Hi. I'm a norwegian carpenter. I like your projekt. I'm going to make one myself, but I'll going to make it a permanent building. So no plywood in my constrution. ☺ That ridgepole is not needed on your construction( do I spell that right?) because of the plywood sheath. They make it steardy enough. And you do not have to add more materials because it will make the building more heavy and you will have to continue adding till its like a permanent building. Its fine as it is. That 2x4 in the bottom should have been dobbel, and standing instead of laying on the side if you understand, that way it would have carried the weigth of the arches regardless how the stones was placed. ☺ And you should mounted screws in the arches to the bottom 2x4. Roofing felt is the solution to make it waterproof and it will let the building breath. Its much better then plastic materials. And cheap I presume. Its cheap here in Norway, so I guess its cheap in usa to. ☺ That was my advice as a carpenter. Anyway, a good projekt, so I'm going to use the idee myself. Ps, its smart to use some glue, like wood glue, when you make the arches. And as you pointed out, longer screws. Sven.
You could put 2x4 cleats on the outside to climb up the side to screw in the OSB. Throw a safety line over the top from the other side if you are afraid of falling. You can secure it to your truck on the far side you are climbing.
This may sound crazy but you could build yourself a ladder that is shaped like your roof. Just build two more of the half trusses, but connect them 2 foot apart with runner steps. Use 2X4 for the steps and put a step every 12 inches like a standard extension ladder. Pre-cut/Rip the steps so you have a flat surface to stand on and not the corner edge of the 2X4. Maybe add in an X brace on the back side on the bottom 3 foot of the ladder and again at the top 3 foot of it. For stability. It will lay perfectly against your roof and you can get to the top to screw in more screws to secure the OSB better, from the outside. I am sure the top 3 foot of the roof and the bottom 3 foot are the flattest non-arching places on it, so the X braces should lay flat against those spots. Just an idea.
You can always build a better mouse trap but, you have to start some where. The next shed will be better built never give up. Thank you Zack for the update looking good so far.
Thank you for sharing this. I don't think a lot of people really examine how they could improve their next structure or how others can learn both from your successes, and from places you would improve it on the next go round. Thank you so much =)
I'm sure a lot of people are going to leave negative/hateful comments but I am not . What I'd like to do is applaud you for being so kind as to show us a few of your issues and then telling us some suggestions as to how you'd probably correct them next time . Now what i've gained from all of this is the inspiration to build one myself, i'm not saying i'm gonna do it better or cheaper or anything like that, but what I've gained is the inspiration. I'm in New Mexico at 8000ft i get tons of wind and lots of snow during the winter and i need just a little something to store my backhoe inside of to keep the U.V. and snow from destroying all my hydraulic lines, pistons rams ,tires ect....... Thank You
With out a ridge pole your osb will eventual sag at the ridge. And between your sheathing you should have added "H" clips as those joints will also sag over time. But as a replacement you can screw a 2x4 on the flat along the joint. As for your 2x4 sagging at the bottom. For your next shed you should consider using a 3 ply 2x6 pressure treated on edge as a beam. It would reduce the chance of sagging and give you more rot resistance. I am a carpenter by trade and everything you said you would do next time is spot on. Keep up the good work. Further more I appreciate the fact that you openly admit to the fact that you are learning as you go, there are far too many hacks out there talking like they know what they are doing, and giving bad instuctions. You have my respect.
Hi Adam, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your considerate constructive criticism. My aim is not to purport that I'm the expert, rather to show how I did it including the wins and failures in the hope that folks can learn from my mistakes as well as to see that an average Joe can take on projects like this as long as due caution is employed. Thanks again, the respect is mutual.
Adam is correct as to the sagging and adding cleats. The Gothic arch is a very strong and stable design. but take a small note from stone arches of similar shape. The keystone at the top is what locks it all together. While the osb sheathing fills part of that function, the ridge beam would complete it.
No ridge pole. That defeats the purpose of a dome. When the snow pushes down, the dome pushes back. A ridge pole would stop the push back. Understand? This is really, really good. Also, if you hang the triangles from the top, you can have a loft. Hey, pulling down from the inside or pushing down from the top MAKES IT STRONGER. I might have used BoraCare on the outside. I am wanting a loft one end. I can hide from the wife while I'm drinking. And there's so much area. I like this thing.
The Ridge Beam, would add structural support to the roof, and allow for a stronger structure overall. As you can see, from your own build, you made it work. A Ridge Beam would act like the your spine, as a connection point for the ribs. The Gothic Arch is just a boat hull upside down. So the Ridge Beam is the Keel and the arches are the Ribs/Frames. The major benefit to the ridge is load bearing across the arch span. So as snow build in one area, that weight can be distributed to the other arches. Also I really glad you caught the Point Load issue with the Sill Plate an the Arches rock placement. Just to let you know, I really enjoyed the 3 videos of the series, and you inspired me to design a shed in the same design, except mine will have a finished front and read wall with doors and will sit on a raised platform, also the arches will be set atop a knee wall of 3ft. I have planes drawn up for the framing and construction. and will be covered with standard asphalt shingles. I will be installing this into southeastern Colorado in the coming months, and it will server as office and living quarters while I construct a new home on family property.
I am in Toronto Canada and i built my arched greenhouse in 2015 mine cost $200 12 ft x12 ft x 11 ft high. It withstand 5th year ice storms as low -35°. Wind won't blow it away and i only had covered with plastic 6mm polyurethane we had many over 100km/hr winds that knocked out trees powerlines its scary but it did no damages. I made a base sq frame for the arch structure its sitting directly on the ground 2x4x12 and i sealed frame water seal paint its been over 5 yrs now and still amazing shape no water Damage to the base frame. You dont need to anchor it lol it wont blow away the arch shaped is known perfect to handle wind flow. As for snow we had 5th winter IT HAS NOT MOVED over 6 feet Toronto north im in snow belt. As for 2x4 sq blocks i would suggest to cut 1ft instead of 4 inches it will give more support space to drill into & best to seal it as well. That 1 block could have gotten wet & it will turn to ice, then expand it will cause the block to crack. I am building a permanent cottage same structure but it will be 24ft x 60 ft x 23 ft high. Off grid Tobermory Ontario Canada this 2019 2020.
I also built some greenhouses and garage sheds. 14x20 foot. They hold up so well with greenhouse polly. Here in BC, we also get a fair bit of snow. Sometimes piles up around 8 feet on the sides where the snow slides off! Any progress on the cottage? Still thinking of building it? It's really a beautiful design. I am planning to design a house as well. Maybe smaller, like 18x20 with a loft. Best wishes!
the ridge beam adds stiffness from racking ,a platfom in the bed on your truck is your rolling scaffold.metal herricane clips are what keeps the osb edges together they slide on when you put the sheathing on
As far as the base, use a 5 gallon bucket with concrete and use a cut 4x4 to replace blocks that break. Wish the zoning laws in our county would let me build something this reasonable. Nice job.
My sons and I built a truck camper out of wood (no videos of it). We used pressure treated 1X6 decking for the frame and 3/8 plywood for the exterior walls and roof. Painted the roof with Aluminum Roof Coating, like you coat a mobile home roof with (3 coats) and then 3 coats of 30 year Elastomeric White Roof Coating. Then we painted the sides with (2 coats) Kilz primer and Gliddens Oil Based Porch and Deck paint (3 Coats). It is about 8 years old and when I wash it, it looks brand new. I wash it with a 5 gallon bucket of water, 1/4 cup bleach and 3 tablespoons of dish soap. That truck camper holds 6 ten foot kayaks inside it and all our camping gear. Then when it is unloaded, it sleeps 5 adults. No bathroom or kitchen. It is a Utility Hauler Camper. We spent about $2,500 to $3,000 to build it. The interior is Luan 4X8 panels with indoor/outdoor carpet stapled to it.
If you turn the 2x4 block so the grain runs from inside to outside so turn it a quarter turn each way so they won't split from the pressure or force pulling it apart and more surface area would make it stronger. It seems like everyone who builds one of these runs them the same way and they split.
On the trusses turn your 2x4 so the screws are going into the exposed grain ends, like when building a standard wall; for a little more security in case of splitting. Also I would rotate the 2x4 so that it matched the plywood plates widths; this would make twisting of the plywood trusses a little harder. As for the roof, you can get a couple of rolls of ice and water. Its similar to tar paper but has a sticky side that would adhere to the OSB. But all in all I would say great job. This could easily be made into a temporary cabin, Love it!
