Top 10 “How To” List To Building Perfect Wooden Sheds
Thursday, April 15th, 20101. How To Pick the Best Location for Your Shed
Placement of your wooden sheds should have careful consideration. You will need to have plenty of space around your shed so you will be able to build it and have room for the door to freely swing open. Your wooden shed shouldn’t look like it was just dropped in place. It should actually blend into its surroundings. The intended purpose of your wooden shed is going to determine where it will be located. For instance, if you are using it for your garden equipment and supplies, then you should locate it near the garden. Also, watch for places (like under a tree) that will most likely have bird droppings and debris falling onto your shed.
2. How To Chose Plans
Look for a comprehensive set of plans. They should contain step-by-step instructions with lots of details since you won’t be able to simply ask for help. There should also be photos of the shed in progress as its being built. Exploded diagrams are also very helpful. Good plans will also have a complete materials list.
3. How To Decide Whether or Not Your Should Buy a Shed Kit
Cost, time and skill level are the three main factors that help you determine if you should purchase a wooden shed kit. It should take approximately one weekend to build your wooden shed once it arrives. Your skill level of using tools is one you should be honest and comfortable with. Another consideration you will have is how much this will cost. Wooden shed kits tend to cost more but the time you will save is the big payoff.
4. How To Choose The Right Kind of Shed
Wooden sheds come in four basic styles. A lean-to usually shares one wall with an existing structure and is perfect for storing a small amount of items. Saltbox sheds allow more headroom towards the front of the shed. Gable sheds have a roof with two equal sides and are popular because of their simplicity. And, Gambrel sheds have roofs with two pitches to look like a barn. Because of the extra pitch, there is more room in this shed than the other types.
5. How To Pick The Best Shed Materials for Building
The best material for wooden sheds is cedar. It contains oil that resists rot and repels insects. It also has an unmistakable natural beauty and aroma.
6. How To Properly Prep The Site
The first thing you’ll want to do is remove any large rocks, debris and plants. Make the ground flat by using a rake and shovel. If you slope the site slightly down from front to back, this will produce the best runoff for water.
7. How To Properly Stake Out Your Shed’s Site
Hammer a temporary stake into the ground where you want the first corner to go. In line with where you want the wall to go, take a second stake and drive it just past the stake where the actual corner will be. Do the same thing on the other end of where the wall will go. Run a piece of string between the two stakes. Mark out the next wall in the same fashion. To get the walls perpendicular, you’ll need to measure from where the strings cross. On one side, measure out three units (feet). One the other, measure four units (feet). Then make a new measurement from these two points – it should equal five units (feet). If it doesn’t measure exactly, adjust one of the stakes until it does. Now it will be perfectly square. Finish by continuing around in this manner for the rest of the walls.
8. How To Make The Walls Square
When you have one of your walls or floor completely framed, measure the distance of the opposing corners (bottom left to top right, then bottom right to top left). The wall is square if the measurements are the same length. Make small adjustments if they aren’t by pushing in (or squeezing) on one of the corners with the longer measurement.
9. How To Make The Most of All The Small Spaces
Perhaps the spaces in wooden sheds that get overlooked the most are the spaces between the studs. Add shelves made of 1×4 or 2×4 boards. They can be made adjustable by installing slotted metal tracks that accept shelving clips. They can be found at most building material stores.
10. How To Have A Shed That Lasts A Lifetime
The right materials and proper care of your shed is key to making it last. Pressure treated wood for the floors and a hardwood such as cedar or redwood make all the difference. Keep your shed’s roof free of debris and use a good quality water sealant on any exposed wood.
You can find a lot more on garden sheds at BestWoodenSheds.com, the most comprehensive site on the web for wooden sheds. The site includes FREE shed plans, shed kits, a FREE ebook, and lots of information, tips and ideas for your own wooden shed.
