How To Build A Shed With Free Step By Step Instuctions!

Its easier than you think to build your own shed! I know you can do it! The key is to research a little and prepare. First you need to decide what type of shed, the sheds dimensions and where you want to build it. Second thing you should do is find out how much the shed is going to cost you to build. Make a list of all the materials you are going to need from start to finish. Check with your local building supply for pricing. Make sure to check with your local building department, usually the county in which you live in, for all proper building codes and permitting guide lines.

Shed Foundation and Floor System

The floor system to your shed is really a simple thing to build your self. If you went with a concrete slab foundation, then you will not need a floor system other than having the slab in place and cured. If you went with an off grade foundation such as pylons or concrete piers then you will have to build your floor system. Its quite easy and I will show you how its done.

Sub-FloorI am assuming all your piers or 4"x 4" pylons are in place and have been squared up (which is discussed on its how-to page).All floor system's frame will be pressure treated 2" x 10". First thing to do is take your measurements for your band board and cut them out. The band board is the 2"x10" that runs all the way around your floor system's frame on the outside. If your shed is 8' x 8' then 2 of the band boards will be 96" and the other 2 will be 3" less (93") allowing for the other two band boards 1.5" thickness. Now that you have these 4 band boards cut its time to install them by nailing them to each other forming a box. Make sure to check your band box for square by checking a measurement from diagonal corner to diagonal corner. The two measurements should be the same if square. Be sure to check each board for crown. A crown on lumber is the natural bowing of the board. You want your crown to always face up. This acts as an arch and gives the wood extra strength. To check for the crown pick the board up and closely look down its edge. Now you have the basic perimeter and shape of your shed. Now find the center of the 2 opposite sides of the band and mark it. Get an accurate measurement from inside to inside the two band boards for a center joist, sometimes called a girder joist. This girder joist will allow for more strength. Cut the girder joist out and install it on its lay out. Now with a tape measure lay out the band boards for the joist. Check the local building codes in your area for the spacing of your joist. In most cases its 2' on center. That means for our example you would have a layout mark for every 2 feet one and 2,4 and 6. Now that you have a layout marked you can lay out both side of the band board where the joist are going to run including the inside girder joist. Now is a good time to mount all your hanger bracket to the band boards and girder joist. After you've got all your hanger bracket mounted its time to measure, cut out all your joist and install them into the hanger brackets.

Anchoring

Now its time to anchor your off grade floor system firmly to the ground. I like to use auger anchors. They are very strong and will hold your shed down in the heaviest storms. I'm sure youve seen sheds that have the anchors and their cables visible on the outside of the shed. These work well enough but to me are eye sores and can be a trip hazard "Ouch"! I chose to install my auger anchors under the shed between the floor joist. Using a 2"x 4" screw each auger into the ground to a depth at least below the top of the joist. For this 8'x8' shed I will only be using 4 auger anchors , one for each corner. When Building a larger shed you will need more anchors. Check your local building codes to find out how many you will need.I now make a notch about 1/2" x 1/2" on the top of all my joist and girder joist in a loop around my shed and run a 3/8" steel cable trough and around all the anchors. I then securely clamp my cable to itself. Make sure to remove all the slack in the cable before clamping it down

DeckingNow you are ready to deck your floor system. I use 3/4" plywood. You can chose to use either pressure treated 3/4" or plain 3/4" plywood. Its really up to how much money you want to spend. The Pressure treated ply will never rot. The un-traded ply will eventually rot but it will take many years due to the fact that it is up off the ground and sitting on a pressure treated frame.Lay your first sheet down on top of the joist in one corner of the floor so that the plywood is flush with two outside edges. Nail or screw the plywood down firmly by using nail off pattern of 3"-8". This means nail every 3" on the edges and 8" in the centers.Cut and lay your next sheet , which should be 4'x4'. After nailing this sheet off you are ready to start your next row of decking. Make sure to stagger the decking just like bricks are staggered. This allows for extra strength.

Walls

Now that you got your shed floor system done or slab is cured your ready to get started on standing your shed walls. The most common construction materials for shed wall framing is 2"x4" stud and plate material. Depending on your shed dimensions you are going to need a 2"x4" stud for every 16" of wall, 2 top plates also 2"x4" and a green (pressure treated) bottom plate 2"x4". Depending on your shed wall length you will need enough top plate and bottom plate material for the walls entire length.

