Looking for plans for timber workshop

Dec 11, 2006 1 Replies

Hi Folks,



I'm planning putting up a new workshop. I have taken down an old and derelict nissan hut (steel frame with corrugated iron sheeting. The whole thing was a wreck - twisted and buckled, so the option to renovate was a non starter.



The old size was 9M x 4.8M and sat on a concrete base/floor plinth, so I intend to build a completely new timber shed on the same concrete base. I'm not a professional builder but have a fair bit of experience in smaller shed building (garden shed size) and reckon I should be able to do this myself. My main concern is that I get the design and materials correct, both for pricing and for structural integrity. Hopefully some of you more knowledgeable folk can confirm or advise my plans.



This is what I plan:



Overall size - 9M x 4.8M x (2.4M at the eaves) with a pitched apex roof.



Framing made from 100mm x 50mm at 600mm centres . (does this need to be pressure treated?) I'm thinking of building the walls in sections (3M x 2.8M) and bolting them together, and rawl-plugging them to the concrete floor.



Roof trusses - I really don't know what size (?mm X ?mm) material to use for these, and to what design - for bracing I'm reckoning on two diagonal braces centred on the horizontal joist, going up at 45 degrees - any advice welcome.



Roofing - I'm torn between using timber sarking and felt tiles, or timber purlins and coated metal profile sheeting - again any advice welcome.



Wall cladding - most likely 19mm shiplap or T&G boarding. - I guess this does need to be pressure treated?



I will have double opening doors, but that part doesn't concern me so much. Also a few windows - again not a concern at this stage.



As I mentioned earlier my main concern is that it is structurally strong enough - am I under/over specifying for the timber frame sizing etc.



I have searched and searched the web for example plans but have not come up with anything useful, but if somebody has a link to a page(s) that will help I'd be most grearful. As ever price is important :-) but I'm a realist and know it won't be cheap. I guess I could get quite a bit of the materials straight from the saw mill and keep the cost down a bit that way.



Any and all advice most welcome,



Neil


The US army publishes useful manuals which may contain what you are looking for. In particular this one:

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3 gives the dimensions for framing and roof construction.

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