DIY Storage Shed Design

Measure the space for the shed. Plan to build a storage building at least 9-by-12 feet, if possible. Look through books and magazines to get ideas for the general shape of the shed. Decide what will be stored in the building, such as a riding lawn mower or garden tools. Figure out which walls will hold shelves, so that windows and doors can be sketched into the design to leave room for shelving.

Draw the shape of the roof first. Decide if a barn roof, for example, or an A-frame roof or hip roof will work. Use a roof that slopes from front to back in a single angle for the simplest type of roof. Include enclosed overhangs in the roof soffit areas with gutters, if the building will be as large as a garage, for example. Plan to include downspouts and splash blocks to protect the foundation if guttering is included.

Sketch the framework, allowing for windows and doors. Draw the roof rafters, floor joists and wall studs on 16-inch centers. Plan to use pre-made trusses if the building will be extremely wide, such as 20 feet or more. Include a window in each wall space, if possible, and a set of double doors in front. Don't include a window on a wall area where shelving will cover the entire wall, however.

Plan the exterior materials, including the roofing materials. Design the shed to be covered with exterior house siding bought in large sheets. Plan to use 1/2-inch plywood to cover the roof area before installing tar paper and asphalt shingles. Consider, as another choice, using metal sheets for the roofing or cedar shakes versus asphalt shingles.

Figure out an appropriate foundation. Design a concrete slab about 8 inches deep, for example. Plan to install metal grid work to add strength before pouring the concrete. Use concrete pilings or wooden support posts on top of concrete footings, if the shed will have a crawlspace underneath. Design a shed with an open foundation under pilings, for example, if standing water or periodic flooding during rainstorms might be a problem.