[Mikey H]

Hi,
Don't know if this is of interest as there is no actual layout yet! If there was a 'building a place to put your layout' section it would be there - this seems the next best option. Hopefully there will be a layout to show you eventually!

After years of frustration with the 'family' layout in bedrooms (not enough space, not cool for a teenager) and the loft (too cold or hot, poor access, etc) we decided to take the plunge this year and go outdoors. Luckily we have an unused patio area at the end of the garden which is an ideal space. Having looked at loads of sheds - bit flimsy and expensive, and higher spec. garden buildings - hugely expensive - we decided to have a go at building from scratch.

Here are some photos of progress so far.

The basic joist frame built out of 47 x 100 treated timber.

Insulation fitted between the joists with 18mm Plywood floor on top.

The main stud walls taking shape, again from 47 x 100 softwood.

Rafters in position with 12mm Plywood roof deck on top.

The overall size of the building is 5.49m (18ft) x 2.44m (8ft).

We are actually a bit further on than this - if anyone is interested I will put on some more up to date pictures later.

Mike

 

[RonLaden]

Hi Mike,

That looks as if you will have a very cozy and good quality model/railway room, I wont dare call it a shed as it looks far too good for that. Yes please post some more pics of progress, I would certainly like to see them.

cheers
Ron

 

[PAPPA.B]

Hi Mike This is a very same thing i've come to .Although i'm not as far foward as you by no means but still pondering on the build mine will be 16ft by 8ft internal i was going to use 3x1 1/2 for the walls same as you for the floors.Are you using the same insulation for the walls? It will be interesting to see your progress so keep posting those updates please. By the way what are you planning on modeling?Looking good so far looking forward to seeingmore .
Cheers Jim

 

[DJH584]

Mike

I have something niggling at the back of my mind.

Have you got a treated wood base attached to the underside of the frame or is the insulation resting on the patio?

I hope that your answer is the former rather than the latter.

Regards

David

 

[Berkeley]

Hi Mike, Great building for a railway layout.
yes please I would like to see your progress.

cheers Trish

 

[kristopher1805]

Interesting topic actually, OK I am here in the sand and back in blight my railway is in the granny flat but will have to move, I have a pool (more of a frog pond really just now) and a patio area so am interested in making a joint pool room and railway room so very interested in the costs of construction in your method, actually looks stronger and more insulated than the shed we called a house when I lived in the USA!

 

[Mikey H]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your comments and questions - I wasn't sure it would be of interest as there is not a train in site!

I will try to answer the questions in turn.

QUOTE (PAPPA.B @ 14 Sep 2011, 21:56) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Are you using the same insulation for the walls? By the way what are you planning on modeling?

Jim,
I am using ordinary 100mm mineral wool insulation roll in the walls. This is very cheap to buy from the DIY sheds - got mine from Wickes. One of the reasons for using 47 x 100 timber for the walls, as well as for strength and rigidity, was so that the 100mm insulation would fit nicely. The floor has 50mm Xtratherm and the ceiling has 70mm Xtrathem rigid sheets - i think most heat is either lost or gained through the roof. Obviously it's too early to say how effective all this will be.

As far as what we will be modelling, the plan is to try to dismantle the old loft layout and re-install it in the new room, adding new baseboards to fill the gaps. we like operating trains so hope to have 3 or 4 full circuits and a branch line. We have a mix of steam era - mostly GWR - locos and stock. My own long term preference is Western Region 'blue diesel' era recalling my trainspotting days in the 1970's and 80's.
Mike

 

[Mikey H]

QUOTE (DJH584 @ 14 Sep 2011, 22:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Mike

I have something niggling at the back of my mind.

Have you got a treated wood base attached to the underside of the frame or is the insulation resting on the patio?

I hope that your answer is the former rather than the latter.

Regards

David

Hi David,

Thanks for your question. I'm happy to reassure you that the insulation is NOT resting on the patio!

The joist frame is made of pressure treated timber, raised on and levelled by blocks of treated wood, with strips of damp proof course in between. The insulation was installed, in accordance with manufacturers advice for suspended timber floors, by nailing galvanised nails into the frame with about half sticking out to support the insulation boards. The advice I found was to leave a 25mm gap between the top of the insulation and the floor, so the nails were positioned to allow for that.

Hope that puts your mind at rest!

Mike

 

[RonLaden]

Hi Mike,

I think you will be as "snug as a bug" as they say, keep posting piccies to keep us up to speed.

cheers
Ron

 

[Mikey H]

QUOTE (kristopher1805 @ 15 Sep 2011, 07:45) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Interesting topic actually, OK I am here in the sand and back in blight my railway is in the granny flat but will have to move, I have a pool (more of a frog pond really just now) and a patio area so am interested in making a joint pool room and railway room so very interested in the costs of construction in your method, actually looks stronger and more insulated than the shed we called a house when I lived in the USA!

Hi Kristopher,

Glad this project has given you food for thought.

As far as costs go I'm not sure yet as it's not finished. I would hope the whole thing will be about 2k for everything, including electrics, but may end up being a bit more as these things do. I work in the timber trade so was able to purchace the timber and plywood at staff rates which knocked off quite a bit. The other bits are down to shopping around at builders merchants and the trade counter outlets - Toolstation or Screwfix. I find the DIY shed usually much more expensive.

