# Building a Shed



## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

*Planning Process*

I started this project as anyone should, with a proper plan. I realized i needed a workshop shed after I saw how many projects I had stacking up. I started my design as a small shed of 6×10 but thought that would be to small. I changed the design to be 8×8. This helped with adding more space for movement inside the shed as well as helped with not having to rip plywood boards too much. I used Sketchup to make my plan. Designing the shed on Sketchup took about a week and a half.


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## dfletcher (Jan 14, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Planning Process*
> 
> I started this project as anyone should, with a proper plan. I realized i needed a workshop shed after I saw how many projects I had stacking up. I started my design as a small shed of 6×10 but thought that would be to small. I changed the design to be 8×8. This helped with adding more space for movement inside the shed as well as helped with not having to rip plywood boards too much. I used Sketchup to make my plan. Designing the shed on Sketchup took about a week and a half.


Good design, should be relatively easy to build.

8×8 is a good start, everything you need, material wise, should work out well to be little waste.


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

*Purchasing the Material*

I went to Home Depot after a lot of price checking. I picked up 52 2×4 studs, 12 plywood boards, 4 4×4 and 6 piers. I rented one of their trucks and took it over to my house. Then I went to a few garage sales in the area and found two great windows, haggled a bit, and got a great price for them. Now I am all ready to start assembly.


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## Everett1 (Jun 18, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Purchasing the Material*
> 
> I went to Home Depot after a lot of price checking. I picked up 52 2×4 studs, 12 plywood boards, 4 4×4 and 6 piers. I rented one of their trucks and took it over to my house. Then I went to a few garage sales in the area and found two great windows, haggled a bit, and got a great price for them. Now I am all ready to start assembly.


How much was it all if you don't mind me asking?


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

*Building Day 1*

I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


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## schuft (Apr 6, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Building Day 1*
> 
> I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


Looks fun. I'm desperate to carve out enough time to build a workshop shed of my own.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

ChadR said:


> *Building Day 1*
> 
> I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


I need to ask. Why not pressure treated for the foundation?


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## dpop24 (May 14, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Building Day 1*
> 
> I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


I love the picture with the shop dog waiting for a proper shop to sleep in! Great progress, looks like a good time.


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## therookie (Aug 29, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Building Day 1*
> 
> I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


db I think I know why. If you flash back to the first to segments of the blog, you will notice that he bought piers. so in theroy that means the shed is off the ground and not pt wood is needed


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

ChadR said:


> *Building Day 1*
> 
> I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


I was wondering about your floor. I usually see the 2×4's oriented 90 degrees from the way you have them. Just like you did for the walls. Is there a reason why you chose to orient them differently?


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Building Day 1*
> 
> I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


Actually Yes Sarit. I had to turn them to lay flat so that when i assembled the shed together with bolts the bolts would be able to go through the 2×4 with out splitting them. So far it has worked out great.
And Rookie is correct the shed is sitting on pressure treated 4×4 that are about 6 inches off the ground.


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Building Day 1*
> 
> I started the first building day by assembling the two floor pieces and one of the window walls. Got the window all framed in and I am ready for the next building day.


The dogs lounging around is my favorite part. A man can never have too many sheds.


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

*Build Day 2*

Build day 2 was much like day 1. I completed the second window wall with a little help from the wife. I also completed the back wall. Now all I have left to complete is the two roof pieces and the entrance wall. I am starting to run out of lumber and realized I under estimated my lumber needs. I will have to make another run to Home Depot.


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## therookie (Aug 29, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Build Day 2*
> 
> Build day 2 was much like day 1. I completed the second window wall with a little help from the wife. I also completed the back wall. Now all I have left to complete is the two roof pieces and the entrance wall. I am starting to run out of lumber and realized I under estimated my lumber needs. I will have to make another run to Home Depot.


very nice


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

*Build Day 3*

Build Day 3 is going to be a short day. I have limited lumber due to under estimating. I started by framing the entrance wall. The door is going to be a little bit smaller then I thought. I am going to have to duck to enter but that's okay. I ran out of lumber just in time to complete the entrance wall. I threw on the plywood and then cut out the doors. I then started to lay out the pieces in the spot for assembly. I will have wait till the wife gets home to move the other pieces into location. Cant wait to finish this project. 
I still have to build the doors and build the roof, which are the two parts I am most worried about.


















































UPDATE:

I used what left over scrap studs I had and threw together as much of the roof as I could. Looks like all I left out in my estimation was 7 studs. Not too bad. I also learned today that a 2×4 is not actually 2" by 4" but 1 1/2" by 3 1/2". That will come in handy in my next projects. I just couldn't figure out why I had to keep doing on the fly changes to the dimensions of some of the cuts.

Once the wife got home we moved all the competed pieces to the spot in the yard where I will construct the shed. Cant wait, it's getting so close to completion. Tomorrow might end up not being a build day as I have other errands to get done but hopefully I will get them completed early.


