Preparation

Selecting a location and marking

Depending on the purpose of the building, it is necessary to determine its dimensions and find a suitable location on the site.

Here the logic is like this:

• if you plan to use the room only for storing equipment and materials, a size of 3x4 or 3x3 meters will be enough for you;
• if you plan to also build a workshop, then it is better to take 3x6 meters.

We chose wood as the material for construction because we were satisfied with its price and ease of processing. Also taken into account was the fact that construction would not require wet processes, instead of which the parts would be quickly assembled using nails and screws.

If the site is new, you will need to rent a diesel generator for your dacha. This will solve the issue of powering the power tool and lighting.

Important! It is advisable that when standing near the barn, you can see the threshold of the house and the entrance. In addition, the utility block should not be too far from the house, since you will have to run there for firewood and other supplies, sometimes in the rain, sometimes at night.

Now you need to mark the site. To do this, we hammer in the pegs and pull the thread, making sure that all the angles are right and the diagonals match in length. It is better to orient it to the cardinal points so that the walls with windows face south, southeast or southwest.

Then you should remove the fertile layer of soil along with grass and turf. The resulting cleared area should be leveled, cleared of excess soil and debris and lightly compacted.

Excavation and foundation

So, any building needs a reliable foundation. We are building a barn in the country, not a castle, so the foundation should be lightweight and shallow.

Important! If the soil in your region is not heaving and the groundwater level is not too high, then it would be most appropriate to use a columnar type of foundation. If the soils are heaving or the groundwater level is higher than 1 meter, then it is better to opt for a strip structure.

We will assume that our soil is normal for central Russia, and we will stop at the pillars. For a building measuring 3x4 meters, it is enough to install 6 – 9 pillars (this depends on the thickness of the frame and the beams of the lower floor). We will put up 9 pillars.

1. So, 4 pillars in the corners, one exactly in the middle of each side of the rectangle and one at the intersection of the diagonals. We dig holes at these points measuring 40x40 cm and 50 cm deep;

1. Pour a gravel-sand mixture into the bottom of each hole and spill it with water.. Then we install formwork from plywood 30x30 cm with an extension above the ground level of at least 30 - 40 cm. We put a frame of 8 mm reinforcement into the formwork and tie vertical pins with threads with wire to fasten the timber, pour concrete;

1. Before concreting, using a hydraulic level, we mark the concrete pouring level inside each formwork so that the shortest column is at least 15 cm above the ground, and all columns (upper ends) are in the same horizontal plane. After concreting, we wait three days, then remove the formwork;

1. We cover the columns with bitumen primer, and after it dries - with bitumen mastic in 2 layers. After two days, the holes can be filled with clay. It is better to sprinkle the surface of the site with a sand-gravel mixture to the thickness of the previously selected fertile layer.

Important! Instead of concrete, you can use ceramic bricks, but a reinforced concrete structure will be stronger and more durable.

Construction of a barn

Now you can start building the barn itself.

You will have to work with your own hands, but in the case of working with wood, this is only a plus:

1. We make the bottom trim: we lay 150x150 mm timber around the perimeter of the pillars and crosswise inside the platform through the middle pillar. We put roofing felt, join it into half the tree, put it on the pins and tighten it with nuts, which should fit into the pre-cut countersinks;

1. We install racks (beam 100x100 mm), 3 meters high in front, 2 meters high in back. We put them on the pins with their lower end, level them and fix them on temporary jibs;

1. We make the top trim; to do this, we connect the racks along the perimeter with crossbars made of 100x100 mm timber at a level of 2 meters, and we connect the front racks to each other separately at a height of 3 meters. We fasten the beam with metal corner plates on self-tapping screws in the place where it joins with higher pillars, in other places we join it halfway into the tree with nails;

Every private household always has gardening equipment and tools that need to be stored somewhere. A lawn mower or garden sprayer with chemicals has no place in a residential building. Where to put these necessary things so that they are not affected by the environment and do not litter the yard? You can solve this problem by building a small frame shed with a pitched roof.

