How to build your outdoor shed's floor

Before starting building the floor, it’s advised to build a foundation. The floor frame will be placed upon it.

Using treated wood is very important, as it will be permanently in contact with soil moisture. Besides, if it is your intention to store tools or machines they will probably be constantly wet and by this way your shed floor will not last for long. 

The following scheme is an example of a possible floor structure:

Shed floor frame

As you can see the structure is very simple. It’s composed by two main boards, two edge boards, the middle boards and finally plywood or other type of coating. 

Steps

In first place it’s necessary to cut all the elements with the proper length. It’s very important to guarantee that the elements that should have the same length do have it in fact. Because in other way after assembling everything you’ll get a crooked frame. 

Then, mark in the main boards the place where all the other boards will be nailed in. Ensure you put them equally spaced in order to distribute the weight correctly. Another important point is not to leave too much space between boards because that will weaken the plywood support.

Dispose the elements on the ground and verify if everything is as it should be. If so, assemble the structure using nails or screws with appropriate length.  

After that is time to place the floor frame upon the shed’s foundations. Ensure the foundations offer a solid, balanced support to the floor. Remember it will support the whole shed weight, so if there is something not correct with it you’re still on time to change it.

Fix the frame to the foundations. This will depend on the type of foundation chosen – there are many different techniques. 

To finish the floor, cover the frame with plywood, or another material you think appropriate.

How to paint your outdoor shed

It’s important to know how to paint your outdoor shed correctly. Not only to increase the quality of your work, but also to protect it against the elements. Bellow you will find tips and the most important steps to help you do it.

Follow the steps:

Picture Owner

First of all, you need to clean the painting area. Use a brush to remove the dust, spider-webs or other rubbish that may affect the quality of your work. If necessary, you can wash it with a hose or a water pressured machine.

After let the shed drying sand wood imperfections and loose paint. This will unify the painting and ensure the new paint adhere better (and last longer).

Protect the parts you don’t want to paint, like windows. You can use old newspapers, for example.

Before start painting it’s important to apply wood treatment to protect it. Don’t forget to use gloves from now on because this kind of products may be harmful for your skin.

How to paint a shed

After the treatment dry, paint a primary coat. This will make the final result look better and also increase the wood protection. After waiting a couple hours you can apply the paint itself. As sheds are big structures is better to use a painting roller. However a small brush is also useful to paint spots the roller can’t, like corners.

To improve the final result, ensure you paint always in the same direction.

If after the first coat you notice that the result is not solid you can repeat and paint another coat, since you respect the first’s drying time.

The versatility of having a shed

Picture Owner

Everybody has a variety of old useless stuff that doesn’t want to get rid of because it has sentimental value or simply because more important things need to occupy the space: the kid’s toys, old furniture, old school material. Outdoor sheds can be useful to store those things. You will probably store them and never touch them again for months or years, just like what happens here home. But it’s good to think that they still belong to us and are safe.

If you own a garden, sheds are also very useful to keep the gardening tools, lawn mowers and other things organized and tidy. Larger sheds can also store tractors and other bigger machines, such as quads. Some use sheds to put firewood. It’s a way to keep it dry and ready to use. 

Firewood Shed - Picture Owner

For younger people having a separated spot to receive friends and have a good time is a great idea. For even younger people shed may work as playground. It’s a dream for most kids. Of course the older ones can have their own spot too: make a workshop of it. 

As you can see outdoor sheds are very versatile. Nowadays it’s rare to see a spacious property without one. It’s simply a very good investment. And can be a very beautiful adornment to your house and garden too. Some constructions when properly built can become authentic architecture beauties.

And you, have you thought about building your own shed?