I wouldn't worry so much about the ride board, but definitely I would use collar ties on all the bents. 2x4's both sides, down about 6 feet and tied at the ridge with plywood both sides for what your calling gussets. A little trick I've used for waterproofing is a quick coat of black foundation coat. Holds up really well. Really nice prototype. Enjoyed the very well made video, Liam Ontario.
Hey thanks Liam, that's kind of what it was intended to be, a useful prototype/learning experience. I'm much better equipped to build the next one now :)
For your joints on the frames you might consider butting them for a smoother transition. Get a 2x6x12 and cut it down with the arch to traverse the joint. That should be stronger than an overlap. The last block at the peak should be that way too. Also consider not having both the inside and outside joints be at the same place. By using an 8 footer on one side and a 10 footer on the other you stager your joints.
Zack, I'm no expert in this type of project but I think you've done a great job for the first attempt and taking onboard the constructive comments plus your own points that need attention your practical there. I don't know what the difference in price in OSB and exterior ply is there in the states but I think that's what I would have used, but not butting it edge to edge I would overlap the edges it so any water runs off. If the tarp was a little bigger both in length and width so that all the edges where covered you would have little to no problems with wood getting wet for now. You did say at the start of the project it was temporary and some comments don't seem to take that onboard. Just my 5 cents worth as you would say but good job, and good video series. Gary.
Thanks for the update and pointing out any flaws. Experience is only really gained by making mistakes. Most things are over engineered nowadays, hence the expense. Great videos and humble enough to highlight mistakes and admit to them.
Awesome job awesome job thank you for the great idea that is so simple but very functional...you did a super job and did it by yourself. My hats off to you buddy I have been building for 50 years and I love what you did here and thank you for sharing....God Bless....
Zack of All I appreciate this hindsight video and the comments. I want to build a small one for two cars and a large one for a barn. I love the look of a Gothic Arch. Thank you for giving me the hope/inspiration to give it a go!
Lol That's cool af! I love the truss/beam. I used osb on my house for collar ties at the peak. They haven't moved in 18 years. I have to do this build. Thank You Good Day
I think if you use a canvas soaked in cementitious mud (sand cement mixture) and cover the structure while it is wet and let it dry, you end up with a low cost roofing material. Screw it at every arch 2’ 0” on center. Start with a 4’ or 6’ strip along the bottom and overlap the top portion at vertical and horizontal joints by at least 3”.
Hey Zack! It's a $500 shed!! It stood up very well so far with only the slightest signs of wear and tear! And it seems that it will hold up for quite some time! Great job! If you want to set it on some cinder blocks, you can find free cinder blocks all over the place!
Job well done, and your good enough of a person to openly admit your not a expert at this, so kudos to you. I personally think for a temporary building it's perfect.
Hi Zack, Thank you for sharing your creation with us. The ridge beam will get your top together, but you will have more disadvantages because of it. For your purpose is overdue. You have to transport it, your structure will become heavier on top, you will struggle to put it in place, you need a lot of big screws and holes for them, your screws(from inside upwards) will punch your watertight foil... You better forget about it and have a better solution which combines all the advantages, with only one disadvantage- you should climb the ridge. I would do it with pieces of ridge sheets/plates (galvanized or painted steel) pre-bent for a convenient shape and size and attached from outside, combined with some extra gussets that close the ridge triangle from inside. No need for triangular gussets. This way, you will cover all your concerns. Have fun!!
Hey sport, you may want to consider coating your OSB with Latex driveway sealer, min 5 coats, caulk or batten the seams . Application and drying time is quick. tested this on a small shed , 2 summers before first chips started to peel up. Your results may vary. Also open edges of any sheeting are susceptible to getting damp and weakening, should be framed on some fashion to help with integrity. Have fun
Ok sir 1st of all I love your videos and you are a very lucky man! You have a Beautiful Family and a Beautiful piece of property! As to your shed build.... Don't let chat get to you! It's your shed/house and your reasons to build this way were stated in video 1! Yes there is always other ways to do things. You could have built a Million dollar house and people would tell you to do stuff another way. My point is you wanted to build a $500 shed and you did an amazing job of it and you made some amazing videos for us to watch, learn from and inspire us!!! Thank you so much!
Darren, thanks a lot for your kind comment! I agree, it doesn't matter what you build if you put it on UA-cam someone will complain about it and tell you how bad/dangerous/ugly etc. it is. The truth is that MOST of the people who take the time to comment are perfectly kind like yourself, I just enjoy having dialogue even with those that aren't. Thanks again! ~Z
How nice of you to show how it's holding up, personally I never doubted it would... hell for another $500 bucks you could have the shell of a nice cabin!
It was great to see it play out, in real testing conditions. I'd be tempted to renovate it, to make improvements. Like, digging and pouring concrete footings. Not spanning the entire length, but supporting under each purlin, as you said. I'd hire scaffolding for a weekend - make it a long weekend, and put the support beam, up top. That way you can put pressure on the roof, to attach metal sheeting, directly on the plyboard. Actually, you might want a waterproof layer, between the ply and roofing. Trust me, extra insulation, will help preserve the contents, during the heat of summer. For $500 you made a good start. But even if you spent $500 more, it's still a cheap storage area. Thanks for sharing the progress.
Thanks for checking out my progress, Chris. Good suggestions for sure but since this shed is over 1000 miles from where I currently live, those improvements are gonna have to wait a bit. Will definitely keep your input in mind when the time comes!
Like Jeff said, use bags of quickcrete as bases, you could put a bag under each arch base, AND you could drive rebar through the base wood into the quickcrete bag and when it hardens, the rebar is tied to the quickcrete and the ground.
Hi Zack, I enjoyed the update to your video. I want to share what I have used for decades with great success. Most people are familiar with the steel tube frame Costco carports. I have used those carports for my nursery greenhouses for no less than 15 years. They are segmented so you can make them as long as you want, you can anchor them to concrete blocks for a foundation. I have 4 mil U.V. coated greenhouse plastic on it. You buy it by the roll. After 15 years it's still as soft and pliable as the day I put it on. Being clear plastic it lets in tons of light so I can see inside. It's also nice and warm and melts off the snow very well. The cost is very low. I've gotten costco frames for free but most people can buy used frames from $25 to $50. The plastic was $175. My greenhouse is sitting on the plastic and I have lined it on the inside with cinder blocks two high and used steel contractor stakes on the outside, 6 of them, and lashed the entire structure criss cross with nylon cord to those stakes. So it has the weight of the greenhouse, the plastic and the cinder blocks all holding it down, plus the tie downs. It has withstood gale force winds and 7 foot snow. Granted, when I got that much snow, I went inside the greenhouse with a broom and pushed up to get the snow off every two feet or so. Your friend, Steve
The least I would have done was paint the OSB with oil based paint, edges included. Then put the tarp on over. I have a 8 X 8 shed made completely with OSB with only paint on the walls and this is it's 5th winter with no issues. The roof does have asphalt shingles, but the walls are fully exposed to the weather. Make sure to paint the edges, they soak up water and swell the quickest.
Zack great to see you at the shed again. I always find doing things by yourself changes how you build. Being a one man show on this build without equipment like a lift or tractor really dictates the build. The fact it's standing is a testament to your design. I always hate being an armchair quarterback, with that being said the things you pointed out are easy retro fits. The thing about your choice of using a tarp the snow never gets a chance to build up on the structure so snow load doesn't even become a factor. Having lived in a wall tent for 3 years as I built my cabin many times I would need to shove the snow off sooooooo your choice of design really was a wise choice for an unattended building in snow country. As far as the arches I probably would have but jointed the plywood supported with at least 6 inches of 2x4 on either side of the plywood joint but there I go armchair quarterbacking. Great job to protect your stuff. Take care my friend. Look forward to your next build.
Thanks Blake, in my view there's two kinds of "armchair QBs" the constructive considerate ones and the braggadocios useless ones. Thanks for being the former! Until next time ~Z
As long as your stuff was sheltered, you are conceivably, dollars ahead. Your task now, with better weather ahead, is make improvements. I would make cement forms with old spackle pails and threaded rod, to hold you sill plate up off the ground. Depending on local building codes, you may be subject to taxation if you go much further.