Advantages and disadvantages of wood frame construction

The construction of a frame outbuilding from wooden blocks has a number of advantages:

1. In specialized construction stores you can purchase ready-made parts for assembling the frame structure of a shed.
2. It is not difficult to build such a structure yourself, since the assembly of parts occurs according to the principle of a designer. To do this, it is not necessary to have special knowledge in construction. All elements and connections of the frame are adjusted to size, and the presence of instructions will make the construction process easier.
3. A frame wooden shed will last for many years if it is properly cared for and all rules were followed during its construction.
4. The construction of the structure will not take much time. Usually one week is enough to build the entire shed. This time includes: installation of the foundation, assembly of all frame elements, wall cladding, insertion of doors and windows, roofing.
5. Wooden parts of the structure are easy to further process.
6. When building a shed with a pitched roof, there is no need to install a rafter system.
7. The frame structure of a shed can be easily dismantled and rebuilt in another location. In this case, we are talking about light buildings, without a foundation.
8. The cost of purchasing materials for such a structure is much less than, for example, a brick one. Many are of the opinion that wooden structures are short-lived and unreliable. However, if you take into account the service life of these parts and the money spent on materials, then this option is much more profitable.

The disadvantages of this design are as follows:

1. Wooden elements are flammable material.
2. Frame parts may be subject to rotting and damage from wood-boring insects. To prevent this from happening, all wooden elements must be additionally treated with antiseptic pastes, organic solutions or oily antiseptics.
3. Wood, depending on its moisture content, tends to dry out, swell, warp and crack over time.

Preparation for construction: drawings of the future barn, dimensions

Before starting the construction of a frame barn, it is necessary to take into account some points of its construction:

• A barn, no matter how carefully it is built, remains an outbuilding that does not particularly fit into the architecture of a residential building. Accordingly, it is better to build this building in the backyard.
• Entry must be free. This will become especially convenient when it is necessary to carry large items or furniture into it, in case of renovations in the house.
• It is better to place the shed on a hill (supports, piles, blocks). The distance between the base of the structure and the ground will prevent: from rotting of its wooden parts, the appearance of moisture in the room and damage to metal equipment by corrosion.
• It is necessary to carefully design the barn so that in the future there is no need to make extensions to it. It will be convenient to divide it into two rooms: in one you can set up a workshop, and in the second - the barn or chicken coop itself.

Two rooms of the barn will allow you to use them for different purposes

• The ground at the site of the future construction needs to be leveled.
• It is necessary to determine what materials will be used to cover the walls and floors. What will the interior decoration be made of and what type of roofing will be used.

The length, width and height of the future shed are selected individually, depending on the location. For such purposes, medium-sized buildings are most suitable (see image).

Option of a frame barn with typical parameters

Another option for a frame shed

Selection of materials and calculations

High-quality planning for the purchase of all necessary materials will eliminate unforeseen waste in the future.

When constructing a shed frame, the following materials are needed:

• For the lower and upper trim you need: six bars 6 m long with a section of 100x100 mm and eight bars 3 m long with a section of 100x100 mm.

When purchasing timber and boards, you should pay attention to ensure that their moisture content does not exceed 22%.

• For flooring, boards with a cross-section of 40x150 mm are required, in an amount of (minimum) 20 pieces. OSB sheets are used as the finished floor.
• For vertical supports, beams with a cross-section of 100x100 mm are needed, in the amount of 12 pieces, each of which is 2.5 m long. Two such beams will be used as a doorway.

Wooden surfaces must be free of knots, cracks, mold and damage from wood-boring insects.

• There are two ways to slope the roof: in the first case, you need from 4 to 6 bars 50 cm long with a section of 100x100 cm, in the second case, the supports on which the slope will be placed must initially be shorter in length.
• For the sheathing you will need a board with a cross section of 22x100 mm, in the amount of 16–18 pieces.
• For a rough ceiling, you can use multilayer plywood, chipboard, fiberboard or OSB sheets.
• To fasten the beams at the corners using the “paw” method, nails are required, and “into the floor of the tree” - metal corners and strips.

The nails are selected to be longer than the thickness of the board so that they pierce it and enter the next one. This connection will be much stronger.

• When working, you will also need self-tapping screws, screws, and L-shaped metal plates to secure the timber in the corners.
• In the case of insulating the frame of a shed, you may need a thermal insulation layer (foam plastic, mineral wool or penoplex), waterproofing (foamed polyethylene foil), vapor barrier (bitumen), roofing material, polyurethane foam.

