starquestMM
Well-known member
Thought I'd share some pics of the work I did last year. A lot of it fueled by GJ ideas, so thanks all!
The cold had me stuck inside a year ago really wishing I had a storage shed to clear the mowers, extra car parts, lumber, etc out of the garage so I could work easier. I knew I had a concrete pad in the backyard... but I had no idea how big it was. The pad was on the far side of a dry creek and I rarely went over there. So on a nice day in March I took a shovel and cleared the hillside dirt off the slab; 12.5'x7', level, and no cracks. Sweet. It snowed the next day:
View media item 48004
I decided to build on that slab and to also fix a second problem. My backyard definitely wasn't up to neighborhood standards. North facing hill with lots walnuts, hickory, and oak. Between the lack of sun and the squirrels constantly digging, grass never stood a chance.
First thing up, clear out some of the trees closer to the house to make some working room. 36' biljax and a new Stihl to top them out.
View media item 47989
Clear the limbs out and ready to fall the stumps.
View media item 47988
Next up was being able to get to the other side of the dry creek. 30 tons of clean rock and 70' of 24" culvert on hand, it was time to play with some more rental toys.
View media item 48001
I had a lot of fun with the mini excavator. Less so squaring up the trench bottom with a shovel.
View media item 48002
Just downslope from my lot is a 30" culvert the city put in. I decided not to tie to it because I would have needed a drop inlet. Instead I did a dual run of 24". Its basically equivalent to the 30" and a little easier to build.
View media item 47992
Part of the dirt you see piled in the above pic is on my neighbor's lot ( with their permission) . We worked it out so that I leveled some of their lot where it met mine. Otherwise we were going to have a valley between the lots that would be a PITA to mow. While I was working between our two lots, I started finding bricks. Turned out there was a nicely stacked brick fill that neither one of us knew was there. They match my house so I dug them out and power washed them. Now I have 450 bricks I ought to be able to make something out of.
View media item 47991
I went ahead and finished off that edge so that the nieghbors were all taken care of. 30 tons of new topsoil and then I lucked into miracle grass growing conditions... day 1 plant, day 2 steady rain, day 3 90 degrees and sunny, day 4 1" tall grass. Two of my other neighbors asked me what the hell I did to it.
View media item 47999
With the culvert done and the neighbors happy, it was time to clear some more trees. These were a bit taller than the first group. Using a 61' biljax this time AND a 18' pole saw I was just able to get into the crown of the oak right behind the manlift.
View media item 47990
All told, we cleared 14 trees 6"-20". All the wood went to the buddy helping me. He rented a wood splitter and we managed to break it. The weld let go for the top plate the cylinder pushes against. There was rust inside the factory weld so the rental company didn't give him any grief, but it was a WTF moment for sure. Keep in mind all the small stuff is already stacked and not shown:
View media item 48003
It was getting into September, so I needed to get some grass in. Another 30 tons of new topsoil and the yard was starting to take shape.
View media item 47987
With new grass coming up, It was finally time to start on the shed which everyone had talked me into making bigger than 12.5x7. The new plan was 14x12 with a footing. But I couldn't get equipment to the area without trashing the new grass and soft dirt. Shovel time again.
View media item 47995
Footing inspected and poured easy enough. I had never done any sort of masonry, but a project like this is probably the perfect thing to learn on, right? View media item 47997
It actually turned out decent. Straight and level but the joints are sloppy. My excuse for that is it was getting dark on me as I finished up. I had a lot of problems at first getting the mortar to stick. I was thinking it was a technique thing, but the mix was just too dry.
View media item 47998
No more concrete mixing! Time for the fun stuff. Framing!
View media item 47994
Left a nice 2' overhang in back for stuff like wheelbarrows.
View media item 48000
I had never worked with fiber cement siding and wanted to give it a try. My house has areas of 70s era board and batton. So I can make the shed match and if it works out well, I might eventually use fiber cement panels on my house when the time comes. I really should have paid to have the roof done. Simple enough roof but 6/12 is just enough slope apparently for everything to slide. More of a pain than I wanted to deal with in the cold.
View media item 47993
Its not "done", but close enough. The trim boards are all PVC and the batons are just regular wood primed and painted on all sides.
View media item 47996
The inside is mostly done. It'll wait still warmer weather, but I still need to put in a drain tile and some waterproofing. as well pour a ramp at the entry. Then of course there is some overseeding and landscaping to do. Busy 2015 ahead !
