Shed Of The Month-January 2012: Heartland’s Rainier Shed!

At Heartland, we’ve been building carefully engineered sheds and backyard products for over 35 years.  Since they are sold exclusively at a fine retailer like Lowe’s, why not show them off?  So we’ve decided to feature one shed a month and highlight some of the features and options that we feel might help you out with your storage needs.

For January 2012, the Shed of the Month goes to the Rainier….our most popular model.

• 6ft. tall side walls…plenty or room to hang shelves to get stuff off the floor!  Maximizing your space-that’s important!

• Extra-wide 64in. double doors…for that riding lawn mower.

• Standard wood floor…believe it or not, floors aren’t standard with all shed companies.

• Over 10ft. tall roof peak..and there is a free 4′ x 10′ loft for extra storage.

• Patented EZ Frame construction

• Available as a DIY kit, or have it professionally installed by visiting your local Lowe’s store.

Here is a nice interior shot, showing how you can fit in all kinds of lawn mowers, hobby “stuff”, leaving plenty of room to walk around.  We find when planning for their shed, many people forget to leave space to actually walk around in it, as well as space they will need as the number of items they own grows over time.

We liked this building so much, we featured it in our Heartland shed video on YouTube!  This video, as well as a few others on the Heartland channel, shows you how easy it is build this shed.  You can also view shingling and roofing tips.

Also, you can view the Heartland Rainier reviews on Lowe’s.com…4.5 star rating!

 

Going To The Shed

Well, we have uncovered many a use for sheds at Heartland, however, THIS surpasses anything we’ve ever seen!  Enjoy!

 

“Woodshed” becomes Urbanely Hip

Now when many of us when we hear the term “woodshed”,  what first comes to mind is someone being taken out back and fearfully awaiting the punishment of choice….along with the relief that it is not YOU being the one that is trotted off to face the reckoning.

Well much like the shed building itself, the meaning of woodshed has changed over time.  It has changed from a place where images of medieval torture occur to someplace hip, inspirational,where talent grows.  Consider the following, courtesy of the Urban Dictionary:

1. woodshed To lock oneself away with a musical instrument and practice, either a particular piece or in general, until the player has improved greatly or can perfectly play the piece he has been practicing.Due to the many hours he spent woodshedding, Jon became a better guitarist.  2. woodshed To practice a musical instrument. The woodshed is where you go to sharpen your axe.“Can’t go out tonight – I’ve gotta woodshed.”  3. woodshed To beat an opponent comfortably. In soccer terms, its equivalent to a goal difference of 4 between teams.‘haha,you got taken to the woodshed!!! ‘  ‘lol he got woodsheded!’   4. woodshed An allusion to being corporally punished, where the victim would be sent to the woodshed to await his punisher. The woodshed was a popular location, because it was remote from the rest of the family, and there was abundant material there for fashioning a paddle or a switch.Get to the woodshed boy – your pa is gonna tan your hide when he gets home from the mill.  5. Woodshed AKA shedding, woodshedding is one of the most ambiguous jazz terms around (but the version I learned from old time players will be posted here). Shedding is the act of intensely practicing your instrument after being publicly humiliated by your bad playing. This humiliation might be from a terrible solo or from not knowing the key the piece is played in (not being able to improvise in all keys). Shedding usually includesThis is derived from getting your *** beaten (with scraps from a woodshed).I went down to a jam session at —– about a month ago, and this other tenor player just tore my *** UP. So I shedded every day since, and I’m finally confident and able enough to play in public again.

 

Transforming A Shed Into A Chicken Coop

Heartland has been manufacturing sheds for over 35 years, and we always love to see the creativity some of our customers use in how they decorate their shed, and the purposes they use them for!  It is truly rewarding to see something we have a passion for become such an integral part of a person’s yard.

So recently we were thrilled to see one customer email us pictures of her Heartland Rainier shed that she converted into a chicken coop.  What’s great about this was not only did it require just a few minor changes, but purchasing the shed kit was apparently cheaper than a prefab coop. And the end result is a VERY nice looking shed that makes a great home for the chickens, protecting them from the elements.  (LOVE the sign above the door and the finishing touches!)

So…. how was the shed converted into the chicken coop?

 

1. A roof vent was purchased and added.
2. 2 windows that the customer happened to have were added, although your standard shed windows can be used.
3. A pop door was made in the rear of the shed for the chickens to use as an outdoor run.
4. The interior was adjusted for the chickens to be able to nest and sleep.

You can read more on tips how to customize a shed into a chicken coop here.

