Have your gardening tools taken over a large part of the garage to the point your auto will never fit inside? Are you thinking about a new rototiller or mower after you have someplace to keep them? You by now know you need to have a garden storage shed and now you're doing your homework. Fantastic!
What's that? You're not really a carpenter and it sounds like a large job to construct a garden shed? Don't fret, it's not that hard. Even if you are not a carpenter you can construct a shed with a few regular tools and good instructions. Just follow these nine easy-to-do steps and when it is completed, you'll have a sense of accomplishment and pride that only comes from creating something yourself.
Step One
Decide on a spot to build your new garden shed. Choose carefully mainly because it truly is not likely to be easy to relocate it afterward. Try to think about measurements. Will it fit in that perfect corner of the garden? What about entry? You will not want the huge door located next to your spouse's favorite posy bed. How will it look? A pleasantly trimmed and painted shed can be a visual asset to your backyard garden. A slab sided barn-like construction might look better behind the privet hedge.
Step Two
Sketch out your storage shed. You don't have to be an architect when it comes to this. Just make a rough sketch and know the size. Exactly where do you need entrances and windows, and so on? If you are not really a draftsman, take your sketch to a home improvement store. They can probably draw up plans for your wooden shed and some will do it for free in hopes that you will purchase your supplies from them. They'll supply a list on the supplies you will need to have and building directions, too.
Phase Three
Buy the materials you are going to need. It truly is preferable to buy everything at once and have it on hand while you're building your shed. This tends to save you trips back and forth to the store and conserve time. Of course, for some of us the trips back and forth to the store are the best part, particularly if there's a Burger King along the way.
Step Four
You've gotten your materiels home and ready to go. It is time to level the surface and make your foundation. The foundation will likely be a cement slab or a wood plank floor. The foundation isn't the most exciting component of the project but it really is essential, so stick to the directions carefully.
Step Five
Assemble the side walls. You may discover it is much easier to assemble these flat on the ground and then lift them into place. In reality, if you are able to do in on a driveway or patio of level concrete it's easier to keep angles at right angles. In the event you don't have an spot like that handy, don't be concerned. Just abide by your garden shed instructions. Have I mentioned that before? This is because I trust people who have far more practical knowledge than I have.
Step Six
Now you're ready to construct the roof. Roofs typically seem to be a lot more complicated than they truly are. You'll be building trusses. The least complicated way is to build an individual truss and then use it as a template for the remaining ones. That way they all will be matching and your completed storage shed will turn out straight and even.
Step Seven
The side walls are together plus the roof is sitting atop them. Now it's time to build the end walls. The end wall assembly will depend on the plans you've chosen. It's not generally easiest to construct them on the ground and then elevate them like you did the side walls of your garden shed. A small-scale miscalculation, a joint not quite square or a poor cut could mean a really bad fit. It may well be preferred to assemble the end walls directly onto the framework you have done now.
Step eight
We are getting towerd the end. It's time to apply trim. This will shape the final appearance of the new storage shed so you shouldn't scrimp on materials. Windows, shutters, gingerbread, finials, a weather vane, and so forth. will give your shed the aesthetically satisfying look you desire.
Step Nine
Put up the shingles and protect the wood. Is that two steps? Alright, you've got me. Anyhow, you've already picked out your roofing supplies. Depending on exactly where you are living you might use asphalt shingles, cedar shakes or metal roofing. Where I am in Southern California, cedar shakes would be foolish because of wild fires. In cold climates where it snows, a metal roof may make it better to get rid of an overabundance of snow. Finally, protect the wood. Your individual tastes will determine whether or not you use paint, stain, varnish or whatever. The point would be to protect the wood from the weather.
Extra Step
Move in! You have created a great looking garden shed there and it will likely be wonderful to move that spare stuff out of the garage. What ever plan you decided on, you'll be able to enjoy the rewards of having constructed it yourself. And won't it be fun when your friend next door comes to you for tips and advice about making his own backyard storage shed?
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