For our multi-purpose garden shed / greenhouse, Linda and I started the Dream phase of our Dream :: Design :: Do process with a simple wish list:
Two or three levels of Rubbermaid coated wire shelving
Potting bench w/ area for cart underneath
Not insulated
No electric / heat / running water
Big plastic window facing south
Sash windows on ends
Plastic roof
Door and window or double door facing north
We staked out an 8′ x 12′ area east of our existing garden, and our design began to take shape in SketchUp. With pavers given to us by our niece and nephew for an on-grade floor surrounded by 4×6 pressure treated sleepers, we decided on 24″ on center frame construction.
After some research, we decided to use a clear corrugated polycarbonate product called SunTuf from Palram for the south-facing window and clear roof. Three single sash vinyl windows from Jeld Wen and a fiberglass exterior door would provide light and ventilation on the remaining three sides.
After consulting with the guys at Chelsea Lumber, we decided to use pre-primed LP SmartSide lap siding for the exterior cladding, and Azek PVC for the trim. With a couple of coats of paint to match the Monterey Taupe on the house, The Cottage would fit right in!
Leveling a Pad for the Floor
Only a Few Inches Deep but Still a Lot of Work
Fine Tuning with a Spirit Level
Fabric In, Ready for Gravel
Half Yard of 21A Topped with Half Yard of 3/8 and Down
Leveling Gravel Bed
Sleepers Ready to Install
Securing Sleeper Corners with Timber Screws
Raking Out the Paver Base
Leveling Paver Base to Sleepers
Tamped and Ready for Pavers
Setting Pavers in Running Bond Pattern with 1/8″ Gap
About Half Way There
Full Pavers Installed
Marking Row-End Partial Pavers
Cutting Pavers with Rented Electric Concrete Saw
Pavers Complete with Play Sand Swept In
Lumber Delivery – I Think It’s for Me!
Linda’s First Wall and First Framing Job
South Wall with Lateral Bracing in Place
Cutting Header Components
Assembling Headers for Windows and Door
East Wall Being Fastened in Place
Three Walls In
North Wall Yet to Go
Enjoying the View
Installing Top Plates
Blocking for South-Facing Window Installed
SunTuf Corrugated Polycarbonate from Palram
Some of the Fasteners Needed
8″ x 8″ Gable Vents
SunTuf Horizontal and Vertical Closures
Time to Install the Sheathing
OSB Starting to Define the Space
2 – 3/8″ Ring-Shank Nails Attach the OSB
Time to Cut Some Openings
First View Through Southern Window
Shadows at Solar Noon
The Cottage is Starting to Take Shape
House Wrap Installed
1/2″ Plywood Gusset Plates for 4:12 Roof Trusses
Cutting End Gusset Plates
Gussets Complete and Rafters to Rough Length
Workbench Becoming Truss Assembly Jig
Gang-Notching Rafters for 14′ Purlins
First Truss in Assembly
Gusset Plates with Lots of Screws and Titebond III Glue
Five Common and Two Gable Trusses Completed
Trusses Installed with One Temporary Purlin
Roof Line Starting to Take Shape
Attaching Closure Strips to Purlins for Corrugated Roofing
Purlins Installed with Garden Beyond
Vertical Closure Strips Installed and Ready for Roofing
Murphy Inspecting the Progress
Single Sash Vinyl Windows Installed
Cutting the Roofing Material to Length
Attaching the Corrugated Polycarbonate Roof Panels
Beautiful Blue Sky Day for Roof Work
Each Panel Spanned 24″
I Won’t Be Able to Stand in This Spot Again
Marietta Wood Works Logo by Mike Mahan
Roofed, Ridged, Done
Successful Happy Hour First Trial Run
6′ x 8′ Southern Window is Corrugated Polycarbonate
In Case of Hurricane
Being Dried In is Always a Big Milestone
Azek PVC Trim Around Gable Vent
Linda Getting the Feel of the New Space
5/4 x 6″ PT Deck Boards Near Ground Level
PT Cut Ends Coated with Waterproof Titebond III
Azek Door Trim is On the Level
Just in Time for First Frost Warning
Azek Corners Beveled to 4:12 Pitch
Trim Complete and Ready for Siding
Linda Attaches the First Piece of LP SmartSide Siding
Spacer for Next Siding Course
Siding Progress
Sealing All Siding Cuts Before Installation
Linda Pre-drilling Siding Pieces
More Siding Progress
Home Made Jig for 6-3/8″ Lap Siding Reveal
Even More Siding Progress
Linda Nailed It!
Well-deserved Schnauzer Break
Two of Three 12′ Rubbermaid Shelves Installed
The Track Saw Was the Right Tool for This Job
The Last Few Pieces of Siding Required Some Cipherin’
Siding Complete!
Paint Color-matched to Monterey Taupe on the House
Painting Progress
The Cottage – Looking SE
The Cottage – Looking NE
The Cottage
Inside Looking W
Inside Looking SW
Inside Looking SE
Inside Looking E
Inside Looking NE
Inside Looking NW
Inside Looking UP!
Pavers, Sleepers and Gravel Bed Layout
SketchUp Model – Looking SE
SketchUp Model – Looking NW
The Original Cottage Under Construction in the Early 1950s
Pop, My Brother John, and Our (I Think) Neighbor Larry Hillman and His Daughter Penny
Pop Attaching Tongue and Groove Siding
Pop and John with The Cottage and Garden Beyond
John (I Think) Parked Out Front of The Cottage
In case you were wondering, we are calling our little garden shed / greenhouse “The Cottage” after the garden shed my dad built several years before I was born. Growing up, we always referred to that little white shed as “The Cottage.” It was a great place to play in the summertime, especially if you were successful at avoiding getting stung by wasps or scraped up by the rusty tools that lived there year around.
