A Final Opus... or Perhaps Nothing More than a Swan Song

Day 1 - May 31,  2023

Following some dithering about whether or not to commence this project, I decided to jump in... meaning get started before winter sets in.

After some fiddling around with a piece of 2 x 6 scrap left over from a years-ago project, I soon discovered that the floor of my envisioned add-on would never fit snug agains the existing base... unless the bottom row of the old shingles was removed.

The logical way to remove a bottom row of cedar shingles is to remove every row above it... meaning all the shingles on the back wall of the existing structure this planned addition is to be attached to. 

I had no desire to remove anything from the existing shed other that what I deemed would be necessary for sensible for new construction.

Employing a Japanese hand saw, which cuts on the pull rather than the push, I cut off the lowest course of cedar shingles, which had been double-laid as the base row. This task took a while in spite of employing a sharpened wood chisel for assistance.

During the morning hours I lost the shade while the temperature climbed to 85, but I got the planned task done before lunch. I'm not as young as I used to be and my joints don't bend the same they did before. I got the message, so I ended my work day here.

The bottom row of cedar shingles has been removed.
For the curious: that wire mesh is to keep rats and other rodents out, all of which are nuisances in this city as well being persistent unwanted trespassers around here.

Day 2 - June 01, 2023

The framed foundation for the new addition has been assembled and attached to the foundation of the existing structure, however, this new part has yet to be levelled and shimmed. In spite of appearances here, that concrete base is cracked and uneven.

The dimensions are 6ft in length by 35 1/2 inches wide. The required setback from the property line is half a metre, so I went with 20 inches.

The materials used are 2 x 6 pressure treated lumber... perhaps a marketing disguise to make the SPF resemble cedar.

Day 3, June 03, 2023

I got wind that Jonah would be coming here for a visit for the weekend, so I chose to leave the next step for him, and a task I thought would be right up his alley.

Nonetheless to have everything ready for him, I shimmed and levelled the base in advance.

Jonah busy nailing down the flooring.

The material used for the floor was 1 x 6 pressure treated fencing which comes in 6ft lengths, and perfect lengths for this framing.

Jonah relaxing on his new but temporary mini-deck.

What has astonished me most in making this tiny bit of progress was the cost of materials, and not so much the time required to do the work.

Day 4, June 06 2023

Framing a wall should be easy and fast, which it was, but afterward a certain amount of finagling was needed to ensure the wall shall remain square as well as firm; hence the diagonal bracing.

The completed framed wall set aside and waiting for the next step.

Although images were not recorded, the entire afternoon was spent cutting the rafters. After that task was done, I scrounged through my shop for scraps ofsuitable materials for the splice-bars. 

If I've lost you now... my plan is to add extensions onto the protruding ends of the rafters of the existing structure. This should give the roof of the addition a a seamless and matching same slope.

Time shall tell...

Day 5, June 07, 2023

A busier day with a little more progress...

The framing for the tiny back wall was accomplished quickly, but the one hiccup I hadn't planned for was having to remove a vertical strip of the cedar shingles on the existing shed. Therefore I had another session with my Japanese saw and a chisel

That afternoon, the back wall frame was squared and plumbed, and then nailed to the floor as well as the back wall of the existing structure. 

Afterward, the already squared side wall was plumbed and Attached to the back wall. Following this, rafter No 5 was bird-mouthed (notched) and then installed. I'm old enough to know now that whatever works perfectly on paper doesn't work the same way with wood, thus some additional minor fiddling was required.

Two walls up and one rafter extension in place

Day 6, June 08, 2023

Rafter No. 1 in place above the framing for the new doorway.
Obvious from this image, is the poor state of the shingles on the existing shed.

Day 7, June 09, 2023

Rafters No 2 and No 3 have been installed. Rafter No. 4 to follow.

Framing beneath Rafter No 5 has been added. The framing under Rafter No 1 was soon to be done too.

Day 8, June 10, 2023

After Rafter No. 4 was in place, 1 x 6 pressure treated fence boards were laid out and nailed down on top to form the base for the soon to be added new shingles.

The new shingles are 36 x 12 inches, which of course did not align with the old shingles in metric. As fas as I'm concerned, metric-sized shingles are a poor choice for structures made with lumber dimensioned in feet and inches... something I learned the hard way the first time, because constant shingle trimming was required for each course.

Stopped here because I ran out of shingles...started with a partial bundle left over from re-shingling the work shop two years earlier.

Day 9, June 13, 2023

Ran out of shingles a second time. Signs of the previous night's rain

Boards on the walls started. Same 1 x 6 pressure treated boards as used for the floor and roof base. They're easy to bring home, easy to handle and work with, and a much better material than chipboard.

Day 10, June 14, 2023

Back wall closed up

Side wall closed-up too

In spite of the iPhone lens distortion here, the new wall is indeed plumb, and the doorway corners are at 90 degrees... and some days so was the temperature.

Day 11, June 15, 2023

Began installing new cedar shingles on back wall

Day 12, June 16, 2023

Started shingling the side wall. There is a right way and wrong way to lay wooden shingles on exterior corners to keep water out, and the correct way does require some trimming using a chisel and plane.

Door end closed in... except for door of course.

Day 13, June 17, 2023

Finishing off the upper courses, which does necessitate each shingle being trimming to fit.

Day 14, June 20, 2023

Day 15, June 21, 2023

Day 16, June 29, 2023

Roofing completed.

Cedar shingles completed too

Day 17, July 10, 2023

This past Saturday, July 8th, Kie and I visited Home Depot to buy the materials I needed to construct a door as well as the hardware needed to install the door.

Surprise, surprise! Or perhaps no surprise at all, but the milled wood I required was in limited supply. Worse, what little remained in stock was suitable only for firewood. Instead, I went with Plan B and purchased a slightly more expensive milled, tongue and groove material. 

Smart choice!

The slightly more expensive milled pine boards were straight and true, and every board in pristine condition both sides.

Here's the assembled door levelled and weighted as the glue dries.Later, screws will be added in the corners for strengthening.

Day 18, July 11, 2023

Door installed!
And no finagling or jimmying was needed to make it fit and swing true.

Inexpensive gate hardware makes for a good latch.

Day 19, July 12, 2023

Adding this hook was the finale.

At this point one might be wondering what the purpose of this hook is.

Glad you asked even if you didn't.

Have you ever seen what the wind can do with an unsecured open door?

The hook holds the door open while access to the shed is required. 

Day 20, July 17, 2023

Oops!

Almost forgot this part, one which I consider a crucial, especially because I have an ongoing war against the local rat and mouse populations. As fas as I'm concerned, the only good rodent is a dead rodent, and I do my best to make that happen... and with no apologies whatsoever to the animal rights nuts.

Lining the perimeter with 1/4th inch grid wire to keep rodents out.

So... what's next?

I have no idea, but it's about time I get last year's news posted.

The Oddblock Station Agent

Back to School

Labour Day, falling on Monday September 02, 2024, seemed to arrive early this year, because the following day meant back to school for the young people.

Audrey and Louise seemed gung-ho and ready to return to school on Tuesday.

Jonah was ready to go, and looking forward to seeing his classmates.

Kiera too seemed ready, but perhaps a bit more ambivalent about the return to classroom life.

My dear grandchildren, learn what is necessary while rejecting the useless... but unfortunately, you'll be subjected to too much of the useless, and too little of the necessary.

"The Lord bless you and keep you:

The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace."

The oddblock Station Agent