Good suggestions, the biggest problem is that it's over 1000 miles away from where I currently live so It'll have to take care of itself for a while :-)
You can halt the splitting of the column joiner blocks, by laminating them in plywood. You don't need much; maybe 1/4" on each side, glued with carpenter's glue and clamped while they set. Set the primary grain direction (the outer layers' grain direction) across the grain of the blocks. That will hold the grain tightly together and prevent splitting.
The design is strong the ridge blocks added keeps your structure from racking over time this building will move and shift especially since your not properly anchored to the ground will eventually collapse over time due to structural failure with the snow load and the ground always being moist I would also suggest laying down some gravel or some local small rocks like a cobble stone to keep the area from saturation . i absolutely love the design with a few modifications it will last forever.
The real purpose of a ridge BEAM, ridge posts are the vertical members in each gable that support the ridge beam, is to give the top plumb cuts of each rafter something solid to bear on, instead of the rafter across from it when the roof is loaded. It's not really necessary in your application since your rafters aren't substantial enough to offer much strength in that direction. Certainly not more than what is supplied by the OSB sheathing fasteners and the arch itself. Also, an "H" shaped metal plywood clip is used in the OSB seams between rafters to prevent deflection, but the ridge in no way is used to prevent racking by being fastened to the OSB roof sheathing. Actually the sheathing is usually cut back an inch and a half from the ridge, so the roof system can have ridge vent installed. And yes, I'm a carpenter. All you need to mitigate racking is the OSB sheathing itself with the vertical seams staggered. We do install gable bracing on homes, but that doesn't apply here either as your gables are open and don't incur wind loads.
Awesome project on a budget .The cracked block take some scrap osb glue it good to the side no screws just clamp it. use wood glue rated for outdoor use. Great job I Would challenge anyone to build it stronger and cheaper. Thanks for sharing
Pretty cool shed. Should try to recycle and use pallets next time, can make one for basiclly free. But all in all looks like it’s holding up pretty good 👍🏻
Although sheathing provides all of the longitudinal support you need (stopping the arches falling like dominoes) I think a ridgepole would act like a hinge point locking the arches not just together at the top, but also because they are pinned at the bottom- making the building much stiffer, and thus stronger. Then adding your sheathing piles further strength upon that then exting stiffness.
It held up, be interesting to see how long it last into spring summer. I think if you can keep the OSB dry with a new tarp next time it will give you a few years. If you can keep that dry your materials can be used for other projects around there. I was thinking the same thing about a hide a key lol!
The overall design looks great, and honestly, I think you covered all the 'flaws' (20/20 hindsight is amazing, right), looking back at any project you really notice all of the things that could be better or different. Add a bit of cash for the next build, and build it based on all the changes you have worked out from looking at the prototype (cause this was a prototype, and you really engineered pretty well overall. I really think that I could build such a barn/outbuilding for about a $1000, after watching this video, and it would last for many years.
Glad to see another video on this. I was curious about how the building was doing. You caught probably more than I would have. All in all I think you did a good job with the build.
I just can't stop thinking of vinyl siding run up to a point and shingles above that. Kind of depends on cost I would suppose. Drip edge was also mentioned elsewhere in the comments - I would second that.
I have finished mine. You can find a short video I posted on some of the modifications/addition I have made. Just now starting the big doors. I hope to keep an opening over 12 feet wide for vehicle entry/exit. Thanks for your inspiration.
Well, I watched it all the way through .. very nice creation, despite any flaws. I still like my cattle panel Quonset hut for the price, but those gothic arches, they do look nice :)
I have used bags of Quickcrete left in the bag as bases for things on the ground. They slowly turn to concrete as moisture penetrates. Nice large footprint and cheap.
Concrete blocks are super cheap and are flat and easy to level. I would set the base plate on the blocks and use plumbing strap or something similar to tie the structure to them.
Zack, Your question about the bending stress in the members is very easy to answer, because stress and and strain are precisely correlated and the relationship is linear. So, you look for the strain, and bending strain shows up by how much the plywood is bent or curved. You want even stress/strain. If your curvature is constant, your stress is constant. Some of your joints appear to have a bit of extra bend where the two pieces overlap. This is extra stress/strain. Some do not. Going back to your second episode, it is easy to see that this was introduced when you tied the pieces together with the spacer blocks. And your broken spacer block is evidence of a place where the stress was relieved by that breakage. Screwing the OSB down to the overlapped area might have caused additional stress. Your use of a piece to scab two pieces in a butt joint would have avoided some of that issue. But as you can easily see, the thing actually works, and it looks cool. Gives me ideas about how to make my own car shelter. Thanks.
Roll roofing is pretty cheep and fast. Not as much of a cost savings as the tarp but it covered lots of our farm outbuildings as a kid. You can save the spacer blocks with some 4” screws from the bottom but I would predrill so you don’t split them. Oh yeah, use edge metal for the roofing, it will protect the edge of the osb. If you cut the face edge evert foot it will follow the curve of the roof. Using left and right tin snips will automatically tuck the lower piece if you practice a minute. I think you will find that the bottom sheet will be the only damage after one season. Get a better edge detail and a real roof and it will last you for years.
What you are talking about is a ridge board. It is different than a ridge beam. It is a structural component for bearing and should always be used in a situation like this and with rafters. To address the seams of the OSB lower seams you can used plywood clips.
Zack , you might want to consider pallet shrink wrap the rolls have two thousand feet on them. start at the bottom .on the bottom sheet spray some of the 3 m spray glue for a tack strip anchor in place on on end, unroll holding tighte on wrap go to the other end continue on the inside come back a round do it again then slowly go up the side over lapping so that any rain or snow will drip down with out getting to osb. same as a shingle roof go all the way to the top do the other side the shrink wrap will stick together. for longevity consider paint . i have seen pallets left out side for years some body spray painted that are still dry. cheap one man can do it. the russian on you tube built a dome that was faboulous . i think advako was his name.
Instead of OSB on bottom of sides; I would use Zip system & add their rain screen instead. This way if tarp is not large enough, the snow will hit rain screen and not be getting OSB wet.
Dear Zack on your joints I would have cut some 12 inch pieces of of 3 inch ply wood and then glue and then screw them to the inside of the joints as well as mitering the pieces to be joined at 30 degrees approx at the ends making the joint flow into the next piece very smoothly .This way when applying the osb it would fit flatly on the arch and making the whole structure stronger. .....If you wish cut 2 strips of plywood say about 2 feet long each and miter each end at say 30 degrees then cut another piece say 1 foot long and glue it and screw it to the 2 pieces of wood and let stand over nite..LOL dont be shy with the screws I prefer drywall screws for this .Following day try breaking it.and when you double it up with your spacers then you will have a solid joint and a solid shed ...Also using 2 1\2 inch drywall screws will work well 3" robertson wood screws would work as well for the blocks....THE RIDGE POLE My answer is it will keep the osb from sagging and each year its up the osb will sag even more so at least for this one try taking some 3 inch 3\4 strapping and cutting them to match the angle of the roof at the peak and gluing and screwing them together on the edge for the peak and then cut each one to fit in between your struts.You'll need 5 and use the truck to put them in .As well when you screw them in calculate the thickness of the strapping and the osb and use the appropriate screws and do it from the inside.. I would also use 3 inch strips of plywood and cover every joint with them ...No sagging ever ....Good Luck on your next one.
I am thinking of building one of these now. Thank you. A simple protection for osb is just to paint it with a good exterior paint. I'm thinking that if I do build one I want to dig a small ditch and level up some cinder blocks open end up around the perimeter for the baseboards to rest on. I could then drill holes in the baseboards and cement in all thread with a j-hook at the bottom and secure the baseboards with a nut and washer. But it will be cemented into the hole in the cinder block. I was also thinking maybe I might butt the bows up to a 2 x 6 at the ridge, but all these ideas kind of blow the budget well above $500 huh? To get screws along the top from the outside, we're just gonna have to either use a ladder or screw on foot boards to climb the wall itself. Whether we roof it or paint it, this is still going to have to be done. Great project, thank you for sharing.
