DIY metal framed shed?

[Henrik]

I'm wanting to build a new shed at some point this year, and I want it to be reasonably secure.

Brick / block is out, as I can't lay blocks and it would take far too long for a shed (for me). Also requires a concrete base, and it's a pain to get concrete to where I need the shed.

Don't want to build in wood, because it's too close to my wooden log cabin and I don't want to accidentally set fire to it.

This leaves metal sheds, and I have been looking at some online, and I can get a 3 x 3.5m shed for not a lot of money, however the eaves height is ridiculously low (like 170cm...), so I've been thinking of alternatives.

Whilst browsing, I spotted these horse shed frames kits: http://www.hayhorsefeeders.com/images/loafingshed.jpg

Would it be a bad idea to build a frame out of e.g. 50x50 box, and clad it in galvanized steel? FH Brundle sell e.g. galvanized sheets for not a lot of money.

The floor would probably be floating (ply/osb on top of frame), and have tiles on it, and I'm thinking of insulating the sides with 50mm celotex (have some left from another project), and then clad in either plasterboard or OSB. Roof would be insulated

One nice thing about steel frames is that it'd be possible to build the frame to take exactly a sheet of celotex in between the uprights etc.

 

[tinman123]

for the sizes your talking about it would work out 100% if you done it right, id put concrete down tho and bolt it to it, that way it wont blow away...

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I'm building my new shed / workshop frame out of scaffolding poles and KeeKlamps - just because I've already got them.
Have you thought about Unistrut channel and fittings for the frame ? Galvanized and again available from Brundles.

 

[the snooper]

have you thought about sectional garages, they are often advertised in local papers free, buyer to remove

 

[S-Rail]

http://www.metsec.com/steel-framing/

 

[Kent]

Why notstart off with proper Insulated metal sheeting and roofing and all the correct leak proof fittings. Firings gutters etc.

You don't bring in the concrete base you pour it in situe. Electric or petrol mixer if it's not from a ready mix waggon.

Very bad plan to not put a base in to fasten to

 

[rtbcomp]

Put a damp-proof membrane in the base too.

Some of the metal sheds you see advertised are so thin it's the paint that provides the strength.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I have one of the cheap metal sheds as a temporary measure to keep garden tools in and you only have to look at it for a dent to appear !
For my metal framed shed I intend concreting "legs" into the ground rather than having a concrete base the whole size of the shed. This is because my ground slopes so this is a way of getting things level without having to build retaining wall etc first.
Similar idea could be incorporated into the OP's design as then it's just mean small amounts of concrete would need mixing for each leg (I have a petrol mixer !)

 

[gaz1]

ive looked at this idea a few times i had priced it up that i could use box profile roof and get some angle iron the leg struts would be box section and legs concreted in the ground

but if i could get hold of enough composite roofing then id be looking at that for insulation or even composite wall panels

floor space just has the old concrete flags laid in them but mine is a level surface

 

[Henrik]

for the sizes your talking about it would work out 100% if you done it right, id put concrete down tho and bolt it to it, that way it wont blow away...

I'm building my new shed / workshop frame out of scaffolding poles and KeeKlamps - just because I've already got them.
Have you thought about Unistrut channel and fittings for the frame ? Galvanized and again available from Brundles.

I have one of the cheap metal sheds as a temporary measure to keep garden tools in and you only have to look at it for a dent to appear !
For my metal framed shed I intend concreting "legs" into the ground rather than having a concrete base the whole size of the shed. This is because my ground slopes so this is a way of getting things level without having to build retaining wall etc first.
Similar idea could be incorporated into the OP's design as then it's just mean small amounts of concrete would need mixing for each leg (I have a petrol mixer !)

Yes, I'd be doing the concrete post thing as well. That's basically what I did for my log cabin and the decking, and that's held up well over the last couple of years at least. At least with just piers it's not such a pain to mix concrete etc, where-as if I needed a say 2.5m3 of concrete, that'd be a serious amount of barrowing, from drive, through garden, over decking, around log cabin etc etc - it's just not feasible for me at this point in time.

Why notstart off with proper Insulated metal sheeting and roofing and all the correct leak proof fittings. Firings gutters etc.

You don't bring in the concrete base you pour it in situe. Electric or petrol mixer if it's not from a ready mix waggon.