Required Tools

To build a frame shed you will need the following tools:

1. Shovel (to dig holes for a columnar foundation, it is better to use a screw shovel).
2. Yardstick.
3. Marking cord with coated thread.
4. Graphite marking pencil.
5. Construction level (it is more convenient to use from 50 to 200 cm).
6. Square and ruler.
7. Stationery knife (for cutting insulation).
8. Laser level (using this tool, a perfectly flat plane is determined).
9. Chisel.
10. Electric drill.
11. Circular saw (with its help it is convenient to cut boards of various lengths and sizes).
12. Cordless screwdriver (for attaching plywood, boards and OSB sheets to ceilings, walls and floors).
13. Electric planer (necessary when calibrating boards).
14. Screwdriver.
15. All-metal carpenter's hammer.
16. Sledgehammer (used when adjusting boards).
17. Hand clamps (for clamping boards in different places).
18. Wood saw (for cutting grooves).
19. Construction stapler (for fastening waterproofing and vapor barrier to a wooden frame).
20. Carpenter's axe.
21. Construction plumb.
22. Nails. For a frame shed you need from 2 thousand to 4 thousand nails. In this case, three types are used:

• GOST 4028–63 Black and zinc construction nails. Zinc ones are used for external work with wooden parts, and black ones are used for installing internal materials.
• GOST 4029–63 Zinc nails for fixing roofing felt and other sheet materials.
• DIN 1152 Galvanized nails for fastening tongue-and-groove boards, face panels and finishing surfaces.

Step-by-step instructions for building a frame shed with a pitched roof

When all the calculations have been made, the construction project is ready and the necessary materials have been purchased, you can proceed to the construction of a frame shed.

Foundation. Which one is better and how to do it

The basis for the frame is the foundation. For frame sheds and utility blocks, a strip, wooden or columnar foundation is most often used.

To protect the wooden frame of the shed from moisture, you can install a strip foundation. For this, a concrete base 40–50 cm high is made. It is important to know that this type of foundation is not suitable for sedimentary and peat soil. In these cases, screw piles are used.

For a strip foundation, it is necessary to dig a trench around the perimeter, 30–40 cm deep and 40 cm wide. The bottom of the trench is filled with sand and compacted. The result should be a sand cushion 10 cm thick. A waterproofing layer must be laid on the sand cushion, which will prevent liquid concrete from being absorbed into the sand.

After this, a wooden or metal formwork structure is made. It should rise above the ground and be equal to the height of the base. To ensure the strength of the formwork structure, it is fixed with spacers and clamps, and its upper part can be strengthened with supports. Reinforcement with a thickness of 10–12 mm is laid on the waterproofing layer, which is tied with wire.

Formwork panels fix the cement substance before hardening

When the reinforcement frame is ready, it is filled with concrete grade M200–250.

Concrete pouring should be done for the entire perimeter at once. To avoid cracks when concrete hardens, it is not recommended to pour it in rainy weather or extreme heat,

Concrete hardens for about two weeks and by this time gains about 70% strength.

Shallow strip foundation suitable for small buildings

When constructing a wooden foundation, larch logs are used, about 300 mm thick, which are treated at least 2-3 times with bitumen.

Holes are dug in the ground 150 cm deep and 30–40 cm in diameter. Sand 10 cm thick is poured into the bottom of the hole and compacted. Each log from its base is covered with a waterproofing layer of 140–145 cm. The resulting wooden pile is placed in the ground. The gaps between the waterproofing and the wall of the hole are covered with earth. To more thoroughly compact the soil around the pile, it is watered and compacted. For reliability, you can fill the hole with concrete.

The use of wooden piles can be an alternative solution for installing a foundation

Most often, a columnar foundation is used when constructing a frame barn. To do this, you need to mark it on the ground using a cord. Along the perimeter of the marking and in each corner, you should dig holes 30–40 cm deep.

Using a stretched cord, markings will be more accurate

It is better to dig a hole 70 cm or more deep, as this is below the freezing point. Sand is poured onto the bottom to form a layer of 10–15 cm, which must be compacted. For reliability, you can pour a layer of gravel 10 cm thick. After this, lay a brick, fastening it with cement mortar. For a shed, a masonry of two bricks per layer is used. If the structure is larger, the columnar foundation is made of three or more bricks.

The most commonly used type of foundation when building a frame barn

The brickwork must be treated with a bitumen waterproofing layer.

To ensure a level surface, all posts must be checked for level.

The space between the brickwork and the ground must be filled with sand or filled with a cement-sand mixture. An alternative to a columnar foundation made of brickwork are hollow concrete blocks measuring 400x200x200. The voids in the blocks are filled with cement mortar.

