Ultimate garden shed - Reader's Digest

1 PROJECT PLANU ltimate garden shedThis article originally appeared in The Family Handyman subscription information, visit note that pages that appeared in the magazine as advertisements will not be included with this pdf. Page numbering may beinterrupted if an advertisement ran within the original story. Addresses, phone numbers, prices, part numbers and other informationmay have changed since original 2005 Home Service Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, in any manner, is prohibited. The Family Handyman, Handy Hints and Great Goofs are regis-tered trademarks of RD Publications, Inc.

2 Ask Handyman, Handyman Garage, How a House Works, , , TFH Reports, The Home Improvement Authority, Using Tools,Woodworks, Wordless Workshop, Workshop Tips, You Can Fix It, You Can Grow It are trademarks of RD Publications, Inc. gardenTwo sheds in one,this rustic cedar shed will keep 2003 THEFAMILY HANDYMAN shedby Jeff Gortonhis cedar garden shed is the perfect storage solution for every gardener and family member who enjoysworking and playing in the back yard. At 8 ft. x 9-1/2 ft.,the storage area has loads of room for all your lawn andgarden equipment. And you can access it easily throughthe 46-in.

3 Wide sliding door in the back. With theaddition of workbenches and shelves, the smaller 5-1/2ft. x 8-ft. room makes a perfect potting shed. The concretepaver floor, natural cedar siding and steel roofing add upto a low-maintenance shed that will last for generations. THEFAMILY HANDYMANJULY/AUGUST 200327Tn1"CANTILEVERED 2x42x8 SHORT RAFTER2x4 SUBFASCIA2" OF BLOCKING2x10 TREATED6x6 TREATED2x4 TREATED PLATE2" (ALLOUTER EDGES)5/8" CEDAR PLYWOODBATTENSGRAVEL 2x4 BLOCKING2x4 PURLINS2x4 FLY RAFTER22" x 41-1/4"BARN SASHES30" x 80" WOODSTORM/SCREENDOOR1x4 RAKETRIMFLASHING124673 DETAIL 32x4 PURLINDETAIL 1 2x6 BEAMS2x2 x 14";CENTER ON VERTICAL1x8 TRIM 1x1 x 7" 1x4 TRIM1x6 TRIM2x SILL1x6 FASCIA1x10 TRIM;RIP TOWIDTH1/2" PLYWOOD6"6"4-1/2"DETAIL 2 3"1"1-1/2"2x3 x 53-1/2" SLATS( SPACE AT 12")4x4 POST2x6 BEAMSPOST TOPLEVEL WITH 1x6 FASCIA4x4 TREATEDPOST1x4 TRIM4x4 CEDARPOSTSILLSTOCK.

4 MITER CORNERS7/8"x7/8" BATTENS1x6 FASCIA2x4 FLY RAFTER2x4 BLOCKING2x4 PURLINS2x4 BLOCKING2x8 RAFTER,1/2" PLYWOOD GUSSETCANTI-LEVERED 2x4 SIDEWALL FLASHINGROOF PANELSRIDGE2x6 CROSSTIE2x4 FRAMINGLAID FLAT1x4 TRIM1x4 x 12" SQ. VENT BOX12-1/2" SQ. VENT OPENING1x4 RAKE TRIM1x2 ON EDGESCREEN2x4 TREATED PLATE2x4 STUD WALLS 24" " CEDAR PLYWOOD7/8"x7/8" BATTENS 12" 1x6 FASCIA2x4 SUBFASCIADOUBLE 2x6 HEADER(DOORS ANDWINDOWS)22" x 29"BARNSASHESEXTRACRIPPLESTUDS2" x 18" x 18" CONCRETE PAVERS528 JULY/AUGUST 2003 THEFAMILY HANDYMANF igure A Shed Details1"CANTILEVERED 2x42x8 SHORT RAFTER2x4 SUBFASCIA2" OF BLOCKING2x10 TREATED6x6 TREATED2x4 TREATED PLATE2" (ALLOUTER EDGES)5/8" CEDAR PLYWOODBATTENSGRAVEL 2x4 BLOCKING2x4 PURLINS2x4 FLY RAFTER22" x 41-1/4"BARN SASHES30" x 80" WOODSTORM/SCREENDOOR1x4 RAKETRIMFLASHING124673 DETAIL 32x4 PURLINDETAIL 1 2x6 BEAMS2x2 x 14".

