Shed - Part 9: Rafter Framing and Glazing Unit 2

I finished up the rafter framing and roof glazing on unit 2 this last weekend. Nothing really new or different to report. I did take advantage of the fact that the glazing is a little expandable to accommodate some of the creep that was showing up on the back side in the rafters. I was able add 3/8" to the run of 8 feet which was nice because now unit 3 can start from zero instead of being in the hole.

Shed - Part 8: Wall Framing Unit 2

I got the framing itch yesterday and today. And now the walls are framed for shed unit 2. I'm still shopping for the hardware for the sliding doors so I can't really proceed on unit 1. Well... I guess I could start building the shelving in unit 1.

Never-the-less... I framed the walls. I'm learning a few things as I go. Like... make the front perfect and let the back side absorb the errors in tolerances. And unit 2 is approximately 3.5" taller than unit 1. Since the doors will be the same size, that means that the header for the doorway is bigger.

Framing for unit 2 seemed to go more quickly. That's partially because I only framed three walls (the fourth was essentially already built). All the 2x4's are assembled using nails, but I'm using screws when attaching the walls together. I'm also using screws along with nails when attaching walls to the floor.

Then next post will likely be about installing the rafters for unit 2.

Shed - Part 7: Window

Installing the north facing window on the shed this weekend was the easiest part about the shed so far. I used Sunlite which is a clear twin-wall polycarbonate. It comes in 24"x96" panels and is 8mm thick (which is just under 3/8" which is the thickness of the siding). I'll be putting on trim around the window and along the corners of shed someday.

I used screws to attach the glazing to the shed. I cut little squares out of the top layer of the glazing so that the head of the screw was below the surface. Then I put a little piece of tape over the hole. You eventually won't see the tape or screws when the trim is on. I also taped the ends of the glazing panel. The tape will minimize condensation in the hollow glazing.

The sliding door comes next.

Shed - Part 6: Siding

I finished installing the siding on the first shed unit this weekend. I used a preprimed 3/8" thick OSB siding panel. Now that the siding is on, the shed is very stiff and doesn't rack at all. The interior is very well illuminated because of the translucent roof, but I am going to install windows the north wall above the doorway any way. I think it will look better and it will guarantee some additional light even in the winter or if the pine needle built up on the roof gets too thick.

I may start framing the next unit now since I'm still exploring ways to do the sliding door and the windows. We'll see. The weather is so nice right now that I may be able to crank through the next two units pretty quickly. Especially since my brother is moving to town and my brother-in-law will be in town for a little while, too. One of us will play with my son while the other builds the shed.

I should install shelving and peg board next. That way I can move stuff into the shed right away and clear out the entryway in the house.

Shed - Part 5: Roof

I installed the last of the roof panels today on the first section of the shed. I used Suntuf corrugated polycarbonate panels. The kind I chose were opal white with a light transmission of 45%. They also block 99.9% of UV light.

I added some additional lumber to that rafter assembly so that I could install the panels according to the manufacturer's recommendations. You can see in the photos below that I added some 2x2's along the front and the back as well as some 2x4's along the middle.

The 2x2's along the front and back are the most critical. They'll keep the panels flat and help resist the attempts that the wind will make to remove the panels. I'll be installing some fascia along the front and back so the 2x2's won't really be all that visible when the shed is done.

Now I get to start on the wall sheathing.

Shed - Part 4: Roof Framing

Well, I finally got the rafters installed. I notched the rafters along the top, but I left the lower end unnotched. Here's a photo of the first rafter in place while I traced the notch.

Here are a couple of process photos.

The rafters overhang the front by one foot. They overhang the back by two feet. I'll be storing ladders and various yard tools on the back so the extra overhang will provide additional protection. I used brackets called hurricane ties on each of the rafters to connect it to the walls. At least the rafters will stay connected to the walls in a wind storm even if the roof panels get pulled off.

The rafter blocking has screened holes for cross-breeze ventilation. This completes the framing. The next step is to install the roof panels. Then I'll tackle the sheathing, the window, and the door.

Flowers in the Yard - 2011

The violets that my spouse brought from her childhood home bloomed wonderfully this year. She says their fragrance isn't as strong though. I wonder if it's because of the lack of sunlight.

The tulip in the fifty-five gallon plastic drum container came up this year. I think this is only the second time it's bloomed since we've been in the rat-hole.

Here's a photo of one of the daffodils that comes up every year.

And here are a couple of photos of the most common flower in the yard.

Shed - Part 3: Wall Framing

I've been framing the walls for the shed over the last two weekends (maybe four and a half hours total). The west most piece of the shed will have a ceiling height of seven and a half feet. The next to parts of the shed will have three and a half inches more head space and seven inches more respectively. It was surprisingly easy to assemble the walls and tilt them up.

The shed will have a shed roof that will pitch form the front to the back. The rise is eighteen inches over five feet. I'll probably need to clean debris off once a year.

All the walls are pretty square. The diagonals at the top were about an inch different so I used a cable and turn buckle to square the top up. I may be able to remove the cable after the rafters and sheathing are on. That way I can use it on the other parts of the shed if I need to. Or maybe I'll install a 2x4 on the diagonal to lock in the squareness.

Here are a couple more photos of the shed from different angles.

I can't wait to do the rafters and the roof panels next weekend!

Shed - Part 2: The Floor

The actual construction of the shed floor went pretty quickly, but it took me a couple of weekends to get all the supplies. In fact, I bought all the 2x6's and cut them on one weekend. I didn't get to do the plywood subflooring until the following weekend, though.

Here's a photo of the finished floor joist assemblies. Since the 2x6's were already cut, it only took me a day to nail all of them together. Each floor pad is attached to its rails with a series of brackets. They are lined up on the string line and are just about as in line with one another as they can be. The extra 2x6 blocking that you see you the lowest pad is there because I want to get the best yield from the subflooring plywood. The shed is only five feet deep so that leaves three foot pieces left over. The extra blocking lets me use those drop-offs.

Here's a photo of one of the pads with a cross piece still attached. I did this to keep the pad square while I moved it into place and attached it to the rails.

I also laid down some vapor barrier to minimize moisture under the shed. This is the Pacific Northwest after all.

And here are some photos of the plywood attached. I nailed all the joists together, but I used screws to attach the plywood.

Here's a photo of the middle pad so you can see the elevation change from pad to pad.

I waffled a bit about the best way to attach the joists to the rails. I chose to use brackets that restrict side to side movement as well and up and down movement. I think the connections should withstand a modest earthquake.