 

DIY Considerations For Sheds

There are many things to keep in mind when building a shed for storage. While the process of building a shed might be straight forward, there are many considerations that must be made ahead of time. Here are some of the pitfalls to watch out for and issues that should be tended to when you decide to expand your storage space and wish to start building a shed.

City Zoning Requirements

Some cities could care less what you do when building a shed or what it looks like. Others are involved down the minutia of the flooring and how close storage sheds are to the property line. You must be compliant with the city when building sheds or installing sheds on the property. To determine where your local government stands, contact the building department. They should have a printout you can pick up regarding size limits for building a shed, foundation requirements, placement limitations and information on getting a permit.

Decide what its Purpose will be
Additional storage is always great, but you want the storage sheds to meet your needs. If you’ll be putting bikes in the building shed, for example, then you want to take steps to avoid condensation that will rust the bikes. The same consideration is vital if you will be storing camping gear in the building shed that might be prone to mildew. Stop to consider the size of the different items as that may impact the sheds shape. Think about the special storage needs of any items you want stored in the sheds before deciding on materials and final design. This will prepare you for building a shed that perfectly matches your needs.  Once you decide the purpose, you can more easily pick the best material for you shed, such as plastic, metal, wood, or vinyl.

Location
If you will be storing items that are used on a regular basis in sheds then you may want the building shed closer to the house. If you’ll only go in it a few times a year, then it can go further away without a problem. Before making a final decision on location, check that area the next time it rains. You don’t want to waste time building the shed in a low spot where the ground tends to get swampy as building a shed on land that will have standing water is never a good idea. Choose the area for your shed building project with care so you won’t have to deal with the large task of moving a storage shed later, which can void the warranty of a shed, depending on the manufacturer.

Foundation
Every storage shed needs a proper foundation and this should be considered before building.  Whether that will be a full concrete slab or a simple wooden floor depends on your individual needs. Before deciding on the type of flooring, understand the many purposes of it. It will support the weight of the shed and spread it evenly over the ground. It will protect the wood of the shed from ground moisture and prevent vegetation from growing under the shed. A good foundation will also keep your shed firmly in place, even as the ground freezes and lifts.

There are several options for your foundation. You can choose a heavy, poured concrete base. Some people choose building a shed over heavy timbers that are placed on the ground, digging out where necessary to get them level. Smaller storage sheds can be placed on patio blocks or you can make a foundation for building shed for storage using concrete paving slabs.

Roofing
The roof will complete your storage shed, keeping the items inside dry. Another feature of the roof for the building shed is that it will shed water where you want it, keeping it away from the entrance of the storage shed. Choose a straight roof that slants down one side or to the back for the ultimate in simplicity. A gable roof is two pitches that meet in the middle, like a traditional home. A hip roof on a building shed has a complex framework that puts a roof plane on each side of the shed.

Gambrel roofs are great, but a little more complex, when you are building a shed. They were commonly used in Dutch Colonial architecture and feature a great deal of headroom. The top pitch of two roof planes is very mild; however, each side drops into a steeper pitched roof plane. Choose the style of roof for building shed based on your needs for the shed, local government requirements and what will look nice with your home. Even though the shed is in the yard, you don’t want it to be an eyesore. Consider this roof type when building a shed if you will want the extra headroom or want to store things along the ceiling inside.

Ventilation
It’s tempting to build airtight sheds, but this should be avoided when building a shed. Airtight storage sheds are also musty places where the odor of garden tools lingers, the smell of the lawn mower,etc. Allow for some ventilation, much as an attic is ventilated. This will help prevent odors and condensation from building up inside new sheds.  Shed vents or skylights are easily added.

 

Shed Buying Tips

When looking at buying a shed, there’s a bit more to consider more than “I have to have a place to put my stuff”.  Sure, it’s the #1 reason people purchase a storage building, but taking 5 minutes to ask yourself a few questions will ensure you don’t get stuck with a shed that you’re stuck with for years and didn’t meet your needs.  After all, a shed is an investment and like an investment, deserves a little thought as to how it will pay off.

You only need to ask yourself one question really….it may branch off from there, but it all starts with:

 What is important to you?

Is it:

• Size?  Do you want something small to fit into a small space or do you want something large to grow into?

• Style?  Do you like the A-framed Gable style shed, or the barn shaped Gambrel?  Or do you prefer a saltbox style?

• Sidewall height?  Do you want 6 or 7 foot walls?

• Wall framing?   Do you want economical 2×3 framing, or 2×4 framing that will withstand a strong snow and wind load?

• The shed’s warranty?  Do you prefer a more economical building that has a 10-year warranty, or does a more premium shed with a 15-year warranty meet your needs?

