threaded rod to length and bolted the bearers down. Funnily enough I think I only used 3-4 packers to get the bearers stable. The beauty of the hardwood bearers/joists being laid green and nailed straight back in the day. Various other bits of mucking around, painting retaining wall boards etc etc.

No more pics until tomorrow, but today I actually started screwing down decking boards! YEE-HAA! All of that two months of prep boiled down to what is a very enjoyable one day task. The prep was not necessarily that enjoyable (or some of it) but I have thoroughly enjoyed the project as a whole.

[NCArcher]

Hard to resist . NCArcher was visiting that day and thought he might steal a march on me. I crossed his initials out of course, as one does.

You obviously didn't find the other ones. I've always got a plan B

[FenceFurniture]

You obviously didn't find the other ones. I've always got a plan B

Ah maybe, but my Plan C kicked in today bigtime. Nothing you've left behind can be seen any more. And given that I don't quite believe you, I shall sleep in peace.

Especially tonight - I went through twists and turns today that I thought were no longer possible. One Epsom Salts bath coming up!

So, this is where I'm up too.




Talk about never having too many clamps - I've had up around 14 or so all happening at once. The Bessey's have been invaluable for this task (because the hardwood boards don't like yielding much).