Finally building my studio!!

tnehlers · #1 2010-04-19, 4:16pm

It's a work in progress so I will post pics as they go along! We bought a shed kit from Home Depot. It's 10x10 with 6' sides. I'm so excited! I've been waiting three years for this! My dad and his helper/employee are putting it together and when they are done constructing it they will wire it to my specifications, install my ventilation (furnace fan), insulate and panel the walls, and build my work bench, glass storage, and shelving. We have our house on the market so if we get an offer it will throw a wrench in things - we might have to hold off on construction, or complete everything except hooking up the power so we can move it. We could have waited but we've been trying to sell our house on and off for two years now and I got tired of waiting!

Anyway, here are the pictures from today's work - they brought up the kit and worked for about 3 hours. He's not happy with how the walls connect so he's going to cut some boards to help secure the sides to the bottom frame.

The floor frame:

Working on leveling the floor frame:

The completed back wall:

Completed front wall:

Framing for the side walls:

Now if I could just get some torch time in I'd be in heaven.

LAJ · #2 2010-04-19, 6:11pm

Congrats Theresa! How exciting! Can't wait to see the progress.

Seasoned Soul · #3 2010-04-19, 7:45pm

How exciting. I'm coming to the end of my project. Just need to finish the ventilation and hook up the propane a few more odds and ends and I think I'll be ready to go... whew* Keep us posted. So far so good. It's going to be great!!!

Lorraine Chandler · #4 2010-04-19, 10:13pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAJ

Congrats Theresa! How exciting! Can't wait to see the progress.

What she said!

Lorraine

Dale M. · #5 2010-04-20, 5:37am

Just a though or consideration..... Before it gets too far along check the floor.... With that long of span the center will be awful springy (bouncy) with out a few supports in center..... But if they have already taken care of it, ignore my comments.... I'm just going by the pictures you have posted....

Glad to see another studio in progress....

Dale

tnehlers · #6 2010-04-20, 5:51am

Thanks Lea!! You probably know how much I've wanted this!

Lynn, you must be super excited too. I saw your thread

Lorraine, thank you, thank you, thank you for the ventilation pics and info!! I am finally putting them to use, and I did exactly what you said and asked our neighbor (a heating and air guy) for a furnace fan and he gave me one in a month!

Dale, I appreciate your input!! He actually put supports along the length of that floor frame piece at the 8' mark. You can see it if you look at the bottom pics. I also just went out and stepped on the frame at the 5' mark and it is really sturdy. Feel free to offer any further input - I know you have experience with this stuff!

He actually just added more supports down the center of the frame as well.

cheng076 · #7 2010-04-20, 10:08am

I want to echo Dales comments. It looks like an eight foot span using 2x4s on 2 foot centers. That translates into a trampoline in use. Easiest solution is to put another 2x4 between each floor joist and perhaps a beam on blocks under the center of the long span. You will be very annoyed with such a bouncy floor otherwise.
PJ

tnehlers · #8 2010-04-20, 11:12am

Hi PJ! As I wrote above, there are two additional rows of support blocks under the framing. They just aren't in the pictures above.

My hubby said that sounded rude and I was not trying to come across that way - I hope it didn't seem like that!

tnehlers · #9 2010-04-20, 3:20pm

Day 2:

This picture is of the floor after they realized that the building is actually 10' x 9' 8" in size and had to rotate and level (again) the entire floor assembly after they nailed on the very heavy 3/4" plywood because the building was sideways...oops... lol

Back wall is up and if you look closely you can see the support beams he added at the bottom of the wall to make it more sturdy:

Front wall is up, framing for side walls is up, and my oldest is inspecting their work:

Roof is framed and they are just finishing up the walls:

They also got the roof nailed on and covered with tarps, and the doors were tacked on just in time - it started raining!

tnehlers · #10 2010-04-20, 3:31pm

It stopped raining long enough to snap a pic:

Dale M. · #11 2010-04-20, 7:39pm

Looking good so far....

Dale

beadgirl · #12 2010-04-21, 4:54am

Theresa,
How exciting and all in two days! Glad you beat the rain. Keep your pictures coming.
We built our own and it took over a month. Make sure before you insulate it that you put a vapor barrier on (House Wrap)
MarieAnn

tnehlers · #13 2010-04-21, 6:28am

Thanks Dale and MarieAnn!! I've never heard of a vapor barrier. I'll have to look that up.

