Thread: Just starting out

Never thought I'd get this far!
Started after Easter on 27 April.....took a day to work out which bit was what, and then to figure where all the little bits and pieces like the various flashings went. Still trying to figure some out, but think I,ve got it by the short and curlies now (says he with fingers crossed). Very lucky no rain since started. Must say that the structure is very strong once up, hardly any movement at all, just a quiver when whacked with a 10kg sledgehammer at the top of the fascia...very impressed by the strength.
Door and windows tomorrow....then the sheeting

Looks good - can't wait to see it all completed and cladded.

Originally Posted by BobL

Looks good - can't wait to see it all completed and cladded.

Yeah, Bob, me too! Then I can get down to some serious tinkering.

Loved my meccano set when I was a kid - just might have to get one of these now I've growed up

lookin' good

Yep, Sawdust, what would we have done without THE Meccano sets when we were kids?
Wouldn't know which nut to put where, let alone where does that bolt go?

Hey Barry

Looking good! Question if I may. I am about to commence my shed, and just getting through the scary part when you realise how much concrete costs! Maybe a stupid question but how important is the plastic barrier under the slab?

Danny

Still watching.

Originally Posted by danny.s

Hey Barry

Looking good! Question if I may. I am about to commence my shed, and just getting through the scary part when you realise how much concrete costs! Maybe a stupid question but how important is the plastic barrier under the slab?

Danny

G'day Danny. The moisture barrier is very important; it prevents the rising of moisture into the slab and thus not only rising damp (which today is not much of a problem with steel sheds anyway), but keeps the air moisture content under control. In cold weather, the moisture is "sucked up" into the building and it makes working in there very damp and uncomfortable.

Also, building codes today require the laying of a moisture barrier beneath a concrete slab. Thge cost of the plastic is not a lot compared to the overall cost of the project.

Thanks Barry

I live in the Dandenong ranges so it gets very damn cold in the winter. I have received quotes but not asked if the plastic barrier is included - I will do so now.

Good luck with the shed mate.

Thanks again
Danny

I had my shed built near Geelong a few years ago and no plastic underneath.

However we did get a crushed rock base installed underneath first and that seems to be providing extremely good drainage and I don't get any rising damp of any kind after 2+ years. Happy so far.

Noew that the shed is getting well towards completion, I need a table saw. Have looked over what is available, but would appreciate info from experience with different ones please. The keeper of the privy purse tells me that the limit is $1500

Originally Posted by wun4us

Noew that the shed is getting well towards completion, I need a table saw. Have looked over what is available, but would appreciate info from experience with different ones please. The keeper of the privy purse tells me that the limit is $1500

See if you can push that limit to 2k. I would highly recommend trying to get a saw with a riving knife - this way except for dado cuts you can leave it on even if the guard is removed, it will eliminate most kickback.

Perhaps a jet contractors saw might fit the bill.

Not sure my budget for cabinet saw was 3000 as anything below the mid 2500 seemed pretty ordinary and did not have riving knife

This woodman group saw has riving knife and I think a few members have it a steel at $1650

Was not available when I was looking

http://www.majorwoodworking.com.au/c...roducts_id=537

Also the MBS250 on the same site in an awesome saw for 1995 - I have the 12" version and it's really a great saw.

You can get both of these from WWWH in Melbourne too

Wwwh has the SB1012 for $1600 !

http://wwwh.com.au/webshop/EWWItem.c...118519%7C%7C46

Originally Posted by pellcorp

I had my shed built near Geelong a few years ago and no plastic underneath.

However we did get a crushed rock base installed underneath first and that seems to be providing extremely good drainage and I don't get any rising damp of any kind after 2+ years. Happy so far.

The use of plastic is optional for sheds, but when the slab is large (perhaps even 6m x 3m) then it is best used. My use of the term "rising damp" was not to imply that rising damp occurs, but to illustrate that moisture in the soils can, through capillary action, make the interior of the building quite moist, most particularly in the colder months.

Plastic is also used to allow the retention of the moisture that is in the concrete mix to be retained to allow the mix to cure sufficiently. Without a substrate, the moisture can leach into the soil rapidly, and the concrete cannot cure slowly enough. This can result in dryness and possible brittleness of the slab, leading to unusual cracking.

Each to his own, but any concretor that does not want to use the plastic membrane is only doing it to save money on the project.

Would yu use pins instead of nails to save money?