5 CENTER ON VERTICAL1x8 TRIM 1x1 x 7" 1x4 TRIM1x6 TRIM2x SILL1x6 FASCIA1x10 TRIM;RIP TOWIDTH1/2" PLYWOOD6"6"4-1/2"DETAIL 2 3"1"1-1/2"2x3 x 53-1/2" SLATS( SPACE AT 12")4x4 POST2x6 BEAMSPOST TOPLEVEL WITH 1x6 FASCIA4x4 TREATEDPOST1x4 TRIM4x4 CEDARPOSTSILLSTOCK;MITER CORNERS7/8"x7/8" BATTENS1x6 FASCIA2x4 FLY RAFTER2x4 BLOCKING2x4 PURLINS2x4 BLOCKING2x8 RAFTER,1/2" PLYWOOD GUSSETCANTI-LEVERED 2x4 SIDEWALL FLASHINGROOF PANELSRIDGE2x6 CROSSTIE2x4 FRAMINGLAID FLAT1x4 TRIM1x4 x 12" SQ. VENT BOX12-1/2" SQ. VENT OPENING1x4 RAKE TRIM1x2 ON EDGESCREEN2x4 TREATED PLATE2x4 STUD WALLS 24" " CEDAR PLYWOOD7/8"x7/8" BATTENS 12" 1x6 FASCIA2x4 SUBFASCIADOUBLE 2x6 HEADER(DOORS ANDWINDOWS)22" x 29"BARNSASHESEXTRACRIPPLESTUDS2" x 18" x 18" CONCRETE PAVERS5 THEFAMILY HANDYMANJULY/AUGUST 200329uilding this shed isn t complicated, nor does it require more than basic carpentry experience.

6 Still, it s a big job, and if you ve built a deck or done other major remodeling, you ll find this project the nextstep up in skill level. It ll take you and a helper three or four weekends to build plus another few days to seal the siding and put on the finishing total cost of materialsfor the shed shown is about$3,600, including $360 for theconcrete paver floor and $250for the metal roofing. If this isa little beyond your budget,you could easily save severalhundred dollars by simplify-ing the exterior trim detailsand using less expensiveflooring addition to basic handtools, you ll need a circularsaw, drill, table saw and powermiter saw.

7 You ll also need 6-ft. and 10-ft. stepladders towork on the roof and tallgable ends. If you really wantto speed up the work andsimplify your job, rent scaf-folding with a set of with the city you may need a permitMost cities require a building permit for large sheds . Call the buildingdepartment to find out. This shed is 120 sq. ft. Also check for restrictionson where the shed can be placed on the lot. If you re planning to buildnear the edge of your lot, you may have to hire a surveyor to locate the lot lines. Start this planning process at least a month in advance just incase there s a snag. A few days before you intend to start digging, call (888) 258-0808 to have buried utility lines located and ll have to special-order the roofingMost of the materials for this shed are readily available at home centersand lumberyards.

8 You may have to order the barn sash windows and thegrooveless cedar plywood, however. If your lumber supplier doesn t sellthe metal roofing material, check local roofing or farm supply few colors are stocked, but you ll have to special-order the roofingmaterials to get a custom color or have the panels cut to the exact lengthyou need. Check p. 47 for the list of the roofing shed30 JULY/AUGUST 2003 THEFAMILY HANDYMANU ltimategarden shedStart by outlining the shed with stakes and stringThe first step in the constructionprocess is to accurately stake out theperimeter (Photo 1). We re using2x10s as our foundation with 6x6sresting on them.

9 The 2x10s will stickout beyond the 6x6s about 2 in., so setyour stakes 2 in. beyond the sheddimensions to mark their outer edges. Use a line level ($3) to level the strings. Then double-check thedistance between stakes and makesure the diagonal measurements ofeach rectangular section are equalbefore you start all the sod or other organic material inside the perimeterof the strings. Then dig the trenchand set the 2x10 footing plates on abed of gravel (Photo 1). Roughlylevel the 2x10s by measuring downfrom the string. Then fine-tune with a4-ft. or longer level. Take your timehere. An out-of-level foundation willcause you problems the wood foundation by cutting the 6x6s to length and nailing them together at the corners(Photo 2 andFig.)

10 B).The edge of the6x6s should be about 2 in. inside thestring line and the top should be levelwith the string. Square the 6x6s(Photo 2) and level them with toe-screw them into the 2x10sand pack gravel around the perimeterto hold everything in place. You llneed about 3-1/4 yards of 3/8-in. to1/2-in. crushed stakes 2 in. beyond the perime-ter dimensions (see Figure B). Checkfor square by measuring diagonally (as inPhoto 2). Tie a string to the stakes level atthe height of the future floor. Dig an trench down to 12 in. below thestring. Fill the trench with 5 in. of graveland level the top. Cut treated 2x10s sotheir outside edges are even with thestring and tamp them into the gravel witha sledge until they re level and 5-1/2 the string line.