Ft Frostbite: Building a retreat

That's pretty fantastic frost, I see you got everything in before the trash weather settles in. How much did that set up cost you in total? I remember asking a while back but not sure if that was the same shed or not. I vaguely remember you linking a site where they listed those sheds. I'd be much obliged if you could send me that way again, I had it saved in my bookmarks but like a typical numpty I've lost the links when I upgraded my PC and was too lazy to import my settings 🤣.

I think PMs are a good place to go IF you've got everything else in place. You can't eat metal and it makes for a pretty terrible shelter too. Having your shelter and supplies fully stocked first are better IMO.

We layed the Lino floor before building the internal walls. Much easier this way if you want one continuous length with no joins.  All the walls will be fitted with a steel stud frame, insulated with earth wool batts, then lined with gyprock. No timber to rot or warp apart from the doors, door frame and skirting. Everything I build is built to last well into shtf. 

That Lino was 48m2 heavy duty stuff (not cheap Bunnings rubbish), so heavy it was loaded onto my trailer with a forklift, but unloaded by myself and Mrs Frostbite, who almost burst a valve. It was rolled out by myself and 4 ladies.  Girls are just as capable as boys, you just need an extra one or two for the really heavy stuff. 

I'm very jealous, looks great , I'll be doing something very similar hopefully soon

We roll them down in the wind the protect the outdoor dining area. They handle it fine. We keep them rolled up when we aren’t there.  Been looking for 3 large windows to properly enclose the area. 

Looks fantastic, nice work!

Another weekend trip to the retreat, getting a little more work on the new cabin. Started the electrical wiring myself because my electrician hit a car on his push bike and broke most of his ribs.  Got some free furniture which we put in the cabin as well.

If I were closer FB I would help u with the electrics mate..... But its at least 1,000 km away, possibly more, sorry about that.




I'm busy now, do you mind if I ignore you later ?

Does the name Pavlov ring a bell ?

Vermin proof is easy if you don’t have a personal access door. We use corrugated foam infills between the slab and the corro steel, which serves as formwork for a layer of concrete. At the roof end of the sheet we use spray foam to seal the gap between the corro sheet and the flashing.

Maintaining temperature for storing food is much harder. I don’t know if that is possible in a metal shed. I always wanted to lay a slab, get a concrete culvert placed on top of the slab, then fill in the open ends with core filled besser blocks (with a heavy wooden door of course). Basically an above ground cellar that won’t have the issues with dampness that underground cellars have.