Very bad plan to not put a base in to fasten to

It will have a base of course, but as above access is a serious issue. I might be able to get it pumped there, I suppose. The run is about 40m as the crow flies, but there's a lot of obstacles in the way.

I'll see if my budget can stretch to ready insulated panels... my celotex has been knocking about for a while now, so need to use it for something, or alternatively bin it, but I wont have enough to do the roof without buying some more, so might be a good opportunity to use pre-insulated roofing sheets there.

have you thought about sectional garages, they are often advertised in local papers free, buyer to remove

Yeah been thinking of these, but sadly they would definitely need a level concrete base, as otherwise there's no chance to line the panels up. Also, I tend to work on my own and man handling one of the panels on your own is a bit of a pain...

http://www.metsec.com/steel-framing/

I like it As a side note, good that they're starting to build properly insulated houses IMO, and if it's cheaper than brick it can only be a good thing IMO

ive looked at this idea a few times i had priced it up that i could use box profile roof and get some angle iron the leg struts would be box section and legs concreted in the ground

but if i could get hold of enough composite roofing then id be looking at that for insulation or even composite wall panels

floor space just has the old concrete flags laid in them but mine is a level surface

Hmm, yeah that sounds kind of what I'm aiming for, except I want to insulate the floor as well... Reason being that my log cabin is fully insulated all around, and even in winter I can lie on the floor and work on the computer etc if I need to work from home some day... whilst not necessary in a shed, it's definitely nice

 

[Henrik]

Put a damp-proof membrane in the base too.

Some of the metal sheds you see advertised are so thin it's the paint that provides the strength.

Hehe yeah they seem to vary from 0.3mm to 0.7mm, and if you go up to a 1mm it's a "high security shed", apparently... How thin is a coke can?

 

[gaz1]

how about this then insulated all round steel on outside and a steel floor all for one price though transport is another matter

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/field-shelters-/151863350174?hash=item235bc2d39e:g:tuIAAOSwe-FU9ERD

 

[the snooper]

Re the concrete panels, you could just dig some footings to stand them on, then either concrete or install wooden floor, I agree they are quite heavy but surely you could rope someone to help for a few hours you would save a good few quid with free panels if you can get them

 

[gaz1]

Re the concrete panels, you could just dig some footings to stand them on, then either concrete or install wooden floor, I agree they are quite heavy but surely you could rope someone to help for a few hours you would save a good few quid with free panels if you can get them

ive done it that way built it all on my own snooper I just dug deep enough, spade deep mixed concrete a bag and a quarter of mixed gravel and sand with cement and done a channel all the way round



looks like this now



concrete flags for the floor there an 1" above the flags as seen in the above picture now i want to insulate it out and install a wood burner

 

[Kent]

Two and a half m3 I should just use a mixer and even easier as a team of three two shoveling one pouring and on Water

 

[gaz1]

the first pillar left of door is a fence post you can use corner post but i was wanting a flat surface to fasten the steel frame to it before you ask its a factory steel fire door i got a double door one went on back shed one went on the front shed cut down

my advice if you have bad pillars you can use fence panel posts however you do need a filler piece as you have an 1" gap and also make sure they are cemented in the ground you also have to buy the longer posts due to cementing them in the ground
as those type of panels are roughly 36" or more per panel on the old type

the floor as explained above is 2" concrete flags the 3ft type and that one is 8ft x 10 ft span i just used the extra pieces to bring the panels to the door from a free garage as long as i collected it as it was a 5 panel at side garage with up and over door scrap man got the door at the time

the extra roof spans well ive cut them up and used them on other projects

 

[Henrik]

that's not a bad shed actually, gaz

How noise / sound proof is it? E.g. would you get away with using an angle grinder after say 9pm?

 

[tinman123]

could you get a 20' shipping container into where you want to build the shed?
it would make a good secure shed.

 

[gaz1]

its an inch thick on each panel so no but would drown out a good amount of noise more when insulated out inside of it
no offense but i wouldnt want to be using a grinder at that time of night

using a lathe yes but not a grinder

heres an internal shot but ive been tidying up since photo was taken

 

[the snooper]

I find that rockwool or similar kills noise far better then kingspan and alike I have a separate room at the rear of my garage, I insulated the roof in that part with rockwool and the main park with kingspan type, when it rains the main part is noisy the rear I can hardly hear it