Valice Raffi on wed 25 jun 03
I've been clearing land to build a new studio and have been checking out
large storage buildings as a possibility. Is there anybody on the list
who've used a building like this for their studio?
Due to building codes, I might be limited to 400 sq. ft. - or less if I
don't tear down one of my small sheds. I've been looking at Tuff Shed and
Heartland. Heartland has a tackroom building that I like except that it
only comes 12' deep (24' wide), but those dimensions do fit well with the
area I have in mind. I have the space for a deeper building, but the
building code says I can only have 40-50% of my house's "liveable area" in
outbuildings. My neighbors all have more than that in outbuildings so I
suppose I can try for a variance!
I'm having trouble imagining the space with stuff in it plus I'd like to be
able to have a few students in at a time. I'm a handbuilder, so I won't
have a wheel in there and was figuring on adding a kiln shed later.
I could also go with a builder, but then I'd need to develop plans with an
engineer/architect.
Any advice would be most welcome, I have been reading all the posts in the
archives and have found them helpful in deciding what I want.
thanks much!
Valice
in Sacramento
Elizabeth Priddy on thu 26 jun 03
Some of the best most great places I have ever worked is on porches.
I worked out of a smallish two room studio for five years with no running water and just electricity. The boon was the porch. A covered area with a wooden floor can have tables, kickwheels, buckets of water, storage shelves, glaze in sealed buckets. You can glaze and wax outside with extreme ventilation and then hose the area off to clean it. A concrete slab would be the most sanitary, but I had a wooden board porch. You can get standing mats for a concrete floor that you can hose along with the concrete. People didn't understand how I could be so happy out there, but YOUR space is the part that will make you happy! (I had an air conditioner unit in the window of the interior studio and used it when the weather got over 90 degrees and the humidity, but usually there was a breeze)
If you can buy your shed and attach a porch, and if I understand the beautiful weather patterns of California, a porch may be your solution to the tight space. Keep the expensive stuff inside so you can lock up anything that might walk off or be dangerous in the wrong hands and work outside. I have worked in rain and shine under a lovely porch. A nice bamboo screen around the perimeter that can be raised or lowered and an electric or ceiling fan, and you have minimal climate control too!
My students actually loved it, the space was very free. A shady porch is great for drying parts waiting to attach as well, those screens can keep tpp much breeze from causing problems. We used Bugspray or citronella candles at night. I kept most of the electric stuff, ware carts, damp box, (things that might rust, warp or be damaged by moisture) inside. If you look around your studio and divide it into stuff that can live outside and stuff that can't, you might be surprised at how little space you need.
Valice Raffi wrote:
I've been clearing land to build a new studio and have been checking out
large storage buildings as a possibility. Is there anybody on the list
who've used a building like this for their studio?
Due to building codes, I might be limited to 400 sq. ft. - or less if I
don't tear down one of my small sheds. I've been looking at Tuff Shed and
Heartland. Heartland has a tackroom building that I like except that it
only comes 12' deep (24' wide), but those dimensions do fit well with the
area I have in mind. I have the space for a deeper building, but the
building code says I can only have 40-50% of my house's "liveable area" in
outbuildings. My neighbors all have more than that in outbuildings so I
suppose I can try for a variance!
I'm having trouble imagining the space with stuff in it plus I'd like to be
able to have a few students in at a time. I'm a handbuilder, so I won't
have a wheel in there and was figuring on adding a kiln shed later.
I could also go with a builder, but then I'd need to develop plans with an
engineer/architect.
Any advice would be most welcome, I have been reading all the posts in the
archives and have found them helpful in deciding what I want.
thanks much!
Valice
in Sacramento
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Elizabeth Priddy
www.angelfire.com/nc/clayworkshop
Beaufort, NC
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Mike Gordon on thu 26 jun 03
Hi,
I would go with the prefab bld. They are really well built and have a
lot of possibilities for your use. A lot of headaches with a builder
doing it. Some of the pre fab co.'s install them too. I dismantled one
and used it for a raku shed, LOTS of screws! ended up nailing the sides
to some 2x4's but it works. So if they'll install it for you go for it!
Mike Gordon, Walnut Creek,Ca.
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