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Just eight days after buying the new tractor I finally got it into the shed, and emptied all my lawn equipment out of the garage - the wife is very happy indeed. Someone's getting lucky tonight! The wife's new car that is - it will be snug and warm in the garage.

The bad news is that the shed pretty much needs rebuilding. But that comes as no suprise, since every square inch of this property needs rebuilding. The shed was constructed with T-111, but instead of flashing the horizontal butt-joints, they just covered the joints with treated 1x6 and caulked it. This is an absolutely ingenious method of trapping moisture against the most vulnerable part of the wood - the end grain. To completely seal the shed's fate, they also buried the other end below grade. That's doubly ingenious! :thumbsup:

They say that the three most important things in real estate are location, location and location. I say the three most important things are flashing, flashing and flashing.

The good news is that the framing is still solid, and there was a ready-made double-wide doorway between two 4x4 posts. All I have to do is install a jamb to make it plumb and I'm good to go. Once I replace all that T-111 siding that is.

Of course, if I had the time I'd bulldoze the whole thing and pour a pad, but with all the other work that needs done around here, I'm in triage mode.

Anyway this is all temporary since all the lawn equipment goes back into the barn as soon as I install the new roof. But since that's not on the honey-do list, it won't likely get done for a while.

I used Hardi panels when I built my shed, I would suggest you consider the same. They are a cementitious material that is absolutely impervious to rot. Living in the tropics or sub-tropics. It made sense.
Looks like those panels have a few years left in them, except the bottoms. If you are going to re-side, look into Hardi panels.

RobertBrown said:

I used Hardi panels when I built my shed, I would suggest you consider the same. They are a cementitious material that is absolutely impervious to rot. Living in the tropics or sub-tropics. It made sense.
Looks like those panels have a few years left in them, except the bottoms. If you are going to re-side, look into Hardi panels.

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I will definitely look at them - thanks for reminding me. If I recall, they're a great deal more expensive, but worth looking at anyway. I'm not looking for any 40-year solutions, just want to get the shed back in business.

I am actually in the process of replacing all the siding on my house with Hardi planks, and even bought the sheers that make it so easy to cut Hardi products with no dust.

What you call T-111 looks a lot like the rough sawn fir plywood siding I put on my garage back in '89...yes, they should have used Z-flashing (readymade for the purpose) between the butt joints. After staining my garage siding twice, I decided to bite the bullet and cover the RSF with vinyl, cost enough to pay for 50 years of staining materials but I will never have to do that again.

mystreba said:

I I am actually in the process of replacing all the siding on my house with Hardi planks, and even bought the sheers that make it so easy to cut Hardi products with no dust.

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Yes the dust is a real health hazard. I cut mine outside with a skillsaw blade (I think I put it on backwards and it was sharper than when I started) and a box fan with a dustmask and an old sheet over that. I like my lungs....
The shed is in service 3 years and looks the same as when I built it. Hardi panels hold paint very well too.

RobertBrown said:

Yes the dust is a real health hazard. I cut mine outside with a skillsaw blade (I think I put it on backwards and it was sharper than when I started) and a box fan with a dustmask and an old sheet over that. I like my lungs....
The shed is in service 3 years and looks the same as when I built it. Hardi panels hold paint very well too.

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I checked out the price and it turns out that Hardi panels are $3 cheaper than T-111. So I got the Hardi panels, and I'm putting them up right over the old T-111. I cut the bottom 4" off the T-111 before I started, just to eliminate the ground contact. I also installed a door jamb for hanging doors later. I'd like to go with an overhead garage-door, but the roof slope and interior height won't accomodate one. Roll-up doors are too expensive, so I'll just make some swing-out doors. The entire roof+sheathing has to be removed and replaced - that's next. Then I'll rent a trencher and run a new circuit out there. I should have a proper shed at that point.

mystreba said:

I checked out the price and it turns out that Hardi panels are $3 cheaper than T-111. So I got the Hardi panels, and I'm putting them up right over the old T-111. I cut the bottom 4" off the T-111 before I started, just to eliminate the ground contact. I also installed a door jamb for hanging doors later. I'd like to go with an overhead garage-door, but the roof slope and interior height won't accomodate one. Roll-up doors are too expensive, so I'll just make some swing-out doors. The entire roof+sheathing has to be removed and replaced - that's next. Then I'll rent a trencher and run a new circuit out there. I should have a proper shed at that point.

