Backyard Workshop

[Bolson32]

Hi All,

Gonna try this build thread one more time. I posted this just before they had the failure and lost all of the new posts, so here it is again.

My wife and I bought a new house on 1.5 acres in the Twin Cities area back in August. We absolutely love it here, and plan on making this our forever home. The only downside is that my pickup doesn't fit in the attached garage. It's about 6" too long as the attached is only 20ft deep.

My original plan was to build an addition so that I could park out of the snow. However, I've run into some relatively strict zoning laws and setback issues, instituted by an overzealous City Council in the early 90s. After fighting with them for months on amendment changes and a few other things, I've shelved that idea for now and am just going to build a little 16x32 workshop in the backyard. Something that I can keep the boat in, in the winter, and my little John Deere 1026r. Then the 2nd stall of the attached garage can become more winter storage, etc.

I decided to go with a 16x32 because the road behind my house is actually very busy, and this shop will be front and center visible. I didn't want anything overpowering. But I wanted it to be big enough to use as a workshop, with tall enough ceilings for a golf simulator at a later date.

The front of our house has white, board and batten smartside, and we'll eventually re-side the whole thing in that style. Given that I've decided to side the shop the same. And go with a black asphalt roof as I really like the black windows, white siding, black roof style that has become popular as of late.

There will be a 9ft overhead door on the west end, a couple of windows on the east and a 6ft door on the northeast corner that I should be able to pull my tractor in horizontally(this will probably be a carriage door). The South wall will have no openings, as I think I may eventually put a lean-to off of it for cold storage. I have a number of attachments I'd just like to keep out of the snow. They really don't have to be inside.

 

[Bolson32]

These next few posts are retroactive, thanks GJ

Slab was poured and materials were delivered the week of June 21st.

 

[Bolson32]

I started framing that same weekend. I made some pretty quick progress those two days.

Day1: This was by myself, I ended up using the tractor to stand these wall sections. 2x6x10' walls are no joke. In 16ft sections they were damn heavy.

Day2: I had a buddy help me today and it went substantially faster. We were able to get the 4 walls done and some corner sheeting on for stability.

 

[Bolson32]

Since COVID hit I've been working from home, which actually affords me an hour or two in the mornings to peck away at it before it gets too hot out. I took the July 4th weekend off to get out on the water but I spent a few mornings getting a bit more sheathing on and cutting some extra cripples for over the doors where trusses would sit. No pictures from those two weeks.

 

[Bolson32]

July 11th was Truss day. I had 3 friends come over and we were able to get them up there in only a few hours. I was hoping to sheet the roof in the same day. But after hoisting two up there I decided I was going to hire that out. The guy I was going to hire to do the roof charges $20 a sheet for roof sheathing, so I figured that was ~$400 well spent. We got the gable rakes up, which would've been brutal by myself, and finished up a fair bit more of the wall sheathing.

I spent Monday morning bracing the trusses a bit better since a storm was coming in and there wasn't much in the way of sheathing to firm them up.

Panoview before final wall sheathing

Prepped for trusses

Gable Rakes

End of full day 3. Probably another 6-8 hours in between.

 

[Jayman17]

Your photos are not showing up.

Jay

 

[Bolson32]

Your photos are not showing up.

Jay

Thanks for pointing that out, they were yesterday. I stripped the s off of the https link and I think that fixed it.

 

[Bolson32]

Got up and put in 90 minutes or so this morning, finished the last of the full length sheets. All that's left for sheathing is gable ends and above the two side doors. I'm thinking, maybe another couple of mornings and I should have that wrapped up.

Roofer comes tomorrow, and that should help quite a bit in keeping everything dry. Although the wall sheathing has held up just fine in the few rains we've had.

 

[captain14]

Looking good so far. What’s you plan for electric? Waiting until you get the final inspection completed?

You’ll feel better after the roofing material is Complete. Has he looked at the materials to make sure everything is there so no slowdowns?

 

[Bolson32]

Looking good so far. What’s you plan for electric? Waiting until you get the final inspection completed?