• The door opening?  Does 48″ work, or would you like something more like 64″ to get that riding lawn mower in?

The most important thing really is that you get the shed building that you are happy with, and that meets your GROWING needs. Taking a few moments to contemplate what you really should purchase will save you years of staring at a shed on your property that just isn’t what you need it to be.

 

A Garage AND A Shed: The Best Of Both Worlds

Every now and then you see something in the marketplace that is the best of both worlds; peanut butter and jelly in the same jar, toothpaste that comes with a free trial size for traveling, and coffee already in a filter or cup that you just have to slap in to a machine.

If only someone would invent a diaper for my kid that also cleans up after itself….BUT anyway……

So many homeowners think of a shed as a place they can put their “stuff”.  True enough, it is that. But if you’ve got the room, can you imagine enlarging that and making it a multi-purpose building?   A place where you could park that special car, or bike, AND have a workshop, AND have place to store your “stuff”?

I for one might spend more hours inside the shed than I would the house!  A stocked mini-fridge or Kegerator and I would be all set….

Heartland has a building called the “Vista” that comes in either 16ft. x 20ft., or 16ft. x 24ft., with an 8ft. x 7ft. sectional garage door.  With a 4ft. storage loft, this building offers a lot of space for storage, a workshop and storing a vehicle ( comes with a wood floor though, an FYI for those storing vehicles) .That’s a lot of space for a man cave!

 

So why not just get a garage you ask?  Simple….too mundane, too close to the house, and too small…you’ll have family members putting boxes in it all the time and taking up your space which in time, will cease to be “your space” and the next thing you know, you’re competing for room with faux Santa Clauses and other holiday decorations. With a shed that is also a garage, it is defined as YOURS.  It’s not “the garage”, viewed as communal property amongst the family, but known as “Dad’s Workshop”, or “The Hubby’s Man Cave.” that is off limits.  So look into getting yourself a Sher-age, or a Gar-ed.

 

How To Shingle Your Shed: Some Tips

Shingling your shed might not be the funnest job, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult one if you know beforehand some of the basic steps involved.  You don’t need to be a pro builder, but definitely pay some time and attention, as a well shingled shed roof will protect both your shed and the possessions you keep in it.  Below outlines the steps in roof shingling, that compliments the brief video.

1. Remove any old shingles down to the roofing paper.  If this is a new shed, place roofing paper on the roof so that you have 1/4 inch hanging over the sides.  Some prefer to use a stapling gun, but nailing is recommended.
2. Apply the drip edge, on the front and back of the roof.  Attach it flush to the trim, by nailing and use tin snips for any bends in the roof, carefully folding over.
3. You want to start at the bottom of the roof of the shed with the shingles.  The edge of the shingles with the gaps will face the edge of the roof. Make sure that your first row of shingles overhang the roof by 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch. As you lay each shingle, nail it down on the upper edge with roofing nails. When you’ve completed the first row, lay the second, overlapping.
4. Cap the top ridge of the roof with overlapping shingles.

Hopefully this helps make your shed shingling job a little easier!  If you have any questions regarding how to shingle your shed, feel free to leave them after this post and Heartland will be happy to help you out.

 

Sheds: DIY vs. Professionally Installed

Storage space is at a premium for many people. Attics, garages and basements are stuffed full of belongings. Adding a shed to the property will greatly help to improve problems people may have with their storage space. Adding storage buildings can either be professionally installed or they can be built by the homeowner through using shed kits and appropriate shed plans.

When building a shed, it will be easiest to do this through the use of shed plans and shed kits. Depending on the needs of the homeowner and the type of storage space that is desired, there are shed kits that can accommodate any situation. This storage space can be a simple shed for storing the lawn mower and extra gardening tools, or can be one of several storage buildings that are erected on a property. Shed plans in the kit will give the homeowner clear directions on the preparation and building of the shed. This will also give the user a detailed list of tools that are required and materials that are needed to appropriately build this storage space.

In addition to the shed plans, the use of shed kits will make the building of storage buildings extremely easy. Shed kits will generally provide the homeowner with most of the items needed to build the shed. However, shed kits can be quite varied. Some will include pre-fabricated sections, so all that needs to be done would be to piece the shed together. Other shed kits are not as detailed and may just include the basic shed plans and some general items required for the building process.
When it comes to having a professionally installed storage space, there are pros and cons to this. When storage buildings are purchased, there may or may not be shipping and delivery charges that are added to the cost. This certainly adds to the overall price of the shed and can make it significantly more costly than one built by the homeowner through the use of shed plans.