 

Garden Shed - Picture Owner

Helpful Posts: 

Building your outdoor shed's ramp 

How to build a shed: the 8 main steps

Get your outdoor shed plans  

The importance of planning  
Building your outdoor shed's foundations
Common mistakes during the building process
The advantages of DIY 

Building your outdoor shed's ramp

Important advices

If you have a wooden floor, ideally the shed should be about 15 cm distant of the ground, to keep it away of moisture. So having a ramp will be necessary to store heavy machines like tractors. Although it seems to be an easy project – and it is, when compared to building the shed itself – it’s important to build a strong structure to ensure it doesn’t break while driving something heavy through it.

The first and most important issue I would like to talk about is the slope. It may be a temptation to build a steeper ramp because it will be shorter and you’ll save space.  However you must build something functional and secure.  You want to save your tractor easily and without the risk of tip. Such a heavy machine could cause serious injuries in that situation. Another important point is that with a big slope ramp your tractor might scrape the top of it, especially if it has additional devices. It’s also important to ensure that it is large enough to keep a security margin.

Ramps are usually made of metal or wood. If you don’t want to build one, some companies sell them if you can pay for it. It’s possible to acquire removable ramps with the advantage of only using it when necessary.

If you opt for building a wooden, permanent one, choose treated wood, because the ramp will be in constant contact with humidity so treatment will help to prevent it from rot.

A simple and efficient structure is the one showed bellow:

Shed ramp

It is composed by 3 main elements: the support structure, the lumber that fixes the ramp to the shed and the ramp coating.

The fixative lumber should have enough length to support the ramp width.

The support structure will distribute the force applied on the ramp. Build a ramp with at least 3 support pieces of wood: two at the extreme sides and one at the middle, all separated by equal distances. By this way will have a proportional distribution of weight. If you only apply them in the sides you will leave the middle with no support and the risk of breaking there will be high. Of course it will depend on the ramp width and in what you want to use it for. A ramp with a narrow width can require only two and a larger one can require more than three. The more support elements you use the more robust your ramp will be but the weight force on the link lumber will increase. So the ideal is to find the equilibrium.

Main steps

1.Prepare the pavement: level the part where the support structure will settle down.

2.Cut the support lumber with the correct size. You’ll have to make two cuts, which will depend on the slope you pretend for your ramp: one to fit in the ground and another to fit in the link board.

3.Screw the link board to the shed entrance beam and fix the support plaques to it. Ensure you leave space for the coating: measure its thickness and leave that value, in order to the ramp be perfectly aligned with the shed floor. 

4.Finally coat the structure with several boards or apply plywood to it.

In addiction you can nail rubber wedges in order to get traction. They will help a lot in rainy conditions.

Another solution

There are other structure possibilities. This site offer free shed plans as a sample of their product which include information about how to build a ramp in a different way. All you have to do is to fill the form in the site's bottom with your first name and e-mail adress (the form may also appear in the left side after entering the site). Then an e-mail will be sent to you with downloadable plans.

If you have other building ideas share them leaving a comment below. The blog readers and myself will apreciate that.



Good luck building your ramp!

Other helpful posts:

Get your outdoor shed plans 
How to build your outdoor shed's floor  
How to build a shed: the 8 main steps

How to paint your outdoor shed
The importance of planning  
Building your outdoor shed's foundations
Common mistakes during the building process
The advantages of DIY  

How to build a shed: the 8 main steps

1. Find out if you need a permit

First of all you need to check your local building laws in order to know if it’s required a permit to build your shed. Laws may vary from place to place and depend on the building characteristics, specially the size.

2. Delineate a plan

How to Build a Shed
Picture Owner

Once you have knowledge about the building laws, it’s time to trace a plan.

Decide what type of shed you are looking for: storage shed, garden shed, tool shed…it depends on what you’re going to use it for. 

Then find out what will be the proper size for it. Correctly analyze the space you have and the things you want to put on it: dispose them on the ground as if it was your future shed and take the right measures. It’s smart make the shed a bit bigger than the ideal because later you may want to store more stuff. It’s better to have extra space than lack of space.

Once you have the measures, make a scheme of the building. It’s really important to make something functional. 

