I could build that!

[digitS']

Nitty' had a fun little topic a couple of weeks ago: (link)I wish I knew how to do this.... and now V' has that fairy garden thread going. I am going to stay out of there. I can't get my fingers on anything that small . . .

I'm not a builder. Anyone who would see my "construction" would say that. Well, they might say, "Looks like you put a lot of effort into this, Steve." It isn't just effort. I realized the other day that I put nails and screws and boards into things . . . until they are gone. Yeah, that's when I know to stop: after I'm out of something. Otherwise, I keep putting another nail in, hammering another board in place . Good thing I don't live next door to a lumber yard.

Here is something that attracted my interest because I've dun & not dun some of it. See, I could get 50% of it and then have to figure out the other 45%. (You thought I'd say "the other 50%" but see above about never finishing until I run outta material .)

This would make a cute garden shed in most any backyard, I'm thinking. It is an old-style way of doing things. That fits with my skills, or lack of them. Now please! You guys who really know how to do these things, don't just go saying, "I could toss that up in my sleep! Wouldn't be no more work than baking a cake on Sunday!"

See, I could do a little framing and a little masonry. Could build and hang that tired old door okay. Could probably even figure out how to put the shingles on - have never worked with shingles! I bet I could figure out how to do that "half-timbered" work for the walls - sure haven't ever done that!

That's what that is called: Half-timbered. It is a little like building a fence and filling in between the boards. A fence like what you could throw a cat through but with "infill."

What do you think, could you build that?

Steve

 

[nittygrittydirtdigger]

Ooh, I like it! Especially that steep roof that I just know I would fall off of about 10 times if I ever tried to build it. The bottom part of the door looks exactly like some of the boards I've been saving for "something."

Now where did I put my hammer?

 

[thistlebloom]

Ummmmm............no. But it's very charming, and I would love to have it, tired old door and all!

I'm not much of a builder, but I like to do things. That's why I married my husband , I planned ahead and figured he'd be able to build all the tool sheds and horse shelters and chicken coops I could ever desire. But he's a lousy gardener, so that's where I come in

That little shed reminds me of those cordwood buildings that are stacked rounds of wood mortared in place.

Always wanted to have one of those too...

 

[Jared77]

What about starting with a known quantity like a shed kit and then finishing it how you wanted? Maybe an extra bit of trim around the edges, or instead of using new boards for the door using old pieces of barn wood? Stain instead of paint? Cedar shingles over tar paper? Some bits of copper flashing instead of aluminum (the copper oxidizes and gives that beautiful patina and green coloration as it ages) to give you an aged look or less modern look.

Maybe some copper gutters? Or aged boards for the flower box? Maybe look at some aged painting techniques for the outside? Wrought iron hinges, or a cool door knocker, maybe an old copper pot or watering can that you just leave out to age. Maybe grow some moss on terracotta pots. Or some crazy container gardening using old boots or the copper pot I mentioned. Maybe a galvanized bucket? Or an old wheelbarrow? What about a keyhole that you mount as a dummy keyhole/lock? Or a really neat old doorknob?

There is a bunch of super cool stuff online but check out habitat for humanity too. Lot of different things there too and their prices can't be beat.

Lot of things you can do to make it look rustic and more whimsical but still have a solid foundation and plans to follow.

 

[nittygrittydirtdigger]

Hmmm, Jared, now you've given me notions........


Home Depot, here I come.

 

[digitS']

I'll work backwards here .

Jared, you are talking about artistry and I don't have much of that. If "rustic" is attractive, well, rustic I might be able to do! Yeah, I haven't even done asphalt shingles. Just roll roofing or corrugated steel. I wasn't even sure about the corrugated until I'd done my first backyard greenhouse with corrugated plastic. Probably needed tarpaper experience before I'd even touch roll roofing .

Cordwood, Thistle'? Exactly! It could be stone, brick, plaster - infill.

Nitty, you'd just need a scaffold. Something that small might just need a free-standing one from the ground if you've got some reach. I'd probably try with the extension ladder first but all that had better be real secure before any weight is put up high.

Here is a little detail that caught my attention. Shows you how weird I am . See the little angled cleat holding the roof purlin? I probably would have just drilled a hole in the purlin and put a big screw thru it but that is supposed to be a very old little shed in France and big screws might have been kind of expensive when it was built.

