New shed help

[davidpingu]

So I recently had a 10 x 8 shed put out back since I'm being evicted from the spare room due to another little lass on the way. Quite excited by the idea of having my own shed but because my kit has to go out there as well as things like my books, a normal damp and draughty build just won't do.

I had plans to enhance the basic design once in place with a breathable vapour barrier sheet on the inside of the walls, then fibreglass or rockwool insulation and ply board inner lining with some sort of low output heating to keep things from getting too cold and damp. I read a small refrigerator works well for this but I also have a dehumidifier on standby which seems to work well at blowing warm air out.

Anyway, the shed is build but I'm not content with beginning the next phase of the project due to the door and a couple other bits of trim. I've taken some pictures to show you what I mean and I'm hoping you guys can tell me what I need to do.

So firstly the door:

IMG_0856 by davidpingu, on Flickr

IMG_0850 by davidpingu, on Flickr

IMG_0851 by davidpingu, on Flickr

IMG_0857 by davidpingu, on Flickr

Quite a lot of space at the top of the door letting the draft in and at the bottom but not as much. Also one of the pieces of tongue and groove has a split in it letting quite a lot of light through too.

I was thinking I could line the inside of the door frame with some overlapping panels but it won't fix the split. I'm also concerned that every other shed door I ever see has the wood running vertically and not horizontally.

So do people think this door is fit for purpose and worth modifying or should I cut my losses and start with a new door with panels running top to bottom?

I could also do with some suggestions on locks? It has the two bolts at the moment but they just don't seem well fixed to the wood. I was going to replace the screws with coach bolts with smooth heads and nuts on the inside for better security but the current bolts just don't seem well placed for it. Again any suggestions welcomed.

Finally, is the thin trim running all around the door fit for purpose? I guess it adds some weatherproofing but its pretty cheap looking stuff. Is there a better alternative?

IMG_0858 by davidpingu, on Flickr

I guess that's it for now. I'm just in a bit of a rut with what the best thing to do about it is

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Dave Budd]

it's a shed, they have gaps! If I only had gaps that size around the doors then I would be happy You gets what you pay for and if you want nice fitting and high quality then it costs a lot I'm afraid

If draft is an issue then line the inside with DPM and 6mm plywood, then you can always add some draft excluding around the doors. I would replace the screws with bolts on the locks as you suggest.

 

[Tengu]

Shameless plug. I have an office container on sale.

 

[wandering1]

well first off the draught is easy to fix..... im assuming you have access to a timber-yard go down and grab some 3x1 and cut it to fit on the inside face of the door frame... it needs to overlap the the door... an inch should do one thing though there needs to be a gap of 5 mm between this timber and the actual door (a few packers or some thin strips will do) and screw it on...once fixed in place get some of the rubber door seals and fix to the frame (on the strip you just fitted)....there are a few different types available (foamy...solid rubber and hollow rubber any decent trade warehouse/builders yard will have them

heating...consider a small frost heater.... ( very good in small areas)
as for the cracks unfortunately not a lot you can do.....unfortunately the timber used to build flat pack garden sheds is relatively low quality soft wood ..... (the good stuff like the heart-wood ends up as structural joists beams and furniture)
however the is a little trick you could try..... if go to the timber yard ask them if you can have some of the saw-dust...mix the sawdust with some CLEAR HARDWOOD varnish (should look like a thick paste) and u can use it to fill the gaps .....obviously youll need to line the inside of the panels with something IE hardboard or polystryene glued into place (will also help insulate the shed) again any decent trade yard)

as for locks and wot not..... end of the day its a timber garden shed..... if they want in all the locks in the world wont stop em

 

[Macaroon]

it's a shed, they have gaps! If I only had gaps that size around the doors then I would be happy You gets what you pay for and if you want nice fitting and high quality then it costs a lot I'm afraid

If draft is an issue then line the inside with DPM and 6mm plywood, then you can always add some draft excluding around the doors. I would replace the screws with bolts on the locks as you suggest.

