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Almost finished sobon shed

Started by hardworker, September 07, 2005, 02:06:37 PM

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hardworker

Hi I've lurked for awhile, checking out the archives, mainly. Got a lot of good info.
I am building the Sobon 12x16 garden shed, or something close to it as I did modify it somewhat.
(It went a lot faster than I thought.) I attached some photos.

I got my timbers from Jim Rogers, by the way.
At this point, I am ripping some planks for the battens , and need to build the doors.

My three questions.
1) For the doors, it seems to me that battens won't look so hot on a door, but the rough sawn planks need something to cover up the rough edge. What do people do for doors? 
2) On some of the plank siding, there are some loose knots and various other defects that end up being smallish size holes. Can I just fill them with wood filler or something like this
3)Any recommendations for an exterior stain, and should I roll it, spray it or brush it. My wife would like a color, otherwise I'd just let it age naturally.
Thanks
Jonathan



Timburr

Welcome aboard the forum Jonathan hardworker.
Impressive looking sobon shed there. 8)
I reckon it went faster than you thought, because of the extra 8 helpers you have :D

I think batten doors look swell, but if you want to distinguish them AS doors you could use a different batten width/spacing configuration or if you have access to a planer, make up a door the conventional way. Alternatively, scan the neighbourhood and copy a design you like...nowt wrong with that.

number 2....You've just answered your own question with wood filler.

I'd certainly seal/stain it....it'll keep it's newness longer. As to brands, you folks have different products to us, so I can't advise.
Go with your wife, if you value your life, or you will be living there :D ;) :D

Is the roof shingled?

Cheers Tim
Sense is not common

hardworker

Hi Tim,
Thanks for the comments.
Yes those are white cedar shingles. It seemed appropriate.
I actually planked and shingled the roof from the inside of the shed.  I never went up on the roof.
I'm not a big fan of shingling, but less than three days,  and the planking and shingling  was all done.
I think I have somewhere in the vicinity of 120 hours into the project, not counting thinking about it.  My crew is some of my family members.

What is surprising me right now was how much hardware costs; hinges, latches.
I've enjoyed the project, except for the shingling.
Jonathan

ohsoloco

That a DanG fine shed you built  :)  As far as doors go, I like to build the plank doors with a Z brace.  The ones I built for my shed I simply shiplapped the boards and then glued and screwed them to the braces.  I think shiplapped or T&G with a vee groove would be the cat's meow.

Jim Haslip

When you add the diagonal bracing to the door, whether it be shiplap or board and batten, the low end of the brace belongs on the hinge side. VERY IMPORTANT. Otherwise the brace will not be effective over time.

Really impressive shed.

Next time you shingle from the inside, post a picture of you nailing off the rdge cap, please. I'd like to know how to do that.

As for Staining the shed and shingles, I have never had a problem spec'ing Sikkens Brand product. Good UV rating. A touch pricey, but lasts real good. And most painters I know would apply it with a sprayer or roller, but then work it in to the wood with a brush. Particularly if it is band sawn or rough sawn wood. As for colour, let the lil woman decide... might score some atta boy points...

Hope this opinion helps.

hardworker

Guys,
Thanks for the tips on the doors and stain. I know Sikkens is pretty pricey. I'll have to see if I can get the color my wife wants.  Yes, my wife is going to decide!
I'm just a hobbiest, so I may never build another timber frame. But it has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have done.  I keep going outside to look at it and admire it.

I didn't take a picture of how I shingled the ridge cap from the inside, but I think I can explain it.
As part of the shed, I built 4 loft areas. These can slide with very little difficulty across the bents. I slid these to the center of the shed, so I had a beautiful work area for all the shingles, tools etc..
I also did the roof before any siding.

The overall roof length is 18' 4" . The rafters are 3' OC . For roof strength all, of the planks are staggered going up the roof , long, short  then short, long ,if you know what I mean . 
I laid a few roof planks then shingled, then a few more roof planks, etc..
I'm sure all that part is obvious.

I left the top two boards off both roof faces. I now have a gap of about 18" where I can work.
For the ridge, I started at the front of the shed.  I cut 4 short planks which just cover the area between the first two rafters. I stuck my head up between the next two rafters and shingled the first bay. 
There was about 4 courses remaining plus the cap.  I cut out a few boards of varying thicknesses with the right exposures, so I just set a base board, lay and nail some shingles, place a board for the right exposure, lay shingles and nail, place another board from the right exposure,  lay shingles and nail. Now I was up to the last short row. I put these down. Now I used a 8" wide self stick rubber membrane, cut a little longer than that roof bay. Then I put on the ridge cap.  I used the rubber because I have never done this kind of work and didn't trust my work.
I had precut all the short pieces that are needed at the ridge. It took me maybe 20 minutes to do each bay, once I got going.

