Backyard Wardrobe

[jonahbones]

There comes a time when the projects on this site inspire lurkers to tackle a bit of organisation.
Weaving projects together and chasing the aim of multiple uses for all projects; a plan formed.
The house is a 2 bedroom 1920's art deco workers cottage (interesting low status deco as opposed to lavish deco)
We have very little storage space apart from a single car garage which is full to the roof for many good reasons, but I do need a workshop...........
As we prepare our food from scratch; from the garden, we spend as much time in the kitchen as any where else, so it needs rebuilding as well.
So reclaim garage space, kitchen space and pantry space in one hit with a couple of built in wardrobes except they would ruin the size and style of the rooms.
Leading us to conclude that an outside wardrobe was the better option.
At 1800 x 5400mm (6ft x 18ft) it can hardly be called a shed
Its purpose will be storage, herb and hop drying and somewhere to hang salami. The last 1800mm (6ft) will be a potting shed /green house.
A very long term project as limited funds permit. It should then roll on to a refit of the garage so that there is then space to build the new kitchen cabinets.
Now to catch up with some photos.

 

[jonahbones]

From the ground up (before pics currently missing)


Simple post and beam structure 6 footings, site falls 700mm along the 5400mm length of the building



Completed footing, I like digging and had removed about 2 cubic metres of soil at this point. Half the footings the concrete was mixed by hand then the universe intervened with a free concrete mixer.


The edge between the footing is to allow 3mm meash to be fitted to close off the subfloor space from embers and snakes.
The late great Jonah Bones enjoying the sun on the new paving between shed and fence. A great mate and sorely missed.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Man, you had me going on this one. A wardrobe where I live is a portable clothes closet, a piece of furniture.

 

[jonahbones]

Framing - cypress posts, treated timber. Around here most housing framing timber is radiata pine. Laughingly called structural it bends like a banana.
Steel is the best option, but the budget is tight


At this point the wardrobe served its next function of being a lighting rod to the whingers in town. We where issued with a warning of a $60000 fine for building a carport without a permit by the local shire.
Always knew someone would complain. I need to do a quite a few repairs around the place and it was always going to attract complaint, best to clear the air.
After a conversation; where the head of the building department was very rude; stating we wouldn't know what or how to measure, a staff member was despatched with a tape measure. Seventy seconds on site with the comment of 'oh class 10 building'.
That afternoon a follow up call along the lines of 'well you weren't lying' it is under 10m2 and 2400mm high on the boundary and doesn't need a permit.
For the record neither would a carport of that size.

Created space at the front of the garage


By removing a garden ornament


Garage is same vintage as the house. A neighbour remembers an Armstrong Sidely parked in there. On the site of the new shed his son remembers a large carport with a 1940's saloon parked.
Sheds come and go and so do old cars

 

[jonahbones]

Thanks occupantRJ, it is around here to, this one will be filled with the other half's craft supplies. Another common use for a wardrobe
Given the era of the house the wardrobes would have been furniture not built in, which is why the two bedrooms are 5500mm x 4200mm (18ftx14ft).

 

[jonahbones]

Not the best of weekends, but some progress late in the day


Old galvanized iron circa 1970 donated by a friend, mongrel to cut gave the excalibur shears a good workout. The shears fly through modern zincalume, this stuff was a 2 man wrestle.
4 to go

 

[jonahbones]

More progress found a seconds building materials supplier about 2 and half hours away. Scored treated ply for the floor half price at $80 a sheet, a new backdoor so that the current door and window unit can be donated to the shed. Plus some 70x20mm decking for wall battens.
My thanks to geobarns, for the inspiration for a cheap simple wall structure.







Now to finish painting the dining room for Christmas then back to the shed

 

[jonahbones]

Ah working with corrugated iron when it is 35- 39 celsius.
Slowly

 

[jonahbones]

Having almost completed the largest most complex structure ever seen on this forum, move over concrete underground, it has all actually started to get garage related.
The backyard wardrobe aka craft store now known as the studio, has allowed the garage to be emptied of stored items.
Progress to date is the floor which has not been seen for 5 years and some new shelves to store 440 long necks, after a long hot Summer these are now mainly empty and need refilling with homebrew.

However, follow this closely, the front wall of the studio is actually the old back wall of the kitchen, a door window unit repurposed.
Following is a rationale for the last four months work,
we are just painting the kitchen so we need a sound base to work with, a new kitchen window and back door.
Window is easy a 2400mm bifold servery style window has been purchased.
The sound base to work from however turned out to be the ground.
Nothing could be salvaged of the back wall, floor, subfloor or plumbing.
All rotten, house is ninety years old after all. Although the house was re stumped fifteen years ago by an idiot.
So the last 4 months have been dig out 6 cubic metres of soil to get correct clearance under floor re stump back of house, new subfloor for back of kitchen.
We call it the job that keeps on giving.
Garage cleanup continues so that there is a workspace to make new kitchen cabinets.
Old sub Floor


Ah nearly forgot also painted dining room for Christmas



Light bar and new eyes for the van, all the better for dodging wildlife at night at speed



The shade mesh back wall was a fantastic innovation for a summer persistently above 35 celsius and humid as well.
Would have to say that cleaning out the back section of ceiling would have to be the most perilous job I have ever done old decomposed rockwool, with a layer of fibreglass on top of a layer of rat sh1t. I reckon I would have been safer sanding asbestos holding a live electrical wire.
Oh and it was 44 celsius while I was doing this.

Will try to take better photos

 

[Lippyp]

Looks like fun, I love wriggly tin.

Noticed your signature, I saw 'em when they toured the UK back in the early 90's supported by Hunters and Collectors. Great band.

 

[jonahbones]

It was old iron so it took 4 f clamps against the corner post to bend the iron and 6 100mm batten screws to hold them. good fun nice clean edge.

Oils some great memories of high energy concerts with the crowd signing then running into 6 encores to deal with the energy. not a country that gives a toss about social justice anymore though.

 

[HSpencer]

Would really like to see some photos of your house if possible. When you called it an "art deco" my ears and eyes popped open. I saw the on going work in your dining room photo and made me want to see more of the home. I am enjoying your posts!! Thanks.

 

[jonahbones]

Hspencer will chase up some photos for you, a little different to most art deco as it is a low status deco workers cottage.
Built around 1920 as a display home for the local mill the main feature is beautiful 3/4 panelling in lounge and dining all old growth messmate .
Art Deco was also about innovation, an original photo shows the front verandah cantilevered, the front windows are also set out from the wall and cantilevered . This feature always worried me as there is no support under the point load from the pitched roof !! Tile, brick and concrete were scarce in this remote village, it was a timber town and at the time kiln dried hardwood was a major advance showcased by the house.

 

[ZRX61]

That a MkII Cortina in post #4?

 

[jonahbones]

Yes a mkll that has gone to a home that has an injected 5.0l V8 waiting for it.
Was son two's first car but spent the last fifteen years as a garden gnome. Thinking about using it as an historic rally car but too many other things like the hole in the ground where half the kitchen was have priority.
Up side is that it was blocking the doors to the garage, which are now very close to being opened for the first time in forty odd years.
Talking of old English cars apparently for years the garage housed an Armstrong Sideley