Video: installing the foundation

Frame of the structure

Now you can start creating the frame of the shed. On each brick pillar it is necessary to put two layers of roofing material - to protect the lower part of the wooden frame from moisture.

After this, they begin to install the lower trim. For this you need a beam with a section size of 100x100 mm. Beams and logs are assembled from 50x100 mm timber. The distance between them should not exceed 60 cm.

Beams and logs are connected with nails using the “wood floor” method

Vertical posts made of 100x100 mm timber are fixed to L-shaped metal joints or regular nails that need to be driven in obliquely. The distance between beams should be no more than 1.5 m. To ensure stability of the structure, the beams are temporarily reinforced diagonally with 40x100 mm boards.

Vertical and top beams are fixed with L-shaped connections

The construction of a frame barn is carried out not only with the help of wooden beams. Its production from a metal profile pipe is widely used.

The ease of assembly of this design attracts builders

This material option for the building frame has a number of advantages:

1. The profile base is assembled without dirt or construction debris in the yard.
2. Installation and dismantling of such a building will not take much time.
3. If necessary, a metal profile shed can be easily moved.
4. For this design, a foundation is not required. It is enough to pour gravel onto a flat area.
5. Reinforcement that strengthens the frame will help to withstand the weight of snow and resist strong wind gusts.
6. Thanks to a variety of colors, a shed made of profile pipes has an aesthetic appearance.
7. The design with a metal frame is very practical, as it does not require treating its parts and elements with antiseptic agents. It is enough to paint it once.

If the building is subject to increased load pressure in the future, the frame is built from stronger pipes. In this case, pipes with a wall thickness of 8 mm and a cross-section of 100x100 mm are used for the lower trim and racks. For additional spacers, a profile with a section of 60x60 mm is used.

Particular attention should be paid when laying profile joists under the subfloor. The distance between them should not be more than 60 cm. The logs are secured to the lower frame by welding.

After this, they proceed to the installation of the interfloor ceiling, which is a frame structure made from a profile, as well as beams. The ceiling lining is attached to these elements from below.

The final stage of constructing a structure from a profile pipe is the assembly of the rafter system. This structural element can be either integral or a separate part of the entire structure. The main load-bearing part of the roof is a powerful channel to which the remaining elements are attached.

After all welding work is completed, finishing begins.

Construction of floors and walls (knots and jibs)

When building a foundation, you first need to make a subfloor. To do this, wooden logs are covered with OSB boards or plywood sheets with a thickness of 12 to 15 mm. Then the entire surface is covered with a waterproofing layer, on which the finishing floor is installed. It is convenient to use tongue and groove boards as this floor covering. They have grooves and ridges on the edges that are ideal for butt assembly. They are usually made from softwood. The resin contained in this wood makes it waterproof. Laying floors with tongue and groove boards is similar to installing laminate flooring.

Tight connection of boards is ensured thanks to protrusions and cutouts along the edges

After this, you can move on to installing the shed walls. To ensure that its structure is strong and lasts a long time, temporary and permanent jibs are cut into the frame.

Strengthening the racks with permanent and temporary jibs will provide additional strength in areas of increased weight load

Jibs are mandatory if the walls are not sheathed with plywood or OSB-3. The use of slab sheathing is five times stronger than the jibs (if OSB or 12 mm plywood is used). A board with a cross section of 25x100 mm or 50x100 mm is used as jib when a more stable structure is required. The length of such a board should be 30° greater than the height of the wall. Temporary jibs are used until the upper joists are installed. They help fix the specified position of walls and vertical beams.

Before installing them, the corners of the structure are aligned. In this case, it is convenient to use a bubble or laser level. The installation step of temporary jib is from 1.2 to 1.5 m. They will also help correct structural defects if you use them as a lever.

When erecting a frame structure of a barn, it is important to ensure the correct fastening of the jib and connection points:

1. The installation angle of the jibs should be 45° (this is the ideal angle that provides maximum structural rigidity). In those places of construction where it is difficult to withstand it, for example, windows and doors, 60° is allowed.
2. The use of hollow jibs is permissible only in small structures (sheds, outbuildings).
3. They must fit tightly (without cracks or gaps) to the surfaces of the racks and the upper ceiling.
4. For the jibs, it is necessary to make grooves in the vertical posts, upper and lower trim. The depth of the groove is made depending on the thickness of the jib. In a metal structure, they should go deep inside the profile of the racks.
5. The joints of the beams at the corners of the frame are laid in the “wood floor” or “in the paw” method. In the first case, 50x50 mm cuts are made on both sides of the log to half its thickness. In the second case, similar cuts are made, but with a bevel. If necessary, the junction of two beams is processed with a chisel.

Such connections are fixed with nails and L-shaped connections.

Floor insulation

You can insulate the floors of a frame shed with the following materials:

• Mineral wool.

This method is very popular due to its ease of installation and relatively low price. Mineral wool is usually sold in packs of several slabs measuring 1000x600x50 mm or 1200x600x50 mm or in rolls. A waterproofing layer (glassine, roofing felt or ordinary polyethylene film) is laid on the floors of the barn, on which a wooden sheathing of boards with a section of 10x120 mm and a step width of 60 cm is placed. Mineral wool slabs are laid in the resulting compartments. All wooden elements of the sheathing, before laying the wool, must be treated with antiseptic agents to prevent rotting. For additional floor insulation, a double layer of such slabs is used. During installation, the insulation should be below the level of the sheathing. Mineral wool cannot be compacted, as it will lose its thermal insulation property. To prevent the cotton wool from getting wet, a layer of polyethylene is laid on top, secured to the staples using a stapler. Then the entire surface is covered with tongue and groove boards, OSB sheets or plywood.

• Styrofoam.

The floor is insulated with this material using joists. As in the case of mineral wool, a wooden sheathing is required, under which a waterproofing layer is laid. The width of the step between the boards is about 60 cm. The thickness of the foam boards should be at least 10 cm. This material is very convenient, as it does not deform. Foam plastic is not afraid of fungus and mold. The foam boards must be laid tightly. If any gaps remain, they can be filled with foam. After it dries, sheets of plywood or tongue and groove boards are laid on top.

• Expanded clay.

To insulate the floor of a shed with expanded clay, it is necessary to cover the lower formwork with waterproofing material, on top of which OSB boards are laid. Then a wooden sheathing made of boards with a section of 10x150 mm is installed on this surface. Expanded clay is poured into each section of this structure. Its layer should not be less than 10–15 cm, since a smaller thickness will not give the desired insulation effect. Expanded clay should be leveled so that it does not rise above the sheathing bars. Then a vapor barrier layer is laid on top of: a diffuse membrane, a water-based bitumen-polymer cold emulsion, a polyethylene or polypropylene film. After this, the OSB sheets are attached to the joists with self-tapping screws. The finishing floor is laid on top.

Materials for floor insulation in a frame barn

This is an environmentally friendly material, the production of which does not use chemical additives. This material is easy to give the desired shape. An inexpensive and reliable way to insulate the floor.

Insulation for walls

To insulate the walls of a frame shed, mineral wool and extruded polystyrene foam (penoplex) are most often used.

• Insulation of walls with mineral wool.

Finishing walls with mineral wool is not much different from a similar method of floor insulation, but it has its own nuances. On the inside of the shed, it is covered with a vapor barrier material (foiled polyethylene), on top of which plywood or OSB sheets are fixed. Outside, wooden cladding made of boards with a cross-section of 20x40 mm can be installed on mineral wool, perpendicular to the base. These boards serve as a ventilation gap onto which the exterior trim is attached. Sometimes a layer of OSB sheets is installed in front of the waterproofing layer (exterior finishing).

• Penoplex.

To insulate walls with this material, it is necessary to select slabs with a thickness of at least 6 cm. As in the previous methods, a wooden sheathing with a pitch of 60 cm is required, under which a waterproofing layer is placed. It is more convenient to fix Penoplex boards with polyurethane glue (it is well compatible with polystyrene foam) or with metal anchors with plastic dowels. The joints of the plates are additionally fixed with polyurethane foam or metal tape. The outside wall can be insulated with an additional layer of penoplex, on which external finishing material is installed.

When the walls are fixed with anchors or dried glue, a vapor barrier material is placed on top. In this method of insulation, foamed foil polyethylene with a thickness of 3 mm is used. As a replacement, you can use polyethylene foil film. The finishing layer is fixed on top.

Materials for insulating the walls of a frame shed

The light weight of the wool is convenient for installation. This material has a denser structure than foam plastic.

Video: all stages of construction

A frame shed on your property will always be convenient for storing equipment and old things. Having equipped its premises as a workshop, you can do carpentry and repair work, while your yard will remain clean. Insulated walls, floors and roof will provide comfortable conditions for keeping pets and birds during the cold season.

Anyone who has at least once directly dealt with construction issues and delved into all the details knows very well that the stage of erecting the foundation of any structure is the most expensive. But that's not all. In some situations, installing a foundation is either impossible, or undesirable, or unjustified from an economic point of view.

For example, in a small garden plot, where there is a high risk of damage to part of the root system of vegetation and it is difficult to carry out excavation work, given the density of plantings. In such cases, the best option is to erect a temporary lightweight structure directly on the ground. Let's figure out how to make a shed from boards without a foundation in your country house or local area with your own hands.

On many thematic sites, in addition to the advantages of this engineering solution (high speed of construction, reduced costs), significant disadvantages are also noted - the fragility of the structure and the low level of thermal insulation.

The author himself is a summer resident with extensive experience, and categorically disagrees with this. The reasoning is quite clear. Firstly, if the installation is done correctly, the shed will last for many years. Secondly, the quality of insulation is also a controversial issue, since such buildings are intended mainly for storing household equipment and improvised materials, therefore, the microclimate inside them does not play a special role.

And making a bedding under the bottom of the barn, for example, from expanded clay, is not difficult. Well, it’s not difficult to determine how and what exactly to additionally cover the inside of the house to increase the temperature.

How to make a shed is probably not the most important thing that interests the reader. Moreover, the building material has already been determined - board. But “without a foundation” and “with your own hands” is somewhat unusual, although quite simple. This is what the author will focus on, based on personal experience in the construction of such a structure.

All areas are different, and that says it all. But you still have to take something into account.

• The segment of the territory on which the plank shed is supposed to be built should not be at risk of flooding. Since it has no foundation, excessive soil moisture will lead to rapid destruction of the building. Therefore, for construction you should select (if possible) the highest “patch” on the site.
• It is advisable that the barn be exposed to the sun most of the day. In this case, there is a guarantee that even if water accumulates near it, it will quickly evaporate, and the earth will dry out well. And moisture ingress is inevitable, especially if irrigation is done not by soil, but by sprinkling. By the way, many summer residents practice exactly this technique, fortunately, there are many inexpensive plastic “turntables” on sale.
• When choosing a location, you should also take into account the perspective. Summer residents who not only know what crop rotation is, but also practice this growing technology, understand what we are talking about. When changing the order of planting garden crops or redeveloping a plot, the barn should not be a hindrance to the gardener.

How to make a shed base

Still, any building, including a barn, by definition must have one. The reader has two simple options to choose from. High speed of installation and minimum costs for the shed are guaranteed.

Option #1

An often mentioned way to build a shed is on pallets. It is unlikely that such a technology deserves attention, given that such a base (made of wood) will rot quite quickly. With an expectation of 1 - 2 years, this is a good option, but this is more suitable for temporary structures that are installed on sites, for example, by builders and installers. This is not the best solution for the private sector.

Option No. 2

On supports. Someone will object that this is already a columnar type foundation. This is not entirely true - there are similarities, but small. The fundamental difference is in the depth of installation of the supports. For a small-sized wooden shed, they are dug in 50±10 cm. This is quite enough for the base to withstand a not so significant load.

After installing the posts, they are aligned on all planes, securely fixed in place, after which they are tied. The supporting frame is the foundation on which the shed will be built. It turns out that you won’t have to do any excavation work on the site (except for digging 4-6 holes) or preparing concrete mortar in large volumes. In fact, the barn is made without a foundation.

The advantage of this solution is not only the speed of construction of the foundation and the minimal cost of materials. Since timber, that is, wood, is used for strapping, it will not be difficult to install the frame posts on it with your own hands. Yes, and the barn can be slightly raised above the ground, even the structure can be leveled if the site is downhill.

Calculator for calculating the quantity and volume of lumber

What to consider during construction

It is advisable to start work directly when all preparatory measures have been completed. Since the supports (you can use fragments of timber or logs) will be in the ground, you should choose a method for processing them to protect them from rotting. The concept of “do-it-yourself” often implies that the owner makes do with improvised materials and not purchased materials and means.

The author recommends thorough (at least 2 times) impregnation with waste engine oil. Additionally, it is advisable to coat all edges of the blanks used as posts (except for the top cut) with tar (molten, of course). There is virtually no financial investment, and the durability of the foundation is ensured.

A barn built using this technology has been standing on the author’s property for 12 years now. And there are not even indirect signs that repairs need to be done. By the way, the timber used for strapping should also be impregnated with mining.

Procedure for installing the base of the shed

Nothing complicated for those who are familiar with the technology of foundation construction.

• Marking the area for the barn.
• Digging holes. You need to try to ensure that their diameter is only slightly larger than the cross-section of the support.
• Bottom seal. It is advisable to load a little clay (but always oily) into each hole, and then compact this layer. It will protect the hole from penetration of liquid into it from below. Considering that the tree for the supports is coated with tar, this will be enough. The specificity of this method of constructing a shed excludes the possibility of using other insulating materials (film, roofing felt), since they cannot be correctly laid (and straightened) in small holes.
• Next is a layer of river sand or ASG.
• Installation of supports and alignment of each vertically and horizontally.
• Loading small gravel, broken bricks, etc. into the holes, compacting this mass.
• Filling holes with cement mortar. It must be made of a sufficiently liquid consistency so that it penetrates as deeply as possible.

Drawing of a barn made of boards without a foundation

After hardening of the artificial stone obtained in this way, you can tie the posts under the barn, that is, mount the support frame.

This technology is more suitable for areas that are uneven. Or if for some reason the shed needs to be raised higher above the ground.

Option #3

On the "sleepers". If the space allocated for the shed is fairly level, then this is the most convenient way to quickly build a shed. It is used (a log is not suitable in this case), which is laid horizontally. In order to make a small shed, 2 blanks arranged in parallel are enough. Under a larger structure (in width), it is advisable to mount a third one, the location for which is selected in the center.

Timber processing is carried out only by impregnation. Since the products placed on the ground are also the foundation on which the frame of the shed will be erected, the tree should not be coated with tar.

• Tracing the territory consists of marking the contour of the barn along the perimeter and determining the places where it is necessary to dig shallow (10 cm is enough) trenches. Timber will be laid in them.
• Preparation is identical to the method described above - soil compaction, clay, and so on.
• The bottom of each mini-trench is lined with P/E film, since the wood was not protected with tar. It makes no sense to use such a popular waterproofing material among summer residents as roofing felt. Within 3 years it will rot and the fungus will begin to destroy the wood.
• After laying the beam, it should be fixed to prevent horizontal displacement. There are two ways. An easier one is to drive pieces of reinforcement into the sides of the products, at the end parts. If a massive beam is chosen, and the barn is large in size, then 2–3 (depending on the length) through holes are drilled in each workpiece along the center line. Pins are also driven into them.
• The final stage is fastening the timber. All workpieces are connected with staples, metal plates, and corners. That's all - the strength and immobility of the base is ensured.

By the way, it is not necessary to dig trenches. You need to focus on your capabilities and local conditions. It is enough to fill the area with fine gravel, compact this layer well, and then lay the support beam on it.

There are a number of other methods for building a shed without a foundation. What they have in common is the presence of a support frame. The difference is in the columns on which it is installed.

There are also several options - reinforced concrete products, metal supports with plates, bricks and so on. The author did not consider other technologies for only one reason - the complexity of the connections. The supporting frame is made of wood, the posts are made of other materials. You can articulate it with your own hands, but why complicate your life by looking for a hammer drill, concrete drills, large metal drills or anything else.

How to build a shed

No detailed explanations are required for this stage of work. The technology of frame construction has long been known and is described in detail on many sites, in every detail. In principle, the author has nothing to add. The photographs clearly explain everything.

Frame installation

For a light shed, a beam with a side of 10 or even 5 cm (depending on the dimensions) is enough. For example, do this.

Installation of trusses (front and rear)

If the front pillars are made higher, then you can do without them. In this case, the roof will be pitched. It's easier to build.

Covering the frame with boards

Do it yourself - nothing complicated.

You just need to take into account that nails often go sideways and can also split the wood. It is better to fix all elements with self-tapping screws or self-tapping screws, with preliminary drilling of the channels.

The reader will determine for himself how to cover the roof and cover the shed outside and inside. You can do this.

If you show your imagination, an originally designed barn will become a real decoration of your summer cottage.