Pallet Wood quality Question

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jennyjj01
Posts: 3529
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by jennyjj01 »

GeeGee wrote: Fri Apr 05, 2024 8:29 am We levered somehow heaving shoving and kind of pushed it using 4x2 or whatever length wood ...
We started early morning
...
A tip
Dismantle the blooming thing ....
Oh, Now I'm torn!

Compare and contrast...

Common stages: Prefabricate a new base in quarters. (I think doing it in quarter sections pre-empts next time it rots.) : Clear the immediate perimeter of the shed of soil/rubbish.
Empty the shed : Apply Plan A or Plan B : Refill and Paint it afterwards.

Plan A
Cut a line about 6 inches inside the walls so the rotten walls will be resting on a strip of rotten floor.
Attach stilts to the most rotten long side.
Jack that side up by 3 inches. Let the shed creak and tilt.
Remove that part's attached bit of rotten floor.
Repair the bottom of that wall, while it hangs there.
Lower that wall onto temp timber that is as thick as the base was. No intention of doing anything to fix the floor yet.
Do same on each rotten wall in turn, until we have repaired walls all resting on timber, but with stilts still fixed to outside of each wall.
By now central remaining part of floor can be removed. Then we have a repaired shed with no floor but concrete slabs below and a perimeter of timber.
Sweep the slabs.
Raise the stilts once more.
Put the new floor in place of the temp timber 'footings.
Lower the walls and attach to the new floor.
Bonus stage. Raise the whole shed with floor by about 6 inches.
Push sacrificial bearers or even whole pallets under to keep the shed off the ground.
Remove the stilts. Fill any screw-holes.
Paint the shed in situ.
If weather turns bad, shove everything back in the shed temporarily, whatever state it's in.

Plan B
Remove rather quirky glazing.
Remove nailed down plastic roof.
Dismantle the shed into its four walls, roof and rotten floor. Lay them out.

Replace floor, with one pre-fabricated.
Repair all panels at one session.
Paint all panels while laid out.
Reassemble walls to floor.
Replace roof, almost certainly with new plastic sheets.
Reglaze.


Advantages/disadvantages of Plan A
*Can be paused at any time and stuff can be put back in.
*Less time needed for dismantling/re-assembling
No need to damage and repair the roof.
No need to mess with the glazing.
No need to maul whole side panels back into place.
Max comedy value.
But...
Repairing hanging sides will be a faff.
Painting the assembled shed will be a bit awkward.
Stilt holes will need filling.

Advantages/disadvantages of Plan B
Panels laid out will be more accessible for better repair.
Easier to paint as separate panels.
A cleaner solution, less of a faff.
No need to repair stilt fixing holes.
But...
Time and effort of dismantling and re-assembling.
Can't be paused if rain stops play.
Re-fixing the roof will be a PITA.
Reglazing will be fiddly.
Less comedy value.

I suppose the only way to know will be to try Plan A and see how well the first, worst, side repair goes. Maybe the jacking up process will just cause it all to collapse in a heap.
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
grenfell
Posts: 4000
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by grenfell »

Just t add a plan C
Fek it off , chop it up for firewood and get a new shed..
I say this because from time to time I will have someone phone me up asking about repairing a shed. It's rarely worth the expense for them unless it's a large shed with a relatively small repair. Granted you won't be factoring in your time and hopefully the pallets are free so you'll be buying in a limited amount of materials . It's whether your time could be better spent and so on.
Other than that plan A sounds about right. I don't think there 's any real need to jack it up three inches , barely an inch would be enough and would twist the shed less. I assume the cutting a six inch strip means you'll be removing that section of floor underneath the wall section to be repaired ?
jennyjj01
Posts: 3529
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by jennyjj01 »

grenfell wrote: Fri Apr 05, 2024 9:58 pm Just t add a plan C
Fek it off , chop it up for firewood and get a new shed..
I say this because from time to time I will have someone phone me up asking about repairing a shed. It's rarely worth the expense for them unless it's a large shed with a relatively small repair. Granted you won't be factoring in your time and hopefully the pallets are free so you'll be buying in a limited amount of materials . It's whether your time could be better spent and so on.
Other than that plan A sounds about right. I don't think there 's any real need to jack it up three inches , barely an inch would be enough and would twist the shed less. I assume the cutting a six inch strip means you'll be removing that section of floor underneath the wall section to be repaired ?
Valid point. It's a challenge that we'll enjoy, so worthy of a bit of time. Plus, I'm a tightwad. :lol:
Yes. Raise the side a little, repair it while it hangs free. Pluck out rotten floor below the repaired side. Replace floor last.
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
grenfell
Posts: 4000
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by grenfell »

Nowt wrong with being frugal. Some say I'm as frugal as a duck's ,erm , back end.
Sounds like you've got the process sorted. Basically the same process as I've done with buildings but with the advantage that the timbers are easier to work with. Nothing like a 16 ft peice of semi green oak at anything up to ten inches square...
jennyjj01
Posts: 3529
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by jennyjj01 »

grenfell wrote: Sat Apr 06, 2024 7:12 pm Nowt wrong with being frugal. Some say I'm as frugal as a duck's ,erm , back end.
Sounds like you've got the process sorted. Basically the same process as I've done with buildings but with the advantage that the timbers are easier to work with. Nothing like a 16 ft peice of semi green oak at anything up to ten inches square...
So Grenfell, are you the go-to person for consulting on this?

