This will seem like a deja vu to some, but I'm about to build a new boat shed. The last one worked well, but having moved and left it behind, it needs to be replaced, and the time is just about here to start. I am more or less expecting to replicate the last one (Stimson bow shed) with a few tweaks, but figured I'd bounce some ideas around here before committing.
Lessons learned from the last shed include:
- Don't build on knee walls, since they're not as stable as mother earth
- Make it a little larger - 3' on either end isn't enough room for the accumulated clutter of a boat shop (at least not mine)
- Possibly have some way to see out - it's very odd to be in a building that has no sound deadening without being able to see what you're hearing
- Consider something more permanent than shrink-wrap, since this shed will likely see longer-term use
- The 300+ bolts were probably overkill - the shed should go together just fine with screws at each vertical/horizontal connection
Now for some thoughts on this next shed. I could just build a 44' long, 22' wide shed with 12 22' bows on 4' centres going to the ground, cover it with shrink wrap, and that would be that.
But there are a few problems with this.
- Stimson doesn't recommend doing bows of more than 20'.
- The space I have to build in is an old road bed, and it's 20' wide without clearing more than I'd like to.
- Still can't see out, and shrink wrap is at best a 4 year cover.
- Build a bow shed, but with stronger bows (1x4?), covered in polycarbonate sheets for windows and plywood for the rest.
- Build a conventional shed with straight walls and a truss roof, sheathing in plywood and using polycarbonate sheets for windows.
- Build a bow shed but with laminated bows, covered with plywood and polycarbonate.
- Build a bow shed with 20' bows and have it be a little on the narrow side at deck height for scaffolding, covered in polycarbonate and plywood.
- Something I haven't considered yet.
Perhaps the best bet is to build a shed with 20' bows like the last one and consider covering it differently down the road (when the plastic is nearing the end of it's useful life). Thinking about the distance between bows - 4' centres would work for most sheathings, as would 2' - 3' centres probably wouldn't. 4' centres seems kind of flimsy to me, especially for putting rigid (i.e. heavy) sheathing over...
Anyone have any thoughts they'd care to share?