Tents you buy come with holes and pegs for every 3ft, and the should be a block under every Rib. on the rib joints do them flush and use a plywood gusset
Zack, did you consider putting the blocks flat between the 1x4s (1.5 in dimension)? It would have fit onto a 2x piece of dimension lumber on edge at the base. Was there another design consideration for using them on the side (3.5 in dimension). It seems to me that the ribs would be stronger with the blocks on the flat and less liable to split as did happen where stresses accumulated.
I believe the issue with your sill plate ‘bowing’ at the splice isnt from the size of the rocks (or location) used for support but the fact that sill plate is on the ‘flat’. In a typical house build on a foundation, the sill plate would be supported along its entire length vs ‘bridged’ between supports. Either turning them 90 degs and/or building a type of beam or using a beam type of material (more $$) would alleviate that issue (and its not a ‘problem’ really unless its to the extent that its causing issues with the walls as well) I was surprised that tarp held up as well as it did, Ive used the same type here on the ‘Wet Coast’ and found it only really slows the rain down vs stopping it completely from coming inside... maybe having the OSB backing or yours has helped vs mine as free floating between supports (mine is made from 2” EMT electrical conduit so being an electrician with the availability to access a hydraulic bender AND purchase at wholesale price was my deciding factor) So now, take that Zombie Jeep, hook up the boat and go enjoy some time on the water with your family. Keep doing what you’re doing!
:-) thanks for the insight WyrGuy. The ZJ and boat are gonna have to wait a while, only had a few days up there this time and it might be a while before next. Big things are coming though
Hi Zack, I'm Zach! I've been watching your videos on this series and I appreciate the time and effort you and your crack team of elite special forces (the A-TEAM???) of videographers have put into doing this. I'm not a builder myself, neither professional nor amateur, but as I was watching I noticed a number of things that stuck out to me just in my gut saying "that's not going to work out so well, but I hope I'm wrong!" BUT... without reading through all the comments, I'm not going to assume that I'm the only one who caught these things. My first thought was, however, that using the 3/4" plywood strips when the plans typically call for single pieces of wood, and then having to overlap the strips because of having two 8' sections instead of 16' single sections - not going to work out so well. But, since I'm the guy who tries to do everything Overkill the first time - if the plan says "Holds up to 200 pounds..." I want to BUILD it to 400 pounds! - I would have personally used the 16 foot strips of the original material called for, used TWO strips of the material for each of the inner and outer arch, over-built the jig, and glued and screwed everything. But that's just me. I grew up watching The A-TEAM and how they constructed stuff, and I kinda try to go that route with things. But, I also make furniture out of cardboard, so... there's that, too. Anyway, I want to be extremely positive to you, I really appreciate your "trial and error" and "this is what I should do next time" approach. I learned some things from you in addition to just being entertained, and I always appreciate that as well. Also when talking about "Christ alone, Cornerstone..." and you got a little "preachy" so to speak, that was GREAT! I'm the Worship Pastor of our fellowship here, and I've used that song in the worship set a few weeks ago! So, thanks for not cutting out that bit. Anyway, you are doing great work on your videos, I genuinely look forward to more educational content, and may God bless your ventures and future projects. We truly are "the weak made strong in the Savior's love..." if we allow Jesus Christ to be our Cornerstone. God bless you and your family, in Christ, Pastor Zach Winchester Upper Room Fellowship Great Bend, Kansas
Hey Zach thanks for the comment! There are certainly ways in which this shed could've been built stronger but I was continually assessing as I went and think that it'll hold up ok for a few years (which is really all I'm hoping for out of it). Glad to hear that the Cornerstone comment resonated with you, it's pretty amazing to me how that tiny profession of faith has impacted quite a few people. Pretty cool what He can do with just a little bit of obedience :)
Zack Of All Trades Amen, Brother! It just goes to show how far faith as a mustard seed - or the expression thereof - can really go! I'm enjoying your videos, and look forward to more. But if you need some encouragement, feel free to contact me directly through the UA-cam messenger. I have so many ideas I want to build on from tiny homes on up -and down - and being Off-Grid and the stewardship & homesteading lifestyle. Also, I'm "obsessed" with pallets as building material, too. Anyway, God bless and continue to cover you! Pastor Zach
Zach, I've been following your series. The point at which you talked about the Cornerstone is the point I was encouraged to subscribe. May the Lord bless your family and your work.
@@cecilmadden Zack uses the "ck" spelling, I use the "ch" spelling because I'm a Zachariah. But Zack making the mention of his faith is where I subscribed, too!
They have little clips that go between the OSB to stabilize the joint from warping and unevenness. Pressure treated wood at foundation, and one row of treated plywood would be helpful. Of coarse it raises the price, but I would call it an investment! Regardless, mission accomplished! Great job, just get out there and do something right!
500$ is cheap when you consider you can spend 200$ on a tent that leaks. Trying to cover 4 times the sqft and have it last longer than a week I'd say you were successful. I'm sure with a roofing upgrade you could get 5 years without a massive failure. I think I'd spend a little more skip the osb, and use corrugated roofing steel if it wasn't exposed to snow loads. But it's probably
A ridge pole gives stability. You can, from the inside use 2Xs one on either side, with a center tie in. That can be done from inside. The shingles are going to add weight. Hope that helps.
interesting points ,if anyone else trying to find out backyard storage sheds plans try *WoodBlueprints. Com* Ive heard some decent things about it and my colleague got cool success with it.
Hello again. I can say that I'm 6ft tall and at that time about 240 lbs when I built mine from 3/8's ply I had no problems getting on the roof for roofing But I did leave the jigs up that held the cap boards in place. This type of arch holds a lot of weight . lol
Hi. I'm a norwegian carpenter. I like your projekt. I'm going to make one myself, but I'll going to make it a permanent building. So no plywood in my constrution. ☺
That ridgepole is not needed on your construction( do I spell that right?) because of the plywood sheath. They make it steardy enough. And you do not have to add more materials because it will make the building more heavy and you will have to continue adding till its like a permanent building. Its fine as it is.
That 2x4 in the bottom should have been dobbel, and standing instead of laying on the side if you understand, that way it would have carried the weigth of the arches regardless how the stones was placed. ☺ And you should mounted screws in the arches to the bottom 2x4.
Roofing felt is the solution to make it waterproof and it will let the building breath. Its much better then plastic materials. And cheap I presume. Its cheap here in Norway, so I guess its cheap in usa to. ☺
That was my advice as a carpenter.
Anyway, a good projekt, so I'm going to use the idee myself.
Ps, its smart to use some glue, like wood glue, when you make the arches. And as you pointed out, longer screws.
Sven.
Thanks for the input Svent, I appreciate it
You could put 2x4 cleats on the outside to climb up the side to screw in the OSB. Throw a safety line over the top from the other side if you are afraid of falling. You can secure it to your truck on the far side you are climbing.
This may sound crazy but you could build yourself a ladder that is shaped like your roof. Just build two more of the half trusses, but connect them 2 foot apart with runner steps. Use 2X4 for the steps and put a step every 12 inches like a standard extension ladder. Pre-cut/Rip the steps so you have a flat surface to stand on and not the corner edge of the 2X4. Maybe add in an X brace on the back side on the bottom 3 foot of the ladder and again at the top 3 foot of it. For stability. It will lay perfectly against your roof and you can get to the top to screw in more screws to secure the OSB better, from the outside. I am sure the top 3 foot of the roof and the bottom 3 foot are the flattest non-arching places on it, so the X braces should lay flat against those spots.
Just an idea.
That's a neat idea
You can always build a better mouse trap but, you have to start some where. The next shed will be better built never give up. Thank you Zack for the update looking good so far.
I absolutely agree Scruffy, the next will be even better :-)
Thank you for sharing this. I don't think a lot of people really examine how they could improve their next structure or how others can learn both from your successes, and from places you would improve it on the next go round. Thank you so much =)
None the less, it is a prototype, so with all the lessons learned, you are still ahead, IMHO.
Cheers from Tokyo!
I would tend to agree :-)
I'm sure a lot of people are going to leave negative/hateful comments but I am not .
What I'd like to do is applaud you for being so kind as to show us a few of your issues and then telling us some suggestions as to how you'd probably correct them next time . Now what i've gained from all of this is the inspiration to build one myself, i'm not saying i'm gonna do it better or cheaper or anything like that, but what I've gained is the inspiration.
I'm in New Mexico at 8000ft i get tons of wind and lots of snow during the winter and i need just a little something to store my backhoe inside of to keep the U.V. and snow from destroying all my hydraulic lines, pistons rams ,tires ect.......
