Livestock Loafing Shed (3625)

We recommend that you read through these instructions completely before beginning your build.

Tools and materials

• 220 grit sandpaper
• Glue – PVA glue or equivalent white glue, wood glue, etc.
• X-Acto or razor knife with new sharp blade
• 1-2-3 blocks or equivalent square blocks or clamps (Amazon)
• Finishing materials of choice: stain, paint, India ink, weathering chalks, etc.

General Notes

This kit has gone through several revisions. As such, the parts diagram is not included here. Please refer to the labeled parts diagram in your specific version of this kit.

On occasion, a natural defect in the wood may result in a small uncut portion. This can be fixed by making several shallow cuts with a razor knife.

Quick Finish Method

If you are looking for a beginner-friendly method to finish this model, here is one simple and painless approach. Use your preferred method for applying paint, but this approach produces excellent results with standard spray paint “rattle cans”.

Choose two contrasting paint colors. For the trim, use a light color such as white or light tan. For the field, use a complimentary mid-tone. Spray paint tends to dry darker, so err on the side of lighter colors and test the colors before applying to the model.

We used Rust-Oleum 2x Flat White for the trim and Krylon Satin Brick for the field color. We used a neutral tan (Rust-Oleum 2X Satin Smokey Beige) for the interior field color behind the interior rails.

    

A furniture marker, such as those sold by Minwax or Verathane makes staining the interior wood pieces easy. We used a Maple color furniture marker by Ram Pro.

First, use a razor knife to remove all pieces from the plywood sheets by carefully cutting through the tabs holding the pieces together. The tabs generally cut easier from the back. Stubborn tabs can be worked on from both sides.

Remove any remaining wood left over from the tabs by lightly sanding the edges with 220 grit sandpaper. Sand just enough to remove the tabs. Note that over-sanding could change the dimensions of the pieces causing issues with proper fit.

Paint the interior of the shed with a neutral tan color. This includes the unetched sides of walls W2, W4, W5, W7, stiffener W8 and the etched side of the roof (R1). When this dries, paint the exterior walls with the field color. This includes the etched sides of W2, W4, W5 and W7. Make sure not to get paint on the previously painted sides.

Stain the interior panels and rails with the wood toned furniture marker, or other wood stain. This includes the front side of walls W1, W3 and W6 and the roof rafters R2.

The square center post pad (S3) can be painted gray to look like a concrete pad, or painted with the trim color.

All remaining pieces should be painted with the trim color.

To paint these, create loops of blue painters’ tape with sticky side out. Attach one side to a scrap piece of posterboard or cardboard. Attach the pieces to be painted to the sticky side of the blue tape and apply spray paint.

Create Three Double Thickness Walls

In this step, create three laminated walls (two side walls and the rear wall) from six pieces. W4 is laminated to W1, W2 is laminated to W3 and W5 is laminated to W6. Be careful not to glue W1 to W3 or W2 to W4. Make sure all detailed etchings are facing out.

Note that W5 is symmetrical and does not matter which side is the top. Also note that W6 is not as long as W5. It is important that the tabs on W5 overlap W6 by the same amount on both ends. You can place sheet R1 on the work surface and use it as a height gauge to align the shorter W6 onto W5. (See image)

The three glue-ups need to be completed quickly so the glue doesn’t set up before being weighed down. We recommend weighing down each wall as soon as it is glued together.

    

Use a toothpick to apply glue to the rails and your index finger to apply glue to the flat surfaces. Be careful not to over-apply glue to the rails. After glue is applied to the entire surface, dab the glue with your finger to smooth it out and remove any excess. Any excess glue on the tops and bottoms of the rails can be removed with a toothpick.

After gluing the laminations together, cover with a flat surface, then weigh down. A solid cutting board makes a good flat surface. Dumbbells or stacks of heavy books make good weights. Let dry thoroughly.

Assemble The Structure

This is the most critical step in creating a quality model. Take your time and ensure the four walls are glued together squarely and accurately. To ensure precise 90-degree alignment, use 1-2-3 blocks or equivalent squares to hold pieces together while gluing.

