DIY Stable Renovation: Need Your Advice and Ideas!

Section62

sujsuj said:

what is the name of this brace? rafter brace? I am struggling to find them online. Any help highly appreciated. These are used in the roof top to fix rafters to side wood. Thanks

"Joist hanger"

https://www.toolstation.com/multi-truss-hanger/p20088

You need to find one which is the right pattern for what you are using it for - and the right size for the wood (width/depth).

stuart45

If you Google Truss clips you'll find different types. Simpson do loads of various roof and joist fixings. 

sujsuj

Thanks very much  @stuart45 and @Section62

sujsuj

Someone recently asked for current photos of the stable renovation DIY project—please see some below. Here’s a quick update on the current state of the work:

I’m now working on the right-hand half of the stable. The weather has been a real blessing over the past two weeks—fingers crossed it holds for at least another week.

Progress so far:

• Replaced the timber cladding.

• Rebuilt both roofing trusses.

Next steps: I’m planning to connect the trusses (with rafters?) next week. Originally, each truss was linked to the next using short timber sections. Now that I have 4.8m lengths, I’m considering using full-length timber to span and connect all four trusses across the shed.

Question: Would using full-length timber across all trusses provide better strength, or is it structurally safer to stick with shorter lengths connecting each pair of adjacent trusses? Any advice or experience on this would be really helpful.

I’ve also received a new set of truss clips—they appear much stronger than the previous type I used, so that’s reassuring.

Insulation thoughts: I still need to sort out thermal insulation to help reduce condensation. I’ve ruled out Celotex for now, as I’m unsure about fully weatherproofing the building for winter use. Ideally, I’d like to find a more cost-effective solution—something within a £150 budget—to help prevent metal sheet ‘sweating’. Most Celotex options (even seconds) seem to cost around £500, which feels excessive for this project.

Concern: One worry I have is whether the repaired trusses will be strong enough to handle the additional load. Originally, they were only designed to support bitumen sheets over cladding. I’m now adding 11mm OSB boards, metal sheets, and potentially Celotex insulation (TBC). Any input or tips would be appreciated on this.

Photos attached below.

sujsuj

Any inputs on these Questions please

sujsuj

@FreeBear @stuart45 @Section62 @casper_gutman @ThisIsWeird @EssexHebridean

Any thoughts on these questions? The cost has now reached the £2,000 mark, and I’m starting to worry I may have taken on more than I can handle. On one hand, the cost is a concern, and on the other, I’m worried about the stability of the structure.

I got into this after seeing all the encouraging feedback here, so I’m really hoping you can help me find a way through. Thanks in advance!

sujsuj

The rotten wood was repaired like this. I’m thinking of adding some extra screws as well. Do you think this is strong enough to support all the expected weight—OSB, metal sheets, insulation—and possibly me being on top while doing the work?

casper_gutman

Your method of repairing the damaged parts of the trusses looks like the sort of thing I'd probably have done. Assuming you've taken effective action to stop the original truss members from rotting further, I'd expect it to be effective. It's tricky to say definitively whether it will be effective without knowing exactly where the rot was, though.

I'd have aimed to have the new timber extending beyond the rotten area for a decent length on both sides, and to connect the new material to the good part o the old by at least two bolts on both sides of the affected area. You need the load to be able to get out of the original member, into the new, past the weak part, then back into the original member.

More screws can't hurt, but aren't usually recommended for carrying structural loads that are trying to shear through the screw as will be the case here. I might have considered using some toothed plate timber connectors, like these: Sabrefix M12 Timber Connectors Galvanised DX275 50mm x 50mm 50 Pack - Screwfix. You put them between the pieces of timber you're bolting together, and when you tighten the bolts the teeth dig into the two pieces of wood so they can't slip past each other.

casper_gutman

I'm curious about this part of the shed, where the truss is supported on the top plate of the wall panel. The horizontal timber supporting the truss seems to span a long way without anything much supporting it. Is this how the original structure was? On the black part further to the left there are vertical studs every 18" or so which looks like a much stronger arrangement. 

sujsuj

Thanks for your response. It’s good to know that my overall approach seems sound. I’ll be adding some extra safety measures, such as a few additional screws, to ensure there’s redundancy in place. I’ve made sure that all the rotten wood has been completely removed, and I’m confident about that part.

The only aspect I wasn’t entirely sure about was whether my method of adding the wooden pieces would be effective. I’ll also look into adding some additional bolts for extra safety. It might be too late to use timber connectors, but I can see how they could have been a better option.

The cladding section shown in your picture is entirely reused from the old cladding. It was originally part of a door-like structure that tilted upward to allow horses to be loaded and unloaded from vehicles. To save time, I reused the whole section. I’ve noticed there’s some missing support there, so I’m planning to add a full-length vertical support to strengthen it.

I’m also planning to reinforce the structure using C16 treated timber, marked with blue lines in the diagram. I may also add some additional vertical support to the truss to help handle any extra load.

Thanks again for your help — much appreciated.