Mike
The cold had me stuck inside a year ago really wishing I had a storage shed to clear the mowers, extra car parts, lumber, etc out of the garage so I could work easier. I knew I had a concrete pad in the backyard... but I had no idea how big it was. The pad was on the far side of a dry creek and I rarely went over there. So on a nice day in March I took a shovel and cleared the hillside dirt off the slab; 12.5'x7', level, and no cracks. Sweet. It snowed the next day:
View media item 48004
I decided to build on that slab and to also fix a second problem. My backyard definitely wasn't up to neighborhood standards. North facing hill with lots walnuts, hickory, and oak. Between the lack of sun and the squirrels constantly digging, grass never stood a chance.
First thing up, clear out some of the trees closer to the house to make some working room. 36' biljax and a new Stihl to top them out.
View media item 47989
Clear the limbs out and ready to fall the stumps.
View media item 47988
Next up was being able to get to the other side of the dry creek. 30 tons of clean rock and 70' of 24" culvert on hand, it was time to play with some more rental toys.
View media item 48001
I had a lot of fun with the mini excavator. Less so squaring up the trench bottom with a shovel.
View media item 48002
Just downslope from my lot is a 30" culvert the city put in. I decided not to tie to it because I would have needed a drop inlet. Instead I did a dual run of 24". Its basically equivalent to the 30" and a little easier to build.
View media item 47992
Part of the dirt you see piled in the above pic is on my neighbor's lot ( with their permission) . We worked it out so that I leveled some of their lot where it met mine. Otherwise we were going to have a valley between the lots that would be a PITA to mow. While I was working between our two lots, I started finding bricks. Turned out there was a nicely stacked brick fill that neither one of us knew was there. They match my house so I dug them out and power washed them. Now I have 450 bricks I ought to be able to make something out of.
View media item 47991
I went ahead and finished off that edge so that the nieghbors were all taken care of. 30 tons of new topsoil and then I lucked into miracle grass growing conditions... day 1 plant, day 2 steady rain, day 3 90 degrees and sunny, day 4 1" tall grass. Two of my other neighbors asked me what the hell I did to it.
View media item 47999
With the culvert done and the neighbors happy, it was time to clear some more trees. These were a bit taller than the first group. Using a 61' biljax this time AND a 18' pole saw I was just able to get into the crown of the oak right behind the manlift.
View media item 47990
All told, we cleared 14 trees 6"-20". All the wood went to the buddy helping me. He rented a wood splitter and we managed to break it. The weld let go for the top plate the cylinder pushes against. There was rust inside the factory weld so the rental company didn't give him any grief, but it was a WTF moment for sure. Keep in mind all the small stuff is already stacked and not shown:
View media item 48003
It was getting into September, so I needed to get some grass in. Another 30 tons of new topsoil and the yard was starting to take shape.
View media item 47987
With new grass coming up, It was finally time to start on the shed which everyone had talked me into making bigger than 12.5x7. The new plan was 14x12 with a footing. But I couldn't get equipment to the area without trashing the new grass and soft dirt. Shovel time again.
View media item 47995
Footing inspected and poured easy enough. I had never done any sort of masonry, but a project like this is probably the perfect thing to learn on, right? View media item 47997
It actually turned out decent. Straight and level but the joints are sloppy. My excuse for that is it was getting dark on me as I finished up. I had a lot of problems at first getting the mortar to stick. I was thinking it was a technique thing, but the mix was just too dry.
View media item 47998
No more concrete mixing! Time for the fun stuff. Framing!
View media item 47994
Left a nice 2' overhang in back for stuff like wheelbarrows.
View media item 48000
I had never worked with fiber cement siding and wanted to give it a try. My house has areas of 70s era board and batton. So I can make the shed match and if it works out well, I might eventually use fiber cement panels on my house when the time comes. I really should have paid to have the roof done. Simple enough roof but 6/12 is just enough slope apparently for everything to slide. More of a pain than I wanted to deal with in the cold.
View media item 47993
Its not "done", but close enough. The trim boards are all PVC and the batons are just regular wood primed and painted on all sides.
View media item 47996
The inside is mostly done. It'll wait still warmer weather, but I still need to put in a drain tile and some waterproofing. as well pour a ramp at the entry. Then of course there is some overseeding and landscaping to do. Busy 2015 ahead !
Mike
Now I can get a truck or manlift over there if needed. Also, the only flat area on my lot is across the creek, so now I could park a trailer down there or make use of it somehow.