A shed kit eliminates the need to search through shed plans or even drawing them up on your own. And, the good news is that there are hundreds of models and styles to choose from that are made by a number of reputable manufacturers.

When choosing a wooden shed kit, make sure you choose one that is large enough to fit your needs. And, just as important, be sure that you have enough space to fit your new wooden shed. You should try to locate a convenient place for your shed depending on how you intend to use it. For example, locate it near the garden if you plan on using it to store your garden tools, pots and fertilizer.

Some prefab sheds come as a kit with all the pieces cut to length. All you have to do is put it together by following the included instructions. Kits are easier and faster to build than if you decided to build a shed from scratch.

The overall price of a prefab shed varies greatly. Of course, the size of the shed is a big factor of the cost, as well as the quality of the materials and the design. Some designs will have more pieces and decorative trimming.

If built correctly, a wooden shed made from a kit should last for many, many years and provide you with versatile storage space. You’ll realize very quickly just how much your investment is really worth.

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The first step in my endeavour was to make sure I gave myself plenty of time to take everything out, organize it and put it all back. I figured I could do it in one day as long as I wake up early enough. Be sure to allow yourself plenty of time if you are planning to do the same with your wooden shed.

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Once the foundation is ready, you are ready to start framing. You will either be following a set of plans and cutting the framework yourself or if you purchased a pre-cut wooden shed kit, you will use the provided instructions and start laying out the pieces.

Now that the framework has been completed, you will have to cover the outside walls with some type of siding. You could use a wood such as cedar, which has a natural resistance to bugs and decay. Another option is plywood siding also known as T1-11. T1-11 is a plywood with vertical grooves cut into it to give the appearance of individual boards. Like cinder blocks, T1-11 is readily available from your local building supplier. You could also choose to cover your wooden shed with a siding made from compressed wood fiber. Two such products are called Duratemp and Smartside. Most contractors prefer these products over T1-11 because of its longevity. These are purchased with pre-applied paint that makes them virtually maintenance free. Be sure to paint any cut edges to protect the exposed material from the elements.

As with the siding, there are also a few options for roofing materials. The most common is asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingles are relatively inexpensive, fast and easy to install, durable and come in a wide variety of colors. Cedar shingles offer a great look to your shed as well as being a durable roofing product. Cedar also handles wind and hail quite nicely and has been a time-tested product. A third option for your shed’s roof is metal. A metal roof is a more expensive route initially, but is worth the price for its longevity. Metal roofs can last 50-60 years or more. They also come in a wide variety of colors and styles. Some shed owners have also used corrugated sheet metal to top off their wooden sheds.

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1. For Storage – Storage Sheds

Storage sheds are, by far, the most basic type of shed. To keep out potential thieves, they usually don’t have any windows – just four walls, floor, roof and door. These sheds can have either a floor made from wood that is built on a frame or a floor made from poured concrete. Its really important to have a well organized shed since there isn’t much space in a small shed to begin with.

2. For The Garden – Garden Sheds

Garden sheds are one of the most convenient items you could have for your garden – especially if your garden is a healthy distance from your main house. It becomes crucial to have a place to store your gardening tools so you can easily find them when you need them most. Garden sheds are also a great place to keep a potting bench and all your extra gardening supplies.

3. For All Your Tools – Tool Shed

Are all your tools piling up in the corner of your garage – and your wife tired of looking at the mess? Tool sheds are a place where you can keep all your tools in one spot. And, just like a storage shed, they should be as secure as possible. All you have to do is add some pegboards, shelving, some cabinets and a workbench and you’ll be all set. So now the only complaining you will hear is maybe, “are you out there in the tool shed again?”

4. From One Use To Another – Converted Sheds

Since sheds are so easy to convert from one purpose to another, this type of shed is my personal favorite. To convert your storage shed into a mini retreat, simply add some paint, a nice rug and some cozy furniture. You can also change it into an artist studio or a pool cabana, and so on.

