Using wood over other materials (like metal or plastic) has many advantages. They blend into the environment better and have a very natural and comfortable feeling to them. They also provide better insulation which, in the winter months, protects you and the items you store in it.

Size is one of the first things you should think about when you are considering a wooden shed. Knowing what you are going to put in it will help you make this determination. Leave a little extra room to grow for some more items you may not even be thinking about right now. Just don’t use the extra room to store a bunch of junk you will probably never use in the future. That’s what the garage is for – just kidding.

When you are planning your shed, think about the height you will need as well. You may want to add shelves higher up or put items in the rafters for less frequently used items. See Organizing Your Wooden Shed.

Some garden sheds come with more than one room, which is perfect for use as a retreat, pool cabana or playhouse for the kids. However, its not necessary to have a multiple room wooden shed if you plan to only use it for storage.

Next, another important consideration is the type of floor your shed is going to sit on. Many garden shed kits have an optional wood floor that you build on a frame. The frame or “skid” allows the shed to be moved quite easily to other locations by simply sliding it.

Just like a house, you can pour a concrete slab for your shed. This is a much more permanent option, of course. Once you are finished with your shed, you have the option of staining the concrete, covering it with a flooring product such as carpet, painting it or leaving it bare.

There are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of design options available to you today on the internet. And, the best part, they come in a wide variety of sizes. But if you really want a custom shed then you’ll have to start with a good set of garden shed plans and at least one solid weekend of time. It won’t be long until you have a new shed building in your own backyard.

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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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Once you have the site prepared, its time to stake out the footprint of the foundation. Start off with a small wooden stake and drive it just outside of where one of the corners will be. Then measure the distance of one of the sides and drive the second stake just outside the second corner. Now take a piece of string and tie it to the two stakes so the line is tight. Make the next side perpendicular to the first by using a large carpenter’s square or lay down a piece of plywood to use as a guide. Continue in this fashion for the remaining sides. To double check that its square, measure from one corner diagonally to the next. Then do the same for the other two corners. If it is square, the two measurements will be the same. If not, adjust accordingly. Once the foundation is staked out, you can lay down the patio stones according to the plans of your wooden shed. Be sure to use a level to position the stones correctly.



If your plan calls for a concrete slab foundation, here are the steps for pouring.

1. You will need to know how much concrete mix to use for your foundation. To find out how much you will need, measure the dimensions of your slab and use this handy concrete calculator.

2. Next, using the lines you have already staked out in the preparation step, build the forms by staking pieces of 2×4 lumber along the OUTSIDE of the string lines. Always be sure to nail the stakes on the outside of the lumber. The forms should also be checked to make sure they are level.

3. Now, dig at least a 4 inch deep by 6 inch wide trench around the inside perimeter of the forms. This will help to strengthen the concrete around the edges.

4. Lightly water down the foundation with a hose and you are ready to pour. Pour enough concrete to fill up about half the height of the form. Then place rows of rebar on top of the concrete for reinforcement.

5. Continue by filling in the rest of the mix on top of the reinforcement bars. Tap around the outside of the form to help release any trapped air bubbles and smooth out the top by running a 2×4 from one side to the opposite side in a back and forth sawing motion using the form to level the concrete.

6. Finish by using a trowel to smooth out the concrete.

7. Carefully remove the forms on the following day.

Congratulations! You should now have the foundation finished for your new wooden shed.

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