Tool sheds

[skyking]

build a wood one. Mine is fine after 17 years and a move from a temporary wood foundation to a concrete one.

 

[skyking]

What benefit is insulation unless you are turning it into a work shed.
Same with windows.

I have a 20' that with the four foot of sliding door open, allows enough light all the way to the back. If I need something at night, I have a 60w bulb for light.

Corrugated metal all around. Treated plywood floor on a cinderblock foundation.
Wood framed with 2x4 along one length (both vertical and horizontal) and two sets of shelves along back.

insulation is good if you want to store volatile stuff that is also harmed by a freeze. I have paints that I'd rather get out of the garage, but for the freeze problem. I do plan on insulating and putting some very marginal heat in there this winter.

 

[vi edit]

Yeah, paint, chemicals and some other things. Not to mention my diesel tractor and it's happiness at 30 degrees instead of 10.

The insulation I was mentioning was actually 1.5" of rigid foam board under my slab. 3/4 of my shed will buried in dirt due to how I built it (into the side of a hill on my walkout) so I'll retain some thermal mass that way too from the ground.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Yeah, paint, chemicals and some other things. Not to mention my diesel tractor and it's happiness at 30 degrees instead of 10.

The insulation I was mentioning was actually 1.5" of rigid foam board under my slab. 3/4 of my shed will buried in dirt due to how I built it (into the side of a hill on my walkout) so I'll retain some thermal mass that way too from the ground.

Tractor will take up and need an extra 1-2 ft clearance on each side.
That requires self discipline in not putting stuff all over the floor, especially when the tractor is out of the shed.

Maybe paint a hazard outline for yourself

 

[olds]

Depending on building codes, a wood shed needs a set back from the property line. Plastic sheds may not. Building one also lets you customize the size if there are space issues.
Years ago I needed a shed. I looked at Tough Shed. They were OK but they built them with 2X3s on 24" centers. They also wouldn't wrap it with Tyvek and they came in specific sizes. So I built my own.
I needed to fill a 7X16 space. Tough Sheds 6X12 was too small and the 8X16 too wide.
I used 2X4s on 16" centers, insulated and sheet rocked the ceiling and walls. 1" T&G flooring and a steel 36" pre hung door. I spent $2100 and it was built better than my house.

 

[rsutoratosu]

http://www.sears.com/quality-outdoor...ype=SKIP_LEVEL

This is probably be the one.. 2100 + tax @ 2400ish includes installation...

the other option as suggested was get a plastic one and screw in plywood in the interior..

 

[twinrider1]

What I'd really like is a 20' container. Set it right behind my garage.

 

[natto fire]

It was thin and cut up like coke cans.... feels like aluminum.. i know its not adamantium

I think what he was getting at is that aluminum does not rust, it is simply not possible. It does form an oxide patina layer, but that is not rust. Rust is an iron oxide, and as such, needs an iron material to form.

For your shed, not sure where you are at, but yeah plastic is great for a temporary structure and light duty storage, but that is all. UV rays will decimate a plastic shed fairly quickly (5-10 years) and is definitely not as secure.

I would personally go with a kit and source the lumber myself if going for a relatively permanent structure for long term use. Absolutel nothing wrong with the plastic ones as long as you know what you are getting in to before hand.

 

[olds]

...
Screw plywood on the inside of the shed all the way around...

Did you screw it into the plastic or through bolt it?

 

[lxskllr]

What I'd really like is a 20' container. Set it right behind my garage.

Looks like you can get a used one for around $2k. That's really not a bad idea if you have the property for it.

 

[Jeraden]

I got a kit from 84 Lumber a few years ago. They'll deliver the all the wood/parts necessary to build it right to your house. Then just follow the plans and put it together. I got an 8x12 one. Took a couple weeks to do it working on/off, but was actually pretty fun. They had smaller size ones too.

 

[rsutoratosu]

I think what he was getting at is that aluminum does not rust, it is simply not possible. It does form an oxide patina layer, but that is not rust. Rust is an iron oxide, and as such, needs an iron material to form.

For your shed, not sure where you are at, but yeah plastic is great for a temporary structure and light duty storage, but that is all. UV rays will decimate a plastic shed fairly quickly (5-10 years) and is definitely not as secure.

I would personally go with a kit and source the lumber myself if going for a relatively permanent structure for long term use. Absolutel nothing wrong with the plastic ones as long as you know what you are getting in to before hand.

Yeah i know but i just can't tell what material it is but it feels like a coke can and it was rusting.. so probably really thin metal thing.

 

[DrPizza]

I'm probably going to put in a shed before fall - I'm going to go with Amish rough cut lumber (though pressure treated for ground contact areas) - should cost about $200, plus whatever the steel roofing costs (currently $2.17 per linear foot, 3 feet wide.)

 

[Stifko]

Yeah, paint, chemicals and some other things. Not to mention my diesel tractor and it's happiness at 30 degrees instead of 10.

