Building a Garden ShedTips for Helping You Build Your Own Garden Shed

Owning your own home,yard and garden can bring you much pleasure and satisfaction. Part of that pleasure comes from the maintenance and care required to keep your place beautiful and tidy, as well as productive. To perform the many different kinds of jobs you need a variety of tools and equipment including garden tools, lawn mower, wheelbarrow and perhaps, even a snow blower. These require a storage shed and therefore, allow room for the car in the garage.

To build a garden shed yourself may seem like a difficult task, but with a good set of detailed plans and instructions, and helpful advice from building suppliers, you should be able to do a first rate job; One that you can be proud off. In fact, planning the garden shed can be almost as much fun as building it. Imagine the compliments you could get from friends and neighbors.

These five things should be considered while you are making your garden shed plans.

1. The location: You want the shed to be conveniently located to get equipment or tools in and out. In cities or towns there may be building codes, such as distance from streets, sidewalks and neighbor’s property lines. In the country, these restrictions may not apply.

2. The size: The shed should be large enough to neatly house the tools and equipment you have, as well as items you plan to store in the future. You also need to check building codes in your city to see if you require a building permit. Some cities require a permit only if it is larger than nine square meters. Be aware of penalties if you violate their regulations.

3. The type and shape: You want the shed designed so it will be easy to get equipment in and out, as well as, blend in with other buildings on your property or neighbors’ buildings nearby. In order to maintain friendly relations with neighbors, you may wish to discuss your plans with them. They may be able to give you a few helpful ideas. Furthermore, the people at the building supply stores are usually eager to show you pictures and brochures of different designs and building plans. Even shape and size of your yard, as well as the number of trees can also affect your decision.

4. Materials and colors: There are a wide variety materials available; steel, wood, plastics and asphalt (for shingles). You should be able to choose the materials to make a durable structure that will last a long time with little maintenance, particularly in areas where there is a wide range of climate conditions such as, hot sun, heavy rainfall, high winds and snowfall. You may want the colors on the shed to blend in or contrast with those of nearby buildings and the general landscape.

5. The cost: Factors, such as how large or how fancy you wish to build the shed and how harsh the weather conditions are in your area, can greatly affect the cost. Windows, skylights or electrical wiring from the house are quite convenient, but add to the cost. Another variation in cost can be the kind of foundation, such as treated wood on gravel, cement block or poured concrete. Therefore, the size of your budget can to a large extend affect your building plans.

While considering these five conditions, you should visit various building suppliers in your area. Browse through the lumber areas and discuss your plans with them. Most places have “how to” books, brochures and pamphlets; Some for free. You can also find valuable information on the internet. After all your reading, organizing and planning, you should be able to build a garden shed with confidence and satisfaction; A structure you can be proud off.

Deciding to build your own garden storage shed instead of having someone else build it for you may seem like a difficult task, particularly, if you have little building experience. The following five things can help to give you the confidence needed and the desire to proceed with the planning and construction of the garden shed.

1. Need for more storage space; As more garden tools and equipment are purchased, the need for additional storage space becomes necessary. Besides storage, a garden shed can also provide workshop space for making small projects and therefore, keep dust and paint odors out of the house. Furthermore, the car will then have room in the garage.

2. Adequate time available; If you have sufficient time evenings and weekends to plan and build, you should be able to complete the job in reasonable time. In fact detailed planning might take more time than actually building the shed.

3. Budget requirements; A limited amount of cash available may make it necessary to do the job yourself, rather than paying someone else to build it. Building the shed yourself may also free up some money to add additional items like windows, etc.

4. Planning the project; Every detail of your project should be thoroughly planned before you put a shovel into the ground. Considerable time should be spend browsing through building supply stores to collect pamphlets and brochures of building plans and “how to” information. Also look at various building materials such as lumber, sheeting, shingles, hardware, etc. to get ideas for making your shed plans and discuss your plans with the people at the service desk. They would be very eager to answer your questions and help you plan.

5. Skills and experience acquired; A great variety of skills can be learned while planning and building the shed that can be useful in other areas of home improvement. Skills such as planning, building a foundation, framing, roofing and using a wide variety of tools and equipment can be very helpful for most future building projects.

