Spec me a Man Shed

Don't buy any junk feather edge shed from Homebase or B&Q, we have to erect thousands of sheds a year for Code requirement and social housing and only use Passmores, I've got one, easy to erect and still looks like new 4 years later, no twisting or sagging.

http://www.passmores.co.uk/
 
alexthecheese said:
I've got to sort out the base in the ground first though - looks like it will be all concrete all the way across, rather than just pillars in the ground, as the base doesn't look that supportive. It probably is stronger than it looks, but I'd rather sort it properly and then have it sorted for it's life.
Click to expand...

have a think about the concrete fence posts on the pillars, space them out properly and they'll strengthen the floor.

of course this depends on what you plan to put in there and how you plan to spread the load on the floor.
 
maccapacca said:
Don't buy any junk feather edge shed from Homebase or B&Q, we have to erect thousands of sheds a year for Code requirement and social housing and only use Passmores, I've got one, easy to erect and still looks like new 4 years later, no twisting or sagging.

http://www.passmores.co.uk/
Click to expand...

They may be good, but they are also expensive. The 12x6 on there is £587 + a floor at £118 = £705.

Ours was £360 delivered, including a base.

I could not afford such luxury in the garden shed world. :p

mp260767 said:
have a think about the concrete fence posts on the pillars, space them out properly and they'll strengthen the floor.

of course this depends on what you plan to put in there and how you plan to spread the load on the floor.
Click to expand...

We won't have much in there, just the usual clutter. How much are concrete fence posts? I am at the moment inclined to just go with a large concrete base, perhaps with concrete pillars scattered across the floor with inter-connecting concrete slats.
 
It's a list price I could have got it for you cheaper I'm just about to buy 22, I think we pay £300 all in for a piddly one.

Hire a mixer, rip some ply for shuttering and knock up some concrete, what you'll do after 11 am is up to you :p

Just cast a raft foundation, if you have any rubble use it as a base. Remember 3 4 5 to get it square.
 
alexthecheese said:
How much are concrete fence posts?
Click to expand...

looking at £10 each at the moment by me, but i'm looking for 2nd hand, just need to check out some places i've found.

on an 8x6 i'm thinking about running 3 8ft posts (as the floor is braced width ways), leaving me 2ft between posts, might adjust this to 4 after i've done some testing on the floor.
 
Admiral Huddy said:
I'm not seriously not sure 8' x 15' I think.. I had to fill in our old pond which was probably the hardest part.

Still use it today for all my repairs and stuff. I don't need that heater on for long.. The insulation does an grand job :)
Click to expand...

did u insulate the floor at all? i was thinking of using laminate(after seeing yours) and just using some thick foam insulation but im not sure if thats going to be enough
 
[TW]Taggart;21362705 said:
did u insulate the floor at all? i was thinking of using laminate(after seeing yours) and just using some thick foam insulation but im not sure if thats going to be enough
Click to expand...

Yes i have quite a thick insulation underneath.. It's like a think green felt about 1cm thick (from Wickes). I'll take a picture later as you see it from there door stump. As I said, it does get cold but it soon warms up. The lights themselves do a good job and once the PCs are running then it get's to the point you need to open a window anyway.

I have a neighbour who spies on me when her binoculars.. I swear she thinks I'm up to no good :o :D
 
The hardest bit for me will be removing and getting rid of the old shed.

I'm a bit sad to get rid of my old shed as I built it from scratch out of old crates I got from our local bonfire about 12 years ago. Its lasted all this time and cost about £10 total lol. Its just too small and I want to get a few tools like a bandsaw and pillar drill so it has to go.
 
clv101 said:
Won't it shake the shed to bits?
Click to expand...

You'll be surprised that it doesn't because I built it's own frame but that frame is still attached to the shed but must cushion the shake along with the chains.
I did have problems with my speakers falling off but I've screwed them down.

Kimi said:
Thats a cool gym shed, do you have to move stuff around much if you want to hit the bag?
Click to expand...

I lift the bag away from the treadmill with a chain that pulls it up to the side.
I could lift the bed of the treadmill up for more room but I don't need to because I stand close to the treadmill and I have more than enough room to punch it.
I would have to lift it if I wanted to kick it though.
 
Mark A said:
http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garde...cttype-shed_bases/Base-For-10X7-Shed-11987597

Anyone used these bases before? How does it work? I assume you just knock the spikes into the ground, but whats to stop it sinking in so that its just the timber resting on the dirt?
Click to expand...

The timber should never reach the dirt because of the 'stops'.
If my eyes are working correctly I can see little holes in the middle spike which must be the height adjusters and you must put a pin through to hold the stop.
My problem is how those spikes are fitted to the base because if you were to put a treadmill in there I'm sure they wouldn't hold.
Personally I would get some slabs, sand and a spirit level like I did and you will have a rock solid base.
I also put 1/2" plywood on top of the slabs and some cheapish carpet.
 
Thanks. Only problem is I'll need 48 400mm slabs :eek:. But I will be having woodwork machines in there that weigh a fair bit.
 
Bought from here: http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/ a billyoh shed (10 x 12ft)

Good service but the instructions were shoddy as they are general instructions and only cover small shed builds. Also... the roof was wafer thin. Plonking in the tacs in the felt meant it was coming through into the interior. Unimpressed.

Watch out for the floor clause too on that site. It doesn't add on a floor in the prices it shows... it's an optional extra.

It's cheap and dry and does the job. If I was staying here I'd have built something myself from scratch and spent more money on it!
 
Mark A said:
Thanks. Only problem is I'll need 48 400mm slabs :eek:. But I will be having woodwork machines in there that weigh a fair bit.
Click to expand...

I don't think that base would be good enough, in fact I'm positive.
Get yourself down to your local Council works yard or Gumtree or similar because there's bound to be someone selling a few slabs.
Mine were off my own drive and measured 2 foot square so I needed 20 of them.

Pity you don't live in Stoke - http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/slabs-for-sale/97186544
 
Last edited:
Thanks. Yeah that base wont do. I'd imagine it wouldn't be long before the metal spikes start to rust.

I think I'll just get the slabs from Wickes as they sell a big pack of 70 slabs for £112, yet 48 single slabs comes to £101. I can use the rest to make a path leading up to the shed as it turns into a swamp in the winter.

Just need to work out how many bags of sharp sand I'll need now... It doesn't even appear to say how big the bags are, unless I'm going blind.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/220081

Or one of these maybe?
 
Mark A said:
Just need to work out how many bags of sharp sand I'll need now... It doesn't even appear to say how big the bags are, unless I'm going blind.
Click to expand...

I didn't need much because it was going on a former concrete base that wasn't exactly level.
I also used very small stones and not sand now I think about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom