Category: Workshop

After what seems an aeon, I’ve finally had a coincidence of time and suitable weather, and been able to get the roofing felt on.

As usual, nothing in the line of DIY is totally straightforward. I had one old roll of felt, and one new one. The old one was in a poor state, along one edge, kind of adhering to itself as I unrolled it. This caused the sheet to have a very tattered and ragged edge; fortunately along the outer side. But I was able to cover a whole strip nonetheless.

The other roll did another two strips, with the three sufficing to cover the whole roof. I had to pop out for more roofing tacks, as I my old supply finally ran out. In the end I didn’t use the plastic sheeting. That helped keep the OSB board dry.I

had kind of wanted to have a plastic membrane under the felt. But it was too wet and dirty. So I opted not to use it. I’ll keep it, for possible future usage.

We also have the corrugated roofing sheets that came with the shed. The original roof! I didn’t want to just use that, as the shed was, in its previous incarnation, very damp, cold and drafty. It’s now much more hermetically enclosed.

There’s still a broken window and bit of open wall panelling to sort out. The biggest remaining jobs are putting in a floor and running electricity down the length of the garden, to supply this new workspace.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time on the roof of this shed lately. I had to add the strips along the longer sides. I also added home made wood filling paste to all the joints where there was any air between boards.

Staying safe up there meant not walking in the middle of the boards, but instead sticking to the supported wall areas. I’ve had to sweep a lot of leaves, twigs, and – eugh! – guano, off the roof. I guess I’ll have to do so occasionally. If I don’t it’ll really build up.

I’m not 100% sure how I’ll finish the undersides of the felt, and attach it to the OSB boards. Plus I need to add a bit more cladding around the area where my new roof meets the walls. So there’s still plenty to do!

I’m also unsure as to exactly how I’ll do the floor. But that’s a job for the new year! I’d like to get the broken window and the gap in the cladding sorted. But I’m very happy to have got the roofing felt on… at last!

A continuing saga

Grabbing whatever moments I can – when we’re both at home and the weather’s ok, a rare combo of late – I get a little time here and there to progress work on the shed roof.

I recently extended the longer edges, which previously didn’t project over the walls. This was to make sure rain would run off, not down/through the structure. I didn’t do the best or prettiest job.

So today I mixed a paste of wood dust, wood glue, and a little water, and filled in the seams where boards didn’t meet quite as flush as we’d have liked. Hopefully this bodge will suffice to keep the pieces together, and stop water passing through?

What a rubbish photo the above is! My excuse is that I was more concerned with getting the job done than photographing the work in progress.

It’s good to be chipping away at what is a reasonably large job, and gradually getting nearer to completion. I hope I can get the roofing felt on before the snow arrives!

Whenever there’s been a brief interlude without rain (not often lately!) and I’ve been home/free, I’ve grabbed the opportunity to make progress – even in tiny little incremental steps – on the shed roof.

The four panels that I used to do the roof were more than adequate lengthwise, giving enough coverage to project at each end (front and back, I suppose?). But the 8 foot length boards were only just big enough to reach across the width of the roof.

Also, the shed was a bit out of square. So once the roofing boards were up and in place, they didn’t present straight/flush edges along the longer axis of the whole roof.

This meant I had to trim them, to get a straight line. And then somehow add long strips. Fortunately the off it’s from the front and back were just enough for the job. I had to cut them in half lengthwise. Bit of a faff!

But I did it. And on one day last week – Tuesday perhaps? – I did the higher side. And today I did the lower side. It wasn’t easy! And I didn’t do a perfect job. Far, far from it!

But hopefully it’s adequate? At least now the roof project out over the shed walls on every face. I’ll prob’ want to mix some sawdust and wood-glue filler, and fill some of the gaps between panels. And I’ve tried to find screws long enough to go through the whole width of the add-on boards.

Anyway, a couple more small steps towards getting the shed shop shape, and ready to move all my tools out of the previous workshop. The latter will become our art studio. With room to paint. A small etching press, and – if I can get it working – a kiln!

So much to do!

So, yesterday (Saturday) I got three of the four roof panels up. Today I did the fourth and final board. Although I don’t think it rained last night, it was foggy and wet this morning. All the boards already on the roof were affected; softened (and therefore more flexible), with areas where some individual strands were buckled from soaking up water. Not good!

Today, Sunday, I not only got the final panel in place, but also bought some very cheap plastic sheeting, from Boyes, as a temporary moisture barrier. I hope it’ll keep the boards safe over tonight. Then tomorrow I can collect some better thicker stuff from Screwfix in Peterborough – which I bought at the March Screwfix (but too late to collect from their Peterborough branch, where they had stock) – and attach it properly.

Then there’ll be a layer of roofing felt. And then on top of that, the corrugated metal roofing which was the sheds original roof. 18mm OSB3, plastic sheet, felt, and a metal roof. That ought to do the job!

Whilst up on the new roof I had to continually brush off fallen leaves and twigs. So I took the opportunity to remove some dead wood and trim back the bits of tree branches that threatened to ‘ave somebody’s bloomin’ eye out’.