Limited experience should not stop you from building the shed yourself. Make sure you study and plan every minute detail such as measuring, cutting, joining and nailing. Remember, thorough planning can give you the confidence needed to do a first rate job of building that garden shed. Imagine the enjoyment and pride you can experience with a job well done.

Planning to build a garden shed yourself may seem a bit challenging if you have little building experience, but with adequate research and planning you should handle every task with confidence. One of the first major decisions will be whether to purchase a set of plans to build the shed from scratch or to purchase a shed kit with plans, all materials and instructions included. Each method has its merits. These five tips may help you decide which method to choose.

1. If you choose a shed kit, most or all of the materials are included so there is little choice over the kinds of materials to use. To build from scratch you can choose from a wide variety of different kinds lumber, sheeting, roofing and fasteners that meet your requirements. However, if you have limited building experence, the kit method with all the instructions and materials included could be the easiest plan to build.

2. Building a shed from scratch using your own plans or plans you purchased can make it easier to make changes. If cost is a problem, you could design it so that windows, vinyl siding or electrical wiring from the house can be added later.

3. The cost of building the shed from scratch could be somewhat lower because you have more control over the kinds of material you purchase. Sometimes good quality materials can be purchased at sale or surplus prices. In fact, you could also consider buying good used materials if they are available in your area.

4. Garden sheds built from kits are often displayed outside at building supply stores. Some of these sheds have been outside for several years in adverse weather conditions.. Examine these sheds to see how they stood up to heavy rainfall, snow or hot sun. Sometimes the particle type sheeting on the roof is too thin and sags between rafters over time. With your own plans, waterproof plywood and a size thicker would be a better choice.

5. The foundation and floor of the shed is usually not included in the shed kit and therefore, you will need to choose the kind of foundation that is best suited for its location. In wet areas or where high winds are a problem you may want to consider a concrete or a cement block foundation, but in a drier level area treated lumber on a gravel base may be quite satisfactory.

To help you make an informed decision, these five tips along with plenty of research should help you choose between building the garden shed from scratch or from a shed kit. Remember, the time spend looking at different sheds and gathering all the plans and ideas necessary to make wise choices can give you the confidence to build a structure you will be proud off.

My wife and I recently moved house and fortunately there was not a lot of redecoration required as the previous owner, an elderly lady, had been very house-proud. The garden was rather neglected with a rickety outdoor garden shed that needed coming down before it fell of its own accord. It didn’t take me long to empty the shed and demolish it but it became obvious that it would need replacing as the old lady had left us all of her late husband’s gardening tools plus flowerpots, bags of compost and so on and there was no room in the garage.

I had some experience in building a garden shed so the first item on my list was to get a good set of outdoor garden shed plans.

There are quite a few things to take into consideration when planning your shed and I’ll list just a few here:-

- Is your area liable to suffer from heavy snowfalls in the winter if so you made need to a stronger roof or a flat roof may not be ideal at all.

- Strong winds would require you to use better fixings, tie downs etc.

- Security, is your area prone to burglary, sheds attract petty thieves looking for stuff to unload at flea markets? If so a good solid door and heavy padlock would be the ideal.

- Does it get really hot during the summer months; this may require venting the roof so as not to damage your contents. Also you will need to consider what roofing felt or sealant will be needed.

- Avoid using cheap timber and buy good sealants and paints.

A good set of garden shed plans should cover all the above scenarios and more. Some will include other projects that you might like to try.

Here’s a tip that you probably won’t find in your set of plans: I would seriously recommend that having decided on the size of your new shed that you select the next size up, if you only choose one with enough storage area for your present needs next year could see you without space for new acquisitions.

With summer on the way your thoughts may be turning to the garden and maybe investing in that new garden shed that you have been promising yourself.
If it has been the price that has held you up why not consider building your own?

Here are the steps you should take:

Firstly decide where you will site the shed taking into consideration how it will look in the garden, the floor area and drainage.

You can now invest in a set of garden shed plans; this should be your only outlay so far. Shed plans are available online and come in sets of many designs and sizes. You would choose from the ones that match your shed floor area.

