12-10-2012, 05:15 PM
Never used plastic lumber before, If you get a store bought shed then it will probably have a "timber" floor on joists which I presume would be laid on top of your podium, if that is the case then maybe you do not need a podium just a few correctly spaced blocks or bricks to support the joists, normally a piece of DPC would be placed on top of each block/brick to avert any damp coming up through and contacting the joists. You might or might not know that I used to manufacture sheds for a living my standard base requirements which the customer usually (but not always) provided was 4 or 6" bricks/blocks on a paved or concreted level surface to support the floor joists, this allowed plenty of sub floor ventilation, damp floors are the death of sheds. Good hat and boots is the key.
Most store bought sheds a very flimsy and not usually very well constructed these days, if you are ok with a saw and hammer then design and build your own if it is possible for you to do so once you have worked out and honed a plan then construction should not take long, remember if the base 'aint level then any preconstructed roof sections are unlikely to fit properly. It will cost more to do DIY but the quality will be far far superior and it will keep nice and dry inside, it also gives you the opportunity to design any inbuilt features that may be required such as positioning of window(s) door(s) etc, best place for shed timber is a homegrown sawmill, get tanalised stuff if you can, both shiplap and feather edge make good cladding, line the outside of the shed frames with a breather membrane (not vapour barrier) before cladding up, only use one fixing per clading board per stud about 1" up from the bottom of the board, don't skimp on the roof by using "rabbit hutch" felt. Remember that any shed that is not adequently braced will "rack" if exposed to prevailing winds over time if its not designed right. I could go on about insulation etc if you plan to heat the inside but most of that is self explanitory.
Hope this general guidence is of use to someone.
Lawrence.
Most store bought sheds a very flimsy and not usually very well constructed these days, if you are ok with a saw and hammer then design and build your own if it is possible for you to do so once you have worked out and honed a plan then construction should not take long, remember if the base 'aint level then any preconstructed roof sections are unlikely to fit properly. It will cost more to do DIY but the quality will be far far superior and it will keep nice and dry inside, it also gives you the opportunity to design any inbuilt features that may be required such as positioning of window(s) door(s) etc, best place for shed timber is a homegrown sawmill, get tanalised stuff if you can, both shiplap and feather edge make good cladding, line the outside of the shed frames with a breather membrane (not vapour barrier) before cladding up, only use one fixing per clading board per stud about 1" up from the bottom of the board, don't skimp on the roof by using "rabbit hutch" felt. Remember that any shed that is not adequently braced will "rack" if exposed to prevailing winds over time if its not designed right. I could go on about insulation etc if you plan to heat the inside but most of that is self explanitory.
Hope this general guidence is of use to someone.
Lawrence.