Thank You
Hey Fryingsquirrel
A+ for your effort and honesty....Great job..
Thanks Ron!
With out a ridge pole your osb will eventual sag at the ridge. And between your sheathing you should have added "H" clips as those joints will also sag over time. But as a replacement you can screw a 2x4 on the flat along the joint. As for your 2x4 sagging at the bottom. For your next shed you should consider using a 3 ply 2x6 pressure treated on edge as a beam. It would reduce the chance of sagging and give you more rot resistance. I am a carpenter by trade and everything you said you would do next time is spot on. Keep up the good work.
Further more I appreciate the fact that you openly admit to the fact that you are learning as you go, there are far too many hacks out there talking like they know what they are doing, and giving bad instuctions. You have my respect.
Hi Adam, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your considerate constructive criticism. My aim is not to purport that I'm the expert, rather to show how I did it including the wins and failures in the hope that folks can learn from my mistakes as well as to see that an average Joe can take on projects like this as long as due caution is employed. Thanks again, the respect is mutual.
Adam is correct as to the sagging and adding cleats. The Gothic arch is a very strong and stable design. but take a small note from stone arches of similar shape. The keystone at the top is what locks it all together. While the osb sheathing fills part of that function, the ridge beam would complete it.
No ridge pole. That defeats the purpose of a dome. When the snow pushes down, the dome pushes back. A ridge pole would stop the push back. Understand? This is really, really good. Also, if you hang the triangles from the top, you can have a loft. Hey, pulling down from the inside or pushing down from the top MAKES IT STRONGER.
I might have used BoraCare on the outside.
I am wanting a loft one end. I can hide from the wife while I'm drinking. And there's so much area.
I like this thing.
The Ridge Beam, would add structural support to the roof, and allow for a stronger structure overall. As you can see, from your own build, you made it work. A Ridge Beam would act like the your spine, as a connection point for the ribs. The Gothic Arch is just a boat hull upside down. So the Ridge Beam is the Keel and the arches are the Ribs/Frames. The major benefit to the ridge is load bearing across the arch span. So as snow build in one area, that weight can be distributed to the other arches. Also I really glad you caught the Point Load issue with the Sill Plate an the Arches rock placement.
Just to let you know, I really enjoyed the 3 videos of the series, and you inspired me to design a shed in the same design, except mine will have a finished front and read wall with doors and will sit on a raised platform, also the arches will be set atop a knee wall of 3ft. I have planes drawn up for the framing and construction. and will be covered with standard asphalt shingles. I will be installing this into southeastern Colorado in the coming months, and it will server as office and living quarters while I construct a new home on family property.
Awesome! I'd love to see your project at any stage zackofalltradesdiy@gmail.com
Sent you an email with a drawing attached.
Zach you did Awesome with 500ish dollars. Nice work again be proud!
Thanks a lot, Joe. I am quite proud of it!
I really appreciate you taking the effort to do a thorough review!
I am in Toronto Canada and i built my arched greenhouse in 2015 mine cost $200 12 ft x12 ft x 11 ft high. It withstand 5th year ice storms as low -35°. Wind won't blow it away and i only had covered with plastic 6mm polyurethane we had many over 100km/hr winds that knocked out trees powerlines its scary but it did no damages. I made a base sq frame for the arch structure its sitting directly on the ground 2x4x12 and i sealed frame water seal paint its been over 5 yrs now and still amazing shape no water Damage to the base frame. You dont need to anchor it lol it wont blow away the arch shaped is known perfect to handle wind flow. As for snow we had 5th winter IT HAS NOT MOVED over 6 feet Toronto north im in snow belt. As for 2x4 sq blocks i would suggest to cut 1ft instead of 4 inches it will give more support space to drill into & best to seal it as well. That 1 block could have gotten wet & it will turn to ice, then expand it will cause the block to crack.
I am building a permanent cottage same structure but it will be 24ft x 60 ft x 23 ft high. Off grid Tobermory Ontario Canada this 2019 2020.
I also built some greenhouses and garage sheds. 14x20 foot. They hold up so well with greenhouse polly. Here in BC, we also get a fair bit of snow. Sometimes piles up around 8 feet on the sides where the snow slides off! Any progress on the cottage? Still thinking of building it? It's really a beautiful design. I am planning to design a house as well. Maybe smaller, like 18x20 with a loft. Best wishes!
the ridge beam adds stiffness from racking ,a platfom in the bed on your truck is your rolling scaffold.metal herricane clips are what keeps the osb edges together they slide on when you put the sheathing on
You did a great job and you're a perfectionist,.. always questioning your decisions. Like a true artist! You arent alone.
As far as the base, use a 5 gallon bucket with concrete and use a cut 4x4 to replace blocks that break. Wish the zoning laws in our county would let me build something this reasonable. Nice job.
My sons and I built a truck camper out of wood (no videos of it). We used pressure treated 1X6 decking for the frame and 3/8 plywood for the exterior walls and roof. Painted the roof with Aluminum Roof Coating, like you coat a mobile home roof with (3 coats) and then 3 coats of 30 year Elastomeric White Roof Coating. Then we painted the sides with (2 coats) Kilz primer and Gliddens Oil Based Porch and Deck paint (3 Coats). It is about 8 years old and when I wash it, it looks brand new. I wash it with a 5 gallon bucket of water, 1/4 cup bleach and 3 tablespoons of dish soap. That truck camper holds 6 ten foot kayaks inside it and all our camping gear. Then when it is unloaded, it sleeps 5 adults. No bathroom or kitchen. It is a Utility Hauler Camper. We spent about $2,500 to $3,000 to build it. The interior is Luan 4X8 panels with indoor/outdoor carpet stapled to it.
Sounds cool!
If you turn the 2x4 block so the grain runs from inside to outside so turn it a quarter turn each way so they won't split from the pressure or force pulling it apart and more surface area would make it stronger. It seems like everyone who builds one of these runs them the same way and they split.
On the trusses turn your 2x4 so the screws are going into the exposed grain ends, like when building a standard wall; for a little more security in case of splitting. Also I would rotate the 2x4 so that it matched the plywood plates widths; this would make twisting of the plywood trusses a little harder. As for the roof, you can get a couple of rolls of ice and water. Its similar to tar paper but has a sticky side that would adhere to the OSB. But all in all I would say great job. This could easily be made into a temporary cabin, Love it!
Thanks for the suggestions Kevin, I like the idea of the sticky sided tar paper.
I wouldn't worry so much about the ride board, but definitely I would use collar ties on all the bents. 2x4's both sides, down about 6 feet and tied at the ridge with plywood both sides for what your calling gussets. A little trick I've used for waterproofing is a quick coat of black foundation coat. Holds up really well. Really nice prototype. Enjoyed the very well made video, Liam Ontario.
Hey thanks Liam, that's kind of what it was intended to be, a useful prototype/learning experience. I'm much better equipped to build the next one now :)
The overlap of those joints is supported only by the shear strength of your fasteners. The arch is transferring compressive load down those trusses.
For your joints on the frames you might consider butting them for a smoother transition. Get a 2x6x12 and cut it down with the arch to traverse the joint. That should be stronger than an overlap. The last block at the peak should be that way too. Also consider not having both the inside and outside joints be at the same place. By using an 8 footer on one side and a 10 footer on the other you stager your joints.
Zack, I'm no expert in this type of project but I think you've done a great job for the first attempt and taking onboard the constructive comments plus your own points that need attention your practical there. I don't know what the difference in price in OSB and exterior ply is there in the states but I think that's what I would have used, but not butting it edge to edge I would overlap the edges it so any water runs off. If the tarp was a little bigger both in length and width so that all the edges where covered you would have little to no problems with wood getting wet for now. You did say at the start of the project it was temporary and some comments don't seem to take that onboard. Just my 5 cents worth as you would say but good job, and good video series. Gary.
LOL don't worry about negative comments you did a fantastic job ! Looks fine your boat doesn't have 3' of snow in it so you did fine!!!👍
Nah, not worried at all because you're exactly right, my boat doesnt have a pile of snow on it (like it did last winter) and it's very effective
Thanks for the update and pointing out any flaws. Experience is only really gained by making mistakes. Most things are over engineered nowadays, hence the expense. Great videos and humble enough to highlight mistakes and admit to them.