Mike

 

[Mikey H]

Finally some moe photos. Don't worry - I haven't done all this today!!

Breathable membrane lining for the walls.

Shiplap going on the walls.

Doors and windows in place.

First layer of roofing felt going on - nightmare job!!

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Graham Plowman]

This really is the way to go if there is no available space in the house.

My father built his layout room as an extension to their garage: http://www.mrol.com.au/Layouts/Littlehemps...ton_Part_2.aspx

The original garage is at the back with the extension on the front forming the new garage. The layout room is 7m x 7m.

Here in Australia, you can actually design your own homes or buy them 'ready made'. I chose the former and designed a 9m x 5.5m layout room in for Ashprington Road.

A couple of comments about Mikey's shed:

- Will you be installing guttering because I'm not sure it would be a good idea to let water flow off the roof straight over the fence onto a neighbouring property - here it's illegal.

- I would suggest the 8 feet is somewhat limited in width. At most, you'll get a tad over 3 foot radius as your maximum curve radius. If it was me, I'd be looking for something in excess of 4-5 feet radius, making the layout room well over 10 feet wide.

- There is a golden rule: you cannot install too much insulation. If you've got some, add more and that applies to both hot and cold climates!

Graham Plowman

 

[RonLaden]

Hi Mike,

Now that is certainly not what I would call a shed, it is a purpose built model railway building.

Very very nice Mike, well done you are doing a great job and cant wait to see it finished.

cheers
Ron

 

[Berkeley]

Hi Mike,
Well done

what great looking building, I'm the same as Ron cant wait to see it finished.

cheers Trish

 

[billericaybill]

Well I have just shown SWMBO your building piccies and said...."We could do something like this dear and it would not cost so much.... " It is fortunate for me that she is a builder's daughter and looks at it for 20 secs and says "yup, no worries."

Andrew

 

[Alfaz-di-pi]

Mike I like your "railway room" it is very well constructed and also insulated. I must admit that my "room" is just a shed, and not nearly as big as yours. I noticed that you have gaps between the walls and roof, where the roof sits on the walls, is it your intention to leave these open for ventilation, as i see your windows are not too big. I have a problem with the ventilation with mine as the heat build up when it is not in use is quite high. No doubt your insulation should help to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Look forward to more pictures as things progress.

Regards
Albert.

 

[Mikey H]

QUOTE (Graham Plowman @ 15 Sep 2011, 23:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>A couple of comments about Mikey's shed:

- Will you be installing guttering because I'm not sure it would be a good idea to let water flow off the roof straight over the fence onto a neighbouring property - here it's illegal.

- I would suggest the 8 feet is somewhat limited in width. At most, you'll get a tad over 3 foot radius as your maximum curve radius. If it was me, I'd be looking for something in excess of 4-5 feet radius, making the layout room well over 10 feet wide.

- There is a golden rule: you cannot install too much insulation. If you've got some, add more and that applies to both hot and cold climates!

Graham Plowman

Thanks for your comments Graham. Very impressed by Ashprington Road by the way.
Yes there will be guttering on the back of the building, discharging into a water butt to save water for the garden.
You have a good point about the width. The building was designed to be a single plywood sheet wide (2440mm or 8Ft) for ease of construction, economy by eliminating waste offcuts and to allow enough space around the building. However even before it's finished I sort of wish I had squeezed in another 2ft - of course the width of the stud walls and internal lining further reduce the available width to about 7'4".Still, too late now - We will have to work with what we've got!!
Time will tell on the insulation - I've tried to put higher performance boards in the ceiling so hope that will be enough. It was a bit of a compromise between headroom inside and the overall height of the building.

Mike

 

[Mikey H]

QUOTE (RonLaden @ 16 Sep 2011, 07:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Mike,

Now that is certainly not what I would call a shed, it is a purpose built model railway building.

Very very nice Mike, well done you are doing a great job and cant wait to see it finished.

cheers
Ron
Thanks for your kind comments Ron,

We have actually had a bit of trouble with what to call the building - as you say it's not really a shed. It now tends to be referred to as 'The Shabbin' - cross between shed and cabbin.

Mike

 

[Mikey H]

QUOTE (Alfaz-di-pi @ 16 Sep 2011, 20:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Mike I like your "railway room" it is very well constructed and also insulated. I must admit that my "room" is just a shed, and not nearly as big as yours. I noticed that you have gaps between the walls and roof, where the roof sits on the walls, is it your intention to leave these open for ventilation, as i see your windows are not too big. I have a problem with the ventilation with mine as the heat build up when it is not in use is quite high. No doubt your insulation should help to keep warm in winter and cool in summer. Look forward to more pictures as things progress.

Regards
Albert.

Hi Albert,

Thanks for your comments - I'm sure your 'room' does a good job for you.

The gaps between wall and roof will have a plywood soffit fitted to enclose them. These will be vetilated front and back to allow air flow between the top of the insulation and the plywood roof to prevent condensation there. I'm planning to put ventilators at either end of the building to allow some air flow through - not sure how this will work - I could probably add moe if they turn out not to be enough.

Mike

 

[A1A A1A]

Definitely the Rolls Royce of sheds, a great bit of building.