Make a list of all tool and materials you’re going to need. Organization is essential to avoid problems during the building process.

3.Build the foundations

The building stage starts from the bottom. Foundations are truly important because they will ensure your shed will not move and will keep it away from the humidity of the ground. You have many options, being the most used concrete piers or skid foundations. Find out which will be better for your shed: it depends on the weight you’re going to put on it, the size of the shed, the type of soil of place where you live and many other factors. To learn more about foundations check this post.

4.Build the floor

Make sure you build your floor using treated wood, because it will prevent it from rot and wood-destroying insects. It’s nearly impossible to guarantee your tools or tractors to be dry before store them. In fact, the most treated wood you use the better, no matter the section. But for low budgets using it on the shed’s floor is essential.

5.Build the walls 

Build the wall structure and then apply the outside plaques. It’s important to fortify all the corners with plywood or other material to make the structure strong enough to resist to forces that tend to twist your shed, specially the wind.

6.Build the roof

You can make your own roof structure but be sure you know how to properly build it first. If you feel capable cut your own beams and go ahead. If not, in alternative you can buy already made framework.

7.Add secondary structures

Add the door and windows (if it‘s suppose to have them). Make sure you have spacious access to your shed. The main goal is to take the best advantage of it.

8.Finishes 

Besides applying treated wood, a good way to prevent rot is using asphalt felt paper in the walls and roof plaques. Once you have applied it, cover the shed with siding. Asphalt felt paper will isolate your shed from any water that may penetrate in the future.

Final notes:

If you have no experience in this kind of work and you want to learn how to properly do it, I recommend you to talk with someone who is experienced. A good tool may be get plans which may have material lists and complete guides with step-by-step instructions, images and diagrams. Visit this post to know more about online paid plans.

Other helpful posts:

Get your outdoor shed plans

Building your outdoor shed's ramp
The importance of planning  
Building your outdoor shed's foundations
Common mistakes during the building process
The advantages of DIY 

Get your outdoor shed plans

Having a plan is half the battle for success

As have already been told before, have a good plan is fundamental for the success of your woodwork project. However delineate a plan might be a complex task, especially for those who have no experience in this kind of activity. If you don’t really know how to properly build your outdoor shed, a good solution may be get already made plans. This is probably a simple way to save time and complications and also improve your knowledge. 

This post is supposed to be a useful resource providing you a list of sites where you can buy outdoor shed plans with complete details (name, descriptive summary and link) for each one. Some of them not only sell shed plans as its products also include other woodwork plans, according to the information provided by them.

I honestly tell you that I have not tried any of the following products, so I can’t give an opinion about them. But you can go check for yourself what the companies have to offer and decide whether the products interest you or not.

Please note:

I earn a commission for the sale of the following products, since you buy them through the link presented in this blog.

However understand that this post’s as also the whole blog’s purpose is to supply helpful content and not advertise. This is simply a way to give you the opportunity of contributing and showing support for all the work done. If you disagree, there is always the possibility of going directly to the company’s site and I will not receive any compensation. Thank you very much for your understanding.

Without any more delay here is the list with the site’s name, a descriptive summary and link (all this information obtained from the sites): 

The price of the products seems to vary so is not displayed here.

Name: My Shed Plans

Summary:

  

- Free sample plans;

- More than 12000 design projects and woodwork plans, such as:

• Outdoor sheds;
• Garden furniture;
• Birdhouses;
• Full size decks and more; 
• A large number of shed plans projects;

- The indication for which materials you should buy;

- Step-by-step procedure with images and diagrams;

- 60-day money back guarantee;

Visit MyShedPlans

____________________________________________

Name: Ted’s Woodworking 

Summary:

- Instant access to over 16,000 woodworking plans and projects;

- Step-by-step instructions; 

- Easy to follow guides;

- Include blueprints and materials list;

- 60-day money back guarantee;

Visit TedsWoodworking

____________________________________________

Name: ShedBuilding101

Summary:

- 41 plans for:

• Storage sheds;
• Mini barns;
• Tool sheds;
• Garden sheds;
• Small garages;
• Hobby shops;
• Pool houses;
• Cabanas;
• Backyard studios;
• Home offices;

- Detailed construction blueprints;

- Access to dozens more free shed plans;

- Easy instant download;

- 60-day money back guarantee;

Visit ShedBuilding101

____________________________________________

Name: Shed Plans and Designs

Summary:

- 12,500 highly professional shed and woodworking plans;

- Step-by-step instructions; 

- Big size full color illustrations;

- Easy-to-follow plans; 

- 60-day money back guarantee; 

Visit ShedPlansandDesigns

____________________________________________

Name: Woodworking 4 Home

Summary:

  

-14000 woodworking plans and projects (sheds included);

-Step-by-step instructions;

-Photos and diagrams;

-Easy-to-understand plans;

-Instant access;

-60-day money back guarantee;

Visit Woodworking4Home

I'll try to keep the content updated and also add more sites.

Get to work!

Other helpful posts: 

How to build a shed: the 8 main steps
Building your outdoor shed's ramp
The importance of planning  
Building your outdoor shed's foundations
Common mistakes during the building process
The advantages of DIY  

Common mistakes during the building process

Due to lack of experience or simply trying to accelerate the building process, people usually commit mistakes that can affect the quality of their projects.  As you’re investing your own money on it, it’s significant to be aware of what is usually poorly done and avoid it.

Choose the cheapest materials

It’s a temptation reduce the budget of your project buying low-quality materials. Unless the purpose of your shed is not to last for long years (some people might build them just to temporary save something), you should opt for quality ones. What you’re saving now is going to cost you much more in the future.

Not check the spot before

It’s important to pay attention to what is buried in the place you’re going to build your outdoor shed. Look for water tubing or other kind of tubing so that you don’t damage it while building your shed’s foundations or in the future have to remove the shed to repair a leak.

Not ask for help

Especially if you’re novice in this kind of activity, you should ask for help. In first place because no matter how well written and explained is a plan, there is always some kind of trouble that is not mentioned on it, and having someone experienced in the subject will improve a lot your building process. Secondly, because some components might be heavy to carry and set in place, and a couple of extra hands may become useful.

Outdoor Shed Tips
Picture Owner

Build near trees

If you have the possibility to not build your outdoor shed near a tree, do it. Trees are a threat for the future of your building, for several reasons. It might be good to avoid your shed from being damaged by a broken branch during a storm. Besides, shady places tend to accumulate humidity that is wood’s great enemy.

Above all, it’s important to think twice before go forward and respect the limits.

Have you experienced a different situation?   

Other helpful posts :

How to build a shed: the 8 main steps
Get your outdoor shed plans
Building your outdoor shed's ramp 
The importance of planning 
Building your outdoor shed's foundations
The advantages of DIY

Building your outdoor shed's foundations

Importance of foundations

In the construction process choosing and building a proper foundation will determine whether your shed will be stable and durable or the opposite. No matter how well designed or built is a structure, if it doesn’t have a good support base it won’t last for long. Foundations have two main functions:

• Prevent your shed from being in contact with the humidity from the ground, which will cause rot in the wood. It should be at least 15 cm away of the pavement;

• Correctly distribute the shed’s weight and ensure it remains level;

Types of foundations
 

There are two main types of shed foundations: floating foundations and permanent foundations.

Floating foundations are the simplest and quickest to build bases. They are also cheaper and their components are easy to set into place and shift around because they are small and light, so it’s very easy to set up all and level.

A frequent technique is using flat concrete blocks which are placed in the ground in straight, evenly spaced lines to support your shed. You may use other type of special blocks as well: pyramid-shaped blocks.

Another technique is using skid foundations. It consists in using two or more long, straight logs placed on the ground in parallel, evenly spaced positions, acting as skids. The building’s floor frame is then built on the logs.
 

