Converting an Old Shed

[DonyaQuick]

I'm converting an old shed on my property that used to be a coop back into one. In some respects it looks pretty horrible and at times I've wondered whether it was worth it, but actually most of the wood seems in good shape still. I thought I would start a thread both to get ideas on some aspects of the conversion as I encounter problems and to help motivate me to actually press on with it; I have some chronic joint issues that are making things harder than I'd hoped. It was completely filled to the brim with junk to begin with - some interestingly useful but most not. Last fall my husband worked to pull a lot out of there so he could store some tools, then the winter stalled things.

This is what I've got to start with. Those "doors" are going to have to go.

I think I want the run to come off of one or both sides of the pic above/below. Prorbably the one below to start with...I'll likely end up having to start with just a kennel type thing for the run.

Even ignoring blatant problems like no HWC over the big ventilation holes you can probably see a lot of the issues...siding is not great in places, roof is weirdly truncated on one side which lets snow in. I want to keep the ventilation both sides so I guess I need to add some vent covers; I don't think extending the rafters to make more roof will help significantly with stopping snow coming in. On the other side I can stop snow going in by adding something across the ends while still leaving the bottom open.

Then there's the inside...fun to be had with the roof being leaky.

Fun to be had with these nasty rotten boards...and whatever Narnia land is under there...

And then just...crud and more crud to tear out. I don't know what to do about that weird high shelf on the left. I could tear it out, but that's the side with the oddly truncated roof where it's going to be more of a challenge stopping snow getting in. So if I kept that shelf then I could have roosts under there that would have zero risk of any snow getting on chickens.

Definitely doing to have to tear these cabinets out.

And so, today I made one itty bitty little progress step from that image above: tore out the shelves. And now you can see the place where the old pop door was covered up! I don't think I will be using that for the pop door though.

I really hope I haven't gotten in over my head with this project.

 

[Sally PB]

If it has "good bones," it could make a great coop. What are the dimensions? It looks nice and big. Space gives you so many options in a coop.

 

[3KillerBs]

Here's wishing you good luck with this. If the structure is sound you can fix anything else.

Some links to a few excellent shed conversions to help you get inspired with ideas:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

My article on ventilation: Repecka Illustrates Coop Ventilation

Top-hinged windows are their own awnings so they could work well for your vents on the short side of the roof: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/window-support-for-top-hinged-windows.74810/

 

[DonyaQuick]

If it has "good bones," it could make a great coop. What are the dimensions? It looks nice and big. Space gives you so many options in a coop.

It's about 12ft x 16ft, so around 192sqft of space. I think most of the nasty wood is that needs replacing is non-structural. The ends of the rafters on the truncated side aren't in great shape, but it's only the outermost 1/4in or so that's not so great from what I can tell. The rest seems sturdy although kind of hodge podge in places.

Top-hinged windows are their own awnings so they could work well for your vents on the short side of the roof: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/window-support-for-top-hinged-windows.74810/

Oo that might be good there. Rain of course never goes straight sideways or back up, so maybe I can find a type of those that would let me have it higher in summer and angled down a bit more in winter. I keep snow out of a window on my biggest modded prefab in a similar sort of way but with a thin board instead of a window. That shed is going to be reaaaally dark if I cover that side up too much so top-hinged windows would help with that too.

 

[mowin]

Looks like the roof leaks/leaked.. can't tell what the roofing is, but if it's shingles, I'd put purlins on top and add metal roofing.

 

[Sally PB]

It's about 12ft x 16ft,

Nice! This gives you plenty of room for storing "the chicken stuff," if you need a place to put it. It also give you room for brooding, or breaking a broody, and a separate enclosure for segregating a bully or a sick bird.

Or, lots of chickens!

 

[3KillerBs]

It's about 12ft x 16ft, so around 192sqft of space. I think most of the nasty wood is that needs replacing is non-structural. The ends of the rafters on the truncated side aren't in great shape, but it's only the outermost 1/4in or so that's not so great from what I can tell. The rest seems sturdy although kind of hodge podge in places.


Oo that might be good there. Rain of course never goes straight sideways or back up, so maybe I can find a type of those that would let me have it higher in summer and angled down a bit more in winter. I keep snow out of a window on my biggest modded prefab in a similar sort of way but with a thin board instead of a window. That shed is going to be reaaaally dark if I cover that side up too much so top-hinged windows would help with that too.

IIRC, it's possible to get "barn windows" that are sturdily-framed and capable of being hinged so that you can do this. Ask at your local farm store.

Looks like the roof leaks/leaked.. can't tell what the roofing is, but if it's shingles, I'd put purlins on top and add metal roofing.

Metal on purlins is so very easy to install with self-tapping screws and a battery-powered impact driver.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Looks like the roof leaks/leaked.. can't tell what the roofing is, but if it's shingles, I'd put purlins on top and add metal roofing.

The roofing is shingles right now. Well, in many places a thick layer of moss with shingles under it. It's awful and tearing that off and redoing it is on the list. I think at least one of the big flat wood panels up there that's discolored needs to be replaced.

I was wondering about metal roofing but was warned away from it for causing condensation underneath and either dripping into the coop or creating another mold/moisture issue if it drips onto something else. Is that not actually an issue? I see you're in the same sort of climate. If I can do the metal then I will just do that since it seemed way more robust than the other options available and I hate shingles for the moss issue.

These are the metal panels I saw locally (2.2ft x 3ft sections):
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Metal-Sales/5013790499

 

[mowin]

The roofing is shingles right now. Well, in many places a thick layer of moss with shingles under it. It's awful and tearing that off and redoing it is on the list. I think at least one of the big flat wood panels up there that's discolored needs to be replaced.

I was wondering about metal roofing but was warned away from it for causing condensation underneath and either dripping into the coop or creating another mold/moisture issue if it drips onto something else. Is that not actually an issue? I see you're in the same sort of climate. If I can do the metal then I will just do that since it seemed way more robust than the other options available and I hate shingles for the moss issue.

These are the metal panels I saw locally (2.2ft x 3ft sections):
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Metal-Sales/5013790499

Condensation will only be a issue if it's exposed.
I'd leave the shingles, add purlins and metal roofing.

 

[aart]

I'd be first concerned about the foundation framing under the floor.
If that's shot might as well not bother bolstering up the rest of it.