Building Instructions for a Shed

Early Considerations

• Before you start any major outdoor building project, check with your local municipality to find out whether you need to pull a permit. Some building departments will have regulations on how large your shed can be or how close it can be to utility lines and property lines. Find out if you need to get a permit and if an inspector has to come out after the project is finished.

  Another thing to consider is the placement of the shed. It's a good idea to think out the best place for the shed before you begin building. For example, try to build on stable ground. Stay away from places in your yard where the soil may be too soft. Soil can shift if it is too soft, especially during rainy seasons. This could cause problems with the shed's foundation.

Designs

• Do your research on design options. There are plenty of books and online sources that can show you a plethora of different sheds. For example, decide what you want to use the shed for. If you are going to store heavy machinery, such as a riding lawnmower, you might want to consider installing a garage door or barn doors to easily move the machinery in and out of the shed. If the shed will mainly store tools, a regular shed door will do.

  The look of the shed is also important. You may want the shed to be primarily functional. But if you have some building expertise, you can give the shed some personality. One design is an A-frame shed. These sheds look like small houses with a roof that slopes down in two different directions. The construction process for an A-frame shed is no different for any other shed, except plans will change when it is time to put on the roof. Most all sheds will have the same basic construction process.

Construction

• No matter what type of shed you build, you will start with the foundation. If you want your shed to be a permanent fixture in your backyard, you can pour a concrete foundation. All you need to do is excavate the area and lay out a border of pressure-treated wood. This border will outline the exact dimensions for your shed. Inside the border you will add a layer of mesh wire. Then pour concrete and smooth it out. The walls of the shed will then be built up around the concrete slab.

  You can also build a foundation on wooden skids. Excavate the site and add a layer of gravel. Over the gravel, you will construct a grid from pressure-treated wood. This grid will act as the base of the floor for the shed. Floorboards will be added on top of the grid and walls will be installed around it.

  Once the foundation is complete, you can begin building the frames for the walls. The frames are just like the frame of any other building structure. Make room in the frame for any windows or doors. When it is time to add the roof, you can create the A-frame look as discussed earlier or install a flat roof. However, if you add a flat roof, make sure that there is a bit of an angle so that rainwater does not collect on it.