Rustic woodshed build

[Studdlygoof]

I've almost completed my first year as a new wood burner and have been itching to get a legit woodshed put up to store my wood once it's seasoned. I recently came upon a stash of oak 4x6 posts at work that range in size from 12' to 8' in length.

My first thoughts were to cut it up and burn it but then I got to thinking that this stuff would be great for building my much needed woodshed. After searching this forum and surfing the net I really like the rustic look of a timber frame shed. While I believe that it will take a lot longer to cut all the mortise and tenons, I think that the finished product would look outstanding. I've even tossed around the idea of doing a cedar shingle roof to round it off.

The area I want to put the shed is the first challenge.

It's hard to tell from the picture but that area under all the wild rose is nothing but stones and boulders. My neighbor is big into the county museum in our area and informed me that my house sits on an old farm; more specifically where the barn was located. The farm was bought by a paper mill company and bulldozed the area. My front and backyard was where they stored the logs and sprayed them with sprinklers attached to the local spring to keep them from drying out. The rocks and boulders in the picture are a product of the land clearing. While it would be easier to relocate my shed, it's where I want it so I'll put in the extra work to move a couple rocks. There is plenty of topsoil fill to be had from my local friends on CL, so my plan is to build some stone retaking walls and level it out with dirt.

I'm in no real rush to get this done cause frankly I don't have a ton of free time. Figured I'd post progress pictures on here to bounce ideas off of those of you that have built your own sheds and to possibly give ideas to those that are looking to build.

Thanks

 

[Berner]

That stock looks like it's going to make one awesome shed. I also was looking to make a shed out of oak. The little research I did found that treated wood would be far better for this application. The bugs that come in with the firewood would eat the shed was the answer I got. I'm curious are you worried about this at all?

 

[Studdlygoof]

Honestly hadn't thought about that, but is probably something I need to consider. I seem to remember reading a build on here where a guy treated pine poles he used in his shed. Probably something I need to research a little more.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Any post that will be sunk in, or sitting on the ground should definitely be treated, but I don't think most people use treated wood for the rest of their woodshed. I certainly didn't, and don't have any insect problems.
I built one untreated post structure by supporting the untreated corner post with sections of angle iron cemented vertically in the ground and screwed to the corner posts. The wood corner posts don't actually touch the ground, so they don't need to be treated.

 

[Studdlygoof]

That's good to hear lumber jack. My plan for the footers were buried sono tubes and then mounting a metal post bracket with j hook in the top like a deck so there is no contact at all with the wood to the ground. I just hope I can dig the footers deep enough with all the rock. My backup plan if I hit some large boulders is to drill holes in the stone and epoxy rebar in them and then cut the sono tube to fit. We'll cross that hurdle when I get to it however. Was looking on the net at some different wood sheds when I crossed this cool little shed.



Like to throw my rustic twist on it and make not have all the bells and whistles it has but it's what I've based my design around. More pictures of this shed can be found at: (broken link removed to http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=3&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http://www.belowtheclouds.com/en/2010/09/23/vacker-vedbod/&usg=ALkJrhgmv4AeIpnQXmtjLhYmgu0udvUfIA)

 

[Shawn Curry]

Wow those post are great. That's some pretty expensive wood there if you were to buy it, and the only place you're gonna find something like that is a hardwood supplier or sawmill.

I would save that for building some furniture, and pick up some cheap lumber for the shed. That would be my new mission style bed.

 

[Studdlygoof]

Albeit slow, there is progress being made in clearing out the area for the foundation. Running into some rocks that are bigger then I expected and uncovered a couple metal posts in concrete that had had chain link fence attached to it (background of picture). I knew it wasn't going to be easy though. It's giving me some time to scan through some woodworking books I have. Some of the ones I have by Roy Underhill have been particularly interesting on making your own shake shingles. Going to start dry stacking some of the rock to make a retaining wall to level the area out and probably am going to have to drop a tree (bonus)

 

[scooby074]

That's good to hear lumber jack. My plan for the footers were buried sono tubes and then mounting a metal post bracket with j hook in the top like a deck so there is no contact at all with the wood to the ground. I just hope I can dig the footers deep enough with all the rock. My backup plan if I hit some large boulders is to drill holes in the stone and epoxy rebar in them and then cut the sono tube to fit. We'll cross that hurdle when I get to it however. Was looking on the net at some different wood sheds when I crossed this cool little shed.