5. For The Kids – Playhouses

You could either build a playhouse for this specific purpose or you can take an existing shed and make it into a playhouse as described in the above paragraph. Its just as easy to convert back once it has been outgrown by the kids.

This is a basic overview of the five most common purposes for sheds, but there are certainly many more. Hopefully, you will be inspired enough to go build your own wooden shed. You won’t be disappointed.

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Kids

Let’s start with the kids. You probably think that a wooden shed is simply used for storage. You’re right – they are commonly used for storage. But, with some imagination, a wooden shed can be converted into a playhouse. Just cut out some windows (doesn’t even need to be glassed in), apply some brightly colored paint. Maybe add some fancy trim and you’ve got a nice playhouse for the girls in your family. For the boys, build your shed up on some poles, add a ladder and it becomes a fort.

Woman Of The House

Women who like plants will benefit greatly from having a wooden shed added right next to the garden. Garden Sheds are commonly used for potting and storing your garden tools. Perhaps the biggest benefit is that it is located in such closet proximity to the garden so there is no need to lug your tools back and forth from the garage.

Wooden sheds also make wonderful mini retreats. They can be set up so they are secluded from the main house. Add in a relaxing chair to just sit and read a magazine. If you are into yoga, sheds are usually big enough to accommodate a couple of yoga mats.

Man Of The House

Most sheds are used to store lawn equipment, which makes perfect sense. But for men, a shed can be turned into a woodworking shop or, better yet, a man cave. A true man cave requires electricity for a refrigerator and flat screen TV, of course.

The Whole Family

Your entire family can benefit from sheds as well. One of the ways, is to build one next to the pool (if you have one). This comes in handy as a pool cabana where you can store pool toys and supplies.

So, there you have it. These are just a few of the many ways you and your family can enjoy wooden sheds.

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The best part is, wooden sheds can be converted fairly easily from one use to another. If done correctly, a garden shed can be used for a couple of purposes at the same time. For example, a pool cabana is not only used to change into a swimsuit, but is also a great place to store the pool supplies and any chemicals that should be stored away from the main house.

So, why build one, anyway? Besides their versatility and storage capabilities, wooden sheds are fun to build and they can be a great starter project if you aren’t that handy with tools. And, it should only require a weekend’s worth of time to complete.

You know what you want a shed for, but WHY a wooden shed? Once you have built a wooden shed, you’ll notice right away the long-term value you have over a plastic or even a metal shed. They may cost more up front, but they are more pleasing to the eye and if you build from a set of good shed plans, you have way more options.

Plastic and metal sheds are actually harder to modify or add additional space to than wooden sheds. And, as far as repairs go, they are much quicker, easier and cost less for wooden sheds. If you have ever tried to fix a plastic shed, you know what I mean.

The best wood to use for sheds is cedar. Cedar contains oil that occurs naturally. This oil is what gives the wood its distinct aroma and also protects it from insects and rot.

Another option you have is to buy a wooden shed kit that comes already cut to size. And, depending on the manufacturer, a lot of the assembly is already done. This makes for a fast and easy way to get a shed put up in your backyard.

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Everyone has their own reasons for making their own retreat but for our purposes here, this will be for solitude and relaxation since garden sheds are usually pretty small. You’ll have to have electricity though – this is a MUST. I would recommend hiring this out to a licensed electrician (if it isn’t already wired).

Plan your space well by putting it down on paper. Draw everything to scale. Place your flat screen TV (yes, this is a must, too) somewhere where there isn’t going to be sunlight bouncing directly off of it. From there, it will be easy to place your viewing chair. Personally, I like recliners but they do require more space.

Once you have the necessities planned out, start with a clean slate and remove everything from the shed. It is still a shed after all, so shelves and even a fold up work bench are perfectly acceptable. Shelving between studs work great for a your smaller items and it saves on a lot of space since the shelves don’t stick out.

Adding an area rug is also a requirement (for me, at least). Not only do they give your shed a more finished look that you would want to actually spend time in, but also it helps deaden sound. I like to have a rug that leaves about a foot of space all the way around to the walls. It gives the room a look as if it were carpeted. Your lighting should not be overlooked. I try to keep as many items off the floor as possible so I hang lights from the rafters.