Shed foundations - Skid foundations

Most sheds are designed to be built with this kind of foundations because it offers accessibility and at the same time when properly built can last more than the necessary.

However, depending on the shed size and the weather conditions of the place you live on, you might need to use a stronger base, because some soils change in volume depending on the weather. That change will unlevel you shed.

Outdoor Shed Foundations - Piers
Picture Owner

This is achieved by building permanent foundations. Although they’re more expensive and difficult to build, they’re more stable and long living than floating foundations, as this type of base extend deep into the ground.

They are built using piers. A pier is basically a column of concrete poured into a hole you previously excavated in a specific place, in order to support the shed’s floor frame. So your structure will have a rock solid base to prevent it of problems related to ground volume changes.

Take the time to make the right decision. Properly analyze all the variables and only then start building your outdoor shed. 



Other helpful posts:

How to build a shed: the 8 main steps
Get your outdoor shed plans
Building your outdoor shed's ramp
The importance of planning 
Common mistakes during the building process
The advantages of DIY

The advantages of DIY

Outdoor Shed Plans - Advantages of DIY 
Picture Owner

Do it yourself (DIY) activities are becoming very popular nowadays. A main reason for this happening is the global economic crisis. 

A good way to save money

In fact, doing yourself some home projects (or all of them) is a very good way to save money. Paying a professional is generally expensive and the materials usually suffer inflation. Besides, who have never had a nightmare with home-paid services? Sometimes the “professionals” late the work or just don’t do the things right, or even worse, both of them. With respect to that by doing it yourself you have a very good advantage.

Of course it is not easy. Skills are required as also is patience and dedication. But like any other activity, with practice and respect for what you’re doing soon you’ll be able to do the accessible home tasks. Don’t hurry the learning process. You may start to look at it as a hobby, for example. Join the family and start with small projects. It will surely be fun and a good way to spend time, and at the same time you’re saving money.

Today you have a huge amount of information available. Television is overflowing shows about home makeover and so on. And in a more specific way, you can find in the internet companies selling guides and plans with step-by-step instructions, photos and diagrams.

The joy of building your own shed

In addition, it feels good to finish our own project and stare at it in the end and say “I built that!”. So for those who have never thought about it, I recommend starting learning how to do the usual home projects. And the most important of all: you will enjoy doing it!

Other helpful posts:

How to build a shed: the 8 main steps
Get your outdoor shed plans
Building your outdoor shed's ramp 
The importance of planning  
Building your outdoor shed's foundations
Common mistakes during the building process

The importance of planning

Outdoor Shed Plans - Planning

About outdoor shed projects is important to say that the primordial and central issue is the planning stage, simply because it’s the step that will trace the success of your building. Without a good plan you fail even without having started building.

So, before everything else, you need to thoroughly analyze some important aspects. 
In first place, find out if you need a building permit. This is very importante. Depending on the place you live, outdoor building projects such as sheds, garages and pools might be subjected to permission.

Secondly, check the ideal spot to build your outdoor shed. Be careful so that your shed will not be positioned over important tubing. Point down the measurements that should define your shed.

Next, transpose for the paper your idea, considering the form of the shed, necessary materials for the building, tools and most important of all make sure you make the right calculations to plan something functional. It may be quite complex depending on the type of shed.

A good way to concretize this stage is buying already made plans online. They may have all the information you need and more, and are accessible for everyone. This is probably a good solution to ensure that you’re going in the right way and save a lot of time. They usually have step-by-step guides, diagrams, images and other useful information.

Finally you only need to buy the materials, join the tools and start following your plan. Be organized, build your shed by stages and don’t hurry the process. Pay attention to details, because all together they make difference.


Other helpful posts: 

How to build a shed: the 8 main steps
Get your outdoor shed plans  
Building your outdoor shed's ramp 
Building your outdoor shed's foundations 
Common mistakes during the building process
The advantages of DIY