Just bought a property - DIY advice wanted!

dj_efk

A2OC Donor
United-Kingdom
Here is my new garage / workshop:
C2FB01EF-D2AE-4F03-A17E-2A318271E5EB.jpeg


I have a problem with the doors. Behold:

BB77F93E-E3BC-4381-95C8-A0518FECC13C.jpeg
82BBB6D3-B1C1-461A-87B9-D90965C44103.jpeg
08F10696-EBF1-442D-BDF1-51CD41AB9A43.jpeg
A201F1B4-EC14-4190-A01B-573D9C6D5E2E.jpeg
F54985AA-CD2A-4C2A-A980-C27E13DBE9A2.jpeg
2C6B0A1F-7A81-4B74-8FA2-85F4152FF87D.jpeg
32428F9F-1A6D-4767-925F-5E8D8C94C5E9.jpeg


As you can see, the door is pretty warped and sticking right out at the top when shut (the last picture is of it closed!) - to the point rain can get in.

My long-term aim is to make the whole building more water-tight and insulate it, then install remotely-operated roller doors, but for now what are my options?

Two I was thinking of:

1) brace the top half of the door with some steel bar to bring its edge back in to line; and

2) build a small canopy over the top to direct water away from the top edge.

I have no home DIY experience but am keen to have a go - the previous owner of my house left a number of good tools such as a circular saw and a mitre saw - plus there are loads of wood offcuts at various lengths in the car port to the side of the workshop itself.

Suggestions please!
 
The structure looks basically sound. I can't see any water penetration and the floor is dry. All that is required is some joinery work to the doors. I'd de-hinge them and rebuild with a continuous side section to give integrity and strength. Use the existing pieces as templates. When you've finished paint the doors with this : Cuprinol "garden shades". It's a superb product and I've used it extensively.

David
 
Thanks David,

Could I ask what you mean by a continuous side section?

I've come to the same conclusion re: needing to take the right one (as you look from the outside) off to work on; as it appears to have sagged slightly, meaning that at the top edge where it meets the other door it fouls.

I was thinking of rehanging with the hinges attached to the door frame and door in different places (hence away from the existing screw holes)
 
No expert by any means but I think the window section of the doors needs removing and squaring the doors off lower and then fix a panel above the now lower doors
 
No expert by any means but I think the window section of the doors needs removing and squaring the doors off lower and then fix a panel above the now lower doors
That's not a bad shout - the previous owner of the property was into tractors and therefore needed the height afforded by having the window sections fixed to the doors, I can remove the window sections, rebuild and adapt them to fix to the frame instead with a canopy above, I guess all I'd need to do is build a stout cross beam going across to make it work.
 
That's not a bad shout - the previous owner of the property was into tractors and therefore needed the height afforded by having the window sections fixed to the doors, I can remove the window sections, rebuild and adapt them to fix to the frame instead with a canopy above, I guess all I'd need to do is build a stout cross beam going across to make it work.

I'll second that idea.

If there is any risk of break-ins, consider replacing some of the hinge screws with thin coach bolts, with the nuts on the inside. That makes it difficult to take a door off by simply unscrewing the hinges.

Assuming you are going to work on the inside, it's best to have an airgap between the insulation and the wooden sides by fixing the Kingspan etc on cross battens. This prevents the insulation getting damp and allows any penetrating moisture on the back surface of the wood to dry off.

Cheers Spike
 
I'll second that idea.

If there is any risk of break-ins, consider replacing some of the hinge screws with thin coach bolts, with the nuts on the inside. That makes it difficult to take a door off by simply unscrewing the hinges.

Assuming you are going to work on the inside, it's best to have an airgap between the insulation and the wooden sides by fixing the Kingspan etc on cross battens. This prevents the insulation getting damp and allows any penetrating moisture on the back surface of the wood to dry off.

Cheers Spike
Spike,

This is where we get to the second biggie that needs addressing: There is no insulation and the entire building is single skin - from the inside you can see daylight between some of the (admittedly thick) wooden planks. The building has been constructed like this on a concrete platform with steel posts and corrugated plastic roof, very much like farm buildings are round here if they’re not all steel.

Therefore, water gets in a little during heavy storms in some places around the sides and it’s going to be freezing in there during winter. I’m just wondering, after the doors have been made secure (excellent suggestion re: coachbolts) and watertight, what’s the most effective yet easiest way of achieving this. Any ideas here would also be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Have you got power in there?
If so I would install LED strip lights and remove the glass panel from the top of the doors. Extend the weather boarding to the top of the door, as it probably was originally. Make sure security is good then I would have a good think about what I want.
Room for two A2s in there.
 
Could I ask what you mean by a continuous side section?

Well I'm referring to the vertical edges of the door. "Continuous" meant from floor to the very top of each door. There will be some rebuilding of the window frames, too. This is the type of work that I relish doing! It's a pity that you're not local!

David
 
Well I'm referring to the vertical edges of the door. "Continuous" meant from floor to the very top of each door. There will be some rebuilding of the window frames, too. This is the type of work that I relish doing! It's a pity that you're not local!

David
Do you mean something like a piano-lid hinge David? Is there such a thing for those sort of lengths/weights?
 
Your never going to make it cosy and warm in there without some serious insulation and internal cladding and then some heating options. Your best option to make it watertight is vapour barrier membrane and some sort of cladding. You can do this in the inside of the shed but be aware of trapping moisture against your external skin and rotting it from the inside out.

Youtube is your friend here

 
Do you mean something like a piano-lid hinge David? Is there such a thing for those sort of lengths/weights?
No, nothing to do with the hinges. I'm referring to the wooden section that forms the vertical side of the door frame. It is typically 100 mm x 50 mm

David
 
Have you got power in there?
If so I would install LED strip lights and remove the glass panel from the top of the doors. Extend the weather boarding to the top of the door, as it probably was originally. Make sure security is good then I would have a good think about what I want.
Room for two A2s in there.
Yes there is power and some lighting that needs to be improved upon along the lines you suggest.

Some kind of window on top of the doors would be desirable as that, along with some clear corrugated sections of the roof, does give some natural light inside at the moment. I wouldn’t want to lose that if possible.
 
Your never going to make it cosy and warm in there without some serious insulation and internal cladding and then some heating options. Your best option to make it watertight is vapour barrier membrane and some sort of cladding. You can do this in the inside of the shed but be aware of trapping moisture against your external skin and rotting it from the inside out.

Youtube is your friend here

Yes I know - I’ve seen that video, thanks for the link.

My question is whether, given the way the building is constructed that means a little water will always be able to get between the planks of the existing skin, there are things to bear in mind when installing such barriers - do I need to leave a gap between it and the outer skin? Do I then construct an inner skin then insulate on that and finally finish with some ply or similar walls, or can I barrier the insulation, install that with perhaps a gap and put a ply wall directly over that on the inside? It’s a big job either way.
 
No, nothing to do with the hinges. I'm referring to the wooden section that forms the vertical side of the door frame. It is typically 100 mm x 50 mm

David
You mean where at the moment it’s two pieces like here?

1631283508938.jpeg
 

Reading material here.

If you don't need the additional height, I'd suggest repurposing the pieces at the top of the doors as fixed windows; it will make the doors lighter and easier to rehang. The left door appears to have a newer jamb already so you could probably save time by only replacing the right one.

As you say, waterproofing and insulating will be a costly venture, particularly as the roof appears to be corrugated iron with a few translucent panels. If money was no object, you'd be better off building a breeze block flat roofed garage inside the existing structure!
 
I have two electric doors either end of my garage..... very secure, so would recommend electric roller shutter?☔☔️?
 
Back
Top