# Wood shed?



## muzzy (Oct 7, 2007)

Hello to all! I'm looking for some pics & possabily plans to build a three sided wood shed. I've surched and came up with some pics but not much help for construction... I'm looking for something like a horse barn run in style type shed.  I plan on building this on 6/6 treated base over gravel and on blocks.  I would love to see someones pics of there shed or someone with some carpentry experience to answer some framing questions.  Thanks for any information you can give me!


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## carpniels (Oct 8, 2007)

Hi Muzzy,

Framing is like any old shed anywhere. Just leave the sides off and use pellets. Or leave all sides open. Air will dry your wood faster.

Go to Lowes and HD and look at the sheds they have outside. Use the same building materials and construction and you should be fine.

Carpniels


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## northwinds (Oct 8, 2007)

Building a wood shed is on my "to do" list.  While searching around the web for ideas, 
I came across this wood shed--made out of pallets.

http://summerville-novascotia.com/PalletWoodShed/


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## reaperman (Oct 9, 2007)

Here is a pic of mine.  Its not the prettiest, but it does keep the snow off the wood.  The steel is left over from some warranty work on my pole building.  The dimensions are 16 wide x 12 deep, approx. 7' high in front and 6' in the rear.  I bought some 4x6's for posts and put a few 2x4 nailers between them to hang the steel.  I'm no carpenter, but this project didnt take long to build, if I remember correct, I had it up in a weekend, by myself.  I left the opening in the front 6 feet wide so I could easily back a pickup in the doorway for unloading.  But now I use my bobcat and simply dump the wood inside than stack.  I'm glad I didnt leave the front side completely open.  I can stack the wood tighter against the sides this way, and it also keeps the snow out.  

I hope the pic is light enough, I ran outside to take the pic after reading your post, but unfortunately its dark out.  I did lighten it up some.  It's about time to start filling the shed up again for the winter one of these weekends.  The wood you see in the shed is left over from last year (nice).  I'll only have to add about a cord to get it full enough for the winter.  Oh, what you see on the upper right corner of the shed is my weather station.  Which is broadcast worldwide via internet.


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## Vermontster (Oct 9, 2007)

heres my before and after wood shed shed pics. It holds 2 cords very nicely.
I love the pallet shed idea... gets me thinkin


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## KeithO (Oct 9, 2007)

Can't really call mine a wood shed, but it might represent one form of minimalism....   Plastic shelves with a dark grey PVC tarp over the top and back to prevent the worst rain penetration. Seriously though, I do have to keep runoff from that tin roof from pouring into the stack, otherwise nothing will ever get dry.  Faces directly south for heat absorbtion. Unfortunately, the ground wasn't level which it must be for this concept to work.  The wood isn't stacked very high on each shelf, so no stacks falling over and it doesn't look too bad either...


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## KeithO (Oct 9, 2007)

Here is the dry wood under my deck where it is easy to reach even in the worst weather.  I would like to fit a metal roof under the deck, that way the tarps wouldn't be required and it would meet my wifes critical view as an "achitectural feature".  I have a complete loop of 1/8" cable near the top of the 6x6 posts over which the tarp hangs.  That way I don't have to fight the tarp when trying to get wood out and the tarps look nice and even.  At the bottom, the wood stands on those 2x2' "dri floor" plates that have the dimpled plastic underneath to block moisture.   It is not clear to see, but at the bottom the stack is 28" deep and at about 4-5ft it goes to just a single 14" width.


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## pistonslap (Oct 9, 2007)

Northwinds, I built a woodshed out of pallets a few years back.  It is very hard to find pallets that are close to the same size. It was a nightmare to get it even remotely square and level. To get one to look as good as the ones in those pictures, they must have had an awful lot of pallets to pick from. Mine worked, but it was so ugly that I tore it down the next year. The one I built this time is a lot simpler design and not an eyesore. The pallets may be free, but the cost of 8  4x4's and  20 2x4's and 4 sheets of OSB for the roof beat the heck out of listening to the old lady complain about the pallet shed.


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## Gooserider (Oct 9, 2007)

I've described my woodsheds elsewhere, but once more...

My newer shed is a frame of 16' PT 2x4's on edge, originally spaced for four rows of 24" long splits, which I've now covered with cut up pallets to convert it to fit 5 rows of 18"-20" splits  If I was making it today I would have spaced the 2x4's differently, probably in pairs 16" on center, and 6" between pairs.  The result is a frame approximately 16' long x 8' wide.  It sits on mostly level ground, I did shove some shims of scrap lumber under some of the low spots, but I didn't make a big deal of it.

I then ran a 2x4 PT upright in each corner, 6' high in the back, 7' high in front.  If I was doing it over, I probably would have gone for 6'6" in back and 8' or 8'6" in front.  I then tied the uprights together with more regular 2x4's to make a roof frame.  I decided that just having the two 2x4's on the edges was a bit to springy, so I added a 3rd 2x4 down the center, and put an upright between the frame and each of the roof 2x4's  in the center of the 16' spans.  I deliberately cut the supports over length so they bowed the roof supports up an inch or two in the middle

I enclosed the ends with two sections of 6' x 8' prefab stockade fence from Home Depot, positioned so the pickets were on the INSIDE with the frame members facing out and inside the uprights.  I had some salvaged road signs that I cut up into strips and tied the center support posts together so that I basically ended up with two "bays" each a bit under 8'x8'

To roof it, I first layed a bunch of old deck planks that I'd trash picked diagonally across the roof boards, w/ about a 6" gap between them - This was done simply to get the most use out of the boards w/o cutting them.  If I hadn't had the deck boards, I probably would have put in two more roof beams, w/ center suports. Over those boards I layed some clear PAL corrugated plastic roofing.  This keeps the shed well lit during the day and seems to give me considerable solar gain.  On the open sides I nailed some silver tarps (the high grade version) from HF,  I keep them rolled up in the summer so the wood can dry, but in the winter I let them down to keep the snow from blowing in on the wood.

It works, looks reasonably decent, and ended up only costing about $600 for a shed w/ about 6 cords capacity.

Gooserider


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## pistonslap (Oct 9, 2007)

Here's a link to a pic of my woodrack. It's easy to build and costs a little over $100 for materials. Like Goose, I will also put tarps on it to keep out snow.
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/8208/


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## Vermontster (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey Northwinds,

Thanks for sharing that link. I am going to build a pallet shed this fall, what a great "freegan" idea!


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## northwinds (Oct 9, 2007)

Vermontster said:
			
		

> Hey Northwinds,
> 
> Thanks for sharing that link. I am going to build a pallet shed this fall, what a great "freegan" idea!



I thought it looked interesting, but pistonslap's points are well taken.  There are a lot of crappy pallets out there, so 
I'll sort through for the best and most uniform ones.  I've got a few different places to choose from in my area.

The wife factor isn't a problem for me.  If the pallet shed ends up being ugly, it'll be out of her sight with 12 
acres of woods to play with.  If it turns out well, it moves closer to the house site.  Free is a great motivator.


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## cbrodsky (Oct 10, 2007)

I followed plans found on the net somewhere for a "rustic" shed - saved a lot of money on the beams/posts but it was def. a pain in the butt.  I also used 2nd grade cedar shingles instead of asphalt which ran me $60 or so; then about $100 in sheathing / tarpaper / 2x3 roof joists that I purchased.  Involved strapping the crossbeams to the posts and then raising the very heavy assembly with a cable hoisted through a tree.  However, I expect it to last a long time as the posts are fairly massive.  It holds about 4.5-5 cords and has survived a couple two foot snowstorms without any evidence of trouble.  If I did it again, I'd slope the roof a bit more.

I also set the posts on flagstones and the ends of the posts are sitting on tarpaper scraps.  I also spray the ends with an insect killer once a year to make sure the ends don't rot or get eaten.  After a couple of years, they look like the day I cut them - hopefully they'll last a long time as I don't want to do that again anytime soon.

-Colin

(picture is from taking down a huge poplar next to it... sorry it's not complete - someday I will get a better photo)


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## eernest4 (Oct 25, 2007)

The pallet shed is a novel idea, but looks ugly unelse you buy siding to cover it with.

I have a different approach to a shed that goes up in 2 weeks from start 2 finish and cost
under 300.oo, buying new wood from home depot or lowes. this being for a 8 ft x 8ft, with 6.5 ft hight.

Oh yes, it looks good too,without any siding or finishing or painting.
I put one up in 2003, 16 wide x 32 long, and now my second one that I started last friday
is near completion , but can't work wens,thur,fri and sat because of rain, so I expext to be done wend or thur of next week.

I already have 3 walls compleated as well as the roof rafters and roof plywood. The plywood was free, salvaged from the sides leaf vacuum truck demolition as the truck owner could get more 4 the truck without the sides on it.

HERE IS THE SECRET:

buy 4---4x4x8 ft pressure treated poles and 3 bags concrete mix. poles are $5 each=20.oo
cement is 4 ea.=12.oo
then buy 4-- 6x 8 stocade fence pannels at 30.oo each=120.oo
buy 12--- 2x3x8 at 2.oo ea=24.oo

so , got 20+12+120+24=176 +tax
1 roll roll roofing 20.oo
 that 196.oo total, so far.
2 box 3 inch fine thread philips head drywall screws. 4.75 box x 2=9.50
now at 206.oo
3 or 4 door hinges
door lock

extra 2x3x8,'s for whatever style of doorway framing you decied on.
use pressure treated if you intend to dig hole & cement in ground.

hint: use enough extra cement to make 45 degree slope up to pole to shed rain away from
where poles go into the ground. otherwise, you end up with a depression around the pole that holds rain and premotes rot.



necessary tools, you should already have so I didnt include in the cost of the shed.

a set of several #2 philips head drive bits
1 - 1/2 in chuck 550 rpm geaared down variable speed reversable drill 120 volt
1- normal drill 120volt
ni-cad units wont run long enough to get much work done, so dont bother unelse you intend to change batterys  every 30 min
1/8th in 4 or 5 in long drill, standard length is not long enough.
3 adjustable 12in wood clamps, unelse you got 2 helpers, then no need 4 clamps. 
1 table saw, best with 10 in blade but can get by with 8 in blade, or have 2x3x8 trimmed down at home depot to non dementional thickness to match rails on stockade fencing. This a rip cut done with table saw ripping fence.

I forget measurement of stockcade fence pannel rails, because I going to do that sunday & cant remember from 2003


hint: clamp 2x3x8 to picnic table to hold wood 4 sawing.

1. cheap circular 120 volt saw but with a carbide blade; carbide blade makes cutting sooo much
easier than the $4 junk steel balde.


dig 4 holes ,18 inch deep, 8ft apart at the coners, the ends of the fence pannels will line up with the outside edges of the 4 x4 's , but only when the fence pannels are level.

The fence pannels are your walls, they are held on to the 4x4x8 poles buy 3 - 3 in drywall screws. You need to drill piolet holes with the extra long 1/8th in drill bit and then soap the screws because they go in wicked tight. NEED HIGH QUALITY PHIPIPS BITS, one screw strip out cheap china immitations, Black & decker from wal mart work good. Longer ones nicer to work with than short ones. You need all the power of the 1/2 chuck 570rpm gear reduction drill,
a weaker drill just wont suffice. I already tried. www.cummingstools.com sell one for 46.oo
or buy a milwalkee magnum hole shooter for 120.oo, the hole shooter broke first the chineese
still going. go figure that.

need make piolet holes 3 in deep and pull drill out as soon as you get to the end of the flukes
or twists to let sawdust excape or the sawdust will bind and snap your drill bit.