Thanks a lot Dhen Bhoy I really appreciate your comment.
Hay man it withstood a tough winter.. I'm impressed
Thanks Johhny
Awesome job awesome job thank you for the great idea that is so simple but very functional...you did a super job and did it by yourself. My hats off to you buddy I have been building for 50 years and I love what you did here and thank you for sharing....God Bless....
Thanks a lot Tom
Zack of All I appreciate this hindsight video and the comments. I want to build a small one for two cars and a large one for a barn. I love the look of a Gothic Arch. Thank you for giving me the hope/inspiration to give it a go!
Great Zack...I'm glad to see it all worked out...thanks.
Thanks Ivan.
Dear Zack, my compliments on your posts. Like your honesty.
Keep up posting. 👊
Greetings from the Netherlands.
Great shed and musical choice.
Once again... a great project..
All in all, seems like it held up fine
I think so
That last shot was worth it
I think this is awesome boat shed idea I would like to try build this 😁 thank you for the videos
Thanks for watching, Googoo!
Trash Haulin’ Herk dog? 97-07 Motorhead here. Beautiful spot brother. Keep up the good work, I dig the shed.
Lol That's cool af! I love the truss/beam. I used osb on my house for collar ties at the peak. They haven't moved in 18 years. I have to do this build.
Thank You
Good Day
Hey I'm glad you enjoyed it! Good Day to you as well.
I think if you use a canvas soaked in cementitious mud (sand cement mixture) and cover the structure while it is wet and let it dry, you end up with a low cost roofing material. Screw it at every arch 2’ 0” on center. Start with a 4’ or 6’ strip along the bottom and overlap the top portion at vertical and horizontal joints by at least 3”.
Thats a good idea
Hey Zack! It's a $500 shed!! It stood up very well so far with only the slightest signs of wear and tear! And it seems that it will hold up for quite some time! Great job! If you want to set it on some cinder blocks, you can find free cinder blocks all over the place!
Good point, thanks Michael
Don’t stop, don’t stop. Thx man
Job well done, and your good enough of a person to openly admit your not a expert at this, so kudos to you. I personally think for a temporary building it's perfect.
Thanks a lot Zeke, I agree that it’s just what the Dr. ordered for a temp structure.
Hi Zack, Thank you for sharing your creation with us. The ridge beam will get your top together, but you will have more disadvantages because of it. For your purpose is overdue. You have to transport it, your structure will become heavier on top, you will struggle to put it in place, you need a lot of big screws and holes for them, your screws(from inside upwards) will punch your watertight foil... You better forget about it and have a better solution which combines all the advantages, with only one disadvantage- you should climb the ridge. I would do it with pieces of ridge sheets/plates (galvanized or painted steel) pre-bent for a convenient shape and size and attached from outside, combined with some extra gussets that close the ridge triangle from inside. No need for triangular gussets. This way, you will cover all your concerns. Have fun!!
Thanks a lot Sorin, I appreciate the input. Thank you for watching!
I find it great that you go back over everything and critique yourself. A lot of people leave you hanging with lots of mysteries.
This I think is awesome it really made me think that I want to do this for an rv cover
Nothing like the deafness of Tranquility to refocus on what's important is our lives. Awesome build.
That is the truth, so nice to get rid of all the noise.
Hey sport, you may want to consider coating your OSB with Latex driveway sealer, min 5 coats, caulk or batten the seams . Application and drying time is quick. tested this on a small shed , 2 summers before first chips started to peel up. Your results may vary.
Also open edges of any sheeting are susceptible to getting damp and weakening, should be framed on some fashion to help with integrity.
Have fun
Ok sir 1st of all I love your videos and you are a very lucky man! You have a Beautiful Family and a Beautiful piece of property! As to your shed build.... Don't let chat get to you! It's your shed/house and your reasons to build this way were stated in video 1! Yes there is always other ways to do things. You could have built a Million dollar house and people would tell you to do stuff another way. My point is you wanted to build a $500 shed and you did an amazing job of it and you made some amazing videos for us to watch, learn from and inspire us!!! Thank you so much!
Darren, thanks a lot for your kind comment! I agree, it doesn't matter what you build if you put it on UA-cam someone will complain about it and tell you how bad/dangerous/ugly etc. it is. The truth is that MOST of the people who take the time to comment are perfectly kind like yourself, I just enjoy having dialogue even with those that aren't. Thanks again! ~Z
How nice of you to show how it's holding up, personally I never doubted it would... hell for another $500 bucks you could have the shell of a nice cabin!
I agree!
It was great to see it play out, in real testing conditions. I'd be tempted to renovate it, to make improvements. Like, digging and pouring concrete footings. Not spanning the entire length, but supporting under each purlin, as you said. I'd hire scaffolding for a weekend - make it a long weekend, and put the support beam, up top. That way you can put pressure on the roof, to attach metal sheeting, directly on the plyboard. Actually, you might want a waterproof layer, between the ply and roofing. Trust me, extra insulation, will help preserve the contents, during the heat of summer.
For $500 you made a good start. But even if you spent $500 more, it's still a cheap storage area. Thanks for sharing the progress.
Thanks for checking out my progress, Chris. Good suggestions for sure but since this shed is over 1000 miles from where I currently live, those improvements are gonna have to wait a bit. Will definitely keep your input in mind when the time comes!
Like Jeff said, use bags of quickcrete as bases, you could put a bag under each arch base, AND you could drive rebar through the base wood into the quickcrete bag and when it hardens, the rebar is tied to the quickcrete and the ground.
That's a fantastic idea!
I liked the way you did the beams: just plywood and 2x4 blocks - and it is still super strong. Great thinking.
thanks Allbbrz, I appreciate that.
I know bolts cost more, but would be much stronger than a long screw to hold the arches together. You are so honest and down to earth. Great videos.
Hi Zack, I enjoyed the update to your video. I want to share what I have used for decades with great success. Most people are familiar with the steel tube frame Costco carports. I have used those carports for my nursery greenhouses for no less than 15 years. They are segmented so you can make them as long as you want, you can anchor them to concrete blocks for a foundation.
I have 4 mil U.V. coated greenhouse plastic on it. You buy it by the roll. After 15 years it's still as soft and pliable as the day I put it on. Being clear plastic it lets in tons of light so I can see inside. It's also nice and warm and melts off the snow very well.
The cost is very low. I've gotten costco frames for free but most people can buy used frames from $25 to $50. The plastic was $175. My greenhouse is sitting on the plastic and I have lined it on the inside with cinder blocks two high and used steel contractor stakes on the outside, 6 of them, and lashed the entire structure criss cross with nylon cord to those stakes. So it has the weight of the greenhouse, the plastic and the cinder blocks all holding it down, plus the tie downs.
It has withstood gale force winds and 7 foot snow. Granted, when I got that much snow, I went inside the greenhouse with a broom and pushed up to get the snow off every two feet or so.
Your friend,
Steve
wow that seems like lots less work! lol Glad to hear from you Steve!
The least I would have done was paint the OSB with oil based paint, edges included. Then put the tarp on over. I have a 8 X 8 shed made completely with OSB with only paint on the walls and this is it's 5th winter with no issues. The roof does have asphalt shingles, but the walls are fully exposed to the weather. Make sure to paint the edges, they soak up water and swell the quickest.
Good point MM, I'll add that to my list of improvements for next time :-)
Even exterior latex, and people give it away on Craigslist all the time, or they to take v to hazardous waste disposal, so maybe get it there too.
Two sides of my house are over 20 years old and were never coated or covered by anything. No major issues yet even I our harsh Wisconsin winters.
Zack great to see you at the shed again. I always find doing things by yourself changes how you build. Being a one man show on this build without equipment like a lift or tractor really dictates the build. The fact it's standing is a testament to your design. I always hate being an armchair quarterback, with that being said the things you pointed out are easy retro fits. The thing about your choice of using a tarp the snow never gets a chance to build up on the structure so snow load doesn't even become a factor. Having lived in a wall tent for 3 years as I built my cabin many times I would need to shove the snow off sooooooo your choice of design really was a wise choice for an unattended building in snow country. As far as the arches I probably would have but jointed the plywood supported with at least 6 inches of 2x4 on either side of the plywood joint but there I go armchair quarterbacking. Great job to protect your stuff. Take care my friend. Look forward to your next build.
