How to Frame a Pump Shed

Dig four holes into the soil surrounding your pump, spread about 4 feet apart to form a square around the pump. Use a posthole digger to create the holes, and dig to a depth that’s at least 6 inches deeper than the frost layer. Speak to a building inspector in your area to determine how deep the frost layer for your region lies. You may need to dig as deep as 48 inches or more.

Fill the holes about 3/4 full with a batch of quick-dry concrete mixed up in a wheelbarrow with a garden hoe. Use a spade to move the concrete from the wheelbarrow to the holes. Lower posts into the holes that are long enough to rise 4 feet above the soil surface in the front two holes, and 4.5 feet above the surface of the soil in the rear two holes. Cut the posts to fit with a circular saw. Once the posts are in place, finish filling the holes, slightly overflowing the tops about 2 inches. Use a trowel to shape the overflow into a slight sloping shape sloping away from the post to help push water outward from the posts during rainfall.

Stake down each pole by wrapping three ropes around the body of each pole and then attaching the other ends of the ropes to wooden stakes. Drive the stakes into the ground on three sides of the pole using the tautness of the ropes to keep the pole steady and plumb. Place a carpenter’s level on the side of the pole while staking it down to make certain that you’re keeping the pole horizontally level and holding it there with the stakes. The siding used to cover the shed will be nailed directly to the post frame. Allow the concrete to cure overnight.

Measure the size of the door that you wish to use for your shed. It must be under 32 inches in height and less than 3.5 feet in width to fit the opening in the front of the shed between the two, 4-foot high posts. Create a 2-by-4-inch plank frame for the door.

Cut the door header and frame base from 2-by-4-inch planks with the circular saw, making the planks the same length as the space in between the two, 4-foot tall front posts. Nail the bottom frame piece for the door to the base of the posts so that the face of the two-by-fours are flush with the front of the posts. Drive 16d nails through the posts and into the end of the planks with a hammer keeping the board flat against the ground to create a 4-inch high board. Measure upwards from the top of the bottom frame piece the full height of the door, and place a second plank between the front posts to serve as the header of the frame at the door height. You’ll want to have enough space between the two planks for the door to fit snugly.

Cut the sides of the doorframe out of two-by-fours, making them the same height as the door. Place them between the base and header boards with the 2-inch board edges flush with the 2-inch faces of the header and base boards. Nail the side frame boards into place, with the door space centered between the two 4-foot posts. Leave enough room between the side frame boards to allow for placement of door hinges. This will create a frame precisely the size of the door so that when installed, the door lies flush with the posts.

Cut two, 2-by-5-inch planks to span the width of the other three sides of the shed. Place the boards between the base of the posts on each side and nail them in place, then place a second plank about 4-inches from the tops of the posts and nail them into place. This will provide you with a frame to which you can attach the steel siding of the shed walls.