build a shed from sleepers

jonny18 · Post by **jonny18** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:25 pm

hey all, just thinking about building a large shed/cabin ( 7mx 3.5m) out of sleepers. i have an 8ft back wall to work of so its just the sides an front to do. i am wondering about joining the corners shall they be mortice an tennor joints. i have a chain saw so its not an issue with cutting these things. if i do mortice joints shall i alternate the cut timbers will this make it stronger, and if i am spanning 7m on the front will i need something midway or i suppose every sleeper length..and for a few windows and the door would it be better to cut them out afterwards.. any advice on this subject would be a help.
thanks
scott

Tryanything · Post by **Tryanything** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:31 pm

So your looking for a shed that's not going to blow over then

Gadget · Post by **Gadget** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:36 pm

Perhaps he lives in Florida!...

jonny18 · Post by **jonny18** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:35 pm

Tryanything wrote:So your looking for a shed that's not going to blow over then

well i can get the sleepers for a fiver each, so i figure its the cheapest way and it won't look that bad, as i have sleepers for boarders anyway

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:01 pm

assuming the sleepers are around 10" wide thats £400 just for the walls!!!!

Gadget · Post by **Gadget** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:06 pm

big-all wrote:assuming the sleepers are around 10" wide thats £400 just for the walls!!!!

Fair comment BA, but it's gonna be earthquake proof I'd say!...

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:17 am

Gadget wrote:
big-all wrote:assuming the sleepers are around 10" wide thats £400 just for the walls!!!!

Fair comment BA, but it's gonna be earthquake proof I'd say!...

i am thinking new or old!!!

get your sleepers from a loco shed you can finish up with years worth of sump oil/cresote

Hoovie · Post by **Hoovie** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:21 am

If you can get the sleepers for £5 each, I would suggest you sell them on for £10 each and then use the money made to buy more suitable material

Shed for Free!

Tryanything · Post by **Tryanything** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:26 am

jonny18 wrote:
Tryanything wrote:So your looking for a shed that's not going to blow over then
well i can get the sleepers for a fiver each, so i figure its the cheapest way and it won't look that bad, as i have sleepers for boarders anyway

Don't get me wrong l think is a good idea and would be solid as a rock but
l think its going to work out more expensive than you think

Things to consider
None of the sleepers will be the same size so trying to line things up and level them will end up a nightmare unlees you can get them regularised

Between every sleeper and every joint you would have to use a non-setting mastic to prevent water ingress and allow for movement

And then the cost of fixings

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:56 am

If you stand the sleepers upright, size wouldn't matter and you should build the lot for less than 200quid plus the roof.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:07 pm

thescruff wrote:If you stand the sleepers upright, size wouldn't matter and you should build the lot for less than 200quid plus the roof.

scruff its a huge shed its 3.5m x 7m thats 21m off outside wall at 4 sleepers per metres!!!!
thats assuming 10" sleepers if its 8" sleepers thats 5 per metres or £500 just for the walls

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:05 pm

14m BA =56 sleepers for the wall at at 0.25m ea £280 plus the roof, still much cheaper than buying one.

big-all · Post by **big-all** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:03 pm

my bwain hurts

2 walls 7m + 2 walls 3.5 = 21m!!!!!

thescruff · Post by **thescruff** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:41 pm

Have to admit I was confused by

i have an 8ft back wall to work of so its just the sides an front to do

I'm still confused.

Merry Christmas BA

jonny18 · Post by **jonny18** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:50 pm

thescruff wrote:14m BA =56 sleepers for the wall at at 0.25m ea £280 plus the roof, still much cheaper than buying one.

thanks scruff, your on the right lines. plus i have looked at sheds this size and they're like £2000+.
So what about water proofing, anybody, i get a box of brown mastic for about 20 quid. no doubt there would be a couple of boxes of them. will the sleepers them selves be water proof. a new idea i ahve had is to use the sleepers as corners mid sections ( the end of every sleeper laid down) then put 3 cross section sleepers in, top mid an bottom, then panel the bottom half and put timber windows in the top half. a little bit log cabin style. please don't all go on about the cost even if it came to a grand finished its still cheaper than buying one at 2 grand.
thanks all