Author Topic: plastic,wood or metal ?  (Read 895 times)

spooky

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plastic,wood or metal ?
« on: January 18, 2022, 03:34:03 PM »
Until i get a brick garage built I  need a shed to accommodate the Royal Enfield, so what is the best of the bunch ? I have looked at the metal Asgard make which look very sturdy and they say they are good for keeping condensation to a `minimum` whatever that is,   plastic ones probably aren`t as strong and might also  be a problem with condensation ?  But having never had either I don`t know.  Wooden sheds are probably less secure but can be easily ventilated ( usually after a few years when they rot ! )  Whichever I get will also be used after bikes are in a proper garage so won`t be wasted as will have mowers/splitters/chainsaws and bicycles in....

over to you....
Classic efi squadron blue, CG125, Terrot 125, CM200 sprinter,

Moto63

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2022, 05:04:08 PM »
Evening Mr Spooky. Timber every time for me. Defo condensation problems with metal. Plastic are in my opinion crap. Be into one within two minutes with a plumbers blow torch, no matter what padlock etc you’ve strapped to it. Defo timber. Hope this helps👍😉
Cheers, Michael

mthee

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2022, 07:46:28 PM »
I can recommend this company, if you want a shed in easy kit form? Good quality, packaging, delivery, etc. I put up one of their 8x6 sheds only a couple of month's ago.

https://www.powersheds.com/
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johnr

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2022, 10:54:51 PM »
timber sheds fall into two categorys, the ones you buy from the diy stores or screwfix, and then there are the timber cabins, and for these, you really do get what you pay for. my timber shed is built out of solid timbers, all phy is 3/4 inch, walls are 3x2 frames, ply skins and t+g on the outside, it'll see my time out. you get what you pay for.

themoudie

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2022, 12:33:52 AM »
Rufus
Quote
Whichever I get will also be used after bikes are in a proper garage so ........

My advice is the same as johnr, build it like a "bsh" and you'll only need to build one once! My wooden garage/workshop has been up since 1995 and is still in excellent condition.

150mm concrete block foundation for the walls, laid on a 150mm deep concrete foundation. Backfilled with field stone rubble to 200mm below the top, blinded and tamped to 170mm below the top with Type1 quarry material and then a final 20mm of fine sand tamped to leave a finished surface 150mm below the top of the blocks. Polythene membrane 1,000 guage dpm, then A142 (6mm) steel mesh, supported 50mm above the dpm, then pour with a mix of 1:3:3 (cement, sand, washed gravel) and tamp level to the top of the blocks. Ensure that the dpm comes above the finished floor level and use bitumen fibre board 12mm as an expansion gap around the perimeter of the concrete.

Stud walls built from either 'cls' or treated roughsawn ~75 x 50, with t&g on the outside. It would have been better if I had used 18mm shuttering ply/good one side or OSB board and put a waterproof/breathable membrane at the frameside of my t&g, but I didn't. So, far, with a bi-annual coat of creosote, not the "environmentaly friendly" stuff, I have no rotten boards. The boards finish a minimum of 100m above a gravel backfill surface against the block foundation.

My rough carpentry doors are not the best, made from OSB 18mm sheets, braced with 4" x 1" and covered with t&g to match the walls.

The roof was originally 'Onduline', that lasted for 15 years, but became very warped and was prone to condensation when warm, wet air from the west arrived after a cold spell.  :(  I bit the bullet and spent money on double skinned fibreglass skylight profile sheet and 50mm foam cored, double skinned coated metal profile sheeting. This transformed the place. No condensation and much better temperature control. The benifit of natural daylight cannot be underestimated.

Second-hand plastic guttering that was going to be skipped, along with down pipes, but using new brackets were also a later addition. Job lots of materials can be found on Gumtree or with a visit to your local tip, demolition companies yard and a quiet word with the operators. My last purchase of 3mm aluminium plate was from the scrapdealer! ;)

Before you put anything in the new workshop, paint the concrete floor, again, with a good quality bonding floor paint that uses the moisture in the concrete to cure. I didn't and consequently the floor surface wears, gets dusty and you can "loose" those small parts that go "ping" in the night! ;)

Happy building this summer and make sure it doesn't get so big that you require planning permission etc. Fortunately, I demolished an old wooden structure and re-covered the same footprint, so it is 34' x 16'.