My helper broke 3 bits by trying to go straight thru without backing out drill after 1&1;/2 inch to releave sawdust and so will you. I guaranttee it.

easiest way to get jobber length 1/8th drill bit is to buy sears 8 inch long 1/8 th bit and grind notches all the way around at about 4&1;/2 inch until you can_ _easily___ snap the bit in 2 with small pliers. you no grind enough, you bend bit & ruin it trying to snap 2 much metal.

the 2x3x8 trimmed to match the fence rails are used as attachment studs, horz. behind the stockade fence & between it and the 4x4x8 to extend the hieght of stockade to reach the roof framing.

i use 2x3x8 because they cheaper & almost strong enough. They bend when a 160 lb man go up on roof, so, if you weigh 225lbs ,use 2x4x8 instead, so you no break thru roof and use roofing pannels 8.95 ea x 2= 18.oo instead of 3/8 salvage plywood. or 5/8 plywood .composite roofing panels way cheaper.

Keep pannels well off ground , at least 3 inch , so they no touch ground and rot. You can put a horz 8 ft filler board in after , to finish off the gap and it is easly replaced when it rots in 4 yr.
Use longer nails but leave heads stick out 4 easy removal 4 when ground wood strip rotts.

 (over character limit)


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## velvetfoot (Oct 25, 2007)

eernest, any pics?
Nice info there.


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## eernest4 (Oct 25, 2007)

2x3x8 goes at top of posts, on outside of posts, 3 screws in each into4x4x8
Made sure to have at least 1 ft drop in 8 ft to make slope to shed rain.
If you want a steeper slope, you can extend the 4x4x8 length up to 12 inch by cutting a 12 inch or whatever length you want , put on top of 4x4 and nail 2x4 x4ft or 3ft on both interior sides of 4x4x8
exterior sides needed to attach stockade walls.

roof rafters go to slanted side rails (2x3x8 or 2x4x8) & 2x3x8 fine. only the side rails need reinforcing because they bear the entire wieght of roof as well as the roofer.

When you attach the extension lumber from the top of the stockade fence to the roof, this
will strengthen the roof tremendiously, but it stops you from putting 3 3 in screws into the roof rafters that go fron sidewall to sidewall.

I FORGET TO SAY BEFORE; TRIM THE POINTS OFF THE STOCKADE FENCE BEFORE YOU SCREW IT ON 4X4 , this what circular saw 4

BE CAREFULL HOW MUCH PITCH YOU PUT ON ROOF because if you decied to run roof rafters 
from high end to low end, 8 ft will be too short because of triangle effect. the hypotinuse is always longer than the sides.THAT WHY I SAY GO SIDE TO SIDE INSTEAD so reg 8 ft long enough. 9 ft 2x4x9 double in price of 2x3x8

You can add extra support studs from rail that go between fence slats and 4x4x8 from the interior, before you install roof panels.

I am sure you have the idea now, shed end up looking like stockade fence.

You can leave the slotts between fence panels open for a wood shed or fill them in with a mix of 2 parts fine sand and 1 part portland cement or use plaster of paris on inside and laytex calk on outside in order to keep the plaster of paris dry because it likes to mildew when wet and laytex caulk cant fill 2 wide cracks by itself with no backing, but plaster of paris jives it required backing. roofing tar works ,also, to one extent or another but does not compleatly fill the wide cracks.

I am still experimenting to find what fills the cracks best, because i dont want people looking in the shed to see what tools are good to come back at nite and steal.

anyway fast cheap shed ,up in 2 weeks.including 4 days rain, and 3 days off.

 let cement dry 5 days before u try 2 nail or screw anything onto 4x4x8 poles, otherwise,cement may crack and leave u with a wobbly pole.

I'm sure i forget something, but i cant remember what i forgot.
post here with your questions.i answer,maybe even next day.

I speak perfect english, i am meely tired of typing too much.

of all the things i have lost during my lifetime , i miss my mind the most.


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## eernest4 (Oct 25, 2007)

sorry no pics, just imagine a 8x8 square stockade fence with 2 ft pitch roof and you got the idea.

How fancy of a stockade pannel you buy will determine how pretty the shed turns out.

i bought the cheapest pannels they had, and it still looks good.

It can also be painted ,if you wish & it will last longer because of the paint as well as looking 
even more pretty.