You’ll feel better after the roofing material is Complete. Has he looked at the materials to make sure everything is there so no slowdowns?

Yea, I think electric is going to wait until after the final, if at all this year to be honest. I'm trying to do this as much out of pocket as possible so it's been a staged build for sure. I'm about 125ft from the house so I'd like to get by with a mini-split as a single source of conditioning eventually but we'll see.

And that's a great question, he has not looked at them but I've checked and double-checked and I think I'm good on the materials. The Menards Garage builder so far has been perfect on all materials estimates. But I'll be sure to have him look over the materials I have when he gets here tomorrow. I'm really hoping for that to go off without a hitch like you said. I'll feel a ton better once that's done.

 

[DavidR8]

Looking good!

 

[Bolson32]

Roofers came yesterday and got the sheating done and the ice and water barrier and tar paper on. There's a storm coming tonight so hopefully it doesn't blow off over the weekend. Shingles on Monday!

 

[kaymccampbell]

Beautiful.

 

[Bolson32]

Beautiful.

Thank you!

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[lastgoodusername]

Looks like it is going to be really nice, start planning on wings for both sides. I could have covered my whole yard and I still would not have had enough room.

 

[captain14]

Hope you have a storm free weekend!

 

[Bolson32]

Looks like it is going to be really nice, start planning on wings for both sides. I could have covered my whole yard and I still would not have had enough room.

I think a lean - to off the back will be in the next year or two. I have a lot things I would just like to keep out of the snow.

A front porch would look nice too [emoji23]

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[Bolson32]

Hope you have a storm free weekend!

So far so good. The biggest threat supposedly was last night and it did storm, but the worst went north of us.

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[cruzer75]

Very cool! Great build!
Your picture with the tractor helping is inspiring...honey see we could use it for so much stuff!

 

[Shovelhead]

That's going to make for a really nice workshop.
Lookin good.

 

[Dumber than lumber]

July 11th was Truss day. I had 3 friends come over and we were able to get them up there in only a few hours. I was hoping to sheet the roof in the same day. But after hoisting two up there I decided I was going to hire that out. The guy I was going to hire to do the roof charges $20 a sheet for roof sheathing, so I figured that was ~$400 well spent. We got the gable rakes up, which would've been brutal by myself, and finished up a fair bit more of the wall sheathing.

I spent Monday morning bracing the trusses a bit better since a storm was coming in and there wasn't much in the way of sheathing to firm them up.

Panoview before final wall sheathing

Prepped for trusses

Gable Rakes

End of full day 3. Probably another 6-8 hours in between.

With friends like that who needs family? Or co-workers? JOKING
That is a quick build.
Did you need a permit?

 

[Jayman17]

Your shop is looking good! Nice job, you will enjoy that space.

Jay

 

[Bolson32]

Thanks everyone! I do think I'm going to love it.

With friends like that who needs family? Or co-workers? JOKING
That is a quick build.
Did you need a permit?

Haha, exactly. I have gotten about 9 total hours out of two buddies but I made damn sure to be ready for them when they got there. Nothing worse than someone asking for your help then you waiting an hour while they prep.

And yes, I do need a permit. I actually got the second to last (framing) inspection done Friday. Anything over 200sq ft needs a permit in my city. Pretty standard in Minnesota.

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[Bolson32]

Very cool! Great build!
Your picture with the tractor helping is inspiring...honey see we could use it for so much stuff!

Not sure how much land you have but a good subcompact is worth it's weight in gold. It actually mows really nice too. I use it for snow, everything. It's a mini tank.

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[Bolson32]

And just like that the roof is done!

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[Bolson32]

Got up and put in a couple of hours this morning before work finishing about 95% of the sheathing. I've got two more small pieces to go up on the far gable end. Shouldn't take terribly long. Ideally I can get the wrap done by the end of the week.

 

[Bolson32]

Got up early this morning and got all of my openings cut out, cleaned up some missed nailing spots on sheathing and flashed the sill plates. Next step is housewrap, which I'm hoping to get done Friday afternoon/evening.