Then, went  to the next bay, working my way back to the very last bay. I used a ladder for the last bay.
Because there was no gable siding, my wife just handed me the pieces from the loft area. It was the only time other than for raising, I'd had any help.

A couple of other things I did which I thought was pretty good.  I'm not saying others havn't done this, just that I never read this in the Sobon book.
During the raising, we raised the front bent and rear bent, and then raised the plate. We did the middle bent after the plates were up resting on the bents. We put a few blocks on the bents to hold the plates a little higher while raising the middle bent.  The plates were a lot easier to get up there this way. We just walked the plate onto the platform up on the far bent and then had to lift only one end onto the front bent. Two people could do this.
Another detail which made a nice snug fit on the siding was to put on a 45degree  cut on the top of the siding that intersects the eves.

I think having the lofts up there for working was the best thing I ever did.

The photo shows the final positions of the loft sections.
Jonathan






Jim_Rogers

Nice job Jonathan!
Sorry about the holes in your siding.
As it is only a shed you could patch the inside with a small piece of wood to cover the hole or secure the knot in place, and the outside should look right.
Interesting way of shingling a roof.
And a student once told me there is no wrong method if at the end the answer comes out right.
Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

Jim Haslip

Okay, thanks for that info on the ridge shingling.

I'da been up there hanging on with the cheeks of my butt and my toenails...

Nice work.

Are you going to leave the Loft boards there for storage space? or Floor in one end like in the book?


hardworker

Jim R,
I ended up using some wood filler.  Don't worry, there's not that many holes.
I took today off, and ripped and installed the battens, and trimmed the doors.
My wood pile looks pretty small now which is very gratifying. I ended up not using the collar ties. The way I did the overhang, didn't need them and  it doesn't appear from the book that they are required other than for nailing the gable sheathing. Is this true?  The leftover stuff will get used for some of the window work.

Jim H,
For the loft, the platforms are in their final position, not like in the book.
They are not nailed down so I could move them side to side.
I think the loft in the book is a little hard to use, IMHO.  But I suppose it depends what you are using the loft for.   With this configuration, I can easily access a lot of storage space.
Next spring I am putting some windows in.  There will be a window in each gable and to one side of the door on the side. I have replaced some windows in my house and am re-using the sashes.  I haven't gotten to the sashes that I need yet.
I rough framed for the gable windows. I think that with the windows and the positions of the lofts, there will be nice light.
Jonathan

ohsoloco

Hmmm, while we're talking about battens, what it the best way to saw them  ???  Within the next year or two  ::)  I want to rip the old masonite siding off of my house and put up board and batten siding.  Would you saw them like you would a bunch of 2x4's and center cut your cant down to say 2-1/2" and then stand it up and cut your battens, or could you just cut a bunch of 5/8" (or however thick you want your battens) thick boards and then rip 'em to width? 

Wasn't sure if there would be any problem with bowing if you cut them the second way...but for all the thicker and wider they are, they wouldn't be too hard to nail down straight  :-\

Jim_Rogers

Jonathan:
Gable collars, in this design, are just for siding nailers.

Ohsoloco:
Usually when a customer asked me for battens I tell them they have to buy boards. Then they can rip them into battens themselves. Or they can pay me by the hour to rip them for them.
Ripping boards into battens, which are owned by the customers, removes the risk to breakage of the battens due to knots from me to them. I don't want to have to replace a special thickness or width piece of lumber due to knot failure.
If I was to make battens from scratch for myself, then I would try and get the best looking logs for straight grain and knot free or at least small knots (less than 1/2 the width of the batten). That way you will have good lumber to make your battens.
I would think that I would again cut boards and then rip the battens. That way if I get enough battens I could save any extra boards to sell them as regular lumber.
If I make battens or special size pieces of lumber then I want to make sure I don't make too many.

Hope this helps.
Jim Rogers
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

ohsoloco

Thanks, Jim  :) 

Also, how thick do you cut your battens?  I was thinking of cutting them at 3/4" drops on my mill scale, which would bring them out at a hair over 5/8"

Jim_Rogers

It depends you your method of creating them.
As I said, I make boards, then rip them to width. So my boards are standard thickness.
If you are going to do something thinner then you could cut a wide plank making the thickness of your wide plank equal to the width of your batten (2 1/2") and then stand this wide plank up on edge and cut battens thin as you want.
When lumber is cut thin it drys very fast.
I've had a local landscaper replace his batten on his garage several times as they dry up and distort out of shape. He doesn't like that look so he replaces them, espically on the sun side of his building.

Some battens are cut wide and others are cut narrow
Whatever you do, have fun doing it!
Woodmizer 1994 LT30HDG24 with 6' Bed Extension

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