Grian Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 I have never constructed anything. Assuming zero knowledge and no useful mentoring friends (can get help but will be the blind leading the blind) would it be a foolish notion to try to make my own free-standing wood store to contain approx 2 cube of logs? I'd like it not to blow away in the continual gale-force winds, so needs to be robust, and low so that it is unobtrusive... (I dream of a green / living roof but perhaps that is overcomplicating the already optimistic idea). If this isn't folly as a first timer then I need to find simple instructions (youtube? sources tend to assume some experience) so I have or can adapt a basic plan (what bits do I need) and directions as to how best to join the bits. I'm tired of throwing money at things I could probably manage myself if I had a tiny bit of knowledge. Help - or honest feedback that this is not a sensible first project - welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 Just go for it. If it fails, work out why, then try again. It is only a woodshed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 This and plenty more on u tube 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grian Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 Thanks. Can't afford too many mistakes / much waste as will have to buy all materials (once I figure out what they are) and probably some tools, there's no stack of bits from other projects, and budget is really tight as there's an expensive project going on. I really have to sort accommodation for the logs that are our primary heating at the moment and currently under an increasingly leaky tarp, but I'd rather pay for it than have it fail mid-winter and need redone due to me going off half cocked. Which is probably the mindset that keeps me needing someone else to make stuff! There must be a publication dealing with the very basics - where to use nails v screws, different dimensions of wood for example... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 How about using old pallets (it’s what I did) plus some old tin roofing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grian Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 I can get my hands on a couple of pallets. I have a little tin left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedreamer Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 We used pallets from our build. The heavy concrete ones were useful for a bridge. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adsibob Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 @Grian go for it! The first thing I ever built was a small wood store with a sloped felt roof. If I managed it, you will be fine. My tip is to go to your local diy store (a big B and Q or Selco for example) and see what outdoor treated timber they supply. Take a note of the lengths available, then plan your wood store accordingly, so that you can minimise the amount of cuts required. And buy self driving wood screws and a decent drill. I think I managed to build mine with only 6 cuts, and is still standing 8 years later. If it is at least a quarter full of wood at all times, it won’t blow away, but if you are worried, make the uprights 20cm longer than they need to be so that they can be buried in the ground and then anchored with diagonal somethings (maybe very long nails?) that are then covered with the ground. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 9 hours ago, Adsibob said: And buy self driving wood screws and a decent drill. Yes, a half decent drill is well worth considering. I have a cheap Screwfix Titan drill , pretty good for general DIY. https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-tti886drs-18v-2-x-2-0ah-li-ion-txp-cordless-drill-driver/328PV A tape measure, some sort of straight edge, a set square are also useful, and some drill bits (Middle of Lidl). If you remember your school physics, triangulation is useful. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyscotland Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 12 hours ago, Grian said: There must be a publication dealing with the very basics - where to use nails v screws, different dimensions of wood for example... For a shed, nails vs screws probably doesn't matter too much so go with what you're comfortable with / have the tools for. Nails from a nail gun are very fast, fairly idiot proof to use (so long as you follow the instructions and avoid shooting yourself), but of course you need a nail gun. Screws are slower than nails from a nail gun, but probably not nails with a hammer until you're very skilled with the hammer. Screws usually work out a bit more expensive but for a small structure it won't make much difference and it will save your time & thumbs. Screws can be more forgiving for assembly as you can put them almost all the way through the first piece of timber, hold it in position and finish screwing in to secure it, where hammering a nail will make your piece of wood jump around all over the place (at first). Screws can be better at pinching wood tight together over the long term (nails can work loose as wood expands and contracts), but are more likely to snap if they take a sideways load, where nails just bend a bit. But for your product that's unlikely to make much difference. And the shape/thin-ness of nails means you can usually hammer them straight into most timber, where screws may need you to drill a narrow pilot hole first to stop the screw forcing the wood apart and splitting it (especially near the ends/edges of the wood). Good quality self drilling screws reduce that risk but don't eliminate it. But for your project you'll probably get away with a few splits without having to discard the timber - start on a hidden side and patch it up if you make mistakes - until you get a feel for what it will tolerate and what it won't. Definitely go for it, things are not as scary/complex as they seem and that seems like a project you want to get right but can afford to not get perfect, which is a good learning opportunity. Remember to measure things at least twice before cutting any wood, and try to sketch or at least visualise how it will all fit together in 3D, sometimes a joint feels like it will work on paper but doesn't line up the way you thought it would in real life. Again for this that won't be too much of a problem and if you start from the bottom and work upwards you probably can't go far wrong. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyscotland Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 Oh also, as @SteamyTeasaid, triangulation is very useful not just for measuring & setting out but also structurally. Rectangles and squares can very easily skew into different shapes but a bit of timber screwed/nailed tightly along the diagonal can work wonders to make something that feels a bit rickety suddenly a lot more robust. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundtuit Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 27 minutes ago, andyscotland said: ...try to sketch or at least visualise how it will all fit together in 3D, sometimes a joint feels like it will work on paper but doesn't line up the way you thought it would in real life. As above; go and have a look around your local garden centre or somewhere that sells sheds etc. Get a feel for how they fit together, take a few pics for reference and give it a go! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grian Posted October 11, 2022 Author Share Posted October 11, 2022 (edited) Feeling very encouraged! Thanks for responses, loads of good information. It is absolutely true, this needs to work but it certainly doesn't have to be perfect. @Thedreamerthat is a great looking shed. @andyscotlandI very much appreciate the detail about screws v nails, for this it seems screws have a lot going for them, especially as the bits won't jump around. Edited October 11, 2022 by Grian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now