Is your garage so full you have to park your car in the driveway? Or do you have so much stuff stored in the basement you can’t see the floors? Alleviate the space crunch in your home by building an outdoor storage shed. To learn how to build an outdoor storage shed, follow the instructions and tips we found on Popular Mechanics below.
Construct the Base
Before you start constructing your shed, check out the materials list here. The next step to build a storage shed is to construct the base. To do this, Popular Mechanics recommends staking four corners of the shed with two cinderblocks per corner. Use a torpedo level to check that the cinderblocks are level. Once you’ve ensured the blocks are level, glue the cinderblocks together by using construction adhesive.
Create the Deck
Once you’ve constructed the base of the shed, you should stagger the pressure-treated wood posts to lie flush with the outer edges of the blocks and then cut the band joists that rest on top of the sill. Popular Mechanics recommends staggering the sill and band-joist lumber at the corners and nailing each sill piece to the bottom of a band joist. Click here for a visual on how you can do this. The next step is to install the plywood floor. To make sure the band joists are straight, use the factory edges and 8D galvanized nails (available at The Home Depot).
Build the Walls
After the deck is complete, DIY Network recommends using it as a level work surface for building the walls. For each 8-foot-tall wall panel, lay out the pieces to form the sides, a top plate, bottom plate and studs 16 inches apart. Secure the pieces using a nail gun and repeat until all the wall panels are complete. To see how to do this, click here.
When raising the walls, Instructables advises to check the overall structure using a framing square to ensure it’s even and level. For the wall that will hold the door, build two narrower panels using two-by-four foot posts on each side for additional strength.
Frame the Roof
According to Popular Mechanics, the best approach to building a roof is to start with the roof trusses. To learn how to construct the roof trusses properly, click here. The next step is to nail the end trusses through the bottom and hold them up with one-by-four foot braces. Once this is done, you should stretch a string between the spacers and install the remaining trusses so their tails are spaced three-quarters of an inch from the string. To see how to do this, click here. After the trusses are in place, it’s time to install trim on the gable ends. For guide on how to install the trim, follow these instructions from iCreatables.com. Once this is done, cover the blocking with cedar boards secured with 8D nails. Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to properly secure the cedar boards.
Detail and Add the Door
The next step is to build a door. This article from The Family Handyman gives you an in-depth overview on how to build and install the door properly. Before installing the door, prime and paint the entire shed (including the doors). Lowe’s has a great selection of primer and paints, and for instructions on how to paint wood, check out this article from DoItYourself.com.
Cap it Off
Complete the shed by installing shingles and trimming the perimeter of the roof with drip caps. Popular Mechanics recommends installing the eave drip caps first by slipping them under the roofing felt and then adding the rake drip caps over the roofing felt. For instructions on how to do this, click here. The last step is to install the shingles on the roof from the bottom to the peak of the roof. Check out these directions from Popular Mechanics on how to do this properly.
TIP: After your shed is built, use WD-40® Multi-Use Product to keep the shed door latches lubricated.
(This was originally posted in September 2014.)