The Shed of Dreams - Allotment shed build

Hi. Thought I'd share some build photos from my shed which I built last year, and has evolved since then.
It was my first try at building something on this scale, I'm normally found making furniture and teach cabinetmaking at a college.

I entered it into the Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year competition on Channel 4 this year too and was lucky enough to come second, just getting pipped by an awesome Eco shed with a grass roof.
I wrote an article for Good Woodworking magazine on the building of it and it's coming up in the mag in the next few months I think if anyone's interested.

I designed it in Google Sketchup and the design was pretty much dictated by what materials I had available. We had contractors in at work and as contractors usually do, they left a shed load of materials behind, including some lovely Larch planks and a lot of moisture resistant MDF. It was Easter break and so I had a few days in the workshop to make something while the students were off.


I saw a technique online from a dude building boat shelters, essentially laminating which I'd done plenty of times but this was a 'dry' technique, screwing blocks between two members to lock them into position.

Creating a former on the floor.


I made more than 8 members but only 8 made the cut. Some snapped due to knots. You can see that some sprung back more than others too but this wouldn't be such an issue with a ridgebeam.





I put temporary diagonal bracing on it which wouldn't be needed when I got the 'skin' on. This was to be 9mm moisture resistant mdf, with some 9mm plywood extensions to get the length I needed.
It's 12 foot long by the way, so 3 sheets of 8x4', and 8' wide.



Once I'd skinned the sides, I did the ends, making a door frame to suit an old door I got out of a skip.



Then for some windows, I got hold of some washing machine doors from the tip, making a single window above the door...



...and a Gothic 'Trefoil' at the back.
I also added a bit of a gnarly tree.



Once I'd done the workshop stage, it was off to site.

Sinking the big log pilings, 6 in total and postcreted in place level.



Setting the base framework onto the pilings.



The initial framework up.



Waterproof membrane added over the skin.



Starting the mammoth task of fitting shingles. Each shingle is hand cut with a taper jig on the bandsaw and they are all basically hardwood offcuts out of our scraps bin, so Oak, Cedar, Walnut, Treated softwood, Sapele, Cherry, Maple, Sycamore etc...





You can see my rainwater collection system here too. Basically a hosepipe, wrapped in felt strung in a swooping arc towards the back of the shed and funnelled into two water butts.




It was quite hard to exit the flue through the roof at such a steep angle but managed it with a gasket.
Insulation going in too, from Screwfix of course!





Tool carousel and old school desk cut in half lengthways to fit the curved wall.



Shingles all done and toasty fires on the go...






Filming day, hanging out with the crew and all the other finalist 'sheddies'...







I made a short video detailing some of the making too. On Youtube here.

[video]


Cheers.
Hope you like it. I've since gone on to build another shed on the same allotments which has been a lot of fun.

 

Thanks. Yes it's evolved a bit now and I have some old tools and things attached to the roof with some honeysuckle climbing up.
The ends get quite weathered and so I may extend the top section of roof at some point to create 'hoods' to give a bit more cover.