| Backyard Retreat: Assembling a Backyard Retreat Kit |
From "Weekend Handyman"
episode WKH-107 |
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Note: Click here for a materials list and complete instructions without images. Time: 24 hours over two days. Difficulty Rating: It's rated a 3 on a scale of 1 to 5 (you'll need a friend or two to help with the lifting, etc.).
Materials for Complete Project:
8' x10' backyard retreat kit (made from solid hemlock and pine, with a cost of approximately $4,500 with shipping)
Two ladders (one 6' and one 8')
A cordless screw gun
Hammer (or a power nailer and compressor)
Wood shims (to level the floor)
Heavy work gloves
Level
An area that is at least 1' larger than the building on all sides
Shovel
Ten 4" x 6" timbers around the perimeter
Circular saw
Pre-drilled pilot holes (drove in spikes to tie the timbers together)
Landscape fabric
Utility knife
Pea gravel
Steel rake
Pallet or lumber
Tarp
Solid concrete blocks (4" x 8" x 16")
Measuring tape
8 penny nails
16 penny galvanized nails
Hammer taker
Gasketed screws
Magnetized bit driver in the screw gun Note: Before you get started on a project like this one, you'll need to make sure the work site is properly prepared: - Choose a site that is nice and level and has good drainage to make sure the water flows away from the foundation.
- Pick a site that's close to a road because the gravel and the kit itself have to be delivered by a large truck.
- Be sure to check with local building authorities to see if you'll need a building permit.
- Choose an area that is 1' larger (figure A) all the way around than the building itself. For our 8' x 10' building, we leveled an area 10' x 12'.
- Make sure the plot of land is level to within 6" from one end to the other, and you can use a shovel to move the dirt around.
- Lay 4" x 6" timbers around the perimeter of the bed (figure B). Each leg of the perimeter is longer than the 8' timber, so we used a circular saw to cut the pieces we needed to extend the sides.
- Pre-drill pilot holes into the corner pieces of timber and use spikes to hold them together.
- After the timbers are hammered into place, cover the entire area with landscape fabric. This will prevent weeds from growing, yet allow water to escape. The oversize fabric will also keep gravel from getting all over the place.
- For this size area, you'll need to have 2 to 3 yards (approximately $30 to 50$ per yard) of pea gravel -- sometimes called buckshot -- delivered to the site. Dump it onto the 10' x 12' square and the gravel will allow water to drain away from the building and help prevent the foundation from rotting. You can use pea-stone, river-stone or crushed rock -- it really doesn't matter.
- Spread a layer of gravel about 4" deep using a steel rake to give the bed a nice, smooth surface (figure C).
- Gather tools.
- After the kit is delivered, place it on lumber or pallets and cover with tarp.
Tip: Most folks assume that the truck driver will help them unload the backyard retreat kit arrives, but too often this isn't the case. Be sure to have some friends on hand to help unload the truck and setup the supplies in your backyard. - Place six 4" x 8" solid concrete blocks onto the gravel (figure D). The building will sit on top of the blocks, which keep the wood away from any surface water. Also, keeping any flow of surface air will help in preventing the wood in the structure from rotting.
Note: There are many manufacturers that make these particular "cottage" kits for your backyard. You can check your local home-center stores or do what Paul Ryan, the host of DIY's Weekend Handyman, did -- find one on the Internet (see Resources, below, for Jamaica Cottage Shop information). Roof Styles When building a backyard addition, be sure to choose a rood style that matches your home. There are several from which to choose: - Gable (figure E -- illustration).
- Shed (figure F -- illustration).
- Gambrel (figure G -- illustration).
- Saltbox (figure H -- illustration)
What Ryan and the homeowners ended up choosing was a gable variation called a "corner gable" (figure I -- illustration) with a flying "V" roof over the porch. Tip: If you want to save lots of time, try buying a kit that is already pre-cut at the factory. - Lay out all the pieces of the kit in a logical order.
Note: The kit you purchase should have a set of plans, and many provide pictures and step-by-step instructions as well. Be sure to follow the guidelines closely. - Lay a 4 x 4 center skid (the heavy beams on which the shed will sit), front to back on two of the cement blocks.
- Lay out the two 4 x 6 side skids, also front to back.
- Before installing the base units on the skids, you'll want to get the skids as level as possible. Using a 6' level, you can adjust the skids up or down by either adding or taking gravel away.
RESOURCES :
Backyard Cottage Kit (Jamaica Cottage Shop)
Model: 8' x 10' Bayside/Writer's Haven Shed Kit
Suggested Retail Price: $4,500.00
Jamaica Cottage Shop, Inc.
Website: www.jamaicacottageshop.com
GUESTS :
Joe Checco
National Sales Manager
Jamaica Cottage Shop, Inc.
PO Box 106
Javaica, VT 05343
Tollfree Phone: 802-297-3760
Fax: 802-297-2825
Website: www.jamaicacottageshop.com
Jim Albertson
Contractor
Information private
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