I need a shed for my forklift. I cover it with a tarp but a shed would be much better for it.

 

[lxskllr]

I need a shed for my forklift. I cover it with a tarp but a shed would be much better for it.

What do you use a forklift for? That's not even common on the farms I'm familiar with.

 

[Stifko]

This is not a farm. I run a boatyard and I have three machines. The latest addition is a 18 ton telescoping boom, rough terrain 1978 Grove crane. The forklift is a Allis Chalmers. My main money maker is a 1960 marine travel lift. It had a capacity of 10 tons when it was new.

 

[lxskllr]

This is not a farm. I run a boatyard and I have three machines. The latest addition is a 18 ton telescoping boom, rough terrain 1978 Grove crane. The forklift is a Allis Chalmers. My main money maker is a 1960 marine travel lift. It had a capacity of 10 tons when it was new.

Ah, gotcha. I had home type use in my head, and didn't consider commercial use.

 

[alkemyst]

For a toolshed, the floor and insulation/humidity levels are important.

No sense to let all your tools rust.

They make compounds for this issue, but then you have to wipe off your tools every time and recoat them.

 

[olds]

This is not a farm. I run a boatyard and I have three machines. The latest addition is a 18 ton telescoping boom, rough terrain 1978 Grove crane. The forklift is a Allis Chalmers. My main money maker is a 1960 marine travel lift. It had a capacity of 10 tons when it was new.

Why would it change?

 

[Red Squirrel]

For a toolshed, the floor and insulation/humidity levels are important.

No sense to let all your tools rust.

They make compounds for this issue, but then you have to wipe off your tools every time and recoat them.

I noticed this, any tool left in my garage over winter has rusted. I have to keep my tools inside now. When I have the money I want to insulate and seal the garage, and bring in some more power so I can condition it, too.

Definitely if I was building a shed I'd insulate it and all. Treat it like a small house basically.

 

[alkemyst]

I noticed this, any tool left in my garage over winter has rusted. I have to keep my tools inside now. When I have the money I want to insulate and seal the garage, and bring in some more power so I can condition it, too.

Definitely if I was building a shed I'd insulate it and all. Treat it like a small house basically.

Most don't realize tools rust. In the past, people understood it. Today people swear by the top level tool companies and roller tool boxes.

I work with tools almost daily. I am not a mechanic so Snap-On and the like won't come to my door.

I can figure out 'budget' tools that can last my lifetime.

 

[DrPizza]

Bs. I just built my own shed 6 months ago. Go to the lumber section and price out a similar size shed and it will be equal or slightly more than the kits. I'm not sure why you keep spewing this 1/2 price as it's totally inaccurate and simply put made up bs.
And I built my own thinking I'd save a ton of money over a kit. After I was done I looked at the kits and was in shock and pissed I had spent so much time and money when I could have done the kit for less money and still have it 10 years from now.

I've done that - priced out a similar sized shed, and I can save a significant amount of money vs. the kits they sell at HD, AND have a better shed (16" centers, rather than 24"). If I'm in town tomorrow, I'll stop in one of their demo sheds & take a bunch of pictures, then post prices of the pieces to do-it-yourself.

Why would it change?

Guessing maybe worn/leaky hydraulics? I'd expect it to still be capable of at least 80% the original though.

(I'd also buy my lumber at a lumberyard, not HD. The prices at HD are significantly higher, for crappier quality lumber, than I can get at the nearest lumberyard.)

 

[DrPizza]

I noticed this, any tool left in my garage over winter has rusted. I have to keep my tools inside now. When I have the money I want to insulate and seal the garage, and bring in some more power so I can condition it, too.

Definitely if I was building a shed I'd insulate it and all. Treat it like a small house basically.

I haven't had the opportunity to try it, but a couple people have suggested soaking tools that have a little surface rust in brake fluid. I have plenty of brake fluid - I'd prefer not to send it to the landfill; and if I don't need more within a month of opening a bottle, I will not use it in a car.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't worry about rust on my tools, except for the cutters. A little surface rust doesn't hurt anything, and it slows down the rust process. A couple of my favorite wrenches are from the 20s by my guesstimate, and I found them buried in a field. The rust is beyond surface, but they work fine.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I haven't had the opportunity to try it, but a couple people have suggested soaking tools that have a little surface rust in brake fluid. I have plenty of brake fluid - I'd prefer not to send it to the landfill; and if I don't need more within a month of opening a bottle, I will not use it in a car.

I have this super old rusty hammer and few other tools with a bit of rust, I'll have to try it, I actually do have a can of brake fluid I can use.

Spraying WD40 on tools before putting them away supposedly helps prevent rust, which makes sense since I think that was actually the original purpose of WD40. My BBQ has badly rusted over winter, I will spray it all with WD40 this year before putting it away. I just have to remember to take a little step back in spring when I go to light it for the first time. :awe: