TOOL HOUSES, GARDEN SHELTERS, ETC.
[Illustration: Fig. 137.--End Elevation of Rustic Tool House.]
[Illustration: Fig. 138.--Side Elevation of Rustic Tool House.]
For the small rustic tool house shown by Figs. 137 and 138 the materials
used are what are known as "slabs" or "rough planks." These are cheap,
and have, when judiciously handled, a good picturesque effect. These
slabs are the outside slices cut from logs of rough timber. These slabs
generally retain their bark (except in the case of oak), and in most
districts they will commonly be of elm. Their thickness and outlines are
necessarily irregular: one end will frequently be narrower than the
other; and this will account for the arrangement seen in the walls and
door of the tool house. They are to be bought at saw-mills, and often
sold at a fire-wood price. Where their cost is not sensibly increased by
carriage, no other material comes so cheaply for building rough sheds.
The ordinary country way of using them is as in the horizontal section,
Fig. 139. This plan, however, is not suitable for the present purpose.
In so small a structure, rough planks on the inner side would take up
too much space It is, therefore, proposed to straighten the edges,
either by sawing or by chopping with the axe, according to
circumstances, and lining their inner sides with thin board. If the cost
be not objected to, 1/2-in. match-boarding will be neatest for this
purpose; if economy is an object, the boards of packing-boxes, bought
from the grocer, might suffice. There are, it will be seen, three sides
only to be lined.
Among a lot of rough planks, it is likely that stuff may be found
sufficient for the posts and other scantling. As to the six pilasters,
which are added for appearance merely, it is possible that stuff might
be found which would, when sawn to width, do for them; in the
illustration they are supposed to be fir poles or elm saplings; four
sticks only are needed to supply the six halves and four quarters used.
[Illustration: Fig. 139.--Common Method of Using Slabs.]
At the corners are four main posts, 4 in. square (see _a_, Fig. 140).
These enclose a space of 7 ft. by 5 ft. (outside measurement). They are
let into the ground 2 ft., and rise 5 ft. 3 in. above the ground line.
On their tops, and coming flush with their outer edges, rest the
wall-plates, which are 3 in. deep; these are needed at the back and
sides only, and not at the front. On the same three sides will also be
cross-rails, 2 in. to 3 in. thick, the ends of which will be let flush
into the posts about a foot from the ground. To the wall-plates and
these rails the slabs are nailed. In the side elevation, Fig. 138, the
nails driven into the cross-rails appear, but not those driven into the
wallplate, a piece of rough stuff being there shown as fixed over the
latter to support the eaves of the thatch.
[Illustration: Fig. 140.--Ground Plan of Rustic Tool House.]
To the front are to be seen the two door-posts, _b_, _b_, Fig. 140,
which are 2 ft. 8 in. apart, and should be about 3 in. square. As their
tops are nailed to the front pair of rafters, they rise to a height of 6
ft. 6 in. The space between door-post and corner-post is filled up by a
single slab nailed to the two--5 ft. 6 in. long by 10 in. broad. Above
these, instead of a wall-plate, comes the piece of strong slab, shown in
Fig. 137 as having an opening cut in it for the head of the door. This
is nailed against the door-posts, rafters, etc.
The pilasters are only a matter of ornament. As drawn, they are of
halved stuff; the corner ones are so placed that their middles come
opposite to the corners of the posts, on the other faces of which pieces
of quartered stuff are nailed to meet them. The simple arrangement of
the caps of these pilasters, with their decorations of fir cones, is
shown on a larger scale in Fig. 141. The horizontal piece beneath the
eaves, nailed over the slabs, has the effect of resting on the caps.
Beneath the thatch at front and back corresponding pieces are fixed,
those at the front being ornamented with fir cones nailed upon them.
The roof is shown in the elevations as thatched. No other covering will
look so well, or be so thoroughly in keeping with other parts. The
non-professional builder finds it easy to prepare for thatch, any rough
stuff serving as rafters and laths, and inequalities being of no
account. The rafters for thatch should be arranged about 1 ft., the
laths about 6 in. apart.
Should there, however, be reasons for not employing thatch, the building
may be more quickly and easily, if not more cheaply, roofed with
galvanised iron; only the gables will then best be made sharp instead of
blunt, as at present.
Regarding the door, its outer slabs, which appear in Fig. 137, are
simply nailed to three ledgers of the same. Being of such rough
materials, it will open better if hung on hooks and thimbles than on
butt hinges.
The dotted line at _c_, Fig. 140, marks the projection of a set of
shelves, about five in number, which fill the whole of the left-hand
side. Of these, the lower will be for flower-pots, the upper for lines,
setting-pins, trowels, etc. At _d_ is shown a strip of wood fixed
across the floor to hold the wheel of the barrow from running back when
that useful vehicle is tilted up against the end wall, which will be the
place assigned for it. In the gable and upper part of this end will be
hooks or pegs on which to hang the riddle, watering-cans, and such
matters. At _e_ is an upright let into the ground, which, at the height
of 2 ft., supports rails running to side and back; these form a kind of
stand for spades, forks, and tools of that description. Above, against
the wall-plate, may be more hooks or pegs.
[Illustration: Fig. 141.--Enlarged Cap of Tool House Pilaster.]
It is suggested that at _f_ a seat might be fixed to fold down like the
leaf of a table when not wanted. As this building would form a snug
shelter in a shower, such a seat would be a convenience; but the more
important use of this space is that slightly below the level of the
eaves it will be fitted with a rack for hoes, rakes, and similar
implements. Such a rack is best made by boring 1/2-in. holes in a strip
of wood at intervals of 3 in., and driving pegs into them 5 in. or 6 in.
long. This has to be nailed so that the pegs will slope upwards, at an
angle of about 45°. Rakes, etc., hung in a rack so made cannot fall.
Figs. 137 and 138 are 1/3 in. to the foot; Fig. 140 is 1/2 in. to the
foot; but Figs. 139 and 141 are not drawn to scale.
[Illustration: Fig. 142.--Garden Snuggery.]
The garden snuggery, of which a general view is shown at Fig. 142, and a
ground plan at Fig. 143, is built chiefly of wood, and measures 10 ft.
by 7 ft. 8 in. inside, not including the porch, which is 3 ft. wide; it
may serve as a summer-house. A building as small as this needs but
little foundation. If the ground is level, it is only necessary to lay
four large flat stones on the surface, A A (Fig. 144), to carry the
timbers, the floor being thus raised enough to keep it dry.
[Illustration: Fig. 143.--Plan of Ground Framework of Garden Snuggery.]
[Illustration: Fig. 144.--Back Framework for Garden Snuggery.]
The two side sills B (Fig. 143) are each 10 ft. 8 in. long, 6 in. wide,
and 4 in. thick, and rest on the stones; on them lie the end sills C C,
which are 8 ft. 2 in. long. These sills are halved together at the ends,
and a hole is bored through them where the middle of the collar-post
will rest. This hole should be bored a couple of inches into the stone,
and an iron pin or dowel 8 in. long driven in; the pin will thus stand a
couple of inches above the face of the sill, and will fit into a hole in
the collar post.
[Illustration: Fig. 145.--Front Elevation of Snuggery Porch.]
The joists D (Fig. 143) for supporting the floor are five in number,
each being 8 ft. long, 2-1/2 in. wide, and 3 in. deep. They are halved
for a distance of 2 in. at each end to fit into slots, 1-1/2 in. deep,
made for them in the sills, and are nailed in place. When fixed their
upper surfaces are level with the sills.
The four collar-posts E (Figs. 143 and 144) are each 6 ft. 9 in. long
and 4 in. square, and, when set up, their outer sides come flush with
the sills. The uprights F (Figs. 143 and 144) are 3 in. square, and need
to be 2 in. longer than the collar-posts, as their lower ends are halved
for this distance to fit slots in the outer sides of the sills. There
are four of such uprights at each side, three at the back and two at the
front, the latter serving also as door cheeks. They are nailed in place
with their outer sides flush with those of the collar-posts and sills.
[Illustration: Fig. 146.--Side Elevation of Window-board.]
For the rustic pillars of the portico G (Fig. 145) nothing will be more
suitable than larch poles about 4-1/2 in. in diameter at the base;
failing larch, fairly straight pieces of any rough, round wood could be
used. The pillars are shown in Figs. 142 and 145 standing upon and
dowelled to pieces of stone. When in position, their tops will be level
with the collar-posts and uprights, their centres being 2 ft. 4 in. in
advance of the front sill.
On the collar-posts, uprights, and pillars are placed the wall plates H
(Fig. 144), of which there are four belonging to the snuggery proper,
each 5 in. wide and 3 in. thick. The side plates are 13 ft. 4 in. long,
and are halved where they rest on the collar-posts and pillars, to
receive the ends of the cross-plates, which are 8 ft. 2 in. long and
halved to a distance of 5 in. from their ends. The wall-plates come
flush with the collar-posts and uprights on which they rest, and to
which they are nailed. There is also a fifth wall-plate which lies along
the tops of the pillars in the front. The best material to use for this
would be half of a pole like those used for the pillars, the flat side
resting on the pillar tops. It will be observed that the front ends of
the side wall-plates project about 4 in. beyond this piece.
Ten rafters, K (Fig. 144), will be required for the roof, each 5 ft.
long and 3 in. square. The two outer pairs come flush with the outer
sides of the sills and wall-plates. A sixth pair of rafters to stand
over the pillars and their wall-plates are made from a round pole cut in
half, with the sawn side laid uppermost. The tops of the rafters butt
against a ridge-piece L (Fig. 144), made of 1-in. board 4 in. deep and
13 ft. 4 in. long. As shown in Fig. 144, continuations of the uprights
are in the back carried from the wall-plate to the roof, the front being
treated in a similar manner.
The lintel of the doorway is 6 ft. above the sill, the door opening
being 5 ft. 11-1/4 in. by 2 ft. 6 in. after the floor has been laid. The
window shown in Fig. 142 is 3 ft. above the sill, and is 3 ft. high;
including the two mullions, it is 5 ft. 10 in. wide. The board shown
nailed in front of the window sill is sloped a little downwards to throw
off the rain, whilst above there is a board 9 in. wide, nailed at a
steeper slope upon brackets, as seen in Fig. 146, to shelter the window.
The 3/4-in. flooring boards which are used for the floor should be
bought ready planed on one side, and must be well seasoned, and cramped
tightly together in laying, or there will be chinks between them.
Similar boards may be used for the outside of the snuggery, being nailed
to the uprights at the back and sides, as shown in Fig. 147. At the
sides this weather-boarding will extend as far forward as the rustic
pillars, thus enclosing the sides of the porch. For the inside of the
snuggery use 1/2-in. matchboarding, as shown in Fig. 147. This may be
carried up beneath the rafters to the ridge-piece. The porch may be also
matchboarded throughout if desired, although this is not essential.
[Illustration: Figs. 147 and 148.--Sections of Snuggery Walls.]
There are several methods of making the wooden walls non-conductors of
heat, the most thorough being to pack the space between the inner and
outer casings with sawdust. Shavings or similar materials could also be
used, but less effectually. Another plan is to tack felt over the inner
side of the weather-boarding before nailing up the interior casing. But
even without any packing, two thicknesses of board with an air space
between make a reasonably good non-conductor. Felt is fastened over the
matchboard lining of the roof before the iron is put on.
[Illustration: Fig. 149.--Front View of Garden Retreat.]
To reduce the cost, the snuggery can be cased with wood obtained from
packing cases. Boards thus obtained will, of course, be in short
lengths, and will involve more labour; but the design is so arranged
that it will be quite practicable to carry it out with them.
[Illustration: Fig. 150.--Plan of Garden Retreat.]
The short lengths can be made to fit between the uprights instead of
lying upon them, and the house will thus look as shown in Fig. 142, the
section of the wall being as shown in Fig. 148, instead of as in Fig.
147. A strip of lath--that sold for tiling--1 in. wide and 5/8 in.
thick, is nailed to the sides of the uprights, as shown, and to this the
weather-boarding and internal casing are fastened; the effect being
that the walls both inside and out appear to be divided into long
panels. The effect may be heightened by painting the framework a darker
colour than the boarding. In boarding the roof with this material, the
easiest plan will be to nail the pieces on the upper sides of the
rafters, to cover them with felt, and upon that to screw the iron. The
space between the two casings of the walls, although much narrower than
before, can be packed with sawdust, etc.
On reference to Fig. 145 it will be seen that the caps to the rustic
pillars of the porch are formed by nailing round each pillar four short
pieces of rough wood quartered, the two sawn sides being placed upwards
and inwards. Four rough sticks crossing each other fill the space
between wall-plate and the rafters. The bargeboards M M are sawn from
3/4-in. board, 9 in. wide, and are nailed to the ends of the side
wall-plates and ridge-piece. They thus project some inches beyond the
line of the pillars. They are shown ornamented with fir cones bradded on
them; virgin cork might be used instead. The porch may also have its
interior decorated with virgin cork or with rustic mosaic work. At each
side of the doorway there is a seat 16 in. high and 14 in. wide. The
door is made by merely nailing the boards to four cross-ledgers.
The window lights in Fig. 142 are shown filled with fancy lead work,
which is the most suitable way of treating them for a building of this
kind. A strip of lath is nailed around the window opening, as in Fig.
148, and the leaded light fastened in the rebate thus formed with small
wire nails, a little putty being used to make the joints waterproof. It
will, of course, be much cheaper to glaze each light with a single sheet
of glass puttied in the rebate, but the effect will not be so good. For
the roof, fourteen 6-ft. sheets of corrugated galvanised iron and a
14-ft. run of ridge capping will be needed.
[Illustration: Fig. 151.--Side Elevation of Garden Retreat.]
The iron should be screwed, not nailed, to the rafters, and should not
cost more than 40s., including 1-1/2 gross of galvanised screws and
washers. The dotted lines at N N (Fig. 143) indicate the area covered.
Its low cost, the ease with which it is fixed, and the few timbers
required to carry it, make an iron roof very suitable for a building
erected by an amateur workman. It, however, has drawbacks, the chief of
which are that it conducts heat too freely, and has not a very artistic
appearance. Some precautions against the first defect have already been
suggested, and if the snuggery is erected where it will be shaded by
trees during the hotter part of the day, this disadvantage will be
somewhat overcome. Its inartistic appearance is greatly due to its
colour, and some improvement may be made by painting. If surrounded by
trees, an iron roof looks very well when painted a reddish-brown colour,
while in other situations a buff, or a dull sage green, might be
suitable. The paint needs renewing often. Another method is to cover the
roof with trellis work raised a few inches above the iron, and upon this
to train ivy or other climbing plants.
[Illustration: Fig. 152.--Detail of Seat of Garden Retreat.]
It will be better to paint the inside of the snuggery than to paper it,
as paper would crack on the boards. Should the second and cheaper plan
of boarding be adopted, the rafters, which are left exposed, might be
coloured dark brown, and the intermediate spaces of the ceiling painted
a buff colour, whilst on the walls a dark sage green might be used for
the framework and a lighter sage green for the panels. If the whole
interior is lined with matchboarding, according to the first method, the
simplest and perhaps best finish would be to use a varnish that had raw
or burnt umber ground into it. No fireplace has been provided, but in
ordinary winter weather an oil stove would suffice to warm so small a
room; if more warmth is wanted, a coal stove might easily be provided, a
hole for its pipe being cut through the roof. In either case a
ventilator, which can be opened or closed at pleasure, should be
arranged near the ridge at each end of the building.
