Now — apologies if you’re looking for an inspirational, design-led post, full of colour and style. You certainly won’t find it here!!! Inspiration, maybe, but certainly none of the others.
I wanted to document this she shed journey from start to finish and the build is not exactly what you’d call ‘pretty’.
Anyway, around this time last month, I wrote the first instalment of my quest to create the perfect garden office.
A rather un ‘office-y’ looking pile of flatpack garden shed had been delivered, back in January, and the next step was to create the perfect base to build it on.
We’d chosen the spot.
It was to be sited in the working end of one of the gardens, just in front of the chicken house, opposite the veggie plot.
So far, so good.
We’d decided to use concrete slabs — rather than a cement base — and the first step was to make a wooden frame to lay the slabs in*.
*The frame was sized so that whole slabs were used, rather than having to cut slabs in half. Much easier in the long-run to get your measurements right from the off!
Mr D picked up the timber from the builder’s merchants but we had a huge shipment of sharp sand — plus a couple of pallet loads of paving slabs — delivered on a lorry.
Such a good plan, given the fact they hoisted it all over the garden wall on a crane. I think if we’d tried to pick this up ourselves, it would have killed the suspension in our Landrover.
And Mr D’s back.
Typically the ground was really uneven on the plot, so one corner of the frame had to be raised.
My clever boy did this by digging two holes, underneath where the frame was going to sit, on the corner that needed to be raised.
Both holes were situated a couple of feet from the corner edge, directly under the frame. Then a length of timber was cemented into each hole; making sure they were absolutely vertical.
Once the concrete had set overnight, a hole was drilled through the post — and the timber frame — then the frame was secured to the post using coach bolts.
Once the frame was built, sharp sand was poured into the frame and levelled off.
And, finally, the paving slabs were laid on top, making sure that they were level with a spirit level, and tapped down with a soft mallet.
Once the whole base had been laid* my clever boy began putting together the wooden floor of the shed, which sat directly on top of the flag-stones.
I must just point out that the next picture only shows 3/4 of the base completed but my impatient boy couldn’t wait to start laying the wooden base!!
So that’s it. Flatpack ready, base complete.
All that was left to do next was build it.
PS — I’m going to be sharing updates on my garden office build over the coming months. Please join me on my journey — I can’t wait to share what I’ve been doing, here on my blog! xx
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Yay! Looking forward to seeing the she shed rise out of the ground, so to speak.
It’s SO exciting!! It’s looking pretty good now :)
Looking good. You’ve got a keeper there in Mr D.
Fionnu x
Thanks love — and yes — I absolurely do. He’s AMAZING!!! I struck gold when I found him :)
Oh my! I can’t wait to see what this looks like at the end. I would absolutely love one of these in my garden. I first saw a lovely one a couple of months ago over at ‘The Ana Mum Diaries’ blog and she did a brilliant job of decorating it. Yours looks like it’s going to be quite big too. Can’t wait for more updates of it.
It’s looking good Nicola!! :) Still got a way to go until it’s finished though :)
Oh wow Caro such a HUGE job. Mr D has worked so hard (as have you). Cannot wait to see more!!!!! Jess xx
#HomeEtc
I think it was a huger job than we anticipated to be honest!!! Next time, we’ll just get a man in!! LOL!!
Ah this is so cool, you must be really excited! Bet you can’t wait for it to be finished though! xx #HomeEtc
Am SO excited about it :) It’s really coming along now xx
This is just so exciting!! x
SOOOOO exciting!!!!!Have been wanting a she-shed for YEARS!!! :)
I love posts like this – it’s good to know all the stages that go in to such a project rather than just seeing all the prettiness of the finished job – more realistic for those planning the same. Mr D is very clever! Having said all the above, I still can’t wait to see the finished she-shed – don’t keep us waiting too long ?? x
I’ve got SO many posts to go before I can show you what it looks like — I’m dying to show you now but I promised I’d do the posts chronologically!!! And yes — my boy is super-clever. So bloody proud of him :)
Oh I am so jealous that you are getting a she-shed! I want a she-shed. I can’t wait to follow your progress. :-) #HomeEtc
It’s literally the best thing EVER!!! I can’t wait to share it!! :)
How exciting that you’re building your own office! Looks far too complicated for me, I’ll stick to the pretty fluffy stuff and watch how you do the real stuff haha! Can’t wait to see it finished #HomeEtc x
Haha!!! I’ve been (mostly) sticking to the fluffy stuff too!! I did the painting but left the hard work to my husband!! ;)
I am so excited to see the She Shed unveiled in all its glory, from all of your previous posts I know it is going to be amazing. xx
It’s certainly getting there!! ;)