4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[miffy]

Oh dear, DIY is not one of our strengths.

 

Today has been a bit of a disaster, we tried to lay some paving slabs....we thought it would be quite straight forward, although we we knew it would be exhausting!!! But we were enthusiastic about a permanant base for the girls (finally)

 

OH made a wooden frame, and we poured in a HUGE bag of sand, intending to flatten it out and lay the slabs on top. First problem, its all on a slope so we used 6" boards and the sand didnt fill the box in , then YS said we shouldn'y use too much sand as the slabs would move too much

so we ploughed on, we levelled sand and started to lay slabs, boards too wide & too long, ground very uneven so levelling and using spirit level proving a nightmare.

OH will only conceede a sand base doesn't want a slab of concrete in the garden , so it can be removed if necessary (little does he know)

I have given up having only laid 2 rows of slabs, for today.

How crucial is it too have the bubble right in the middle of spirit level, and sometimes when it is the slabe aren't even.

 

Can any of you talented DIYers give us any advice please

[Plum]

Wouldn't you be better with a slight slope anyway so the water drains when you wash it down. The sand underneath will let water drain as well so think of that as a plus. Rather than worry about the spirit level too much you may be better putting a plank on top to get the top of them reasonably level.

Bet your arms ache now, they are really heavy.

[Guest]

Hi

I would continue what u r doing and at least u have something solid even if its a bit wonky(you may need some shingle type instead of sand to embed them in) but once you put on some ie wood bark it will cover up any sticking up bits..you can always rake the wood chips out as thats what i plan to do..also be good to let the water soak away into the soil. Raking out doesnt have to be perfect

I think the slabs will also stop the fox getting in if it did decide to dig under

Good luck

indie

[miffy]

thanks for your help.

 

Indie, do you think we should have shingle on top of the sand? or do you mean in between the slabs, sorry I'm rather a dunce on all this am I right in thinking there are different types of shingle, which one?

[Redwing]

Hi Miffy

 

I have just done the exact same process

 

I made a frame and filled it with shingle (the chunky stuff or it would be a giant litter tray for the local cats!) then dunped loads of sand on top - you could probably do without the shingle though

 

Laying slabs is super hard and mine are wonky at best! there are drops of up to a centimeter between slabs but no major gaps, I figure as long as the slabs are not concreted down any water will drain between them the run will have a roof so I didn't worry too much about a run off but the slabs do slope a bit

 

The thing I did ensure was that once all the slabs were laid and the frame was up we shuffled the frame around and moved it backwards and forwards to find the optimum position so that it sat squarely on the slabs with no gaps underneath, if the base is a bit bigger than the frame you have lots of leeway to get this right

 

I then filled in the gap around the slabs up to the boards with shingle and this stabilised the slabs a lot

 

The more we walk on the slabs the more stable they get too

 

I am covering the run floor with woodchip and what with the shingle around the outside I should not have to witness my lack of technique

 

If I did it again I would concrete the base

 

Below is a pic taken while I was putting the frame up, the gap under the centre of the panel nearest the camera is the type you need to get rid of if you are to keep mice out

 

 

Good luck!

[miffy]

Gosh Redwing thats brilliant, love the raised beds too especially the long posts I guess these are fot netting or fleece.

 

I can see we should have laid shingle first, but its too late now. Will carry on tomorrow although I'm not looking forward to it

[Redwing]

Gosh Redwing thats brilliant, love the raised beds too especially the long posts I guess these are fot netting or fleece.

 

They are I built those too.

I can see we should have laid shingle first, but its too late now. Will carry on tomorrow although I'm not looking forward to it

 

Don't worry, I am cack handed at the best of times and I did mine, I wouldn't worry about the shingle either, like I said the more you walk on the slabs the firmer they will bed in

[Guest]

I am rubbish at Diy so i am not an expert but agree they really dont have to be perfect I had ducks and used big square heavy slabs on mud..yes they did end up a bit wonky but it didnt matter too much and the ducks use to dabble in the gaps to get any bugs from the mud.

The chickens which mine havent arrived yet I am guessing will really enjoy pecking between and as you can put some nice chunky layer of wood chip over the top it will make it easier to walk on.

