Building Gypsy Rose

 The shed is now sheathed and ready for trim boards. This morning I put the 30# felt on the roof and Marion tested out the doorway for size. Only Hobbits will be able to walk in without ducking, but it'll give us ample enclosed storage in a 22 square foot space.

With the shed framed and sheathed its proportions can now be seen. I actually find that I like the looks of Gypsy Rose better with the shed. It acts to balance the porch on the other end. There will be a window above the shed roof on the gable that will also serve as a second means of egress - out the window and slide down the roof.

I can't wait to get the trim boards on and cover up the rest of the Tyvek billboards.

While picking up some more primed cedar trim boards today we also bought the wood for the front porch deck. Contemporary porches and decks are tending toward synthetic materials, often made from recycled plastics. They have the advantages of being able to withstand the weather while generating markets for recycled materials, but I've decided to stick with natural decking materials. I ended up choosing tongue and groove Meranti. It is grown in managed forests in Malaysia. Meranti is actually a commercial name applied to four groups of species from the genus Shorea. It has properties that make for good decking, but it is commonly used in Europe and the UK for door and window frames. I hadn't planned on it, but now I'm thinking that I'd like to use it to frame the gable windows. Its dark color will be a nice accent.

At the end of the day Marion pulled out my guitar and laid it on the couch, inviting me to practice. I'm still very much a beginner but it's a nice way to relax at the end of the day.