I dont have a wife , so i can leave it as ugly as i want.


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## velvetfoot (Oct 25, 2007)

"I dont have a wife , so i can leave it as ugly as i want. "

I hear ya there.


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## Wolves-Lower (Oct 26, 2007)

NY Soapstone said:
			
		

> I followed plans found on the net somewhere for a "rustic" shed - saved a lot of money on the beams/posts but it was def. a pain in the butt.  I also used 2nd grade cedar shingles instead of asphalt which ran me $60 or so; then about $100 in sheathing / tarpaper / 2x3 roof joists that I purchased.  Involved strapping the crossbeams to the posts and then raising the very heavy assembly with a cable hoisted through a tree.  However, I expect it to last a long time as the posts are fairly massive.  It holds about 4.5-5 cords and has survived a couple two foot snowstorms without any evidence of trouble.  If I did it again, I'd slope the roof a bit more.
> 
> I also set the posts on flagstones and the ends of the posts are sitting on tarpaper scraps.  I also spray the ends with an insect killer once a year to make sure the ends don't rot or get eaten.  After a couple of years, they look like the day I cut them - hopefully they'll last a long time as I don't want to do that again anytime soon.
> 
> ...



It looks like we followed the same plans!
Your right...it was a pain in the butt. You say if you did it again you would add more slope/pitch?
Mine hasn't seen snow yet, so I dont know????

What are the dimensions? Mine is 8X16. 7ft in front and 5 in back.


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## cbrodsky (Oct 26, 2007)

Wolves-Lower said:
			
		

> It looks like we followed the same plans!
> Your right...it was a pain in the butt. You say if you did it again you would add more slope/pitch?
> Mine hasn't seen snow yet, so I dont know????
> 
> What are the dimensions? Mine is 8X16. 7ft in front and 5 in back.



Yep, that is exactly the same plan!  Same dimensions too.  Mine was built on a slight slope - I think it's about 6 ft in back and 9 in front.  I've had at least one 2 ft+ snowstorm come through and it seemed to have no issues holding the weight - even when I pushed on it to try to rock it, it felt very solid.  Haven't had a crazy ice storm or extremely wet deep snow, but in that case, a little more slope probably wouldn't make a difference in shedding weight so I think it'll be fine for the long haul.

It looks like you did a much nicer job finding really straight posts/beams and cleaning them of bark.  I ended up cutting the straightest trees that I could find close by but the back one required some extra roof bracing as it wasn't all that straight.  And instead of boards on the side, I just used lots of limbs to diagonally cross-brace it all over the place.  When I first put it up, it wasn't terribly stable so I just kept adding braces to make it rock solid.  Friends of mine spent about $800 building a similar design out of PT lumber and asphalt shingles - using trees for posts/beams saved a lot of cash on mine.

How did you install the crossbeams and get them raised up?

-Colin


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## Wolves-Lower (Oct 26, 2007)

> How did you install the crossbeams and get them raised up?
> 
> -Colin



Yes, I did pick good stright beams and post. I live on a lake, and the island behind my house/cabin has standing dead trees-with bark already off.

On the front section (and rear for that matter) I made a jig in the driveway to simulate the posts the beams would be sitting on. This allowed me to level it, according to how much I would have to hew out the beams. Then I moved them to the site, and strapped it with metal strapping, and added two Barn pole nails to each beam and post. Then I just had friends come over, and with a person on each post we lifted it level.

I found the tricky part to be the roof. I would hew out a section for the rafter only to find I needed to build up elsewhere.

Here is what the intial frame looked like.


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## cbrodsky (Oct 26, 2007)

Wolves-Lower said:
			
		

> > How did you install the crossbeams and get them raised up?
> >
> > -Colin
> 
> ...



Yep - I had the same issue - I had to shim or chisel a few places to level out the rafters.

The other amusing part was my first metal strapping was terribly inadequate... got it lifted halfway and the legs collapsed, snapping the metal.  Got much beefier ones and then it was fine.

-Colin


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