52
votes
Accepted
Why does my shed door expand/shrink?
Welcome to the joys of working with a natural product!
Before I address your construction techniques, I've got to say that is a quite handsome looking door you've made. Well done!
Wood moves. It ...
- 48k
28
votes
Accepted
Will adding another layer of plywood improve shed floor bouncing?
Normal plywood has the wood fibers in its outer plies oriented along the 8 ft length of the plywood. There exists specially marked plywood that defies this convention, but from your photo it's clear ...
- 10.6k
23
votes
Accepted
How should I power a shed before the house is built?
Talk to Your Electric Utility
They will ultimately tell you what you can/can't do.
But the trend, as included in the latest NEC, is to have an outside disconnect near the meter. The logical extension ...
20
votes
What is the use of alumium profile with LED strip lighting?
They provide physical support, e.g. when mounting a strip across several rafters.
They provide some physical protection, e.g. against swinging
garden implements.
Some provide protection against ...
- 2,027
18
votes
Accepted
How to reinforce a basic wood shed frame?
The sheathing that this wood shed has should be more than enough to act as cross bracing in order to prevent racking if the sheathing is installed properly.
If the sheathing is installed with a single ...
- 48k
17
votes
Why does my shed door expand/shrink?
In addition to the accepted answer, it would help to add some weather protection. A small rain shield or canopy will help divert weather from the upper part of the door.
Essentially a small verandah ...
- 11.8k
16
votes
Plastic shed base - How to level soil?
Set stakes around the proposed site for the shed, attach string lines/wires, and make sure they are level. Then measure the distance between the string line and the ground periodically, and make sure ...
- 3,382
16
votes
Accepted
Moving a bottomless metal shed
Prepare the base for the shed and tiles in the new location.
Unscrew the shed.
Set it aside.
Move the tiles to the new location.
Move the shed onto the tiles.
Screw the shed down.
If moving the whole ...
- 226k
13
votes
Accepted
Running electrical to a shed
Generically I'd knee-jerk to conduit and 30A 240V service with a sub-panel, but if your needs are going to be adequately met by 20A 120V power and the loading is sufficiently low that the voltage drop ...
- 226k
13
votes
Accepted
Insulating a wooden shed to provide strong heat rejection
Insulation works both ways, so it'll reduce the heat coming in from the sunlit outer walls as well. Small windows are also favourable in these conditions.
For warm but not over the top situations, you ...
- 2,395
12
votes
Accepted
Can I run an underground wire to a shed on blocks?
Yes, the national electric code allows wiring in structures like your shed.
If you plan on using UF wire for the run buried 24” deep you need to bring the wire up in conduit so the wire is protected.
...
- 103k
11
votes
Running electrical to a shed
In the USA you get to play fast and loose with this. If you simply extend with 12 AWG, you'll have 0.6% voltage drop per amp that you draw... so a 1/4 amp battery charger won't give any drop at all, ...
11
votes
Can I run an underground wire to a shed on blocks?
It is advisable to use a slip joint [expansion coupling] on the conduit stub up, otherwise nothing out of the ordinary. Around here, that's not out of the ordinary even with a poured foundation.
...
- 226k
11
votes
Can I remove diagonal brace lumber from the walls of my shed?
Use steel strapping , it is so thin that you can put shelving over it. I would use more than two where the 2 X 4 are ; put in a few. Parallel the existing braces and at 90 degrees to the existing ...
- 8,351
11
votes
How to reinforce a basic wood shed frame?
Cross braces at a 45 degree angle will strengthen the building.
Two on the back and one at each side. Can use 1x4s or whatever.
A couple of braces in the front from roof to front of the sides will ...
- 30.3k
10
votes
Why does my shed door expand/shrink?
Both answers are great, but I wanted to note that you really should be adding a water-proofing solution to the door on a regular basis. As Criggie noted, covering the door would naturally limit how ...
- 26.3k
10
votes
Can I use 2 runs of 10/2 UBF for my Shed 90’ from House?
You can't run 2 separate circuits of the same type to an outbuilding.
If they are 120V circuits you could run the two as a multi-wire branch circuit, which counts as 1 circuit. You would need 10/3 ...
9
votes
What size/type wire for a 300ft run from house to shed?
Just drop a conduit in there instead, you'll thank yourself later
Instead of rushing to buy wire and getting the wrong thing, then having to dig it up later, why don't you get yourself some fat PVC ...
- 86k
9
votes
Do very low-pitch roofs put too much outward stress on the walls?
There are two issues with a very flat roof - one is using a suitable method to waterproof it (EDPM rubber in a single sheet is a good choice, on that) and the other is ponding, causing deflection, ...
- 226k
8
votes
Ground-level electrical wiring to shed outdoors possible?
With rigid or intermediate metal conduit ($$) you can follow code without going very deep - 6" under dirt, 4" under a concrete cover of at least 4" thickness extending at least 6" to either side. ...
- 226k
8
votes
How should I power a shed before the house is built?
Key word here is Before thus temporary.
If you buy a 5kW or 10kW power generator nobody cares and you are free to do what you want. It comes with circuit breakers and plugs.
And you will have it for ...
- 19.2k
8
votes
Can I raise my ceiling in my shed?
Now that we have a pic of the roof system, I'd say that the answer to this question is "No".
Well, that's a qualified "No". If you were to completely tear the roof off and rebuild ...
- 48k
7
votes
Accepted
Can I install a row of bricks on a slab to support a shed?
Michael Karas is correct in that a half-height block foundation wall is common, but that doesn't really address your concern about water intrusion. His suggestion to seal the block does, and that ...
- 149k
7
votes
How much 120 from 240 is too much?
The number of circuits isn't really the issue. You could run as many as the panel will allow, number of breaker positions. The issue is amps to the panel. You've got 40 amps to use and as long as you ...
- 86.2k
7
votes
Accepted
How much 120 from 240 is too much?
To add to JACK's answer, keep in mind...
A 120/240V subpanel of 40A has two separate 120V "legs". Each leg is capable of 120V@40A.
As you can see, without even having to think about it, we ...
7
votes
Accepted
How to add corner trim to a shed without exterior access?
I would build the shed on rollers or skids three feet from the neighbors' walls. Finish it completely and properly, then roll or slide it into position, lever it up and slip the timbers out. A 10x10 ...
- 149k
7
votes
Self-built shed door warping: can it be fixed?
The classical approach to this would be that you have 7 face boards. The center one gets holes that just fit the screws, the ones to either side get small slots (width-of-door-wise) and the outer ones ...
- 226k
7
votes
Shed door too heavy for hinges
Gate hinges would be a common heavy duty hinge that's usually easy to find. We're talking "farm supply or similar" as in "agricultural gate 10-16 foot wide" not 3 foot gate in a ...
- 226k
7
votes
What is the use of alumium profile with LED strip lighting?
Listen to HABO's answer and the one from Ecnerwal, but there are some things to add. I don't have enough reputation to leave a comment, so my advice comes as an answer:
Adhesion: Most LED stripes ...
7
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to excavate soil next to concrete slab?
The only issue would be if the regrade created a soil erosion problem that eventually removed soil from below the slab. As long as the compacted soil stays below the slab, you're fine. Assuming that ...
- 10.6k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible