After month's of careful planning, scrutinising every last detail with military precision, I finally got my hammer out.

With a couple of false starts under my belt, I managed to take a couple of days off work, with a view to completing the much foibled "Operation shed"!

I had to take a step back and rethink (my already rethunk quite a few times) thoughts.

The overall mission remains the same.

Create a grow space using a garden shed!

I (mistakenly) went for a 7x5 pent roof shed, (the one that looks like a lean-too). I say mistakenly as the headroom is pretty awful, measuring only 5'5" at the "low side" eaves, and 6'6" at the high side.

Now I wish I went for the 8x6 apex, but it's too late to rue that particular error now so its onwards and upwards.

First mission was to insulate the bugger.

We got the shed around the end of January when it was pretty cold, and I (again, mistakenly) went for some 170mm loft insulation, to be "sandwiched" with some good old MDF.

Suffice to say 170mm of good quality loft insulation takes some stuffing into a space approx. 2 inches deep!

I huffed and I puffed and I huffed some more. So hard did I push to compress the insulation that I actually shoved the shed off its base at one point.

Ahem!

This was the outcome.....(oh the shame of it).

I think it was ot that said it but when you crush it in it loses its insulation properties
you may want to check it but i'm sure that is what he told DeeCee

I pulled off all the cladding and started again, after first extending the side joists in the shed, to allow more of a cavity between the outer and inner skins....thus allowing a decent thickness of insulation.

I heard all the downsides for using loft-insulation, but at the end of the day its still a cheap option so I decided to stick with it.

The primary concern voiced, was that loft insulation works by trapping pockets of air within its fibres.

Remove the air, (by squashing it into a tiny space) and the insulation is all bar useless. Add to that some damp and the insulation will transfer heat to the outer skin just as qickly as if there were no insulation at all.

Lesson learned.

So wider cavity, thinner insulation was in order!

I extended the side joists around three inches all round, and slotted some 120mm loft insulation in between. I "faced up" the first of the pre-cut MDF boards and there was only solid contact with the joists. No squashing, (not much anyway)!

This is the back wall just before the last board goes up, and a picture showing the joist extensions.

i'll get me coat

@Owderb..

With the "window" wall insulated, and the cladding screwed in place, its starting to take shape at last, (much to EO's joy).

Yes I am very joyful, been jumping up and down clapping my hands all day like a mad thing( much to RD's annoyance) kind of appropriate to germ seeds for the new grow room at Easter weekend too, a supposedly fertile time.

EO

These just give some idea as to the space we will be working with.

The space which has been prepared is about 5 feet wide, 3 feet deep, with a head room from 5'5, to 6'6!

I have a single 6 inch Ruck fan to be fited with a 6 inch carbon filter, (looks like a WW2 bomb..bloody massive). But now we have decided to install a 400w MH as well as our 600w HPS I'm thinking we're going to need more vents. Lots more vents.

Another 6 inch at least.

So while I go on a "resupply" trip to B&Q, EO will be on the phone to our local Interweb grow shop, (UK420 of course), in search of hardware.

RD

Very neat DIY skills there Red Dragon. Should be a lovely space.

Ive used loft insulation in my loft growroom and its been toasty in there all winter. Works really well for me.

Will be looking forward to the updates.

lovely job mate best luck with the rest of the build

Felon

Looking good RD.... nice to see some thought,planning and preparation going into a project....


Laz

Good luck RD and EO, look forward to following this with interest.

How are you finishing the MDF internally?

Are you going to insulate the roof

Nice DIY job RD It's going to be a jungle in there ....

- Kafka

Looking good there RD
Just imagine no more when ya gonna finish the shed rd come on when ya gonna finish only joking
No injuries yet then? you know stray hammer knocks

looking cosey there....nice job.....peace

just make sure u dont get spotted by a nosey neighbour when u go in n out to check on ur lovelies
great work so far!
rocky

On the nosey neighbour theme, you've probably already thought of it but a thick curtain on the inside of your door frame will stop you floodlighting the neighbourhood every time you open the door. & cheaply.

lmfao, its bout time you got him whipped EO

looking good so far

i love DIY


take it easy both of you
peace,
chop

quality build rd

the very best ov luck with the 1st shed grow

P.G.T

Nice one RD

tis about time tho

didn't know you were such a whizz at DIY, looks like a quality GR mate

Just wondering if you have any security issues, is it overlooked at all? gonna be a huge burst of light everytime you open that door

SB

That'de depend on what time of day it was SB .... I don't go in mine after dark, plus 2 doors too.

But you is right for the night time, Saving Grace eat your heart out

RAZ

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement.

The reason its taken so long is....well no-one has enough spare time to read the reasons but suffice to say money was a big issue.

We grew four crops in my last grow room, with no fans, no vents at all in fact, poor light proofing etc etc. So this time I sort of promised myself we would do it right, and whilst a shed is far from ideal, it serves a purpose for the time being.



Thats a great point Hvy..but the "build" is far from finished, (I quoted loads of replies from this thread, lost my Internet connection and when I refreshed it was all gone..not doing it again, but I'll attempt to fill in some gaps)...

The area you see boarded and insulated will be the flower chamber, complete with "apocolyptic" lighting. About three inches in from the main door aperture, I'm building a partition with a door-way into the chamber. The partition will be fully sealed up, ensuring I control exactly what goes in and out, (or should that be EO controls it).

So I'm hoping there will be zero light spill, and with the shed insulated, the noise should be kept to a minimum.

Oh yeah, the roof will be insulated, but I will use the original 170mm insulaton as I can build the cavity to suit.

As soon as I figure out a way to cool the exhaust, I intend to fit a six inch fan as an intake with another for extraction. Might have to settle with a four inch. Time will tell.

Feeling all creative now so I will attempt to illustrate my "plan"!

Thanks for all the interest.

RD

sounds exactly as we did RD ...

shed build

RAZ

..and here is the plan!

I'm hoping to spend this weekend on it, so hopefully by Sunday evening we should be somewhere near, somewhere near ready!

If I've missed anything, let me know!

Best of luck mate. Got all the supplies in? Large posing tool-belt, lots of beer, sticking plasters, lots of beer, a workbench to sit on, lots of beer, rechargable batteries (don't matter if they fit anything 'cos recharging is just one of those things you have to do), more beer, and a spliff-serving wench.

Check?

You may proceed....








OK. ....... Break time. Spliffy and a beer.....

Can't rush a good job Gochy-mate...

Very nice RD. I like your style. Got to build me a new room too this month in my loft.....great source of ideas.

cor bmiley guv!

a super stealth shed/tardis if ever i saw one RD! looks the dogs danglys fella, and it would seem mr bond, you have covered every angle, that is all right angles to the perpendicular of the triangle isocillies to the pythagorous theory of equilibreum matter of time and realitvity!

ha ha!

me and the missus are very likely to be making the old pilgrimage to a welsh caravan home this year, again i might add....so, i wont needs your addy, i shall keep me blinkers open for the shed full of laughter and light!

top stuff ol boy, you never fail to amaze moi!

ta ra
BB

Your outlet might cause problems with your boilers flue !!! what size fan is it and how close to the flue is it?

nisfits
hehe,a man thinking like me.
been all weekend building!
tommorow when i go to work it will,
be what did you do at the weekend.
my replie will be on the piss.
got to finish it next weekend now.
benny.(six screws six tins )

Gwaaarn RD

NBTT (not before time too)


Thought someone had called me then

If you need an outdoor cook whilst yer a building, just hollah

Nice looking bit of DIY, RD.

Always remember - measure twice, at least, and cut ONCE.

Nice to see the endeavours of your labour, very satisfying I'm sure.

Cool RD making progress.................... When is it ready for me to move in Red Dragon


Youll have power so I'll bring my heater (although the heating looks fine as with the lighting) bu I'll need a TV



NK.

As soon as you can afford a ticket Nitram

If he had his way it would have a broadband connection in there too

EO

Someone asked about the central heating flue, well it is not quite as close as Rd has it in his pic. The shed is about a foot lower and a foot to the right and around 2 feet from the house anyway.

Then it's looking real good to me!

Excellent



An inspiration to all

Hows it comming along mate ..? things are looking good so far well thought out

he must of finished by now.........

I tell you I must have a faulty tape measure or something. No matter how many times I measure it, I end up an inch out either way, and I only ever cut once .




Yeah its coming on fine Sal.

I put the "partition" up today, which seperates the flowering area. I just have to pin the boards up over the framework, (about an hour) and make a door and we're then looking at vents and lights.

Made a bit of a cock up timewise. I wanted to get the most of it finished this weekend, but I didn't order my second fan and HID lamp so its not going to be finished anytime tomorrow.

EO has some seeds germing and I think she was hoping to use it tomorrow night.

I'll take some pics when she tells me where the camera is!

LMAO!

Don't encourage her FFS!

bump

Double BUMP .................

RAZ

Well there's loads of pics and the room has a door on now too and is light proof atm, we were just waiting for some ducting and lights to arrive then I am sure he will update it. Has changed the wiring too so it's all nice and safe too now!

Tuts.....

After a few more weeks of "planning" I finally decided to face my demons and get on with the shed.

First "dragon" I had to slay was the electricity supply.

I have to admit I have an unhealthy fear of electric. But this is not unfounded, as the following tale-of-woe will confirm.

I was attempting a "wholly unrecommended" repair of a washing machine, which had managed to ingest a sock. I had pulled out the machine and tipped it back, assuring EO that "the plug needn't be pulled out"....."yes of COURSE I know what I'm doing"..."it's not switched on so it's harmless" etc etc.

Anyway whilst unding the jubilee clip which holds the sump pipe in place, a static discharge "leapt the void" between motor and sump, and threw me across the floor, (the acceleration was frightening, aided no doubt by the puddle of rotten sump water I was laying in at the time).

Luckily the pantry cupboard was able to retard my acceleration somewhat, bringing me to a sudden and jarring standstill, (it was actually a "lay still" but you get the idea).

EO, (by this time) is prodding me with the handle of a sweeping brush, the reason being, (and I quote..), "in case it's still in you"!

The next ten minutes was spent wondering if I were wounded or speeding. It wasn't nice.

Suffice to say the following site brought me and my shed building project to a grinding resounding halt......

Thats the hole in the wall from which I want to run my shed.

Initially I had wired a cable rated at 16 amps max. But the cooker circuit is rated at 40 amps meaning there was a possibility of overloading the cable whilst not tripping the cooker circuit breaker. Not good so I was reliably informed.

So I decided to strip out the 16 amp "flex" and fit in a sturdy 40 amp cooker cable.

I also intend to fit a RCD unit to each plugged-in item, in the hope of minimising a fire hazard, (individual RCD's can be picked up for around £8 each at B&Q - plug it in, then plug your lamp/fan etc into the RCD).

Peace of mind only costs a couple of quid.

After spending two hours limbo-dancing around the inside of the kitchen cupboards, trying to drill holes through double skinned carcasses with a drill bit to short for the job, I eventually ran the cable, hidden completely until it appears, only to disappear once again, through a hole in the kitchen window frame.

A short piece of conduit links the house and the shed, (like a cannabis umbilical cord), and this is at the other end.....

I've decided that I'm happy enough feeding a contactor with 6 "flying tails" off just two outlets, but I have a circular junction box should I need another pair of sockets wired in.

I spent some time trying to visualise what I was trying to build. Without a "plan", and as someone who struggles with DIY, this would have taken even longer than it has.

I spent a bit of time messing about with fireworks and I came up with these simple pictures.

What an inspiration they've been...

These are my master plans, inside and overview.

This is the partially finished partition..

..and this is the space we have to flower in..

Comin' on there RD....At least the electrics in and you are still with us.
Electricity scares the shit out of me

Nice one,

Bu.