My OH has done nothing..I have mad a low walk in run and will put some pics on next weekend as its been a labour of love

If i told u what I did for aliving u would be amazed at what even I have acheived..a great big roll of wire mesh/loads of wood(I did have amanual post basher) and tons of nails //wire clipsetc

 

I put 6 panels of onduline on one half of my roof with the help of my 17 year old son yesterday..the run is only about 5' high as I just dont want a great big thing in my garden but there is plenty of floor space. I recycled as much wood as i could so lots of sawing etc

 

I have left some soil uncovered so they can make a dust bath etc and scratch around.

i even made the weld mesh have a skirt onto the ground.

 

My sister called in yesterday and could not believe i had built my run myself(even i surprised my self)Its not perfect but safe from mr fox and functional

 

So go for it. Just have a good look at all the diff types of runs

 

Let us know..but slabs are blloommng heavy I agree..

indie

[miffy]

feeling a bit more happy about the way its going thank to you brilliant omleteers. Will try to take a pic tomorrow so you can see what we've done or not done.

thanks again

[Guest]

my son has just gone away this week as i need him to put pics on

but i am hoping to make a door for my run this week..i got the hinges and my 13year old says he can use a drill to put screws on..so he has stepped in as my assistant(my neighbours must think i am barking)

 

U see miffy i havent got a clue either!

 

The one thing i do think are brill & i dont know what htey are called but they are little u shaped galvanised nails that come in lots of sizes but the small ones are really good for holding the wire onto the wood batons/panels..Wickes sell them as do most timber merchants.

 

let us know how u r getting on.

indie

[Falkor]

my son has just gone away this week as i need him to put pics on

but i am hoping to make a door for my run this week..i got the hinges and my 13year old says he can use a drill to put screws on..so he has stepped in as my assistant(my neighbours must think i am barking)

 

U see miffy i havent got a clue either!

 

The one thing i do think are brill & i dont know what htey are called but they are little u shaped galvanised nails that come in lots of sizes but the small ones are really good for holding the wire onto the wood batons/panels..Wickes sell them as do most timber merchants.

 

let us know how u r getting on.

indie

 

 

I think they are called Staples.

 

I laid my slabs on sand and shingle They are about level but not exactly! I figure they are covered with Aubiose and the cooks don't mind so ALL IS GOOD!

 

The only slabs that I was obsessive about being level were the ones the cube stands on as it needs to sit flush with the run frame. Those four slabs took me an age but well worth it for a secure butting up cube

[Guest]

I have not got to the cube standing on slabs yet but I am planning to slope them just tad so it wont sit on a puddle..but i can see that it has to b pretty sound as I am going to butt the cube up to a window on the outside as well(like u have done palmer)

 

Will have to enlist strength then as the slabs are big

 

indie

 

ps what am i on about i havent even got a yet at all..i have lost it

[alih]

Indie999 can we have pics soon please??? I love the idea of having a lower run that doesn't impose on the whole garden

[Guest]

Yes i wil def post some pics but my computer expert son went to Athens today so will get him to do this end of the week(sorry)

Today I made a door frame and I bought some fast setting ready mixed post cement and woooo it does bubble just like a science experiment..I was v impressed and it was a lazy way of putting the posts in!(ie no mixing sand/cement)

I have collected an old rabbit house for the interim til cube arrives for the two chickens i have picked up but wil give it a good disinfection etc tomorrow

i am glad i made my run lower even though i have to stoop but i really only plan to put the food throgh the door prior to going to work and letting them out.

 

However if I had a high fence like some people have then i would have gone for the taller version..i just dont have high fencing around here

 

 

I can see why the wood chip may be a bit of a pain to clean up after spreading it about today ..I use hemcore for my horses and its brill so may switch to that all over the run. I am going to put that in the nexting box

(can see what u mean palmer)..UM

Big ideas!!

 

Yea i will post some pics...even my neighbour is intrigued by my build(he is a surveyor) he is looking forward to some eggs ..he apparently use to have 40 chickens so he is quite happy for mine to be coming soonn

what brill weather

speak soon..i do waffle on

indie

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Some of my slabs were a bit uneven (I suspect it was the slabs themselves rather than the laying of them). As a result, one side of my run could be wiggled back and forth - and the wind actually moved it too - we (well, OH of BF!) screwed a batten to the inside across the join and screwed that into the slabs. All solid now .

 

What I'm trying to say (not very succinctly ) is get your slabs as level as you can!

