Garden Shed #33 - Final Post on the Project & Lessons Learned

Looking back through my posts on the garden shed, I didn't see any picture sets showing the entire final product. I took some shots around the perimeter...





Reusing the old shed

This was a definite plus. We reused the cedar siding, framing lumber, foundation beams, hardware and pier blocks. Here in Oregon, we could have recycled all this material - but it was much better and cheaper to use it again.

We did not reuse
- 1x4 flooring - tried but it was too damaged (100's of nails!)
- Cedar shingle roofing - too much moss and mold
- Windows - they were tiny and of poor quality
- Plastic and tar paper - too old and damaged

We also used up a bunch of old paint stored in the shed for primer, which worked well.

When I was grinding the nail heads to get the pier blocks free, I got a piece of metal lodged in my eye - and I need to get an incision to get it out (ouch). I had on safety glasses, but it made it's way up underneath. I'll wear a face shield in the future.

Shed sizing

The shed size is key to using materials well. The 12 x 16 footprints gave the following advantages:
- Used full sheets of plywood for the floor
- Had very little waste in framing the walls. - The 7' height gave us a bunch of 1' pieces, which we used for shelf support blocks.
- The 12' width allowed for 8' rafters on a 4/12 pitch, which was by far the most economical

Sliding door

It was more expensive than a hinged double door - about $100 extra - but I think it was well worth it. It is much easier to use, and stays right were you put it.

Summary

I think the shed build was a good intermediate project, that most DIY people could handle with the right tools and time.

Home Theater #33 - Drawer Hardware

I installed the hardware shown below on our home theater cabinets. We bought these twisted-rope ring pulls from Amazon seller Maison Drake for about $8 each. They were on back-order for a couple of weeks, but the seller kept us up-to-date via email.

We really like the quality of the pulls. They are quite heavy with a nice finish and good workmanship. The design is a bit fancy, but the small size makes for an understated look.


If you have ever drilled a hole for hardware in the wrong place, you are acquainted with true frustration. Here is a technique to make sure you locate the holes correctly...

Make a "card" that indicated the height of the hole. In this case, since it is a panel drawer front, t just sits on the bottom rail as shown. If you have a flat drawer front, you can nail a little ledger on the card and measure from the top down.

Slide the card along to right spot, using a ruler.

Hold the card in place and mark it with a center punch (or nail, or pencil).


Tap the center punch with a hammer, so you have a good starter hole for you drill bit.

Home Theater #32 - The stone is done

We finished off the stonework in the theater room today, and I am really happy with the results. It took a bit longer that I had planned for, but it was worth taking the time...


Below is a closer picture of the stonework. The mortar will lighten to match the other stone in about 10 days.


Tomorrow, I need to get the rest of the drawer fronts on and add the hardware. After that, we have trim (base; crown; doors), carpet, and I will to build a small matching table for the center speakers. I am hoping to be done with the theater by the end of March (we'll see).