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The shed is really not all that bad, needs work, albeit. What are the structural elements consisting of?
If you don't mind my asking.....
My garage was an old pole barn enclosed sometime after construction and well before I purchased this place. Somewhere along the line a slab was poured around the 9, 4x6, pine columns. Someone decided the center colum was in the way and cut it flush with the bottom cord of the roof truss and removed it. The roof was sagging 2" in the center as a result. I inserted a 2" pipe colum while jacking the roof back to level. This too has t1-11 siding that I am going to replace as soon as I finish reframimg the walls. I have 1 side to go. I feel your pain.....is where I'm going with this. I have the same door dilema. The existing door is an overhead, little more than 6'-10" AFF.

For your door:

Consider a sliding door or an ultra light sheet metal door that swings up (outside) and is supported with stanchions sort of like an awning, providing you with a shaded area where it does the most good. Both of these can be designed and constructed by yourself using aluminum and sheet metal. I've seen this in service and it works great. Not real secure, but very functional.

RobertBrown said:

The shed is really not all that bad, needs work, albeit. What are the structural elements consisting of?
If you don't mind my asking.....

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I do mind your asking - because I was trying so hard not to think about it!! Seriously, I'm afraid to open that can of worms. There's a lot of wood making ground contact. But from what I can tell it was built on posts, so at least it's not just resting on the ground. The structure feels solid, and that's good enough for now - I'm sure it will handle the added weight of the siding. There are no studs, only posts every 4 feet. I'm addiing some studs in. Posts and rafters are solid. The headers are inadequate, but they'll do. With every square inch of this property requiring a complete rebuild, I can't afford to get too wrapped around the axle on the shed. The main thing is the roof - once I get water to shed correctly, the structure should last a good many years.

Turns out z-channels for Hardi panels are special order, so I'll be renting a brake to bend my own.

The door solutions sound good, but I'm going the easy route with triple-hinged doors on each jamb. Hope to have it all done in a couple of weeks, with all the other distractions around the pool and yard.

Gee, and people tell me I get off topic from lawn mowers....:biggrin: Easy to do, ain't it?

Yet, this is the NINTH post in this thread...:laughing:

twall said:

Gee, and people tell me I get off topic from lawn mowers....:biggrin: Easy to do, ain't it?

Yet, this is the NINTH post in this thread...:laughing:

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Hey, Front Porch man!
"When you're done mowing, grab a seat on the Lawn Mower Forum front porch and talk about whatever comes to mind (except politics, of course!)."

mystreba said:

Hey, Front Porch man!
"When you're done mowing, grab a seat on the Lawn Mower Forum front porch and talk about whatever comes to mind (except politics, of course!)."

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Be sure to quote that to the opposition when someone gives me crap for talkin about just that....it's happened before....

Just sayin'....what's good for the goose is good for the gander.......

mystreba said:

Hey, Front Porch man!
"When you're done mowing, grab a seat on the Lawn Mower Forum front porch and talk about whatever comes to mind (except politics, of course!)."

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BTW, 'Front Porch Man'?????

I post all over this site as much as anyone, so check yourself.......

twall said:

BTW, 'Front Porch Man'?????

I post all over this site as much as anyone, so check yourself.......

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I meant it as in "Hey, this is the Front Porch, Man!" - not as in "Hey, you only post in the Front Porch"! Sorry.

