Tips for Building a Storage Shed

TIPS FOR BUILDING A STORAGE SHED Here are some great tips for building a yard shed that will make it easier to build, a pleasure to look at and a more practical storage or work space.

Here are some excellent tips taken from our pros' 50 years worth of experience in designing yard sheds. These tips will make your project easier, more economical and help you add practical features that will make your shed even more useful.

FAST AND LASTING ROOF Metal roofing makes financial sense Metal roofing costs about twice as much as asphalt shingles. But on a midsize shed, you'll only spend an extra $100 to $200. And that's a bargain when you consider the benefits. A metal roof typically lasts 30 to 50 years and instead of covering the whole roof with plywood, you just nail a few 2x4 “purlins” across the rafters.

Screwing the big metal panels to the purlins is much faster than nailing on hundreds of shingles. To find manufacturers, search online for “metal roof.”

EASY TOOL ACCESS Build a tool locker for frequently used items A shallow tool locker on the side or back of a shed offers quick, easy access to lawn and garden gear. To build this tool locker, we constructed an interior wall 12 in. from the back of the shed, covered the studs with pegboard and installed a pair of steel prehung doors ($110 each) inside out so they swing outward.

Homemade or sliding doors would work well too.

SIMPLIFIED FLOOR AND FOUNDATION Alternatives to a concrete slab Pressure-treated lumber laid on a bed of gravel gives you a fast, easy foundation that will last for decades. Or lay joists on the wood foundation and cover them with plywood, just like the floors in most homes are built. For a floor that's more durable than plywood, fill the wood foundation with gravel and lay cement pavers, just like for a paver patio. A paver floor allows water to drain through, so it's perfect for a gardening shed and you can rinse the floor clean with a hose.

BIG DOORS THE EASY WAY

Consider sliding doors

Sliding doors are easier to build than swinging doors because they don't have to be as stiff and sturdy. And since you don't have to fuss Add a little bit of body text with hinges, installation is much simpler. Years down the road, sliding doors won't sag and stick the way swinging doors do. But sliding doors have two drawbacks. First, they don't fit as tight; critters or snow can sneak in around them. Second, you need a long wall for a wide door—the door's width can only be about half the length of the wall.

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