Since function is really important in smaller spaces, you shouldn’t go overboard with decorations. There might not be much room left once you have your TV up, your recliner in place and your space saving refrigerator put in. Now you can enjoy that game (I mean, shed). So sit back, relax and enjoy some solitude.

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You don’t have to be a pro to build a quality shed.

The next option you have is to purchase a pre-cut wooden shed kit. These kits include all or most of the materials you need to build your shed. And, since the pieces are pre-cut, all you need to do is follow the instructions and put it together – just like a puzzle. This method still requires some basic tools though such as a hammer, screwdriver, and level, but you won’t need as many tools as you would if you built your shed from scratch.

On the other end of the spectrum, you could hire a reputable contractor to build your shed. Contractors are able to handle certain aspects of construction that you may not want (or should not) tackle yourself (such as pouring a foundation if necessary or installing wiring for electrical outlets and lights).

Your decision may ultimately be based on the comfort of your skill level versus the comfort you have with your pocketbook. If you’ve never done any construction before, wooden sheds make a great first-time DIY project. And, as long as you go over safety rules and how to properly use construction tools, you can even get your kids involved.

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The best plans were designed by someone who has been there so as they designed the plans, they paid attention to how someone else has to work from the plans. Believe it or not, there are quite a few shed plans available that only have measured elevation views. You are expected to have a certain skill level to know how to put them together. And that’s fine for the experienced handyman but not so much for the average person.

Look for plans that say they have detailed instructions. Some plans just offer blueprint-type drawings. At a minimum, every plan should have easy to understand elevation drawings. But, it also helps to have clear cutaways or even three-dimensional drawings.

Some shed plans will include exploded views of the more intricate areas that need special attention. Although not critical, another great aspect in the drawings is to have color or shading. This really helps to visualize how pieces are put together and which piece goes on top or under another piece.

Photos or illustrations should also be included that show the completed shed or the wooden shed at different stages of the building process.

And, lastly, a complete materials list included in the shed plans is another feature to look for. When you are at the supply store picking up all the materials you need, you don’t want to go blind or guessing then its really not necessary.

The good thing is, you can find some great shed plans online. Knowing what to look for is the real trick. To help make your search easier, we’ve included a link below to what we believe is the best package available for shed plans. There’s even a free set of plans you can download that you can use to build from or just to see the quality of the plans that are available in the package.

Link to SHED PLANS.

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Let’s start with an outlined step-by-step process. Since this is a basic overview of the construction process, feel free to research any unanswered questions you may have as there are plenty of articles written on this subject.

Step 1 You should start by assessing your specific needs. How will you build the shed? You can either build from a set of shed plans, buy and assemble a wooden shed kit (which is the easiest and fastest method), or you can use special software and design your own custom shed.

Step 2 Now choose carefully where to locate your wooden shed. You may want to build your shed on a wooden frame or “skid” just in case you want to move it to a different location. A skid frame will allow you to slide the shed to another spot. Its also less permanent and easier to make than pouring a concrete slab. Be aware and research any zoning restrictions you may have on your property.

Step 3 In this step, you will prepare the site for construction. Start by removing all the large objects (if there are any) like plants, rocks or debris. Make the site flat using a shovel and rake. There should be a slight downward slope going towards the rear of the shed so rain water will easily flow off and not puddle under the shed. Its important to take extra time to make this right so you can avoid any headaches later on.

Step 4 Time for the fun part – actually building the wooden shed. Assuming you are building from a set of shed plans, follow the instructions for measuring and cutting all the pieces. Your plans will also show you step-by-step how to put the shed together.

Step 5 Adding all the details and options is the last step. You may choose to add some fancy trim or heavy duty hardware. These are the type of things that really make your shed a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

Now that you are finished, the real satisfying part is the feeling you get knowing you built a great shed that will last for many years all by yourself.

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