[Illustration: Fig. 153.--Joint of Garden Retreat at C (Fig. 151).]
The garden retreat shown in front view by Fig. 149, and in plan and side
elevation by Figs. 150 and 151, is constructed from straight unbarked
fir saplings, the small twigs of which should be carefully trimmed off.
As the bark is to be left on, it should not be cut or bruised; then no
artificial finish will be necessary, the bark in itself being sufficient
protection against climatic conditions, and presenting the desired
rustic appearance. A new feature in the design is the introduction of a
roof or canopy, which may be covered with a sun blind as shown in Fig.
151; or a creeping plant may be trained over it.
The two front posts are 3 in. in diameter at the base by 6 ft. high,
and the back posts 3 in. in diameter by 5 ft. 6 in. high; the middle
back post is 3 ft. 2 in. high, and the front leg 1 ft. 4 in. The seat
rails are 2-1/2 in. in diameter. The front rail is 6 ft. long; the back
is in two parts, dowelled to the middle post, which comes between. The
side rails are 1 ft. 9 in. long; it is advisable to allow a fair margin
for hollowing the ends to fit the posts--3 in. on the length would
probably be sufficient. After the ends of the rails have been shaped
roughly to fit the posts, they are bored for the reception of 1-1/8-in.
oak or elm dowels; these are driven into the rails, and should also be a
good fit in the posts. The dowel joint is shown in the top corner of
Fig. 152.
[Illustration: Fig. 154.--Detail of Front Joints (See C. Fig. 151).]
[Illustration: Fig. 155.--Alternative Method of Joining Rails to Posts.]
The lower rungs, arm-rests, and back rails are jointed to the posts by
tapering their ends slightly, and then tapering the dowel holes to suit
with a gouge, so that the rails will just drive up nicely; this joint is
shown in the bottom corner of Fig. 152. The rails, etc., are finally
driven home, and secured with nails or screws inserted at suitable
angles. The back and the side panels are filled with twigs about 1-1/4
in. in diameter, the ends of the twigs being trimmed to fit the rails,
and afterwards nailed in position.
The seat battens are half-round in section, and are cut from 3-in.
saplings, the flat part being placed downwards. The method of fixing
them is shown in Figs. 152, 156, and 157. The seat having been fitted,
the struts under the seat rails are next cut and fixed in position.
[Illustration: Fig 156.--Section of Middle Rail at A (Fig. 152).]
[Illustration: Fig 157.--Detail of Middle Rail at B (Fig. 152).]
The canopy must now be put together. The tops of the posts are first
hollowed to form a seating for 2-1/4-in. saplings, 4 ft. 6 in. long;
these act as principal rafters. Before nailing or screwing them to the
posts, it is advisable to sight across them to see if they are in the
same plane; any alteration that may be required to bring them to lie in
the same angle can be effected at the seating on the top of the posts.
The halved joint at each end of the principals should also be cut
(before fixing up) for receiving the purlins; the principals are further
steadied with struts, screwed or nailed to the posts. The purlins are
about 2 in. in diameter by 8 ft. 6 in. long, and are fixed to the halved
joint previously made on the principal rafters. Smaller twigs, which act
as common rafters, are in turn fixed to the purlins. Fig. 153 shows the
method of jointing at the back of the canopy at C (Fig. 151), and Fig.
154 is the detail of the front joints. Fig. 129 (p. 94) is the top of
the post hollowed to receive the principal rafter, Fig. 155 is an
alternative method of joining the rails to the posts, Fig. 156 is a
section near the middle rail at A (Fig. 152), while Fig. 157 is a detail
of middle rail at B (Fig. 152).