Bill

mthee

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2022, 02:21:20 AM »
34x16?! That's not a shed, that's a kingdom!👍😁
Fear of the unknown does not mean the unknown needs to be feared

Itsme

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2022, 08:00:02 AM »
Hi All

What I like about Thumper Club as opposed to other forums (fora?) is the excellent depth of knowledge displayed. One asks a question about sheds and the next thing several people give enough information to start a shed building company. Other forums I have been on don't even give that depth of thought about the bikes they purport to be about.

For what its worth I am in complete agreement with the wood option. As stated buy or build a proper wood shed/garage and it will last for years. Plastic is a cheap and nasty solution and I doubt metal will ever work in a country with such diverse temperature ranges as Scotland.

Have fun whatever you build as filling it with bikes is the best bit.

Spartacian

Moto63

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2022, 08:12:51 AM »
Just touching on the timber thing generally. Be aware Mr Spooky that the price of OSB board has pretty much doubled over the last 18 months and most other timber has seen a “decent” increase in price. I’d DEFO still go for timber though until you get your garage built. Don’t think you’d regret it👍

spooky

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2022, 03:17:01 PM »
Thanks to you all, just the sort of info I needed and more or less confirms what I thought   :)
Classic efi squadron blue, CG125, Terrot 125, CM200 sprinter,

xbally

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2022, 07:53:20 PM »
I had a builder put a timber workshop on the side of my detached single brick garage and it works a treat for me. Will take 4 bikes-concrete floor,treated and painted -insulated roof and sides-don't forget to ensure the door(s) are wide enough to get the bikes in and out.It does get damp in mid winter but I have a de-humidifier which takes care of that.
HONDA CB250RSA ROYAL ENFIELD CONTINENTAL GT535

spooky

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  • Sunny Dumfries
Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #10 on: March 02, 2022, 07:20:24 PM »
plenty to think about, i am going down the extending existing shed route, this already has a good corrugated iron roof, what are opinions on Bitumen corrugated ? metal sheets are in short supply and i can get the whole roof done for same price as just new bit in metal if i choose bitumen.....or just the new extension roof
Classic efi squadron blue, CG125, Terrot 125, CM200 sprinter,

themoudie

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #11 on: March 03, 2022, 01:32:43 AM »
Aye Rufus, the first roof on the workshop was 'Onduline' and it worked well apart from condensation in the winter. This was with the corrugations left open for ventilation to try and reduce condensation.

After about 10 years the 'Onduline' started to sag between the purlins at 600mm centres  and the whole lot was replaced with 50mm insulated twin steel profile sheets, with fibreglass, insulated roof lights. No condensation and only the odd weep from the fixings not torqued sufficiently or pecked at by the crow! Don't ask! All sealed up with silicone adhesive.

I would advise sheeting the roof with roofing OSB treated one side, or else OSB and then painting it with bitumastic paint yourself and putting some 60mm Rockwool insulation on top of the OSB, before screwing the 'Onduline' on top of the sandwich, if that is what you decide to use.

Might I suggest that you consider OSB, onto which is painted a glue and then an EPDM rubber membrane laid over the whole roof? 'Goodyear' give a 30 year warranty on this and it can be repaired with a vulcanising kit. Would need insulation on the underside in the building, or between two sheets of OSB to prevent the condensation.

Good health, Bill

Moto63

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #12 on: March 03, 2022, 08:07:41 AM »
Just  a quick one Mr Spooky. I’ve done quite a few roofs with the rubber membrane that Bill has mentioned (mainly flat roofs, garages & dormers) if it’s being laid on to an apexed roof like your shed it has to be glued down onto the timber decking using a contact adhesive. Extremely fiddly if doing it on your own. (I know 🤦???) but do’able. However it is brilliant once laid, and if laid correctly it will be leak free and as Bill says 30 yr warranty.
Best o luck 👍
Cheers, Michael

spooky

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  • Sunny Dumfries
Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2022, 07:08:46 PM »
Well `new` shed is almost finished, I ended up extending the existing brick walled and floored lean to, which was 10 feet deep and 14 feet wide. Now it is 24 feet long and the same width. I used osb on the roof with a membrane then bitumen sheets (cos my wife liked them !! )  extra purlins inside , seems pretty solid, a bit more titivating but it is big enough for the 2cv and bikes plus usable work bench /shelving areas.

can`t add photos as they come out upside down ?
« Last Edit: April 04, 2022, 07:15:26 PM by spooky »
Classic efi squadron blue, CG125, Terrot 125, CM200 sprinter,

Moto63

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Re: plastic,wood or metal ?
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2022, 07:49:59 AM »
24 x24ft... good size shed you have there Mr Spooky. You have a 2cv I notice, ever thought about building a lomax?