Back to the topic of wood quality, ....

I was in B&Q today pricing up 32mm square lengths to repair some of the bad frames. Comparing treated/untreated, rough/smooth etc. looking for the cheapest ( Tightwad!) stuff to be good enough.

Found that they had massive stock of 38x63x2400 Untreated but smooth spruce at only £3.47 a length. We used that before for our solar panel mountings and it seems great value. Took a bit of sifting through for un-bowed and undamaged lengths, but I invested in a couple.

Heck, it's twice the size of the current shed frame material, so it must surely be strong enough. It will be on the inside and treated/painted. I wouldn't want to use this outside or under the shed in the weather.

Reviews of this wood are 'mixed' Did I get a good deal, or was I sold a pup?
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
grenfell
Posts: 4000
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by grenfell »

Well if you've already brought the stuff then any advice there is a bit of a stable door and horse situation. Personally I don't buy from B&Q , at least not their timber. The timber you have brought sounds ok for what you want to do. I don't know what tools you have but a circular saw and a power planer could be useful for ensuring the new timber is the same thickness ( at 90 degrees to the outer covering) as the existing shed timbers. I tend to use builders merchants that I find to be cheaper. I find that at the one I use treated isn't really that much more expensive than untreated.. The only real difference is that the untreated stuff is kept indoors whereas the treated only has minimal cover from the weather. Fencing suppliers can also be a source of treated timber. I do find that treatment nowadays isn't as good as it used to be but still better than nothing. If I was repairing your shed I'd treat the repairs and surrounding timbers. The treatments available to the general public are often not as strong as those purely for trade use so I'd be liberal with whatever you use. It might seem like a waste but you can't overdo it . Pay attention to any cuts even on treated timber. Putting in a damp proof course between the floor timbers and the ground is also important. It can be purpose made stuff , plastic , roofing felt or metal such as lead and also maintaining an airflow will help the longevity .
I don't know about being the go to person really , I'm just a bloke that spent thirty odd years repairing and splicing and so on. Just be thankful you shed isn't a listed building. When the likes of the National Trust and English heritage get involved being a tightwad goes right out of the window...
jennyjj01
Posts: 3529
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by jennyjj01 »

Shed repair adventure has commenced to plan A.
Currently on stilts on one long side with the bottom 30cm of wall removed. A frame repair has been made for that side, ready to go in tomorrow. It looks perilous and is creaky as hell.
Floor is totally shot and for now we are simply ripping it out to rest the walls on bricks on the existing base of flags.
This will not be a quick job. Photo's being taken.

[edit_addition_so_as_not_to_bump_the_thread]
Good progress, in spite of the rain. NOT dismantling the shed is definitely the faster way. We have repaired the worst side without even emptying it.
Longest, worst side now repaired and lowered onto bricks. Modest investment of £36 on 'lapped' wood.
Next worst side frame patch prepared: A mix of bought timber and pallet wood.
[/edit]
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong
grenfell
Posts: 4000
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 7:55 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by grenfell »

How's the shed repair going? It might seem a dull topic for some but I'm eager to see the progress. Probably a carpenter thing...
jennyjj01
Posts: 3529
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:09 pm

Re: Pallet Wood quality Question

Post by jennyjj01 »

grenfell wrote: Sun May 26, 2024 9:00 pm How's the shed repair going? It might seem a dull topic for some but I'm eager to see the progress. Probably a carpenter thing...
Well....
Rain and other commitments stopped play a little, but it's going well.
The floor has now been cut away completely and three of the sides have been repaired. We may not bother with the fourth side as the damage is not too bad. Shed is currently supported on bricks on the flagged base, under the sides, so there is ventilation and drainage. It's had one lick of fence paint and is already looking much healthier.
We acquired some scaffold boards which are to be cut lengthways and widthways to make bearers and frame for the new floor.
Photo's are being taken for the big reveal.
Graceful Degradation! Prepping's objective summed up in two words. Turning Disaster into Mild Inconvenience by the power of fore-thought

Not Feeling Optimistic. Let me be wrong