[Guest]

My stooping wir if the wind gets under it did occur to me about it going off flying since putting onduline roof on but the onduline is realy heavy. Am glad i cemented the posts in today(hopefully it wont launch itself I love bubbly post cement...

[miffy]

well having reviewed progress so far.......its all rubbish what we have done so we are pulling it all up except the frame. We are going to order some shingle to go in first then put our sand on top of that and hopefully the slabs will go onto that base a bit better. we usually get by somehow but this has really caused us problems.

 

must have it done by next weekend if at all possible

[Guest]

oh what a shame..there is some larger shingle stuff ohh cant remember its Type 1 or 2 its crushed concrete type stuff and really embeds itself well. But I would get a merchant to delivery you a couple of tons of whatever you choose they are about £45 a ton incl delivery(those big white bags are a ton)...you know i think wickes can deliver those big bags(they dont go that far by the way)

 

Today I made my door and it fits and works ..I made it off the top of my head!! It took me 2 hours to make it and line up the mesh too...my husband did actually come and help me put it on the run and complained the whole time

 

I am really pleased Got to say I didnt realise how much time this would take me. But at least there are two of you to fetch and carry wood etc

My kitchen has 3 hammers/ 3 saws/ buckets of diff screws etc all over the place ..

 

But v satisfying to see the finished product..the only bit I have to do is make the port hole end for the cube to butt up..but i am doing that when it arrives now

 

I will and must post some pics too

Good luck

indie

[miffy]

look forward to seeing your pics, you have done really well to do it all alone.

[atsw]

What I'm trying to say (not very succinctly ) is get your slabs as level as you can!

I have to agree 100% with this advise. If the base is at all uneven you'll put stresses on the frame of the WIR. At best this will make construction more difficult, and at worst, you'll weaken the whole structure. It is worth putting time and effort into the base.

 

I spent a long time levelling the earth beneath my run. Using long lengths of sturdy wood and a long spirit level helps here. Then I used a garden roller to compact the soil base, filling in any dips that were revealed and slicing off any 'bumps' along the way.

 

Then I started in one corner and using approx 1" to 2" of compacted regular builders sand under each slab I worked my way along the length of the run. The first two rows took the longest, and again, its time well spent. Once the first two rows are level front to back and correct as you extend along the length the other rows are much easier to do, and keep level. As you work your way, keep checking the local levels and also the level of the current slab and two back. It is important to keep the bubble within the lines at all time. If it's out even a little bit on the first few slabs, it will be out by a significant amount by the time you get to the other end.

 

Here's a quick summary of how mine was done.

 

 

Hope this helps, as I said, it is worth putting time and effort into the base, as this is what it will look like at the end.

 

 

I've put together a sequence of pictures showing every step of the build as a short slide-show which I hope is of help and inspiration.

 

Andrew

[toastedblue]

IMHO you would be better off dumping the slabs idea and put a 2" concrete base down

if the frame you have is fairly level, you'll need a slight slope, then fill it with shingle or chippings to 2" from the top then cover with a layer of concrete

it is far easier to lay a concrete slab than to pave

 

that's what I would do anyway, and will do eventually as mine are on an area of recycled decking

[miffy]

that would be my first choice really but OH refuses to have a slab of concrete permamantly in the garden

[atsw]

I might be totally wrong, but I'd worry that a large slab of concrete that was only 2" deep would crack after a while. The ground moves a lot as it dries out during the summer, especially if you have large trees or an established hedge nearby. Unless the overall slab was sectioned into compartments with wood separators I can't see it staying in one piece for long. If it was 6" to 8" deep, then maybe. Not really up on these things, but I know where I am with slabs

 

Andrew

[Guest]

HI Miffy

 

I promise to post some pics this weekend...of my very diy low level WIR!

Today i collected my 2 chickens but they were 3 (an extra one sneaked in)

I am still awaiting & arriving next tuesday. So as i dont know how to do the pics will wait for son to put them on for me.

 

Hope u get the base sorted out... I have actually left a foot of soil around the edge prior to putting the posts in , I then run the weldmesh to make a skirt on the soil(just like the omlet runs have) on top of that i have put a load of spare blocks/bricks to keep it down.

 

The new arrivals are out scratching away in it now and I am going to go and put them in the temp housing.

 

My run is by no means perfect but its rectangle smothered in weldmesh and has a roof on fort knox I tried to make it!

 

Good luck lots of ideas on this forum

indie