 

[Jayman17]

Looking good, thanks for the update and posting your build.

Jay

 

[Fogey]

To us in the UK, that is more than a backyard workshop . . . . in fact that is one hell of a backyard!!!

 

[DavidR8]

Looking great!

 

[Bolson32]

Looking good, thanks for the update and posting your build.

Jay

Thanks, and no problem! I'm just glad people are taking a little interest, it's fun to keep a little captain's log.

To us in the UK, that is more than a backyard workshop . . . . in fact that is one hell of a backyard!!!

Haha, yes it is! I have a number of colleagues in the UK and we talk about housing from time to time and how different it is from there to here. Just so much more room to stretch out a bit in the Midwest.

 

[Bolson32]

4 weeks since I started to the day and she's finally dried in. I do feel a TON better now that I know I can take my time a little bit with the rest of it. I would think I'll have the windows and the service door in over the next couple of days, and I'll start on the soffit and fascia next week.

I need to get my orders in for the siding and the OHD but I'm waiting for the rebate from my initial purchase. Hopefully can get some tracking on that in the next couple of days.

 

[DavidR8]

Looking good!


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[captain14]

What’s your plan for the doors? Definitely consider fiberglass for the man door. Not sure if the garage doors are offered that way too.

Awning for the man door to keep the weather off it? A brow for the big door on the gable end?That would make great architectural element too.

 

[Bolson32]

What’s your plan for the doors? Definitely consider fiberglass for the man door. Not sure if the garage doors are offered that way too.

Awning for the man door to keep the weather off it? A brow for the big door on the gable end?That would make great architectural element too.

I'm going with a wood textured dark oak steel door for the man door, most garage doors are steel as well I think.

I think I'll probably do a little porch on the man door eventually yea, it would be a nice break-up from a plain roof as well. But that's a far down the road sorta thing.

As for the brow...good call! We have eyebrow pergolas on our house now and I'll probably end up doing that to match!

 

[Bolson32]

Got a window in on Saturday before the brutal heat hit. I got this window at a Building materials outlet for like $80, it's a real nice aluminum Pella. Couldn't find any to match for the gable windows so I had to order those. Hopefully the last two windows are in within the next couple of days so I can get going on those as well. Ship date is today but no updates yet.

Earlier this morning I got all but one piece of the F-channel up for the soffit. Stupid Menards shorted me on one piece, no biggie though. I can go grab one later today.

 

[driftpin]

Where is this? Always handy to have your location below your avatar & screen name.

A sense of relief with it being to this point. Looks well-done. I envy your space.

 

[captain14]

I like how the trellis in front of the house mimics the house eyebrows!

I wish I would have thought of the brow above my garage door when I had the contractor installed the gable siding along with the soffit and fascia. I did add a simple 6x6 porch off the back man door. It sure keeps the weather off the door and associated trim. And a place to plan and brainstorm ideas in the shade with a cold drink.

 

[Bolson32]

Where is this? Always handy to have your location below your avatar & screen name.

A sense of relief with it being to this point. Looks well-done. I envy your space.

Updated, finally found out where to do it lol. I'm in Lake Elmo, MN, definitely a sense of relief having it dried in. I don't feel nearly as rushed and am enjoying pecking away at the siding and other finishes.

I like how the trellis in front of the house mimics the house eyebrows!

Thanks! We're actually going to do something similar in the back of the house I think. Rip out the crappy deck and pour a patio similar to what you see in the front with a trellis and eyebrow over the rear family room window.

And actually, on that note. The deck is coming out Saturday. My dog got stuck under it just this morning and I had to rip out a couple of boards to coax her out. So, the garage is going on pause while we get that done. Annoying, but we've been meaning to do it for awhile now. It's got 30 years of trash under there that really needs to go.

 

[Bolson32]

Got one gable end soffit done this morning and started on one eave side. Slower rolling than I anticipated but I think the eave sides will go much faster. Hopefully I can get the other gable end done tomorrow morning.