When choosing your new shed you will need to decide whether or not you will need windows, electricity and importantly where the door will fit.

You now need to check that your shed does not violate any building codes or upset the local tenants association; you do not want to build only to be told to pull it down again. All the information required for these checks will be on your garden shed plans.

The foundations need to be prepared and you can choose a concrete base, a gravel base with the shed sat an inch higher on blocks to encourage air circulation or sit the shed on treated timbers.

You can now take your set of garden shed plans to your local suppliers and from them order all your wood and hardware (nails, screws and hinges etc).

All or some of your timbers can be pre-cut to size which is a great time saver, some suppliers will not charge for this.

While planning to build your own garden shed, you first need to decide how large to build it, as well as, the type or shape. There are many different shed designs to choose from such as, a barn type, a square type with gable roof, a diamond shape to fit into a corner or a lean to shape. While driving around the neighborhood and to building suppliers such as Home Depot or Lowe’s, you should look at the various shapes and designs. The following five tips as well as, your particular appeal, can help you plan which type or design of garden shed to build.

1. The amount of shed space needed; The shed should be large enough to house all your garden tools and equipment, as well as, provide workshop space to do small jobs indoors like building, repairing or painting small projects and therefore, keep paint odors and dust out of the house. The extra space you free up in the garage can then provide room for the car. Remember also, that the size of the shed must conform to local building codes.

2. The size of your lot or yard; In a small yard there may be only enough room for a small shed, but in a large area the maximum shed size would be determined by building codes. In the country, this may not be a problem. A larger shed can provide more room for shelving, work space and additional equipment.

3. Blend in with other buildings and landscape; The appearance of the garden shed, it’s shape, size and color should blend in with other buildings on your property and perhaps those of the neighborhood so it will not stick out like a sore thumb. The landscape including trees, lawn and slopes can also influence your decision.

4. The size of your budget; If you don’t have enough money to build the garden shed you really want, consider building it in stages. Start with a basic shed and design it so that windows, vinal siding, trim and electrical wiring can be added later as your budget allows. You may also try to get good used lumber and sheeting by looking in newspaper or Kijiji ads or buy new lumber in clearance and economy areas where available. Building the shed yourself instead of having someone else building it for you would save you a considerable amount.

5. Weather conditions in your area; To build an attractive and long lasting shed, the kind of weather, heavy rainfall, depth of frost or snowfall and high winds or twisters must be considered. In a generally wet area, sloping ground, deep frost, high windy or twister zone you should consider a concrete foundation with the remainder of the shed well anchored to it. On level ground and moderate weather, a foundation of treated lumber on a gravel base may be satisfactory. This may also lower the cost.

With the large number of shapes and designs of garden sheds and building plans to choose from, you should be able to select one that fits perfectly into your back yard; One that is both practical and attractive. Therefore, planning and building a garden shed should bring you much enjoyment and satisfaction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angus_Martin

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Shed Building Plans – Building Proper Shed Ramps

By: James Forte

Once you have built your own shed using professional shed building plans, you will need to maneuver your equipment, tools and other items easily into the storage shed without putting a strain on your back. A DIY shed ramp is just what you need and this needs to be built correctly so that your ramp does not collapse under the weight of you and your tools and equipment.

There are many different blueprints for building a shed ramp some of which are free and some that are not. Whatever you decide on, you need to make sure that the plans are descriptive enough and provide step by step instructions. Professionally prepared plans are usually the best way to go because they provide all the information that you need including the materials and tools that you need as well as the size to cut the wood pieces. Free plans are usually not as detailed and usually end up costing you additional time and money.

Building a Proper Shed Ramp

The incline of the roof should be about 3 inches per vertical foot. Anything steeper than this will end up causing problems. It is important to have enough of a slope but one that is not too steep.

The ramp should also be sturdy enough to be able to handle any amount of weight that it shall be subjected to. You do not want to keep fixing the ramp or building a new one because it was not build sturdy enough especially if you have heavy equipment.

A good set of plans should be able to provide you with a on the type wood to use that will be sturdy enough for your purposes.