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## dub560 (Jun 4, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Build Day 3*
> 
> Build Day 3 is going to be a short day. I have limited lumber due to under estimating. I started by framing the entrance wall. The door is going to be a little bit smaller then I thought. I am going to have to duck to enter but that's okay. I ran out of lumber just in time to complete the entrance wall. I threw on the plywood and then cut out the doors. I then started to lay out the pieces in the spot for assembly. I will have wait till the wife gets home to move the other pieces into location. Cant wait to finish this project.
> I still have to build the doors and build the roof, which are the two parts I am most worried about.
> ...


Looking good


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## therookie (Aug 29, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Build Day 3*
> 
> Build Day 3 is going to be a short day. I have limited lumber due to under estimating. I started by framing the entrance wall. The door is going to be a little bit smaller then I thought. I am going to have to duck to enter but that's okay. I ran out of lumber just in time to complete the entrance wall. I threw on the plywood and then cut out the doors. I then started to lay out the pieces in the spot for assembly. I will have wait till the wife gets home to move the other pieces into location. Cant wait to finish this project.
> I still have to build the doors and build the roof, which are the two parts I am most worried about.
> ...


i agree ^


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

*Build Day 4*

Today I assemblies all the walls and floors together. I used 4 1/2" and 6" hexbolts to attach the pieces together. I did this because I am only renting the house I live at and want to be able to disassemble and take it with me when I move into my own house. Unless my landlord wants to buy it off me (fingers crossed) I designed the shed to be assembled this way and I am really proud of myself that its all coming together.

Tomorrow I will hopefully finish the roof.


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## dub560 (Jun 4, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Build Day 4*
> 
> Today I assemblies all the walls and floors together. I used 4 1/2" and 6" hexbolts to attach the pieces together. I did this because I am only renting the house I live at and want to be able to disassemble and take it with me when I move into my own house. Unless my landlord wants to buy it off me (fingers crossed) I designed the shed to be assembled this way and I am really proud of myself that its all coming together.
> 
> Tomorrow I will hopefully finish the roof.


I never did mine with bolts..i like the idea


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Build Day 4*
> 
> Today I assemblies all the walls and floors together. I used 4 1/2" and 6" hexbolts to attach the pieces together. I did this because I am only renting the house I live at and want to be able to disassemble and take it with me when I move into my own house. Unless my landlord wants to buy it off me (fingers crossed) I designed the shed to be assembled this way and I am really proud of myself that its all coming together.
> 
> Tomorrow I will hopefully finish the roof.


Thank you, it worked out amazingly. Thing feels like it could withstand a tornado.


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## murch (Mar 20, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Build Day 4*
> 
> Today I assemblies all the walls and floors together. I used 4 1/2" and 6" hexbolts to attach the pieces together. I did this because I am only renting the house I live at and want to be able to disassemble and take it with me when I move into my own house. Unless my landlord wants to buy it off me (fingers crossed) I designed the shed to be assembled this way and I am really proud of myself that its all coming together.
> 
> Tomorrow I will hopefully finish the roof.


Best of luck with the new shed Chad.

http://lumberjocks.com/murch/blog/24550


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

*Final build day*

Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.

I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


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## dpop24 (May 14, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Final build day*
> 
> Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.
> 
> I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


Looking good! I'd recommend roofing it - tar paper, shingles, the whole bit. That stuff is real cheap enough that you could just rip it off when you move and re-roof at your new location…..


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

ChadR said:


> *Final build day*
> 
> Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.
> 
> I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


Congratulations on finishing! Nice job.

Although, as with any shop project are we ever really "finished" 
I can picture you putting up some wood cladding, maybe running an electrical outlet, installing some shingles.

Btw, how will you tackle the seam in the middle of the roof?


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Final build day*
> 
> Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.
> 
> I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


If you look really close I made the taller roof lip over the shorter roof, to stop any rain from dripping inside a crack.

I already have a ton of ideas for adding more to the shed, like you said it's never really finished. But keep posted for all the small changes I do to it along the way.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Final build day*
> 
> Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.
> 
> I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


It looks like it will serve your needs very well. Congratulations. Now, if I could just get myself going on my on shed we'll both be in good shape.


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## steviep (Feb 25, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Final build day*
> 
> Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.
> 
> I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


Would you keep this down!! My wife is going to question why I'm still building a year later and you did yours in 5 days! That is an AWESOME idea. Love that it can move with you. I was bummin yesterday when you didn't update. lol


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## ChadR (Aug 14, 2011)

ChadR said:


> *Final build day*
> 
> Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.
> 
> I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


lol, Thanks Steviep. I'll try and keep it on the down low.


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## Tdazzo (Aug 7, 2010)

ChadR said:


> *Final build day*
> 
> Today I spent about 6 hours finishing up my shed. Well finishing the construction of the shed. I completed the roof bolted it to the rest of the shed and then built the doors and attached the lock.
> 
> I have moved all my equipment into the shed and all that's left in this project is to paint it for weather protection.


Thanks for posting this blog. I'm considering building a shed of my own so this was helpful to see. How is it holding up after nearly a year?


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