The Hidden Life of Sheds
When people think of sheds they generally think of the handy back garden tool shed. They think of a small building, usually not very pretty, for storing tools. But sheds are a lot more than that.
More happens in sheds than simple tool storage. In fact, the car engine was invented in a shed. Back in 1882 Gottlieb Daimler purchased a villa and converted the greenhouse into a workshop for his engines. He even widened the garden paths so they could accommodate vehicles.
Daimler and his partner, Wilhelm Maybach began building and testing a high speed internal combustion engine based on Daimler’s guiding ideal. He envisioned a single engine, that used petrol for fuel, and could power vehicles of every type in every conceivable medium – land, air and sea.
Gottlieb and Wilhelm were afraid that competitors might steal their designs, so they worked in secrecy in their shed. The villa staff were not told what was happening inside the converted greenhouse, nor were they allowed inside to see. One of the gardeners started thinking about tinkering and the sound of hammered metal in secret sheds and came up with the idea that the two were counterfeiting coins. He contacted the police who inspected the workshop.
Instead of a minting machine, which would certainly be an element found in counterfeiting sheds, the police found tools and engine parts. They stopped bothering the budding inventors who soon created a high-speed four stroke engine. Gottlieb Daimler unleashed his universal engine on the world.
Sheds can be about secret work, or about varied and seemingly strange designs. Some companies turn basic sheds into natural looking huts, some that look like wood frame cabins and others that look like stone huts covered with moss. People love to help design their own buildings, and then work on them with friends. So many of these designs come in “kits” of sorts, with materials or material lists included with detailed building plans. These types of sheds can turn a garden into a wonderland. That includes not only for kids who enjoy custom built play houses, but for adults as well.
Another use of sheds is for a yard or garden office. Such a place can be used for work, or just to get away from the family now and then even if there is no private project. Foam filled wall frames, sound treated walls, and thicker wood can turn such offices into functional sound booths for musicians or vocal artists and actors.
People who plan on building such sheds are better off getting to work immediately. Many analysts predict rising timber prices, so construction is bound to increase in cost by as much as 10%. One reason for this is the rebuilding effort in Japan, hit recently by strong earthquakes and a massive tsunami. Simple supply and demand suggests the experts are correct that building material costs will soon increase. Don’t worry, there’s no need to build the shed immediately or even to take delivery of the materials and store them. Materials can be ordered now for future delivery, thus locking in current prices for a future build. That’s pretty smart.
Hopefully some readers now have a better appreciation of sheds. This article has shed some light on the subject. (GROAN!)