SUPPLIES
- 6-10' Pressure-treated 4 x 4's
- 2-12' Pressure-treated 4 x 4's
- 16-8' Pressure-treated 2 x 6's
- 10-6' Pressure-treated 2 x 6's
- 2-4' Pressure-treated 2 x 6's
- 12-1/2" roof grade 4' x 8' plywood
- 4 rolls Roofing paper
- 6 bundles of Shingles
- 8 bags Limestone filler or wood chips
- Hammer
- Circular saw
- 4" Deck nails
- 1" Roofing nails
- Staple gun with staples
- Pencil
- Post hole digger
- Level
- 3 Heavy duty hinges
- 3" Screws
- 10 foot Ladder
- Protractor
- Screw gun
- 9-1" Bolts with nuts and lock washers
- Hook latch
Overview
Barn style sheds are great little places to store outdoor lawn and garden tools, hoses, and anything with a small engine. They can easily be left as they are once you complete them with a large, empty space inside, or shelves can be added for extra storage space. Either way, they are practical, and will be a welcome addition to any suburban yard or country farm.
Step 1
Lay out an 8' x 8' square, marking the corners. Once you have it laid out, measure diagonally from corner to corner until the exact measurement is achieved on each side. These will be your corner post holes.
Step 2
Dig a post hole with the digger down 24 inches deep at each corner. You should not do this when the weather is particularly cold or wet, as it can make digging difficult.
Step 3
Install the poles at the corners. To get the poles firmly in place, plant a 10' 4 x 4 in each hole. Fill each hole in lightly with dirt. The poles should be in an upright position.
Step 4
Make sure the measurements are still correct. Once again, measure diagonally from corner to corner until the exact measurements are achieved for each. Once they are, you can fill in the holes the rest of the way.
Step 5
Secure the poles in the ground. Level each side of the 4 x 4, then tamp down the dirt to set the poles solidly in the ground.
Step 6
Stabilize the structure. Using nails, attach each 4 x 4 with an 8' 2 x 6 near the ground on the sides and back. Level the board.
Step 7
Add more points of stability. At the 48-inch point on all sides, dig four more post holes, 24 inches deep. Plant a 10' 4 x 4 into the side post holes, and plant a 12' 4 x 4 into the front and rear holes. Fill lightly the holes lightly so that the posts are upright.
Step 8
Attach the supports. Level the new 4 x 4's in place, then nail the 2 x 6's into them. Fill in the holes the rest of the way and tamp them down.
Step 9
Decide which side you want your door on. This will be the front of the shed. After leveling out the 12' 4 x 4, nail on a 4' 2 x 6 to each side of the 4 x 4 and attach it to a corner post.
Step 10
Nail on the rest of the 8' 2 x 6's to the frame. Follow the pattern corner to center and then to the corner, on both the inside and the outside. You will need to use your ladder for part of this process.
Step 11
Nail up the 4 x 8 sheets of plywood for the walls, and go around the entire building, except for the final sheet on the front. That one will be your door, so leave it for now.
Step 12
Nail your last 8' 2 x 6's onto the top of the center 12' 4 x 4's. These will be your roof beams.
Step 13
Cut your roof beams with the saw. Use your protractor to find the angle where the 6' 2 x 6's will join the roof beam, and cut the ends with your circular saw accordingly. A protractor measures angles, and you have probably used one in high school geometry. You can measure any angle with a protractor, then use the instrument to replicate that angle.
Step 14
Start the roof. From the front, nail a roof truss to the center beam every 24 inches. Do this on both sides.
Step 15
Cover the roof. Nail plywood sheets in place on the roof, overlapping the center beam until the two sides touch. Cut to fit.
Step 16
Staple roofing paper over the entire roof. You will need to be careful with the staple gun. Many people wear safety glasses for this step.
Step 17
Shingle the roof. Starting from the bottom, lay out first row of shingles and align with the edge of the plywood. Nail them down with roofing nails, and work your way upwards. Repeat on the opposite side. Trim sides when finished.
Step 18
Create your floor. Shovel or dump the bags of either limestone or wood chips inside, which will be your flooring. This makes a perfect substrate for parking motorized devices like lawn mowers, weed eaters, snow blowers, and the like.
Step 19
Make your door. With the last sheet of plywood, cut out a simple rectangular door, 6' x 3'. Nail up the cut out sheet.
Step 20
Install the door hinges. Measure 12 inches from door cut out on top and bottom and screw in the hinges to the 4 x 4. Measure down and center in another hinge, then screw it in. On the plywood door, bolt the hinges to the wood using nuts and lock washers. Attach a hook to door and latch to the plywood.
Step 21
Finish your shed with whatever method you wish. This is a basic barn-type shed that can be finished in a number of ways. It can be stained or painted in any color, it can be left natural and treated with a wood preservative, or it can even be sided. That choice is yours.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : The door is a very simple design, but there are kits and plans on the market for overhead doors, sliding doors, or double doors. The choices are nearly infinite.
- WARNING : You will be using a number of power tools for this project. Be sure to wear clothing that will not snag in the tools and keep safety glasses on hand.