Thanks Blake, in my view there's two kinds of "armchair QBs" the constructive considerate ones and the braggadocios useless ones. Thanks for being the former! Until next time ~Z
Can't wait to help you
As long as your stuff was sheltered, you are conceivably, dollars ahead. Your task now, with better weather ahead, is make improvements. I would make cement forms with old spackle pails and threaded rod, to hold you sill plate up off the ground. Depending on local building codes, you may be subject to taxation if you go much further.
Good suggestions, the biggest problem is that it's over 1000 miles away from where I currently live so It'll have to take care of itself for a while :-)
You can halt the splitting of the column joiner blocks, by laminating them in plywood. You don't need much; maybe 1/4" on each side, glued with carpenter's glue and clamped while they set. Set the primary grain direction (the outer layers' grain direction) across the grain of the blocks. That will hold the grain tightly together and prevent splitting.
That's really cool, I wouldn't have thought of that!
Happy to help!
In new construction, you could pre-laminate the blocks before you cut them from the boards, which will make the whole process easier.
The design is strong the ridge blocks added keeps your structure from racking over time this building will move and shift especially since your not properly anchored to the ground will eventually collapse over time due to structural failure with the snow load and the ground always being moist I would also suggest laying down some gravel or some local small rocks like a cobble stone to keep the area from saturation . i absolutely love the design with a few modifications it will last forever.
The real purpose of a ridge BEAM, ridge posts are the vertical members in each gable that support the ridge beam, is to give the top plumb cuts of each rafter something solid to bear on, instead of the rafter across from it when the roof is loaded. It's not really necessary in your application since your rafters aren't substantial enough to offer much strength in that direction. Certainly not more than what is supplied by the OSB sheathing fasteners and the arch itself. Also, an "H" shaped metal plywood clip is used in the OSB seams between rafters to prevent deflection, but the ridge in no way is used to prevent racking by being fastened to the OSB roof sheathing. Actually the sheathing is usually cut back an inch and a half from the ridge, so the roof system can have ridge vent installed. And yes, I'm a carpenter. All you need to mitigate racking is the OSB sheathing itself with the vertical seams staggered. We do install gable bracing on homes, but that doesn't apply here either as your gables are open and don't incur wind loads.
Good info, thanks Jeremy
Awesome project on a budget .The cracked block take some scrap osb glue it good to the side no screws just clamp it. use wood glue rated for outdoor use. Great job I Would challenge anyone to build it stronger and cheaper. Thanks for sharing
Pretty cool shed. Should try to recycle and use pallets next time, can make one for basiclly free. But all in all looks like it’s holding up pretty good 👍🏻
Although sheathing provides all of the longitudinal support you need (stopping the arches falling like dominoes) I think a ridgepole would act like a hinge point locking the arches not just together at the top, but also because they are pinned at the bottom- making the building much stiffer, and thus stronger.
Then adding your sheathing piles further strength upon that then exting stiffness.
It held up, be interesting to see how long it last into spring summer. I think if you can keep the OSB dry with a new tarp next time it will give you a few years. If you can keep that dry your materials can be used for other projects around there.
I was thinking the same thing about a hide a key lol!
I agree
Did you fix you rocks with a truck jack. Lift and replace rocks?
Thanks for the update.
Did you consider painting the shed or maybe using the "poor man's fiberglass" approach of material and paint?
I actually did have somebody suggest poor man's fiberglass, it sounds pretty neat
I'm about to perches some land to build me a off grid place so I appreciate your insight thanks
I hope it was helpful
The overall design looks great, and honestly, I think you covered all the 'flaws' (20/20 hindsight is amazing, right), looking back at any project you really notice all of the things that could be better or different.
Add a bit of cash for the next build, and build it based on all the changes you have worked out from looking at the prototype (cause this was a prototype, and you really engineered pretty well overall. I really think that I could build such a barn/outbuilding for about a $1000, after watching this video, and it would last for many years.
Thanks a lot Randal, I appreciate the compliment :-)
Glad to see another video on this. I was curious about how the building was doing. You caught probably more than I would have. All in all I think you did a good job with the build.
Thanks Mephusto, glad to hear from you!
I just can't stop thinking of vinyl siding run up to a point and shingles above that. Kind of depends on cost I would suppose. Drip edge was also mentioned elsewhere in the comments - I would second that.
I have finished mine. You can find a short video I posted on some of the modifications/addition I have made. Just now starting the big doors. I hope to keep an opening over 12 feet wide for vehicle entry/exit. Thanks for your inspiration.
Good job 👏
Well, I watched it all the way through .. very nice creation, despite any flaws. I still like my cattle panel Quonset hut for the price, but those gothic arches, they do look nice :)
Thanks Jason. Incidentally, I checked on it recently when I was up North and it’s holding up nicely, just needed a new tarp which I happily applied.
Nice follow up.
BTW your man mane is looking pretty good.
Thanks Greasemonkey, It kind of has a personality all it's own!
I would have used Cinder blocks and level them. Also that tarp,I have had them go bad with UV light. They just do not last.
I have used bags of Quickcrete left in the bag as bases for things on the ground. They slowly turn to concrete as moisture penetrates. Nice large footprint and cheap.
Very good idea, thanks Jeff
Concrete blocks are super cheap and are flat and easy to level. I would set the base plate on the blocks and use plumbing strap or something similar to tie the structure to them.
I'm just guessing, but you'll probably need to put your trusses on 24 inch centers or less to keep your osb from warping.
I wonder how a spray undercoat would stick to the outside of the osb...
also they make little aluminum clips to keep the osb lined up with each other on the seams where they butt together.
Zack, Your question about the bending stress in the members is very easy to answer, because stress and and strain are precisely correlated and the relationship is linear. So, you look for the strain, and bending strain shows up by how much the plywood is bent or curved. You want even stress/strain. If your curvature is constant, your stress is constant. Some of your joints appear to have a bit of extra bend where the two pieces overlap. This is extra stress/strain. Some do not. Going back to your second episode, it is easy to see that this was introduced when you tied the pieces together with the spacer blocks. And your broken spacer block is evidence of a place where the stress was relieved by that breakage. Screwing the OSB down to the overlapped area might have caused additional stress.
Your use of a piece to scab two pieces in a butt joint would have avoided some of that issue.
But as you can easily see, the thing actually works, and it looks cool. Gives me ideas about how to make my own car shelter. Thanks.
My aim was not to show the perfect build as I'm clearly learning as I go, but if I've given you some ideas to try out I'll call it a success!
Quikrete! Great idea!
Roll roofing is pretty cheep and fast. Not as much of a cost savings as the tarp but it covered lots of our farm outbuildings as a kid.
You can save the spacer blocks with some 4” screws from the bottom but I would predrill so you don’t split them.
Oh yeah, use edge metal for the roofing, it will protect the edge of the osb. If you cut the face edge evert foot it will follow the curve of the roof. Using left and right tin snips will automatically tuck the lower piece if you practice a minute.
I think you will find that the bottom sheet will be the only damage after one season. Get a better edge detail and a real roof and it will last you for years.
Thanks Eric
What you are talking about is a ridge board. It is different than a ridge beam. It is a structural component for bearing and should always be used in a situation like this and with rafters. To address the seams of the OSB lower seams you can used plywood clips.
Zack , you might want to consider pallet shrink wrap the rolls have two thousand feet on them. start at the bottom .on the bottom sheet spray some of the 3 m spray glue for a tack strip anchor in place on on end, unroll holding tighte on wrap go to the other end continue on the inside come back a round do it again then slowly go up the side over lapping so that any rain or snow will drip down with out getting to osb. same as a shingle roof go all the way to the top do the other side the shrink wrap will stick together. for longevity consider paint . i have seen pallets left out side for years some body spray painted that are still dry. cheap one man can do it. the russian on you tube built a dome that was faboulous . i think advako was his name.
Yes, Advako is an insane Russian building machine! Inspired from you too Zack!
Instead of OSB on bottom of sides; I would use Zip system & add their rain screen instead. This way if tarp is not large enough, the snow will hit rain screen and not be getting OSB wet.