Apply glue by dipping the sharp tip of a toothpick or wood barbecue skewer into the glue to get a small drop of glue on the tip. Apply the glue sparingly along the edge to be glued. Applying too much glue is one of the most common mistakes.

   

First assemble the two side walls to the back wall, creating a three-sided structure. The diagram shows how the side walls and rear wall interlock. The cut-out panel rails should face the interior of the structure. Glue and assemble one side at a time and allow to dry completely.

    

Attach the front wall (W7) into the two vertical slots between the side walls. Engravings should face out. Next, the front wall stiffener (W8) prevents warping of the front wall. Apply glue to the two short ends and along the length of one side and place in the two small slots perpendicular to the front wall. To hold the stiffener in place while it dries, place the structure upside down to assure the stiffener is flat with the roof surface and “clamp” the stiffener and the front wall together between 1-2-3 blocks. (See photo)

Glue the rear half of the post (S2) to the back of the front half of the post (S1). Make sure etchings on S1 face forward.

With the structure sitting right-side-up, glue the post so it is centered, and on the interior of the front wall. There are marks on the front side of the wall indicating where to align the post support, but the post should be glued behind the front wall. The bottom of the post should touch the work surface. Use 1-2-3 blocks to make sure the post is vertically plumb.

    

Attach the concrete pad (S3) to the bottom of the center post and flush with the work surface. Attach the two corner braces (S4 and S5) in the corners, behind the front wall with the etching facing forward.

    

There is a triangle brace on each side wall where the corner braces attach. Glue is applied to the front of the rectangular support (the side with the etching).

Trim

The trim is cut to fit precisely, however, dry fit before each step to confirm proper fit and matching angles before removing the backing. The trim pieces are “peel-and-stick”, making attachment quick, simple, and glue-free.

Use the long edge of a razor knife to remove the paper covering. When attaching trim, arrange the structure to lie on the appropriate side so that the trim can also be aligned with the work surface when attached.

Line up the trim with very light pressure against the structure until the trim is in the exact place, then press down firmly. The tip of a razor knife can aid in precisely positioning the pieces.

    

Take the four widest trim pieces (T2 and T3) and the four longest trim pieces (T1) and set them aside.

Of the remaining eight trim pieces, attach the two longest (T6) to the tops of the side walls. Make sure the side angles on the trim match the angles of the wall.

Of the remaining six pieces, the four shortest (T4 and T5) are the vertical trim for the side walls. Note that one end is square, and the other end is angled. The square ends face down and the angled end matches the slope of the roof.

The two remaining pieces (T7) are for the bottom of the side walls.

 

 

Going back to the eight trim pieces that were set aside, four of these are wider than the others (T2 and T3). These four trim pieces attach vertically to the front and rear walls, overlapping the side wall trim, and cover the seams in the wall laminates.

The four longest trim pieces (T1) attach horizontally to the top and bottom of the front and back walls. These pieces are slightly long and for a precise fit, need to be cut to size before peeling off the backing.

    

Assemble the Roof

The roof is designed to be removable and is not permanently attached to the structure. The roof (R1) has a scribed rectangle indicating where to glue the rafters (R2). The rafters act as a stiffener to help flatten any warping of the roof. The rafters have etched lines indicating individual boards. Make sure the etchings are facing out.

Using a toothpick, quickly apply glue to the back side of the rafters. There is a lot of area to cover before the glue starts to set up. Use your finger and tap at the glue to flatten it out. Center the rafters within the rectangle on the roof. Cover the laminate with a hard flat surface and weigh down. Let dry thoroughly.

Roof Trim

The sides of the roof are wrapped with two short (R3) and two long (R4) trim pieces. With the roof rafter side up, attach the two long pieces so they are flush to the roof at the ends. Next, attach the two shorter pieces.

Corrugated Roofing

Note that the rafters are attached closer to the bottom edge of the roof than the top. 

Sample fit a lower and upper panel to confirm there is adequate overlap.

Corrugated Roofing

Refer to our instructions on corrugated roofing. 

Corrugated Roofing Instructions