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build a shed from sleepers

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:25 pm
by jonny18
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

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:31 pm
by Tryanything
So your looking for a shed that's not going to blow over then :lol:

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:36 pm
by Gadget
Perhaps he lives in Florida!... :-)

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:35 pm
by jonny18
Tryanything wrote:So your looking for a shed that's not going to blow over then :lol:
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

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:01 pm
by big-all
assuming the sleepers are around 10" wide thats £400 just for the walls!!!! :scratch: :scratch:

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:06 pm
by Gadget
big-all wrote:assuming the sleepers are around 10" wide thats £400 just for the walls!!!! :scratch: :scratch:

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

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:17 am
by big-all
Gadget wrote:
big-all wrote:assuming the sleepers are around 10" wide thats £400 just for the walls!!!! :scratch: :scratch:

Fair comment BA, but it's gonna be earthquake proof I'd say!... :lol:
i am thinking new or old!!!

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

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:21 am
by Hoovie
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!

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:26 am
by Tryanything
jonny18 wrote:
Tryanything wrote:So your looking for a shed that's not going to blow over then :lol:
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

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:56 am
by thescruff
If you stand the sleepers upright, size wouldn't matter and you should build the lot for less than 200quid plus the roof.

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 12:07 pm
by big-all
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

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:05 pm
by thescruff
14m BA =56 sleepers for the wall at at 0.25m ea £280 plus the roof, still much cheaper than buying one.

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:03 pm
by big-all
my bwain hurts :? :? :? :? :? :? :?

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

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:41 pm
by thescruff
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. :lol:

Merry Christmas BA

Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:50 pm
by jonny18
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