Garden Room

[Leo Voisine]

As I am siding my house with vinyl siding I need to decide what I am doing with the back of my garage. So far I have done the front, east side and west side. There are a couple of smaller projects on the front but those three sides are 95% complete.

The back of the house will be really easy.

The back of the garage is the big issue. What to do?

I have always wanted to do "something".

So, as I am trying to decide what I want to do the garden room idea has become the decision.

This is a bit mid project, but I wanted to post where I am at.

So far I have laid down 3-1/2 inches of stone dust in 3 layers, all hand tamped on each layer. Then I used a concrete mold and mixed 28 60# bags of concrete with coloring. The area in the middle is yet to be done. For that I will make concrete "planks". That yet another project. For now, I have cut and put carpet to protect the stone dust.

I did a small brick wall for the base of the walls. This is my first time ever with brick and mortar. I used construction adhesive and adhered the PT 2x4 sill plates onto the brick. Whew, I just got that in the nick of time for winter.

I framed up and square up the south wall just before the snow hit. As the snow melted away a pit, I framed the rough openings for the windows. I have replaced the windows in the front of my house and I saved the old windows. I will fix up the windows with paint, glue, some new wood, and all new glazing. They will be like new windows when I am done with them.

Now, I am working on the roof. It will be corrugated clear roof panels. I need to move the stairs to make room for the roof. Today, it is sunny and in the low 30's. Not too bad to plan out the rafters. I made a template today and I marked out the placement of the rafters. I don't know if I will move the stairs before spring. That all depends on the weather. Early next week looks like a day or two in the 40's and low 50's. I need to make 11 rafters. Not sure how I will work around the stairs. I can see some temporary 6 mill and strapping walls, like the winter covers we used to build on boats when my father and I did boat work in the 70's. That is incredible stuff.

I am hoping to be able to use this garden room in 21 to start garden plants.

 

[Darren Wright]

Looks like a fun project. Will the stairs be moved to the "front" of the deck in the orientation that they are in or come down straight away from the back of the garage? So long as you've got a base to set the bottom of them on out in the yard, it would be less work to have them coming down away from the garage, still allowing access upstairs and let you move forward with the roof.

I assume the roofing needs to work around the support posts of the deck also?

 

[Leo Voisine]

The stairs will move 4 feet away from the upper deck in the same orientation they are in now. The bottom step will be closer to the slider doors. I will extend the upper deck the same width as the stairs. Railings and stuff will be included.

Yeah - fitting the roofing around the support posts will get - "interesting". Fortunately this garden room does not need to be perfectly weather sealed. I watch a lot of boating channels. Watching Sailing Uma, Project Atticus, Matt and Jessica sailing, Salt and Tar as well as others, I have learned a LOT about weather proofing stuff like this. I have also spent a fair amount of time in boat yards and boats in general. I will be using a good amount of flashing too. There are a good number of marine stores all around here, so, I should be able to get a decent weather proof room.

 

[Leo Voisine]

Been doing a little at a time. Today was sorta OK outside. Here is where I am up to. Long way to go.

I plan to make a couple of temporary walls and close it up enough to do some seed starting and minor greenhouse kinda stuff by early March. March is by all means a winter month here in Southeastern New England.

I put up ONE clear corrugated panel today, just to get "something" up there.

 

[Darren Wright]

That's going to be a nice little space.

 

[Ryan Mooney]

That'll be so cozy come next fall

Here's to getting it done in time for most seed starting!

We just started our onion seeds and some celeriac today.. but they're all suuuper slow.

 

[Leo Voisine]

Thanks guys.

This is something I have wanted for years. Also been thinking of what to do on the back side of my garage for siding. So at least not I know what I need to do to proceed.

I think I am gonna love this space.

 

[Leo Voisine]

It was cold outside today. Well I suppose for some, not too bad, and for others FRIGID. For me, too cold to be working outside for more than a few minutes. It barely got up to 31, then dropped into the 20's

I was excited about cutting the clear corrugated plastic and to try "fitting in" a section. It was a lot easier than I expected. I fitted in a section around the supports. Pretty easy actually. Mind you it is NOT leak proof --- YET.

I wanted to have something "functional" by early March. That is beginning to look realistic.

 

[Leo Voisine]

Pretty nice out today

37* 28% humidity, almost no wind. I didn't expect to, but when I went outside I said, hhmmmmmm - pretty nice out. Maybe I can but up ONE piece of roof panel, so I cut, measured and put up 6 pieces.

That gives me about 6 feet of roof. I still have about 2 feet left for this winter. I still have a temporary wall to do, plus 3-1/2 window openings to close in, and to frame and mount the door. Certainly moving along. This was an unexpected day.

The roof is NOT sealed up, but it will be workable as is. I have a lot of "creative" flashing to do.

 

[Ryan Mooney]

I have a lot of "creative" flashing to do.

The couple of "build in place to fit" things I've done have been pretty universally a nightmare in that regard. Or I suppose an exciting adventure depending on how you want to spin it