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Shed build using 14th century tech and Catalan vaults

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    Shed build using 14th century tech and Catalan vaults

    So the wife said I could build a shed... but I'm an engineer. Further, I have a passion for 14th century stone masonry and Catalan domes.

    First there was the excavation, on a slope and pour 10 cu yds of concrete. $3k right there. I refused to put any rebar into the structure due to condemning it to a 70 year life max. So I went with fiberglass threads in the concrete to give it tensile strength, with a bonus of avoiding cracking. Now 10 cu yds is a hell of a lot of concrete for a 200 sq ft structure. But I'm putting in masonry walls and roof, and I want that foundation to be strong and last 250 years. The foundation was the last time I used any power tool, from here on I went traditional. Cut down trees to built tools, mallets, wedges, string guides.

    Next their were the walls. The inside wythe is CMU but filled with grout to give more strength and mass. The outside wythe is limestone, both wythe can be load bearing but the roof is laid on the inside CMU wythe.

    Then came the roof. I love the geometry and math behind Catalan domes. They came from Moorish influence that spilled into Catalan Spain around 14th century. Simple tile with a fast drying mortar then layered over again for strength, think cardboard. Catalan domes eventually came to the US after the great Chicago fire when we got safety conscious. Look up Guastavino domes, you'll find the US has about 2000 G. domes in our cities. The big bonus here is strength. A normal composite roof has a live load rating of say 200 #/sq ft, while this dome is about 2,200 #/sq ft.

    The roof is a dome, hence round, being put on a square building. That will require a squinch to be built, or curve it into a pedantive. I had no idea of other when I began it, I figured it out as I went.
    Later, when complete, I added a vertical vent on the roof using a Dubrovnik style chimney after I realized I needed airflow.

    After the roof was complete, I had to waterproof it. This is a takeaway for everyone - to waterproof concrete, simply put pure Portland cement in a jar, add enough water to make it a paint and paint it onto the cement with a brush. That is a trick I learned from a Chilean NGO for waterproofing dugout cisterns. It works. I went from 7 leaks to 0. I added another layer with brown oxide to give it a color (never use paint on cement, it fades fast)

    Finishing touches, the door: I forged the outside and inside handles. Then I made the door from cedar tonge and groove flooring. Vertical on the outside, horizontal on the inside, waterproof. Used 14th century tech on that, too. Drove hand forged nails thru the wood and cleated them on the back. Every foot or so. I cheated and bought hinges, my bad.

    Took about 2 years, 2 months working half the weekend on it.
    Note-Chiseled the year of arch completion on the keystone. And total cost was about $9.5k. City of Austin allows outbuildings to be built without permits if under 200sq ft (Shed is 194) and has no power or water.
    Last edited by TheBeekeeper; 07-18-2020, 01:49 PM.

    #2
    Wow very nice

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      #3
      That is impressive.


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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        #4
        Awesome!!

        Curious on the consistency of the Portland cement you used to waterproof the roof??

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          #5
          Wow. Color me impressed. You can forge hinges down the road. Beautiful [emoji736]


          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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            #6
            Originally posted by Pedernal View Post
            Awesome!!

            Curious on the consistency of the Portland cement you used to waterproof the roof??
            Just make it so thin you can paint it. Only portland cement, no sand. Key there is pure portland.

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              #7
              Very impressive!


              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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                #8
                I don’t even know how to put into words just how cool this thread is. Stellar job, sir.


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                  #9
                  Mods can we shut down the DIY forum? This is getting out of hand....

                  Seriously calling that a shed is like calling a lexus a cup holder...

                  Outstanding and thanks for sharing.

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                    #10
                    This is awesome.


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                      #11
                      Show off...

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                        #12
                        That is some great work sir!

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                          #13
                          To cool man .

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                            #14
                            Now that is cool!

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                              #15
                              Wow! That is VERY nice work.

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