6 Tips for Building a Shed

Will send the longer finished story to rchesterman-is it
possible to have his email address?

hi de hi folks. i'm at college and doing a garden design course
and have to do a project, so i'm doing reseach on potting sheds,
garden sheds and eco friendly sheds and sheds. so if one got
infomation, sites and tales or stories of sheds would be a great
help. thanks ric look for forward to reading them....

Great tips. Keep 'em coming. Thank You. Jack M.

I just completed building my own shed, (12X18). This was also
the first shed I’ve ever built. I couldn't find plans that fit
exactly what I wanted so I decided to make up my own plans. I drew
everything on graph paper. This was very helpful in deciding
whether to build myself or buy a completed shed. I built it myself
and saved $1,000 to $1,400. This was just one of the positives. I
would have to say a negative of designing my own shed is having to
make up some of the steps as I went. Things may have gone much
faster if I had step by step plans telling me how long to cut each
piece and where everything goes.

I am looking for tips to keep the floor warm in the winter.
Insulate or no? What is earth-friendly and not
critter-friendly?

After pricing 8X12 wood sheds at the national home improvement
supply store ($3,000) I decided to build my own. I built a 10X10
shed with 8' walls and a 6/2 pitched roof. I used 2X8 pressure
treated pine for the floor joists; 2X4's for the wall and rafter
frames; 1/2"plywood for the floor; 1/4 plywood for the roof; and
whatever outdoor siding I could find on sale. I added a loft across
the ceiling (minus a 4'X2' opening right in the center), usinf 2X6
for joists and 1/2" plywood for the floor. The entire project,
including shingles and screws cost just under $1,200. I have twice
the shed for less than half the price.I acquired four 6' concrete
parking curbs from a repaving project at a grocery store and I set
the shed up on these.

I built an 8'x10' garden shed to house an outside generator. The
entire experience was a joy from start to finish. I love working
with wood and the pleasure derived from sketching the original
design to the completion of the finished product gave me a genuine
feeling of accomplishment.To quote and old "saw" (pun intended),
measure twice, cut once. Keep your level handy and use it
repeatedly. If you live in the country as we do, keep screen over
your vents to keep the critters out. It's no fun to start looking
for a tool and having to outrun an angry nest of hornets.

What started out as acquiring a simple small bench type piece at
the local dump-turned into a potting bench with simple add-ons.As
we knew we needed a shed-we finally decided on a style,but I
insisted we go big enough in the beginning so I wouldn't outgrow it
fast.It turned out to be a gardenshed -{ 12x16} where I can do all
my potting up and seed starting in front of the full length
windows{recycled}. A large enamel sink was also given to me-to be
attached to the side next to a rain barrel.We are now finishing it
up-trim paint-gutters,siding.Many errors later-because it wasn't
completely square from the beginning-that led to many creative
modifications on down the line.But its 3/4 done now-bigger than
what we've had available to us on the market-thousands of $$ into
it,but so very happy with the results.It will last our lifetime,and
its probaly the best looking-functional gardenshed within a 100
miles.While we've had some good laughs & hair pulling building
this-I thank god a contractor is building the garage this
summer.

Any one working with natural trees for timbers? I'm thinking of
making a firewood shed using trees from by woodlot. I know that
I'll need to debark and age the trees. The structure will be a pole
building design. I'm looking for ideas and plans for a shed to hold
about 10 cords of wood. Any ideas or plans?Thanks

Any one working with natural trees for timbers? I'm thinking of
making a firewood shed using trees from by woodlot. I know that
I'll need to debark and age the trees. The structure will be a pole
building design. I'm looking for ideas and plans for a shed to hold
about 10 cords of wood. Any ideas or plans?Thanks

Over the years I have built a number of garden/tool sheds...and
the only mistake I have made that amounted to anything was...I
never built them big enough. You will soon fill them up with not
only your hand tools...but all kinds of power equipment that you
own...and will purchase in the future if you own any land at all.
You will be amazed at how much gear you will have as time goes
on...:-) Don't forget...one whole wall should be shelves...you will
use all the shelf space also...:-) Franklin