Help me fix my shed.

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Last March during a windstorm my shed took what the insurance company and the manufacturer said was a fatal blow from a large pine. Total loss.




Insurance company sent people to clean things up, put a tarp over it. .



And there it sat. All summer. We called so many contractors I can't remember. Some said they were too busy. Some said it was totaled, need a new shed. Some gave use quotes, we said yes, they never returned. I will remember that when times turn bad again and they call begging for work. Today I decided I was sick of waiting, sick of looking at it. I've never built a structure, but compared to car stuff, looks pretty basic. And I watch the fixer upper flip shows haha. So.. I went at it today.








So I finished the day thinking its cut back enough to start putting things together.

What I don't know is..

Can I join the top plates together with a bracket and still maintain structural integrity?




 
Oh no!
shocked.gif
 
Anywhere you add new joists, and new sections of wall get some Simpson Strong Ties. I'ts just a shed it will be fine.
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Nice work.

Is that a contractor or family member helping to rebuild ?


The guy with the saw was from the Insurance company. The little furry guy was in shock when the tarp slid off the roof. So far, its just me. With a saws-all and a circular saw I never used before. And a claw and a hammer. Not sure what to do next. Order supplies I guess. Get a roof on it fast next rain is Tuesday. All the top plates were a complete board. To recreate that I'd have to take the whole roof off. I'm hoping I can recreate a complete top plate (or whatever its called) with a steel bracket and screws. Some type of sleeve, etc.
 
Originally Posted By: JBinTX30
Anywhere you add new joists, and new sections of wall get some Simpson Strong Ties. I'ts just a shed it will be fine.

Home depot has those? Would I use screws or nails? I don't have a nail gun.
 
Cut your top plate so it exposes half of the wall stud. That way the new piece has support at the end. Looks good. That shed is not totaled. Just needs some attention.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Home depot has those? Would I use screws or nails? I don't have a nail gun.


Yes they do, and you can use either. They even sell some Simpson branded screws and nails in same section as well.
 
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Cut your top plate so it exposes half of the wall stud. That way the new piece has support at the end. Looks good. That shed is not totaled. Just needs some attention.

Can I just cut it off even then sister another wall stud with screws or nails??
 
Yes you could use those to help reinforce the top plate sections together. They have all different ones for different uses, you would have to see what ones you would need.
 
My other thought was to sister the roof joist I cut the busted plywood off flush to. So the new roof plywood has its own surface. Is that ok?
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: PimTac
Cut your top plate so it exposes half of the wall stud. That way the new piece has support at the end. Looks good. That shed is not totaled. Just needs some attention.

Can I just cut it off even then sister another wall stud with screws or nails??


Yep you can do that as well.
 
Originally Posted By: LeakySeals
Originally Posted By: JBinTX30
Anywhere you add new joists, and new sections of wall get some Simpson Strong Ties. I'ts just a shed it will be fine.

Home depot has those? Would I use screws or nails? I don't have a nail gun.


Just read the brochure on the part you're using. Some of them specify a specific type of nail. I remember one bracket had a listing of 10 - 16d nails, which really meant ten 16 penny nails but the guy I used thought it meant anywhere from a 10 to 16 penny nails. Had to set him straight and the 16 penny nails were much harder to drive in with a hammer than 10 penny nails. Simpson strong ties also has a lot of material on the website you can download and it goes over all the various components you can use. For the rafter I would think a joist hanger would be better, but maybe that plate will be fine, it's just a shed, on some construction people just toe nail them in so it's probably better than nothing.
 
I'm just an amateur and not a pro so take my free advice based on what you are paying for it. On the one side where it looks like plate just needs a short patch to the corner I'd just sister in another wall stud right next to the existing wall stud where the cut off top plate ends and use the new wall stud as nailing and support to start the new patched-in top plate. As others have posted also add long metal plate and screws to tie together the patched top plates. Also in that corner you should double up the wall stud in that corner to make it stronger and provide better nailing.

On the side where the cut off top plate ends right at window stud I'd cut that existing top plate back 1.5 inches more so it ends right before that existing wall stud by the window. Then sister in a new wall stud to the left right next to the existing window stud and right under the new cut edge of the top plate. Then patch in a new top plate using the now exposed existing wall stud (next to the window)as nailing. Also tie in side and top of patched top plate with long metal plate and screws.

While you're at it I'd take the opportunity to double up the framing and headers around window and door openings and also add some blocking between all the wall studs to make the entire structure stronger than it was.
 
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You can extend the top plate by adding another stud nailed to an existing stud. The new stud can support the extension of the top plate. You could even add a partial stud that is well nailed to an existing stud.
 
Thanks for the encouragement and advice everyone. Today I'm taking an inventory. looks like I cut back approx 6 feet of roof. Should I have HD cut the size, or DIY on my "horses" lol?
 
Another thing I'm not sure of. To cut the roof back I had to cut my way in truss by truss to make room for a ladder. When I rebuild, how am I gonna get up there to nail the sheathing to the trusses? Hmmm...
 
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