At a minimum, you can use 4 X 4 inch of pressure treated lumber for the framing of the ramp that is set at no more that 12 inches apart. You would then use 3/4 inch plywood that has been pressure treated for the ramp surface. In order to prevent slipping when the ramp is wet, it is beneficial to either use non skid or real rubber on the surface of the ramp.

You could also purchase metal shed ramps if you prefer but they may be very expensive and it would be cheaper for you to build one made of wood from scratch. A wood ramp is just as effective and safe as a metal shed ramp.

If you will be driving some type of vehicle into the shed, some type of ramp system is needed. In addition, if the foundation lifts the shed more than a foot above the ground, a sloped walkway or ramp will be beneficial to prevent pressure and damage to your knees.

Author Resource:-> To design a proper shed ramp, please visit my website on woodworking for additional resources and tips on how to build a proper shed ramp at http://www.woodworkingdiyplans.info.

Article From New Ezine Articles

Every bloke has one, but what about the women?

Building a garden shed does not have to be for the tools, the kitchen sink or the boy’s toys it could be slanted towards an extra room for art, crafts, dressmaking studio. The first choice before drawing up building plans is to decide the purpose of the building and who will be using it the most. There are many great plans for building different styles of shed but the basics remain the same.

• The site being of main importance as the shed /studio will be there for a long time. The fact that the property will be sold a number of times also means that the building needs to be attractive, functional, and handy to the home on the section.

• Accessibility should also be considered as there may be a need to unload items from a vehicle or trailer if it is being used for storage.

• Surroundings such as location of utilities and the likelihood of existing services at risk of being damaged from building excavations, site preparation.

• Siting for the sun of huge importance, the main part orientated to the sunny side because the sun has a feel good factor, makes the shed/studio warmer and more pleasant to work in. Obviously, this depends where in the world you are building.

• Materials that you plan on using and where you will get them. eBay, your local hardware shop, the neighbor, demolition yard, or manufacturer.

• The council permits that may be required, they will be different depending on the council involved.

• The cost, always allow more than you budget, even the very best laid plans can go astray, Murphy’s law has a lot to answer for sometimes!

• One of the most important suggestions is talk to your neighbor and tell them your plans. The shed may spoil their view, cut down on the amount of sun their garden receives in the course of the day. They may also have some good ideas that may be of help in your building project. Who knows, they may even help building your shed.

• Measure your planned site. Will it fit? Distance from your home, access, services.

• Who is going to have the use of your shed or studio, and what inside finishing it may need. The lady of the house may want to decorate appropriately, if it’s going to be for her. A blokes shed will need a beer fridge and very little else!

Work your way to the top, says it all when you are building your sheds foundations. It is essential that your shed, what ever it’s planned size, be a level and stable structure. In the coming years it will ensure that, your shed will be protected from the elements.Several common foundations are frequently used, varying from timber skids to concrete pads.

The choice of foundation depends on the style of the shed and the site on which it is built. Consider your climate and its effect on the site. It is it going to be affected by freezing winters, very wet weather including runoff water from an adjoining site. Your local council would need to be consulted, as some of the foundations such as concrete would be considered as permanent structures, which may in some cases affected property values and taxes.

The simplest form of foundation is the wooden skids. They are likely to be two pieces or more of a treated timber on a gravel base. You may like to make angles at each end , making it easier to shift to another position.

Initially, prepare your site by digging or removing the topsoil to a depth of approximately 4 inches. You may like to make this site a little longer and wider than the plans for your shed. Fill this with gravel, level and flatten.Cut the skids, set them in place, and ensure that they are level both on the gravel and with each other.

Concrete blocks are another method and relatively easy and inexpensive. It is considered best to use solid Concrete blocks. Using a similar method to the skids, the area is dug out and prepared. At all, times whatever method is used, be sure your measurements are correct.

Concrete foundation piers are made from cardboard tubes, which are available from building or hardware suppliers. Again, site preparation is probably the most important aspect of your shed.

Finally, the concrete slab that is familiar to us all. You would definitely need to check with your local council building department in case they require specific building specifications, such as type of concrete.

For large projects, you would probably order ready mix concrete from one of the commercial companies. If you are unsure of the quantity that you will need to take the measurements of the width, length, and depth to the company and they will work it out for you.

Happy concreting!