Update - I went with the Hardi panels (4x8) to rebuild the exterior of the shed after widening the doors. Because the shed is 10' tall, I needed some z-channel for the horizontal butt joints. The big box lumber yard where I purchased the panels doesn't stock the z-channel, but told me they could special-order it.

So I rented a sheet metal brake to bend the channels myself. But it turns out you cannot bend a 5/16 z-channel (3/4 yes, but that's the smallest).

So I went back to the big-box and spent 45 minutes at the commercial desk to special-order them. They were $6 per 8-foot section. Got a call on the way home to inform me there would be a $40 in-store delivery fee! Needless to say, I made a prompt u-turn and got a refund.

Drove to the nearest roofing supply warehouse and they had them in stock for $5.50 each, so I'm back in business.

I think it would have been easier to just replace the T-111

mystreba said:

I meant it as in "Hey, this is the Front Porch, Man!" - not as in "Hey, you only post in the Front Porch"! Sorry.

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I gotcha.....no problem. Nice bump to cover a hot potato......I'll go with it....:biggrin:

Thought you were calling me 'Front Porch Man'.....which the title should clearly go to JD.....I think he alone has more threads started in the Front Porch than anyone in this membership....:biggrin:

Dunno if that adds or detracts from his MOTM status.....

twall said:

I gotcha.....no problem. Nice bump to cover a hot potato......I'll go with it....:biggrin:

Thought you were calling me 'Front Porch Man'.....which the title should clearly go to JD.....I think he alone has more threads started in the Front Porch than anyone in this membership....:biggrin:

Dunno if that adds or detracts from his MOTM status.....

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My lousy eyes automatically blew my chance for MOTM here....hey, how about YOU be the "Back Porch Man"....

mystreba said:

I meant it as in "Hey, this is the Front Porch, Man!" - not as in "Hey, you only post in the Front Porch"! Sorry.

Update - I went with the Hardi panels (4x8) to rebuild the exterior of the shed after widening the doors. Because the shed is 10' tall, I needed some z-channel for the horizontal butt joints. The big box lumber yard where I purchased the panels doesn't stock the z-channel, but told me they could special-order it.

So I rented a sheet metal brake to bend the channels myself. But it turns out you cannot bend a 5/16 z-channel (3/4 yes, but that's the smallest).

So I went back to the big-box and spent 45 minutes at the commercial desk to special-order them. They were $6 per 8-foot section. Got a call on the way home to inform me there would be a $40 in-store delivery fee! Needless to say, I made a prompt u-turn and got a refund.

Drove to the nearest roofing supply warehouse and they had them in stock for $5.50 each, so I'm back in business.

I think it would have been easier to just replace the T-111

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Aluminum trim is one of the highest priced items, for the raw material cost, you will find in a home center store. I recently purchased some lengths of 12 foot long, 6 inch aluminum fascia. Each one cost about $14 with sales tax. The sections weight about a pound each. The scrap ones I have, same material, are worth about 24 cents a pound. Go figure. My brother is stripping 45 year old aluminum siding from a house he owns. I am keeping the siding so I can sand them down and refinish them to use as trim on my barns. The aluminum siding is almost 2X as thick as what the fascia I just paid $14 a pound for is. Frickin' inane what the stuff costs today.

4' x 8' Hardi Panels --- you must need 4 gorillas to lift each one !
We have the pre-finished Hardi Plank siding on our house and it is HEAVY - We love it for many reasons, but one major reason is that we have Wood Boring Bees in this area and they can't touch this siding !

BKBrown said:

4' x 8' Hardi Panels --- you must need 4 gorillas to lift each one !
We have the pre-finished Hardi Plank siding on our house and it is HEAVY - We love it for many reasons, but one major reason is that we have Wood Boring Bees in this area and they can't touch this siding !
View attachment 1598

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Yes, they are heavy. I'm also installing Hardi Plank on my house - great stuff. Especially if you have the sheers for cutting them (too much unhealthy dust with a regular saw).