Small Shop / Garage build thread

iamrfixit · 03-08-2011, 02:59 PM

As long as you have adequate temporary bracing on your walls you can do the roof first. You have some but not enough. You need all four walls squared up, plumb and angle braced with the braces securely nailed or screwed into at least several studs and the plates. I have built many sheds, garages and even a house, sometimes I will shingle before I sheet the walls but I still usually sheet all the outside corners first. You are putting a lot of mass up on the roof, the walls need to be secure.

On a building that small I would probably just sheet all the walls first. You can quickly sheet it up by using full sheets and cutting out the openings later, after the roof is done. Don't worry about the small triangle shaped pieces to fill in the gable ends, you can easily do those after the roof is on. Those two things will significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to sheet it. When you are ready to cut the openings drill holes in the corners of the openings then use a straight edge to mark outlines of the opening on the outside of the sheeting. I have used a small cordless circular saw, a router with a flush trim bit, a sawzall, or even a jig saw to cut the openings.

Don't use small pieces when sheeting the end with the roll up door. Use full sheets placed vertical and cut the door opening out after the sheet it is nailed on. Your opening takes up most of the end leaving very little for the lateral bracing that will keep that end from racking over time. A full 4 foot wide L shaped piece nailed securely will provide much better bracing than a bunch of scraps.

J S Machine · 03-08-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamrfixit

As long as you have adequate temporary bracing on your walls you can do the roof first. You have some but not enough. You need all four walls squared up, plumb and angle braced with the braces securely nailed or screwed into at least several studs and the plates. I have built many sheds, garages and even a house, sometimes I will shingle before I sheet the walls but I still usually sheet all the outside corners first. You are putting a lot of mass up on the roof, the walls need to be secure.

On a building that small I would probably just sheet all the walls first. You can quickly sheet it up by using full sheets and cutting out the openings later, after the roof is done. Don't worry about the small triangle shaped pieces to fill in the gable ends, you can easily do those after the roof is on. Those two things will significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to sheet it. When you are ready to cut the openings drill holes in the corners of the openings then use a straight edge to mark outlines of the opening on the outside of the sheeting. I have used a small cordless circular saw, a router with a flush trim bit, a sawzall, or even a jig saw to cut the openings.

Don't use small pieces when sheeting the end with the roll up door. Use full sheets placed vertical and cut the door opening out after the sheet it is nailed on. Your opening takes up most of the end leaving very little for the lateral bracing that will keep that end from racking over time. A full 4 foot wide L shaped piece nailed securely will provide much better bracing than a bunch of scraps.

Thanks. I appreciate the tip about the drilled holes in the cutouts. I have a jig saw I will do it that way.

<*(((>< · 03-08-2011, 03:32 PM

I would ask the neighbors nearby if anyone has a nail gun and compressor and can lend a hand for a couple of hours, it would take next to now time to sheet the sides and roof with an extra set of hands. I know if my neighbor asked I would volunteer my tools and a few hours to be a good neighbor. That's what its all about isn't it?

Framing looks good and the suggestion about the sheathing on the gable end with the overhead door is a good suggestion, that is the definite weak point in the structure and any little bit will help.

Willie T · 03-08-2011, 03:47 PM

Great looking job so far… and I anticipate it looking just as good all the way through to completion.

One very important point has been made already. That’s a big opening for the door, so you do want to be sure it is good and square. Then put your sheathing on in full pieces. Your header looks fine. Good and sturdy. But the added rigidity of full sheets making those corners and tying every bit of lumber there together is nothing but valuable insurance against movement.

Have you considered overhead storage? You’re built nice and heavy, so the rafter ties will comfortably support a reasonable amount of weight. Also, putting a light plywood floor up there will also help add to the stability of the whole square shape. Access could be made through one of the gable ends.

You might also want to consider extending the lengths of the center five rafters over the personnel door (or maybe only three) by a couple more feet. It will be easy to frame in a nice entry overhang for rainy weather when you are standing there unlocking the door. It’s a bummer to have the roof shedding all that rain down right on top of you.

One neat thing about having 9' ceilings is that you have ample room to construct nice, high shelves all around the edges of the upper walls... or hangers for long stock, up there out of the way.

J S Machine · 03-14-2011, 08:52 AM

Update time.

This past week I finished up nailing everything, and also added some OSB to the ends so I could put the jack rafters with lookouts on and cap everything off.

I know this isn't the best way to do this and it would have been better if built a little more structurally stable. I figured when I get everything tied to the roof sheathing, this 1' overhang created by the jack rafters and lookouts will be more solid than it appears. There are 20d 3.5" nails running through the end rafters into the lookouts on the jack rafters. The lookouts are also toe nailed and the jack rafters are face nailed to the end of the ridge board. The fascia board is a 2x6 as well, so that should tie them in well too.

I started putting the roof sheathing on Saturday afternoon after work. It took me about an hour to figure out a way to get the pieces up there. I started with a rope attached to clamps thinking I was going to drag it up there. That was a joke..(5/8 OSB) So I finally figured out if I took my extension ladder and put the two sections side by side and tied them together I could create a ramp. I could then push the pieces up the "ramp" and climb behind them to get them up. The first one was the hardest to put in place on the roof, after that the others seem to fall in place without much issue..other than exhaustion. Heavy isn't the word..

Here's a view from the roof peak showing the cutouts in the sheathing for the ridge vent. They turned out a little smaller than I intended, but it is just a shop so I'm sure it will work fine.

Here I have put my felt on and stapled it in place. I have some felt nails with the little plastic caps, but I will put them on when I start to putting shingles on as I go up. I didn't have to get on the roof to put the felt on, just rolled it on and stapled it on the ends to provide some sort of water protection. I hope to start getting shingles up in the next day or two. Now that the time has changed I will have an hour of daylight each night when I get home. This is as far as I've gotten as of now.

I was talking to some people this morning about the felt, and pretty much everybody agreed that I need to go and put some nails in the stuff so it doesn't blow off. I thought I had it attached well on the ends but I guess it isn't like it should be. I'm gonna try to leave work early today and go home and attach it better. I have some of the felt nails with the plastic caps on them.

SteelToes · 03-14-2011, 09:41 AM

Looks great J S!
Nice job!

To me it looks thousand times better with a 1' overhang.
Just my opinion.

Nice job.

waterman1971 · 03-14-2011, 10:01 AM

J.S. get you some tin caps and staple through them, it will be much quicker.

**Gary in WA** · 03-14-2011, 08:49 PM

Looks like you are moving right along! I'll mention a few things and why. Use some sticky window wrap on the bottom edge of the OSB because you don't have the required 8" to earth separation. Run a short sub-fascia from the second common rafter out to hold the gable O.H. fly rafter, cutting the gable rafter short the 1-1/2" thickness required. Your box soffit wall ledger will also run out there for support. much easier to nail the wall sheathing off to the top plate before rafters.... Add more nails at the rafter/joist connection as per minimum Code for your pitch- 4/12= 5 nails; http://publicecodes.citation.com/ico...002_par023.htm

Remember your rafter blocking to prevent rotation on top the wall with closed soffits. Check man door R.O 82-5/8", big door= 7' or 8' height plus wrap thickness, same with sides to end with 16' net. Using a ridge vent, may want to check on the width per manufacturer. Remember drip edge, rake flashings and rake board (1x2) if used. Movin' along!

Gary

J S Machine · 03-14-2011, 09:11 PM

I got some felt nails up there today so the felt doesn't go anywhere. Ready to start shingling in the next few days. It is raining now, so I guess we'll see how it holds up.

J S Machine · 03-15-2011, 08:27 AM

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