Ok, Tyvek. I don't think we can do that since the walls are pre-primed to be painted (no siding) and Tyvek goes around the outside of the house before the siding. The wood is treated for moisture and termites, so I'm not sure if we would need it.

cheng076 · #14 2010-04-21, 9:32am

Theresa,
I didn't notie any rudeness in your comments. I'm glad you added the extra support; you'll appreciate it later. The build is really going great and fast. Cudos to your Dad and helpers. It looks like an enjoyable place to work.
Congrats, PJ

houptdavid · #15 2010-04-21, 11:14am

Can I suggest you go find some windows to put in there. Since the framing is open it would still be easy to add.

tnehlers · #16 2010-04-21, 12:44pm

Ok good PJ! I wanted to be sure

Thank you for input; I am so glad my dad is doing it. We were planning to do it ourselves on the weekends and we would have been clueless about half the stuff he's doing!

David, I'd like to have a window, but I don't really have a place for one. My glass storage is going up the side walls about 4-5' with shelves above (I have a massive amount of glass and extras). My dad suggested a window above the doors so I need to ask him about that again. I'm not sure if there is enough space. Maybe I'll talk to him about having a small window on each side above the glass storage in the middle. It will just take away from some of my shelving. As of right now I plan to leave at least one of the doors open when I'm in there.

houptdavid · #17 2010-04-21, 1:15pm

If not a window a skylight?

tnehlers · #18 2010-04-21, 1:38pm

That would be cool! I'll ask him tomorrow - thanks!

tnehlers · #19 2010-04-21, 3:15pm

I don't have any new pictures today. They started shingling the roof but ran out of shingles (they grabbed the wrong kind), they finished my doors, and they put more supports and framing for the paneling. Tomorrow they want to finish the roof and start wiring!

cheng076 · #20 2010-04-21, 11:30pm

How about windows in the doors? It might feel 'closed in' without some daylight comming in.
PJ

beadsoncypress · #21 2010-04-22, 3:42am

You could even get some plexiglass from Lowes and add some 12"x18" windows along the top edge just under the roofline. We put some in our barn (which only had a couple of windows) and I could't believe the amount of light that came in!
Nice studio! Wait until you have to move all the glass.......much heavier than it looks!!!
Congratulations!

tnehlers · #22 2010-04-22, 4:21am

I'll ask today about windows in either the ceiling or doors. Thanks!

Thank you Susan! Right now my glass is stacked in two big plastic storage containers and a diaper box! Every time I get more I have to drag the containers out, put the glass in, and shove them back in the hall closet. I have been working with shorts for months since I don't have ready access to my glass. This is going to be such a relief for me!

tnehlers · #23 2010-04-22, 1:20pm

Today's pictures!

The roof is shingled:

Here is the inside picture of my furnace fan screwed onto the wall. It turns out I don't need a box or anything; it already had places to screw it on. I still have to add the duct work, but there is also a place to screw that on the bottom of the fan. Gotta say I am loving this free fan!!

Here's an outside pic. He is going to add a louver or an a/c vent to cover the hole.

This is a picture of the underside of my work bench. It's 2' deep and 10' wide and will be completely covered in sheet metal which will be folded around the front edge.

Now I need the electrician to come in and get it all powered up before they can do anything else. My dad says about 4 days or so to get the rest done. He's also trying to find a window to go in one or both sides of the building. Apparently he's been looking but having a hard time finding something small enough to fit within the framing. The doors are too thin for a window and he doesn't want to put a window in the roof for fear of leakage.

I have to say I am really shocked (and thrilled) with how quickly everything is going! I expected it to take longer. We are having the electrician come next week. I was hoping for sooner but we had a showing Monday and apparently they are trying to decide between our house and another and will make a decision by the end of the week (although neither of us really expects an offer).

Dale M. · #24 2010-04-23, 6:50am

IF this fan is the style that both sides are open (top & bottom) you are going to have to put it in a plenum box to get proper air flow ...

Similar to what I'm trying to demonstrate in picture below....

Dale

tnehlers · #25 2010-04-23, 7:24am

Ok, thank you Dale! We will do that ourselves.

Lorraine Chandler · #26 2010-04-23, 9:27pm

You are so very welcome! Glad to be of help. Your studio is coming along nicely and I bet you can't wait to get in there and make beads!!

Lorraine

tnehlers · #27 2010-05-01, 11:06am

The electrician came for a few hours yesterday and Thursday, but he still didn't finish and is coming back Monday. My dad going to insulate and panel Monday, too, and the rest is up to us!

Yesterday my husband gave me letters to spell out a sign for my studio! I spent the day painting and creating my sign. I love it!

Seasoned Soul · #28 2010-05-01, 8:20pm

Love your sign...and your studio...looks like it's coming along great!! Won't be long.

tnehlers · #29 2010-05-02, 4:56am

Thanks Lynn! We still have a LOT to do but it's getting there!

tnehlers · #30 2010-05-04, 3:20pm

We have power! lol The electrician finally finished. My dad boxed my fan, put in all the insulation, and put up the paneling on the side walls, front wall, and center of the ceiling.

The box made a huge difference in the strength of the suction.

Here is one of the sides already paneled. There is more paneling propped against it.