Converting a shepherds hut

Started with just a rickety old Shepherds Hut, no insulation, just chipboard interior, tin roof, and two windows. 

Using the Oceanic Sauna battening I framed out the interior as much as possible to the height of the Rockwool. Obviously around the windows I had to improvise. I also left a rectangle behind where the stove would be.

The rockwool held up in place quite well without pinning it. I did the roof by tucking one end of the rockwool up there and then doing a couple of planks of the tongue and groove. Borrowed a pin gun for the t+g and it was really quick. Decided to leave the chipboard floor as it is. 

Improvised around all the windows and found that actually the ‘skirting board’ edge-type batten covers all manner of sins in measuring and cutting. Here you can see both windows turned out pretty neat, and I left the space behind where the stove would be because I hadn’t really thought that bit through yet.

Anticlockwise from top left you can see how the struts just butt up to the frame, in bottom left you can see how I had to recess the end supports slightly. All basically trial and error. By bottom right I was starting to wonder how sturdy it would be, and it definitely needed bracing against the wall properly.

I made a small wooden frame and put two thick slates on top. This made a base for the stove. Two heatproof boards went either side, and one up above too. I used an old Morso stove and improvised a stone basket from an old bakery basket. Then finally took the plunge and cut the hole in the wall. You can see the heat cement we used to fix in the chimney. 

Note the little log / changing hut to the right... 

How the pond and decking got there is another story!