Like to throw my rustic twist on it and make not have all the bells and whistles it has but it's what I've based my design around. More pictures of this shed can be found at: (broken link removed to http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=3&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=sv&tl=en&u=http://www.belowtheclouds.com/en/2010/09/23/vacker-vedbod/&usg=ALkJrhgmv4AeIpnQXmtjLhYmgu0udvUfIA)

Thats an amazing shed. Love the Scandinavian design. Louvered hanger door is awesome. It would NOT be a cheap build, but quality and design never is.

 

[Studdlygoof]

It would NOT be a cheap build, but quality and design never is.

It's not going to be as bad as I originally estimated, but like I said I have gotten a lot of the material for free. I've decide to go with hand riven red oak shingles for the roof and have a 30' section of red oak down on my property in Virginia to start riving them. I think it will cost more in sweat and blood then monetarily. In keeping with the rustic concept I researched the old practice of dry stacking rock walls and currently have one of the foundation courses for 1/3 of the wall laid.

The more I dig, the more rock I find that the farmer had piled up. This one took me a full day to move because it was half under the tree.

I'm not totally happy with its location right now but since I'm moving everything by hand I've decided to let it rest for a bit . More work and photos to come. I hope to have the footers dug and poured by winter so I can concentrate on cutting my mortise and tenons for the timber frame while it's cooler out. Also need to catch up on some wood splitting that I have been neglecting.

 

[BobUrban]

Not sure of the budget and totally get the sweat equity deal but with all the rocks you are dealing with it may prove worthy to look into renting a Baby backhoe for a day and get that foundation completed. Pretty fun to operate and would save a ton of time - not to mention saving your back.

Either way - keep the semi live build along coming. This is going to be a great shed!!

 

[Studdlygoof]

Got a little bit more done this weekend inbetween my honey-do list and cutting down a couple snags for a buddy. Finished laying most of the wall on the foundation course I had laid earlier. I give a lot of respect to the old masons who used to build by dry stacking stone. Beating on a stone with a rock chisel to get it to a stone to fit in a certain spot is definitely an art. Mine is by no means perfect, but it will do what I need it to do.


I can now start work on the biggest section of wall. The shed is going to be 24' long so the wall will be a bit longer. Had to drop a tree so that the shed would fit. Hate dropping trees around the property, but it had to be done. Have a couple sugar maples I want to plant though so I try my hand at making syrup down the road so I don't feel as bad.

Dropped the tree where I planned but it was a little close to my new wall then I had expected. While I'm showing pictures maybe someone here can help me with an identification. The leaves look like poison ivy leaves and the sawdust came out bright red. This is what the splits look like:

Next on my to-do list is finish the wall and start moving some rock so I can get some dirt in to level the area off. I'm chomping at the bit to get my footers dug and poured. There have been a lot of cool sheds built and posted lately and it's got me itching to get mine done.

 

[Shawn Curry]

Whoa, that is some cool looking wood. Was it all like that? I've heard of a "red heartwood" phenomenon that can happen in beech and sugar maple; never seen it before though. Bark doesn't really look like either of those though.

 

[BobUrban]

Box alder - my best guess. Commonly blood red inside and that will fade quickly now that it is cut. Cool looking but doesn't last so not as valuable as it could be if you could preserve the natural blood red as it dries.

It is a fast growing sort of trash tree in the maple family. Rather soft with low BTU's but I burn a little now and the if I have to cut something it is going in the stove or fire pit. I cut a big one up last year to make a trail to some ash I was working on. It's in the stacks.

 

[Studdlygoof]

...it may prove worthy to look into renting a Baby backhoe for a day and get that foundation completed. Pretty fun to operate and would save a ton of time - not to mention saving your back.

I have actually been looking at doing this. Was also looking at those toro dingo's with the front end loader and hole auger attachment to help speed things up. I have a feeling all my footers will have to be dug by hand because there is just too many rocks. Who needs all those fancy tools though when you have one of these helping you!



I got a chance to get some more pallets torn apart and came home with another load. Probably have two more loads this size so I should have plenty for a decent sized shed.



I've been doing a lot of reading up online on timber framing techniques. Probably should get a couple books to help me finish my shed design. Has anyone read any good books on timber frame techniques they could suggest? Preferably something that goes into depth about the different types of mortise joints for different building situations.

Thanks!

 

[Applesister]

I think there is a Dutch Barn preservation society. Historical preservation, classic barn construction etc.
Tractor Supply used to sell some paperback books on barn and shed construction but you may want to contact a local preservation society. Someone should be able to help you find the proper reference material.
Or look on Amazon.
Your pics look interesting, good luck on the project.