Steve

 

[Jared77]

I get it Steve, but it really wouldn't take much. You have a look in mind. And that dark framing is what gives it that French Alps cottage look right? So recreate it on a solid structure.

What I'm getting at is what if you took that idea and built a regular shed and then attached say 1x4s stained a nice medium walnut color and attached them to the existing wall to model it after the beams but they are purely decorative?

You'd have the raised "beams" coming off the wall to resemble the frame but its just that resembling a frame. Cut another piece to match on the other side, but them up so they look like its the actual corner frame and attach it. You'd have the french alps cottage look.

Or got some 1x___ whatever width you want for the look and cut it lengthwise with a jig saw instead of using a table saw to get a slightly uneven line. Then attached it to the existing wall like I said above You'd get the look and I'm sure the desired effect with A LOT less sweat and brain strain. So it would look like a rough sawed board or a hand split board without actually having to mill the boards to get what your after.

You could even drill fairly large holes in your 1x____ (however wide you want your "framing" pieces to be) pieces and cut down some dowel rods to fit into those holes to resemble pegs that hold it together if you wanted to create real old world look. Maybe have the pegs just a tiny bit longer than the board so you can see some of the "pegs"? Vary the lengths a bit so they are not all uniform since back then those would all have been trimmed using a handsaw back in the day.

Stain it all to match or even stain the "pegs" a few shades darker to make them stand out just a bit against the "beams". You can create all the cleats and other pieces that you find appealing just on a thinner. Cut them where they would be, or should be, or even could be and mount them on the wall. They are purely for ornamental but who cares? Its the look your after. Those pieces don't have to go all the way through something to be there. Figure out where they would go, cut a piece so its the proper scale and attach it. Be it from the backside so you don't see the screws or nails holding it up and some kind of epoxy and until you went into the shed you'd never know.

Think of it as dummy framing just like dummy hinges and other decorative pieces. Like how people put knobs and pulls on drawers that don't open on their cabinets and bathroom vanities. They know full well they don't open but they want a certain look so they put them on. No big deal and it looks great creating the look the owners after.

There's a lot to be done with glaze too. Play with that to help give you the antiqued look without having to actually age anything. Then add some of the pieces I suggested and let them get aged and the place will continually grow on you.

I'm just thinking of the framed white pieces we all associate with barns. Many people who want the look just add them as trim pieces. They paint their buildings red, trim with white and they serve no purpose other than to be decorative. So why not do that with your old French cottage too? Instead paint it a warm cream color, do some cedar shingles, and stain the "frame" pieces and attach them. They are just meant to create a look rather than add any kind of structural benefit.

Oh geez NittyGrittyDirtDigger's gonna kill me with those suggestions.

 

[digitS']

And, you could both use these ideas for fairy gardens as well as for garden sheds.

Another feature with this little structure has is the high foundation with a door that passes thru it. I have seen that in outbuildings in mountainous country. Of course, it makes sense there. You want a substantial foundation so the building doesn't tumble off down the hillside.

Really, masonry is a fairly simple idea. You are just a step or 2 up from stacking blocks as a child. My greenhouse foundation is concrete blocks and I was looking at it the other day. Part of it, I put together 17 years ago and did that with the idea that I would expand the foundation & greenhouse later. Somehow, I pulled that off where there still hasn't been a break in the walls. It is simple, I did it all by hand, never dun anything like it before (had foundations & basements poured) - it is still sound.

Steve

 

[Smart Red]

What do you think, could you build that?

Steve

If I were to built it I'd go with a regular shed construction, rough cut some strips about 2 inches thick and put them on the ply-wood siding like batten boards. Then use an adobe-type material to fill in between the boards. DS builds furniture (Shuler's fine furniture) and has lots of old barn siding and beams that could easily be recycled for the shed.

We also have piles of 4x8 blocks for the foundation/knee wall. Yup! I think I could do it for little more than the cost of wood shakes. It would be a lot easier than HFH housing. As it is, I'm really planning on building an out-house. I think it would be an interesting yard addition and a great place to store the tools.

Love, Smart Red

 

[baymule]

That is cute. I don't think I could build that. If I did, it would be all crooked and wonky looking. My coop is supposed to be 8'x7', but it came out more like 7'1"x 8'4"x 6'11"x 8'1". The good news is, the chickens don't mind and so far, nobody has measured it.