We have a door !

I finally got my door installed today. This has been the most time consuming part of my build so far. Luckily I cut my T1-11 siding precisely enough that the door fit on my first fit check. I removed the door and put an entire tube of caulk down on the floor under the door. I was able to lift the door into place by myself. If my SS had been on a trailer, I would have needed help or some saw horses to get it up and into place. I braced the door with a 2x4 to make sure it didn't fall out of the opening, while I shimmed and checked that it was plumb on the inside.


After the door was secure, I removed the shipping hardware and tested for smooth operation. Once I was satisfied that the door was useable, I fitted the last piece of T1-11 siding to the right of the door.


I installed the door knob and latching hardware. Now that I can lock the door, I can leave my tools inside. No more lugging my tools from the garage out to the shed.


My SS shed now has it's first furniture: a folding chair!


I moved my windows into the shed from the garage. My plan is to now finish putting a coat of primer on the outside of the shed and installing vertical trim boards at the corners. Then I should be ready to install the windows. I need some light and ventilation in here!

Getting ready for door installation

Today I continued cutting T1-11 to fit the rough door opening. I realize that most of what I am doing is custom work and not necessarily standard construction! After I cut and fitted the first upper triangle of siding, I cut and installed the flashing. It will go over to the door frame, but can't interfere with the door sitting flush.


Here is a view of the flashing installed and the T1-11 cut to fit the rough opening of the door. I installed a scrap piece of siding to the right of the door opening, so I can position the door against the siding. I have to leave a space open that I can enter and exit through when I am installing the door. I checked and I can fit through there!



I did a test fit with the second triangular piece of siding and it fit nicely. I just have to trim the siding for the door's rough opening and then I can tack it in place. I'm getting close to being able to install the door. I need to buy some more caulking; the instructions for installing the door said to use an entire tube of caulking as a bed underneath the door.



All of this would have been much easier if I had put a layer of 1/2 " siding on initially, under the T1-11. But that is a story for another day.

Odds and ends

Not a log of progress to show. I only got one day to work on the shed this weekend.

I added 2x4's for nailing the T1-11 to the top of the door end of the shed. With the back end of the shed enclosed, there is no cross ventilation; it was really hot in the loft, banging in those nails! Next I have to fit the triangular pieces of siding and then trim them to fit the rough door opening. I also have to fit the Z flashing so it covers the bottom sheathing but doesn't interfere with the door casing.


Since I will be installing the door soon, I decided to remove the bottom plate under the door opening. Luckily I remembered to precut the plate before I installed the wall.


I had built a small platform above the door when I installed the roof. This platform has to be removed now so it doesn't interfere with the door opening, so I removed it today.


We had some heavy rain last week. The interior of the shed stayed dry except for the back corner where the tar paper blew off the roof. I installed some furring strips to keep the tar paper in place.

Installing siding on ends

I had a dry day yesterday, so I painted 2 sides of my shed with primer. Hopefully that will reduce the chance of the T1-11 warping any more. The rectangle on the side without paint will be cut out for one of my windows.


I wanted to finish enclosing the top portion of the rear of the shed. I cut a sheet of T1-11 in half to get two 4 foot squares. Then I cut each square diagonally to get 4 triangular pieces. I used 2 on the rear of the shed and I'll use the other 2 on the front above the door. First I put a bead of caulk on the top edge of the T1-11. Then I placed a piece of flashing over the lower panel.


I had test fitted the triangular siding previously, so I placed them in position and nailed them in place.


Siding on rear of shed completed. Now I can leave tools at the rear of the shed and not worry about them getting wet. With the rear end enclosed, I notice the reduced ventilation; the shed is noticeably warmer. I'll have to cut out the window openings soon.


I was able to put up one piece of siding to the left of the door opening before a storm rolled through. I plan to work on the top portion of this end next. I need to temporarily put up the panels and mark them for the door cutout. Then I can nail them in place. The side panel to the right of the door will have to remain off so that I can get in and out while I am installing the door.

Little house destroyed in fire

Tiny house builder Kim Langston was almost finished building her tiny house, when it was destroyed by a fire in the barn where she was building it. Her tiny house was a total loss.


A fundraiser has been set up to help Kim rebuild. Checks can be mailed to her credit union:

Washington State Employee’s Credit Union, West Olympia Branch
2302 Harrison Ave NW, Ste 201,
Olympia, WA 98502

Donations should be made to “Kim Langston Tiny House Fund”

Nailers for siding

Before I can put siding on the top of the end walls, I need to add some studs to nail the siding to. I added 2 short vertical studs up the center line where the edges of the siding will meet.


The end rafters are 2x6 so they extend beyond the wall studs and cannot be used to nail the siding to. I had to add 2x4 nailers to the end rafters on both sides so I can nail the siding to them. The nailers are flush with the exterior of the wall studs. These details are not shown on the plans. I have to do something similar on the opposite end with the door.


We had some heavy rains late yesterday. The bottom of my siding got wet and started to warp. I clamped some scrap 2x4's against the siding to coax the siding back in place. I need to get some primer on this siding ASAP. If I was building this shed again, I would use some Smart Siding instead of the T1-11 to prevent warping.



I moved the rest of my siding inside the shed today. It was leaning up against the side of my house and I didn't want it to damage my vinyl siding. The tarp is over the end because the top of the end wall is still open to the weather.

Wall siding

Last Monday I put up the 2 remaining pieces of roof sheathing. They were supposed to be about 25 inches wide, but I had made a mistake when I cut the other roof sheathing and I didn't have enough plywood. When I cut the 22 inch wide pieces, I cut them both from one piece of plywood. I should have cut the 22 inch pieces from 2 separate pieces of plywood, so I would have the wider remnants to cut the 25 inch pieces. So I fudged a bit and used two 24 inch wide pieces instead. I covered one side with tar paper and threw a tarp over the other side, because it was supposed to rain this past week.


My aikido buddy, Todd, came over with his nail gun this morning. We put up the T1-11 siding on 3 sides, within a couple of hours. This would have taken me at least 2 days of work, if I was doing it by myself. Thanks Todd!



Here is a view of the inside of the shed. The frame for the window can be seen on the right. I need to do some housekeeping: sweeping up sawdust and picking up scraps of wood.


My door was delivered this week. I was anxious to measure the door and make sure my rough opening was large enough; I confirmed today that it is. I stored my door inside the shed, to keep it out of the weather. I also planned to move the remaining T1-11 siding inside the shed, because it is leaning against my house. It started raining late this afternoon, so I'll have to move it tomorrow.


My wife has been very supportive of this project; she has held the walls up when I was nailing them in place and helped in other ways as needed. Now that the sheathing is on, she is getting excited. She is talking about putting a wreath on the door, curtains in the windows and flower boxes under the windows! When we are done, the exterior of my shed will look like a tiny house!