Floor Layout1. At this point I am assuming your shed floor was built square and level. You're are going to need a tape measure, pencil and chalk line. Start at one of the shed's floor sides in a corner and with your tape measure and pencil measure out and mark on the floor 3.5" by hooking the outside of the floor and pulling in with your tape. Repeat this at the other side of this floor's edge. Now with your chalk line snap a line between the two 3.5" marks you've made. This mark is the inside of your wall and will help you keep your wall striat. Now do this for every side of the floor. Make sure to run your chalk line marks all the way out to the end of each wall.

Plates2. Now that you've got your floor layed out its time to frame your shed walls. Start by taking an actual measurement of your walls from your snapped chalk lines. Two opposite shed wall's will be the full length of the shed floor. The other two walls will be 7" shorter allowing them to fit between the other two walls. Now that you have your actual wall length go ahead and cut these out. If your shed walls are longer than your plate material you are going to have to use more than one piece of lumber to make each plate. Cut out enough plate material for a top plate and a pressure treated bottom plate. Now that you have the plates cut out stand them on end on the shed floor where they are to go. Make sure and check that the two plates are exactly the same length.

Wall Layout3. Now its time to lay the two plates out. Hook your tape measure on one end of the plates and pull it all the way across to the opposite end locking it down. Go back to the other end where your tape is hooked and make an x mark on both plates standing edge. From there make your way down the plates making a mark every 16" with a line on both plates and an x towards the right or left depending on which way you are advancing down the plates. Once you get to the end of the plates make another x on the end of both plates. Each x mark represents where each stud will go. The line is the edge of the stud.If this particular wall has windows or doors now is the time to lay them out as well. Only you will know where you want your window and door to go. Heres the basics for laying out your window and door. Find the center of where the window or door will be. If its a 2.0 / 2.0 window and you plan on centering it on the shed wall divide your wall length in half (ex. 8' wall: 96"/2=48") hook the end of the plates and pull and mark the center. Now that you've found the center of your window make a mark using half your actual window's width plus 1/4" for play (2' / 2 + 1/4"= 1' 1/4"). Measure both ways from your center mark and make a mark. Make two x marks on both sides this mark, one for your window liner and one for the window jack. For a door layout find the center of the opening and make a mark. From this center mark pull and mark both ways the door size plus 1/4" for play between the door an frame. Here's where the door layout and window layout is a tad different. From the right side mark hook, pull and measure 3 consecutive marks every 1.5" away from the center of the door. this is for 2 jacks and 1 liner.The jacks will support the window sill or door header...

Frame 4. Now that you have your bottom and top plates laid out its time to frame the walls. Lets get our studs in place now. Start by separating the two plates and putting a stud in place between the top and bottom plates for every x you've made except for the window or door jacks. We will add those in a bit. Depending on your shed's wall height you might need to cut each stud to length. (For example if your shed walls are 8' high you will need studs 91.5" long allowing for the two top plates and bottom plates widths. Since this is not a standard size you will need to cut them to size). I recommend sticking with a standard wall size. Now that all your studs and liners are in place nail them off with 2-3 16d framing nails on both top and bottom plates. Now lets cut and instill our window and door jacks. Your door jack lengths are what you want your door height to be. Make two for each side. Get your window jack height from measuring between the top side of your bottom plate and 1.5" below where your window sill height will be. Install all your Jacks. Now is a good time to make your door or window headers. Headers are made by cutting two 2"x4"s or 2"x6" for each window or door opening depending on how much opening span and strength you need. You will also need 1/2" plywood as filler to go between the 2 header boards. The header will sit up right on edge on top of the jacks between the liners. Build the headers and install them into the wall. Your window sill should be the actual window frame size plus 1/2" for play. Install all these parts and double check everything before standing the wall.

Now your ready to stand your wall. If the wall is short and light enough you might be able to stand it yourself, if not you might need some help, possibly a friend, family member or neighbor. Stand the wall, get it into place on the floor layout you made, check the ends to see if they are equally in place and nail it down. For a concrete slab use cut nails and 16d framing nails for a wood floor. I recommend using 2 nails into the bottom plate between every other stud if not every stud. Brace the wall by using a 2"x4". Drive a stake into the ground, nail the brace to the outside of the wall as high as you can reach, check the wall for plumb using a level and nail the bottom of the brace into the stake. Now you ready to start your next wall. I recommend moving on to a wall next to the standing wall.

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