Dear Zack on your joints I would have cut some 12 inch pieces of of 3 inch ply wood and then glue and then screw them to the inside of the joints as well as mitering the pieces to be joined at 30 degrees approx at the ends making the joint flow into the next piece very smoothly .This way when applying the osb it would fit flatly on the arch and making the whole structure stronger. .....If you wish cut 2 strips of plywood say about 2 feet long each and miter each end at say 30 degrees then cut another piece say 1 foot long and glue it and screw it to the 2 pieces of wood and let stand over nite..LOL dont be shy with the screws I prefer drywall screws for this .Following day try breaking it.and when you double it up with your spacers then you will have a solid joint and a solid shed ...Also using 2 1\2 inch drywall screws will work well 3" robertson wood screws would work as well for the blocks....THE RIDGE POLE My answer is it will keep the osb from sagging and each year its up the osb will sag even more so at least for this one try taking some 3 inch 3\4 strapping and cutting them to match the angle of the roof at the peak and gluing and screwing them together on the edge for the peak and then cut each one to fit in between your struts.You'll need 5 and use the truck to put them in .As well when you screw them in calculate the thickness of the strapping and the osb and use the appropriate screws and do it from the inside.. I would also use 3 inch strips of plywood and cover every joint with them ...No sagging ever
....Good Luck on your next one.
Thank yo very much for the good suggestions.
I am thinking of building one of these now.
Thank you.
A simple protection for osb is just to paint it with a good exterior paint.
I'm thinking that if I do build one I want to dig a small ditch and level up some cinder blocks open end up around the perimeter for the baseboards to rest on.
I could then drill holes in the baseboards and cement in all thread with a j-hook at the bottom and secure the baseboards with a nut and washer.
But it will be cemented into the hole in the cinder block.
I was also thinking maybe I might butt the bows up to a 2 x 6 at the ridge, but all these ideas kind of blow the budget well above $500 huh?
To get screws along the top from the outside, we're just gonna have to either use a ladder or screw on foot boards to climb the wall itself. Whether we roof it or paint it, this is still going to have to be done.
Great project, thank you for sharing.
Good suggestions 3dw, thanks.
I think as a temporary shelter, it did its job...well done...
Thanks stuart
“Doing stuff because I can’t stand to not do stuff” that sums up my passion
it's a disease!
Makes me wish I needed a shed!
Tents you buy come with holes and pegs for every 3ft, and the should be a block under every Rib. on the rib joints do them flush and use a plywood gusset
What thickness plywood did you use.. I could see this concept to make sections of a dome nice project.
Zack, did you consider putting the blocks flat between the 1x4s (1.5 in dimension)? It would have fit onto a 2x piece of dimension lumber on edge at the base. Was there another design consideration for using them on the side (3.5 in dimension). It seems to me that the ribs would be stronger with the blocks on the flat and less liable to split as did happen where stresses accumulated.
You can also turn the grain.....though screws don't hold in end grain quite as well
I agree
I believe the issue with your sill plate ‘bowing’ at the splice isnt from the size of the rocks (or location) used for support but the fact that sill plate is on the ‘flat’. In a typical house build on a foundation, the sill plate would be supported along its entire length vs ‘bridged’ between supports. Either turning them 90 degs and/or building a type of beam or using a beam type of material (more $$) would alleviate that issue (and its not a ‘problem’ really unless its to the extent that its causing issues with the walls as well) I was surprised that tarp held up as well as it did, Ive used the same type here on the ‘Wet Coast’ and found it only really slows the rain down vs stopping it completely from coming inside... maybe having the OSB backing or yours has helped vs mine as free floating between supports (mine is made from 2” EMT electrical conduit so being an electrician with the availability to access a hydraulic bender AND purchase at wholesale price was my deciding factor) So now, take that Zombie Jeep, hook up the boat and go enjoy some time on the water with your family. Keep doing what you’re doing!
:-) thanks for the insight WyrGuy. The ZJ and boat are gonna have to wait a while, only had a few days up there this time and it might be a while before next. Big things are coming though
Hi Zack, I'm Zach!
I've been watching your videos on this series and I appreciate the time and effort you and your crack team of elite special forces (the A-TEAM???) of videographers have put into doing this.
I'm not a builder myself, neither professional nor amateur, but as I was watching I noticed a number of things that stuck out to me just in my gut saying "that's not going to work out so well, but I hope I'm wrong!"
BUT... without reading through all the comments, I'm not going to assume that I'm the only one who caught these things.
My first thought was, however, that using the 3/4" plywood strips when the plans typically call for single pieces of wood, and then having to overlap the strips because of having two 8' sections instead of 16' single sections - not going to work out so well.
But, since I'm the guy who tries to do everything Overkill the first time - if the plan says "Holds up to 200 pounds..." I want to BUILD it to 400 pounds! - I would have personally used the 16 foot strips of the original material called for, used TWO strips of the material for each of the inner and outer arch, over-built the jig, and glued and screwed everything.
But that's just me. I grew up watching The A-TEAM and how they constructed stuff, and I kinda try to go that route with things. But, I also make furniture out of cardboard, so... there's that, too.
Anyway, I want to be extremely positive to you, I really appreciate your "trial and error" and "this is what I should do next time" approach. I learned some things from you in addition to just being entertained, and I always appreciate that as well.
Also when talking about "Christ alone, Cornerstone..." and you got a little "preachy" so to speak, that was GREAT! I'm the Worship Pastor of our fellowship here, and I've used that song in the worship set a few weeks ago! So, thanks for not cutting out that bit.
Anyway, you are doing great work on your videos, I genuinely look forward to more educational content, and may God bless your ventures and future projects.
We truly are "the weak made strong in the Savior's love..." if we allow Jesus Christ to be our Cornerstone.
God bless you and your family,
in Christ,
Pastor Zach Winchester
Upper Room Fellowship
Great Bend, Kansas
Hey Zach thanks for the comment! There are certainly ways in which this shed could've been built stronger but I was continually assessing as I went and think that it'll hold up ok for a few years (which is really all I'm hoping for out of it). Glad to hear that the Cornerstone comment resonated with you, it's pretty amazing to me how that tiny profession of faith has impacted quite a few people. Pretty cool what He can do with just a little bit of obedience :)
Zack Of All Trades
Amen, Brother!
It just goes to show how far faith as a mustard seed - or the expression thereof - can really go!
I'm enjoying your videos, and look forward to more. But if you need some encouragement, feel free to contact me directly through the UA-cam messenger.
I have so many ideas I want to build on from tiny homes on up -and down - and being Off-Grid and the stewardship & homesteading lifestyle. Also, I'm "obsessed" with pallets as building material, too.
Anyway, God bless and continue to cover you!
Pastor Zach
Zach, I've been following your series. The point at which you talked about the Cornerstone is the point I was encouraged to subscribe. May the Lord bless your family and your work.
@@cecilmadden
Zack uses the "ck" spelling, I use the "ch" spelling because I'm a Zachariah.
But Zack making the mention of his faith is where I subscribed, too!
They have little clips that go between the OSB to stabilize the joint from warping and unevenness. Pressure treated wood at foundation, and one row of treated plywood would be helpful. Of coarse it raises the price, but I would call it an investment! Regardless, mission accomplished! Great job, just get out there and do something right!
500$ is cheap when you consider you can spend 200$ on a tent that leaks. Trying to cover 4 times the sqft and have it last longer than a week I'd say you were successful. I'm sure with a roofing upgrade you could get 5 years without a massive failure. I think I'd spend a little more skip the osb, and use corrugated roofing steel if it wasn't exposed to snow loads. But it's probably
A ridge pole gives stability. You can, from the inside use 2Xs one on either side, with a center tie in. That can be done from inside. The shingles are going to add weight. Hope that helps.
Great!!
Thanks Robbis
Well It's a shed and good I might say. Everything line life is ongoing , you can add rocks , plastic and other stuff when the weather warms up.
Hey Zach! Where you been?! I would love to hear another update on the shed.
interesting points ,if anyone else trying to find out backyard storage sheds plans try *WoodBlueprints. Com* Ive heard some decent things about it and my colleague got cool success with it.
Zach. Your gusset plates would give you a slot for your ridge beam. Man I wish I could've helped you on this! No charge. Ray
Hello again. I can say that I'm 6ft tall and at that time about 240 lbs when I built mine from 3/8's ply I had no problems getting on the roof for roofing But I did leave the jigs up that held the cap boards in place. This type of arch holds a lot of weight . lol
Thanks for the encouragement Will. I'll be less wary of climbing on it next time I get the chance!