This is not going to be what you want to hear, I fear, but the time to think about all the stuff you've mentioned above is before the buy/build, not afterwards. What Dave says above is the truth of it; as I see it you need to insulate with the best you can get, Kingspan or the like, it's easy to cut and if done carefully will go a long way to blocking holes and splits. Then line it with ply or the like and cut and fit as carefully as you can to seal the place as best you can from inside. It'd be worth goin around the outside with the best exterior filler/caulker you can afford, but this will only realistically seal the small knot holes and gaps. You could probably improve the door no end by fitting a new liner and some beading around the inside as well as the outside. None of this is as difficult as it sounds if you've got a few tools, it's a matter of careful measuring and cutting.

With the de-humidifier, if you've got damp moist air coming into the structure, you will in effect be trying to dry out the universe and you'll be forever emptying the collector of water..............Have a search around for low energy greenhouse heating with a good thermostatic control to keep it frost free, which will normally suffice to keep it dry. I hope this'll be of help

 

[demographic]

Kingspan/Cellotex the depth of the studding, seal all round the insulation with squirty foam (better to cut the Kingspan 10mm too small and seal with foam than cut it tight and have a tiny gap that you can't get the foam gun nozzle into) put a thin plastic membrane over the studding and Kingspan and then ply line it. You can hang shelves and all sorts on the ply that way.
Use a oil based mastic for the external holes as its overpaintable then paint the outside to protect the wood. You could varnish it but I never feel that varnish covers as well as a good paint and you know exactly the bits you miss with paint.

That keeps the warm moist air from inside the shed from condensing in the wall space and is pretty much what I do with houses.

 

[Harvestman]

I've seen this shed, and it is a nice space. The finish leaves a little to be desired, but maybe I got lucky with mine, which was excellent. Dave, the horizontal door panels are fine, and to be honest you don't want it airtight anyway as you need some air circulation, but you do need it weatherproof. The above advise is better than i could give, and I agree heating is better than dehumidifying. Dont rule out the benefits of a good old-fashioned curtain to plug those door gaps, as it will stop wind easily. You could use strips of shower curtain for water resistance and then put a heavier piece of insulating fabric behind it.

Most importantly, enjoy your new man cave, and remember the essential rule - Absolutely NO women to be admitted into the man-cave without written permission, in triplicate, and a prior appointment.

 

[Mesquite]

I could also do with some suggestions on locks? It has the two bolts at the moment but they just don't seem well fixed to the wood. I was going to replace the screws with coach bolts with smooth heads and nuts on the inside for better security but the current bolts just don't seem well placed for it. Again any suggestions welcomed.

Don't forget to do the hinges as well as the bolts. At the very least use clutch head security screws

 

[Mike313]

Hi,
You’ve had lots of good advice already but I thought I’d throw in my tuppence-worth anyway .
Whatever you do, you’ll want to deal with the gaps and knot-holes to stop rain getting in.
For the gaps in the door, the ones between the cladding planks, take off the lower board and move it up so it fits snugly. You’ll have to do the same with the ones below it . Move one at a time so the door doesn’t fall asunder.
You can get exterior-grade wood filler (available in different shades of brown) from a DIY store to fill the knot holes.
To weatherproof around the door, one way to do it would be as per the sketches below. I’ve missed out a vapour barrier but someone else has mentioned it already. Likewise heating, as someone else has mentioned.
Good luck with it.

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[Barn Owl]

Keep one of those electric, oil filled heaters on

 

[davidpingu]

Thank you very much everyone for the advice.

Mike, massive thanks to going to all the trouble to illustrate. It's very clear now as to what I need to do.

All the best,

Dave

 

[feralpig]

Is there a Seconds and co near you? Google it, they sell miss formed kingspan, at very reasonable prices. A bit of clear builders polythene under the kingspan would stop a lot of draughts.
If you can get power there, then Oil powered central heating boilers are being pulled out all the time. Find a friendly plumber or heating engineer. Most of them work perfectly, and are scrapped. £30 usually seals the deal. Not difficult to rig up to a radiator, and cost peanuts to run. You might need a bit of a buffer to keep it more efficient, like a 205 drum full of water, well insulated. Bit of a fiddle, but good fun, and then you have a well heated shed.