Funky Junk Interiors

Installing reclaimed wood shed siding & shingled gable

Whoop! I finally have yet another installment of the rustic garden shed redo in the Save the Shed series! And today, it’s all about weatherproofing, then installing reclaimed wood shed siding & a shingled gable!

This project is taking way longer than I thought it would.

But I’ve found the best way to tackle a big, on-going project consisting of a million little steps is to just tackle it in bite-sized increments. I’m just reminding myself that this is a permanent structure, and it will be enjoyed for many years to come if I do it right the first time.

So after a lot of hard work lately, I’m excited to report this structure is starting to look like a cute shed again!

Here’s what’s new…

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Save the Shed series

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Part 1 – Repairing a shed with demo tips (start HERE)

Part 2 – Framing a shed with door making tips

Part 3 – Adding reclaimed wood siding and a shingled gable

Visit all installments to date HERE

Recap:

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In Part 2 – Framing a shed with door making tips HERE, the framing just got completed, but with a massive pending rain storm about to burst through the sky, I needed to hustle and get the weatherproofing on at the VERY least! My precious framing wood had never even been wet yet…

 

Installing reclaimed wood shed siding & shingles

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Weatherproofing with plastic

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Something I did NOT do the very first time I built this rustic shed was to weatherproof it. Honestly, it was a beat up greenhouse and the plastic was trashed. So all I thought to do was remove the ripped plastic and board it up to become the cutest shed in the land.

Looking back now, that was a BIG mistake. The one area I didn’t remove the plastic, the wood was still sound after 15+ years. So this round, I was going to ensure that installing reclaimed wood shed siding with plastic underneath would not be a step I would miss!

And with a big rain storm moving in due to hit…now, I had to work fast! I didn’t want that beautiful new framing to get wet, and in the nick of time, the rain hit as I covered up the 4th side. Whew!

Supplies I used:

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• Heavyweight plastic
• Electric staple gun
• Extension cord
• Scissors
• Measuring tape

How-to:

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1. Measure the total width and height of 1 side of the shed.

2. Unroll the greenhouse plastic onto the lawn, measure plastic and cut to desired size ensuring there’s enough to slightly overlap both side corners.

3. Attach the plastic into position using screws to start. One screw in the middle top, then one screw on the left and one on the right was enough to hold the plastic in place.

4. Starting at the middle top, start stapling the plastic to the framework, ensuring the plastic is smoothed out taut as you work. Make sure to double up those staples around doorways or windows.

I LOVED using an electric staple gun like THESE HERE.

And do yourself a favor and get yourself a retractable extension cord LIKE THESE HERE. They never tangle up!

5. After completely covering the area, trim plastic where needed and cut out around the door.

It was a little like wrapping a big present!

Preparing reclaimed wood

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After snooping through my reclaimed wood stash, I quickly realized I wouldn’t have enough. So I put out a request on a local Facebook group where neighbours give away stuff to each other for free, requesting any reclaimed cedar planks from falling down fences.

I immediately got two replies!

Landing free reclaimed wood is a true gift! But it is not free labour-wise. Far from it. It can be a lot of work preparing it to build with, but so worth it if you do it in bulk steps. 

I ended up removing nails one day and cleaning it on another.

Read how I pressure wash reclaimed wood HERE

Installing reclaimed wood siding

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At long last, it was time to get that beautiful, clean wood working hard!

Supplies I used:

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• Miter saw
• Small work table
• Cordless drill and screws
• Measuring tape
• Construction level
• Speed square – really helps to draw accurate line cuts

How to:

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Attaching the reclaimed wood siding is easy! However here’s a few tips to help you get it just right…

1. Set up an outdoor workstation so you can cut close to your install.
2. Choose 1 side to start.
3. Position wood into place, using a construction level for guidance.
4. Cut the planks so they can be attached to framing at each end.
5. Stagger cuts and board tones.
6. Attach with screws.
7. When starting a new side, match up plank positions to the previous for a streamlined look.

Having a complete work station close by made this install pretty effortless.

And one of my fav tools to use for this was a speed square like THESE HERE. Once marking where to cut a piece of wood, a speed square was positioned so I could draw lines straight down. It helped make cuts much more accurate.

But the biggest perk was using all the same sized wood. Or if you use different kinds, I suggest to use the same kind for an entire left-to-right full strip. Otherwise you’ll be left with lots of gaps.

Adding a faux window

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The shed window is real, but its’ installment is faux. I needed the shed framework to hold the firewood in place more than a real window, so an old vintage house window was added just for cosmetic reasons.

Once the desired plank height was reached, the window was attached into place, then the wood planks were cut to fit around it.

See that one plank that looks like it’s part of a sign? It is. It’s made with THESE STENCILS.

Adding a shingled gable

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The shingle step was done on a separate day. And I’m glad, because while the outcome is utterly charming, it’s fiddly work. But worth it!

Supplies I used:

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• Reclaimed wood shingles
• Cordless drill and screws
• Miter Saw
• Measuring tape
• Cedar strips for strapping

My apologies but I do not have a picture of this being done! But I used cedar strips for strapping, and screws to install the shingles.

How-to:

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1. Stop the siding where you wish the shingles to start.
2. Install horizontal wood cedar strapping to the shed frame with screws, higher up the shingle.
3. Attach shingles to the strapping one row at a time, jogging the placement so one is higher, and the next lower, etc.
4. Install the next row by slightly overlapping the shingles, attempting to hide the install screws.

A massive load of reclaimed shingles was picked up LONG ago off the curb, so I had them stored clean and dry. What a perfect resource to have at your fingertips!

The first bottom row of shingles went on fairly quickly, however as you work up higher, trimming the top ends of the shingles becomes necessary. I trimmed the shingles with straight or angled cuts using a miter saw.

Fav portable table saw tips

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Do you like my portable table saw table?

A wheelbarrow outfitted with sturdy planks makes hauling it around so easy! I started doing this near the end of the project and ended up saving a ton of strength.

Honestly, now I want a wheelbarrow with two wheels for more stability LIKE THESE HERE.

And do yourself a big favor and get a retractable extension cord LIKE THESE HERE. They never tangle up making them so handy for outdoor projects!

The finished siding and shingled gable

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We now officially have a finished installed reclaimed wood shed siding & shingled gable! And it is turning out completely adorable. That wood is GORGEOUS!

Truth be told, only 2 sides of the shed is done. I will likely finish siding the rest next spring, unless we have a really weather-friendly fall.

But it’s currently weather proof and that’s all that really matters! So I am focusing hard on getting the front and side complete so I can enjoy looking at it and use it for seasonal staging!

Yep. I’m pretty proud of this massive but worthwhile building experience and there’s even better yet to come…

Looking pretty good so far, huh?!

Coming up next:  a barn-styled shed door with junky hardware! It turned out completely adorable and very different from the last one!

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Save the Shed series

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Part 1 – Repairing a shed with demo tips (start HERE)

Part 2 – Framing a shed with door making tips

Part 3 – Weatherproofing / adding reclaimed wood siding / shingled gable

Visit all installments to date HERE

Read how the original shed started HERE

See many more shed changes over the years HERE