Convenience is definitely one main reason to choose having a shed professionally installed. The homeowner can also be confident in knowing that the storage buildings that are professionally installed will be built properly and should last for years to come. If unsure about one’s building skills, having a shed installed for you is the better way to go, especially if it comes with a labor warranty.

Whether one uses shed kits and builds on their own or has professionally installed storage buildings, the homeowner is certain to gain valuable storage space.

 

How The ‘Ipod Factor’ Could Influence Your Choice Of Shed

Many thanks to our guest blogger, John Coupe, who runs a fantastic website at:
www.secrets-of-shed-building.com.  Go check it out, it’s so informative!

It was summer and I was searching for fossils on the beach with my 9 year old son. And being August in the UK it of course started to pour down with rain!

That was OK…we had sort of expected it and had our rain coats on. After half an hour we were soaked to the skin. I found out when I got back home that my new ipod which I kept safely in an inner pocket of my coat had got wet….. very wet.

Disaster, the water had caused damage so that the music player no longer worked.

I tried drying it out slowly, no luck.

I tried getting help at my local Apple shop, no luck.

I tried a specialist repairer, no luck.

It turns out that once your ipod goes wrong you need a new one.

What has all this got to do with shed kits?

 My experience with the ipod had got me thinking. How easy is it to repair different types of shed kit?

There are three basic materials that a shed kit can be made of.  The three common materials are:

• Metal

• Plastic

• Timber

Good looking sheds can be made from each of the different materials. But some of the materials are inherently more robust and repairable than the others.

What is robustness?

When I am talking about robustness, I am not just asking whether they will support the load from a heavy fall of snow or resist the force of a 112mph wind. For a small structure such as a shed these things are fairly easy to achieve. Manufacturers of the sheds, made from all types of materials, that you see advertising will quote tests and research that show their product will resist all sorts of forces.

I want to look at two types of commonly occurring incidents that demonstrate robustness;

• The first one is a relatively small high speed impact, like that from a high speed baseball.

• The other is more major damage such as that caused by a large branch falling on to the shed roof.

Damage sustained to Metal Sheds

First let’s look at what might happen to a metal shed if it was hit by a speeding baseball.

The sort of damage that you can expect from a speeding baseball on a metal shed is a dent in the metal. The depth of the dent depends on the thickness of metal that is used. The cheapest metal sheds are made of corrugated steel and after a severe impact they would most definitely have a dent in the side.

Dents in corrugated metal are not that easy to seamlessly repair. The paint on the surface of the metal is cracked and so the corrosion system is compromised. After the next winter or two, rust will start to appear. The area of the dent will look unsightly too. Beating the dent out and using filler, like a car body repair, is not really an option, there will always be creases and ripples. The best option would be to replace the panel – does the manufacturer of the shed sell replacement panels specific to your shed model?

As to damage from a falling branch well the whole roof would be bent and several panels would need to be replaced. From my experience of metal sheds, a new shed would be the order of the day.

Damage to Plastic Sheds

Plastic sheds come in a variety of strengths and types. Many plastic sheds are quite impact resistant. However if the ball was travelling fast enough to damage the shed then a a replacement panel from the manufacturer would be required. Once again the problem here is does the supplier of your plastic shed individual panels?

As to the falling  branch major damage would mean several panels to replace. I would say that once again a new shed would be required.

 

Damage to Timber Sheds

For damage to timber sheds I could talk about all sorts of timber cladding. Instead I will just talk about the ½ inch thick Smartside siding that is supplied on the Heartland sheds. From my experience the baseball would just bounce off, perhaps leaving a small mark on the paintwork.

As to what would happen when a tree branch fell on the roof. Assuming that it was a big tree branch, it could cause certain areas of the structure to crack or break.  Heartland sheds are built of timber of a commonly available size and the siding and roofing material are easily available too.

Major repairs would need a trip to the timber yard and a few hours replacing the damaged parts.

No new shed needed there…. just a few quick repairs and we are back in business.

When considering which type of shed you are going to buy- think about the “ipod factor”

We can see that for both metal and plastic sheds they look attractive when new. However, fairly common impacts can result in damage that requires replacement of specialized parts or even whole new shed.

The timber shed by contrast is more robust and is able to shrug off smaller impacts. When it comes to the larger impacts repair is a good option using locally available building materials.

Now then… remind me to write a letter to Steve Jobs asking him to make the next version of the ipod a bit more like a timber shed. ;o)

Article by: John Coupe from www.secrets-of-shed-building.com 

Read more case studies about shed builders of all types at the building a shed page on his website.