Guides on shed erection/setting out

[Greenbeast]

I'm trying to educate myself a bit on the process of setting out for a shed, would love to get something up this year but there'll never be the money to pay for erection.
It might end up being a pole barn but i'd like a steel frame really

 

[David.]

Fair play to you, but if you have never done one, i'd save up a bit longer until you can have it put up, and watch. Setting out and installing holding down bolts and sheeting a roof are all doable, but not without plenty of pitfalls, and I just think you might be better off earning the money to pay somebody that does it for a living, who has the lifting and safety gear.
You ought then to have some idea for the next.
You could still save some money by cladding/yorkshire boarding/walling it yourself.

 

[multi power]

I'm trying to educate myself a bit on the process of setting out for a shed, would love to get something up this year but there'll never be the money to pay for erection.
It might end up being a pole barn but i'd like a steel frame really

What size are you thinking? I'm sure you could put up one yourself, with a couple of helpers of course

 

[RWG Contracts]

I'm trying to educate myself a bit on the process of setting out for a shed, would love to get something up this year but there'll never be the money to pay for erection.
It might end up being a pole barn but i'd like a steel frame really

What size? I'll do you a rough sketch of holding down bolt measurements ect

 

[Greenbeast]

Not sure yet, i expect we'll only ever have one here (i know i know, you're going to say 'you say that now...')
Frankly because we're only 15ac doing pigs and bit of beef/veal.
Probably done on a Prior Notification

So figuring one bay for straw/hay, one, maybe two bays for machinery, one bay for workshop (at some point), one bay potentially for coldstore/packing room (these are individual purpose built timber structures next to the caravan currently).
So looks like 75' long (@15' bays), doesn't need to be crazy tall, being a small unit, we won't ever have machinery that tall here, have dreams of something a little more powerful than the zetor but won't be a lot taller.

 

[renewablejohn]

Easy to do with polytunnel hoops and exhaust bolts to hold tin sheets on like the old Nissan huts in WW2. Approx 8 mtr wide and as long as you like with 2.5mtr hoop centers and 2.75 mtr tin sheets.

 

[Lincsman]

First tip.. measure the diagonals to get it PERFECTLY square.

 

[multi power]

First tip.. measure the diagonals to get it PERFECTLY square.

And measure twice but cut once

 

[bigw]

I'm trying to educate myself a bit on the process of setting out for a shed, would love to get something up this year but there'll never be the money to pay for erection.
It might end up being a pole barn but i'd like a steel frame really

Get someone in to set and pour the founds, the kit is just a puzzle that is very straight forward to put up if the founds are correct.

 

[Greenbeast]

First tip.. measure the diagonals to get it PERFECTLY square.

Oh I'm used to that by now, with various pig pens fenced and small structures I've put up

 

[Derky]

Getting the pads and holding down bolts right is the key, otherwise you will struggle for the whole shed. Plenty of profiles and measure a few times to make sure.

 

[Jfp]

What is the process for setting bolts? How do you shed builders get them smack on square etc? Always amazes me how they are set perfect?

 

[Greenbeast]

What is the process for setting bolts? How do you shed builders get them smack on square etc? Always amazes me how they are set perfect?

that is my primary question

 

[Lincsman]

What is the process for setting bolts? How do you shed builders get them smack on square etc? Always amazes me how they are set perfect?

String lines, profile boards and laser levels.

 

[David.]

Bolts plates and cones are pre-assembled on a sheet steel template, the same size as the stanchion base plates; usually 4 holding down bolts per stanchion.
On the assumption that the holes have been dug in the right place, strings are pulled taut between the profile boards to form a right angled rectangle, the strings faithfully describing the centre line of the stanchions. Then measured either corner to corner or on a 3,4,5 triangle to check for squareness.

 

[David.]

Laser level is then used to establish finished height of concrete in bases, and a long roofing tek, 6" nail or similar is pushed into side of each hole to indicate this point.
Put some nails in the profile boards to indicate the position of the strings so that they can be reinstalled in exactly the same position again, without needing to re-measure. Strings are now removed.
Concrete is now poured up to level markers in each hole, and final level is checked with laser level to 1/4" accuracy, shovelling concrete in or out as necessary to achieve this. A concrete lorry driver who is not a bit of a knob is a big help on these jobs.
When satisfied all bases are correct level, the profile strings are re-installed to previous positions and pulled taut.
Nobby headed pins are now used to mark the centre position of each stanchion at the correct 15/20ft measurement along the profile strings.
A plumb bob can now be used to indicate the position of the centre of the holding down bolt template from the nobby pin in the string above, as the pre-assembled bolt kits are pushed into the wet concrete base, leaving the template sheet lightly floating on the surface.
You will appreciate that this is not to be taken lightly because a 75 ft shed will have at least 12 such bases to be concreted, and whilst you are getting all this together the concrete will be going off quicker than you think. It usually takes two experienced people to bring it all together.

 

[banjo]

Yep get the foundation square, get the pins and bays measured correctly with stringline and tape, double check everything!
Make sure the pins are set into the concrete the correct way so the bolts match the holes in the feet.
If you take your time at this part, everything else will flow easy.
Good luck and I hope it's the first of many for you.

 

[dannewhouse]

i think the suggestion of getting someone to set the bases is good if your not confident.

if you do it yourself set your profiles (and therefore string lines) as reasonably low as possible. ie if they are 2" above bolt boxes you can eye them in if they are 1ft you have to use spirit level (plumb bob) to get correct position and its just another hassle also laser level them in the wet concrete to get correct height <and then when set and bolt box removed put 1 "shim" on the highest level and then shim all the rest up to this level
last kit we put up came with 20kg of scrap for this job! cheeky buggers we probably only used about 10 pieces most of them being 3mm (the thinnest they sent!) I have seen large washers used for this job 6mm thick? just place 1 centrally between the bolts but we like to work more accurate than 6mm

 

[Neddy flanders]

Rather than place holding down bolts into wet concrete in 12 holes in a hurry, we do another way.
Dig holes. Knock a wooden post into the bottom of the hole. Set laser measuring stick on top of post and knock it down to required level. This is level of finished foundation concrete.
Now set strings up And screw plate with holding bolts to top of wooden post. Jiggle it around with a plumb line. Pour concrete gently around this plate until it comes up to plate. Job done. No faffing with strings and bolts in wet concrete

 

[RWG Contracts]

What is the process for setting bolts? How do you shed builders get them smack on square etc? Always amazes me how they are set perfect?

Wing and a prayer with a bit of luck thrown into the equation