Help stabilizing shed walls


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Old 07-02-17, 11:03 AM
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Help stabilizing shed walls

I hired a gentleman to build me a shed that was 5ft off the ground because we experience flooding at times. He built an 8 x 6 platform on 5 foot stilts/posts. For some reason he decided to go with larger walls i dont know if it was so he didn't have to cut the board down or what...so he framed it out with a 9-foot high front wall in an 8-foot back wall to create the slant for the roof for the shed/workshop. The walls are very wobbly I think he figured out he made a mistake three-quarters of the way through making them tall being up in the air like that so he framed out our four walls and just disappeared and quit.

That is left us to try and finish this off with just me and a couple friends who don't know anything about building really is there a way to stabilize these walls so they don't shake so badly you can barely grab the studs and just rock the walls they are screwed down several times into the floorboard and into each other. Any advice would be appreciated.
 
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Old 07-02-17, 11:26 AM
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A couple of pictures would help. Is it just the walls or is it the stilts? If it's the walls they should become a lot more rigid once proper bracing, siding and roof installed.
 
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Old 07-02-17, 11:42 AM
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Welcome. Like Ron said, you need bracing. It sounds like the walls are studs only and that is expected to be unstable until braced.
A 1x4 diagonal brace or exterior sheathing will stiffen the wall greatly.

Here's a nailing schedule for a shear wall and this is very strong.
You might not need this much strength but it wouldn't hurt. Shear walls are normally 3/8" structural 1 grade plywood.

Before nailing ensure the walls are plumb, you can hold them plumb with a diagonal brace until the panels/sheathing are nailed.


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Old 07-02-17, 05:46 PM
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Crop and enlarge image.

This is where the guy left it off. This is how it sits now

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Last edited by ray2047; 07-02-17 at 06:42 PM.
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Old 07-02-17, 05:49 PM
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thanks for your reply

I posted a picture above as for the exterior walls he left a pile of 4x8 panels 3/4 inch thick pre primed and treated engineered hardwood siding
 
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Old 07-02-17, 06:29 PM
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Also there are stringers left over to build the steps up.
 
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Old 07-02-17, 06:49 PM
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4x8 panels 3/4 inch thick pre primed and treated engineered hardwood siding
That would be hardboard not hardwood. If you are worried about moisture not the best choice.
 
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Old 07-02-17, 06:52 PM
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First, you're going to need a square & a level. Before you go any further, make sure the floor is square & level in all directions.
Then use your level to check your walls (studs) to make sure they are straight/plumb. While using your level, brace the walls (studs) with 1X4's on the inside. Then put up your 4X8 panels. Personally, I'd also cut some 2X4's that will fit between the studs & nail them in place. Stagger them in placement & this will help brace the wall. You dont have to put them between every stud.
Put on your roof.
 
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Old 07-03-17, 05:06 AM
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First I would start at the bottom. I am sure you are getting a lot of movement just in the legs. Install diagonal braces on the legs. Those horizontal pieces are not doing much/anything to stiffen the structure. Run diagonal braces from just above the ground up to the top of the opposite leg and lag bolt them into place.
 
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Old 07-04-17, 05:33 AM
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Interesting framing job.
That door opening sure looks small.
Where's the header over the door?
Hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like there's just a single 2 X 4 used in the outside corners, there should have been at least two.
Sure looks like there's no bottom plate used in the front wall.
No doubled up top plate to tie in the walls.
Those 2 X 4's laying flat like that for the roof are going to sag.
Should have been 6 X 6 post so the rim joist could be through bolted, not just nailed.
Your stuck with having to add another rim joist below the front one that's there now so you'll have something to attach the stairs to because that one is to narrow.
The stairs need to be attached to a platform built in front of that door opening so your not trying to open the door while reaching up from the stairs.
Going to have to attach 2 X 4's laying flat between the studs so the middle of them sits at 8' so there's not an air gap where the panels meet.
 
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Old 07-04-17, 06:08 AM
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Bracing

What Dane and Joe said.

Also, the 4x8 wall panels will stabilize the walls. I would use glue and nails to fasten the wall panels to the studs.
 
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Old 07-08-17, 10:12 AM
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Interesting framing job.
That door opening sure looks small.
Where's the header over the door?
Hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like there's just a single 2 X 4 used in the outside corners, there should have been at least two.
Sure looks like there's no bottom plate used in the front wall.
No doubled up top plate to tie in the walls.
Those 2 X 4's laying flat like that for the roof are going to sag.
Should have been 6 X 6 post so the rim joist could be through bolted, not just nailed.
Your stuck with having to add another rim joist below the front one that's there now so you'll have something to attach the stairs to because that one is to narrow.
The stairs need to be attached to a platform built in front of that door opening so your not trying to open the door while reaching up from the stairs.
Going to have to attach 2 X 4's laying flat between the studs so the middle of them sits at 8' so there's not an air gap where the panels meet.
I certainly agree with all of these comments but in reality he's only building a shed so it doesn't need to be built to the same standards as a home would be. A couple of the items definitely need to be corrected such as the 2x4s laying flat instead of on edge for the roof, the post should have been 6x6 and adding a rim joist for the stairway stringers to a attach to. It's going to be strong enough without double studs on corners etc.
 
 

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