Build a Garden Shed Base or Platform! Tips to Consider

Build a Garden Shed Base or Platform! Tips to Consider

All garden sheds need a base or foundation for the structure to rest upon.  Shed kits using steel, vinyl or wood do not include a base.  Therefore, a garden shed base or foundation must be built before you begin to assemble the shed.  If you make your own garden shed plans or purchase them, you must do so before you decide to build the base.

The kind of base you choose to make may depend on (a) land form, level or sloping area, (b) type of soil, sand or solid clay, including drainage, (c) weather conditions such as very dry, heavy rainfall, severe frost or high winds, and (d) size of structure, large or small.

A foundation made of poured concrete or cement blocks to form a wall under the perimeter of the shed might be your best choice for a large building or areas subject to poor drainage and severe weather conditions.  The floor area can be left as dirt or made of poured concrete or wood after the structure is built.  The building suppliers can give you all the information as well as materials needed to build a concrete or a cement block foundation wall.

For a smaller garden shed and where the area is quite level, a slab of poured concrete on several inches of gravel or crushed stone makes a very solid and durable base.  A building anchored to this base can withstand extreme weather conditions.  Furthermore, it provides a smooth and solid floor area for storage and work space.

A simple base can be made by laying cement or sidewalk slabs on several inches of gravel to form the perimeter of the shed.  On top of the slabs, build a framework of treated 2"x6" lumber and nail sheets of waterproof 5/8" or 3/4" plywood on top of the framework.  This is ideal if you prefer a wooden floor.  In high windy locations the base should be anchored to the ground with heavy stakes or steel rebars.

Remember, choosing a garden shed base is part of the planning process, whether you plan to purchase a garden shed kit or build a garden shed from scratch.  Building suppliers are quite eager to help you to decide on the best building plans.  There is also a good deal of information on the internet. 


Visit http://shedplansandprojects.com to see a huge assortment of sheds and garden shed plans.  See a video of a shed being built.  Choose the best garden shed  building plans.


Build a Garden Shed Base or Platform! Tips to Consider

Design Your Own Garden Shed Plans! Five Tips to Consider

Design Your Own Garden Shed Plans! Five Tips to Consider

Building your own garden shed requires a set of detailed plans and procedures. During the planning process you should examine some of the many garden shed plans available at building supply stores and on the internet. Compare these plans with your own designs and interests. By following these five tips you you should be able to develop your own detailed plans to build the shed exactly the way you want it.

1. Picture in your mind the garden shed that would look best in your back yard with all the features to meet your needs. Look at pictures of different sheds as well as actual sheds in various neighborhoods in your town or city and make a mental note of each.

2. Examine different sheds at building supply stores such as Home Depot or Lowes. Take note of the design of each, their door entry features and their interior size. Look at the prices of each and think how much you could save by building a garden shed yourself and according to your own specifications. Consider also how large you could build it to stay within building regulations.

3. With tape measure in hand note the measurements of various details such as interior length and width, distance between studs and rafters, height of walls, size of door opening and pitch of roof, just to name a few. These measurements can aid you in making your own changes and design plans.

4. Take note of the material used in the garden sheds on display and decide on what improvements you could make. Look at the quality of lumber, sheeting and roofing they used. Remember, to keep the price low, the builders often use lower quality or grade of materials.

5. Make a scale drawing of the kind of shed you would like to build, such as one inch equals one foot. Then make a scale drawing of all the different parts of the shed, such as walls including stud spacing and headers, front wall with door opening, roof parts with rafter spacing, soffit and fascia, and corner moldings. Also make a list of all nails, screws and other fasteners.

Since there are numerous garden shed plans on the market and some at a very reasonable cost, you may want to examine them and decide what parts you could use to make your own plans. Making your own detailed plans by following these five tips can give you the confidence needed to do a professional job building a garden shed.

Visit http://marbuckshedplans.com  for more information on how to build a garden shed with detailed plans.


Design Your Own Garden Shed Plans! Five Tips to Consider

How Large to Build a Garden Shed! Five Tips to Consider

How Large to Build a Garden Shed! Five Tips to Consider

At the beginning of your planning process to build that ideal garden shed, you need to determine how large to construct it.  A short answer might be; Build it big enough.  If it is too small, it can get too crowded or cluttered to find things and if it is too large, the shed may look out of place in your yard.

These five things could be considered as part of the planning process.

1.  Consult building codes if they apply;  Some cities require a building permit for any structure added to your back yard or property, while others require a permit only if the structure is larger than a certain size area such as, nine square meters.  You may be subject to a penalty if codes or regulations are exceeded.

2.  What you plan to store in the shed;  You will want to build the garden shed large enough to store children outdoor toys, garden tools and equipment, and possibly a barbecue and snow blower.  To access these items easily, you need sufficient room.

3.  Workshop space;  If you can build the garden shed yourself, you should be handy enough to do small repair jobs or small building projects that you dont want to do in the house or garage.  Therefore, you can keep the dust and paint smell out of the house.

4.  The size of shed that looks good in your yard;  Friends and neighbors will see the garden shed you built.  Therefore, the size of yard, location of trees and size of vegetable garden space need to be considered so that the shed will fit in the yard neatly and not look over crowded.  If you have a large back yard, a large structure might not look out of place.

5.  The cost;  If you have limited funds, you may want to consider building a smaller shed to save money, or design it so that an attractive addition could be added a few years later.  Items such as windows, vinyl siding or electricity from the house can also be added later as needed.  You might also consider buying good surplus materials or items on sale.

While making your initial plans to build a garden shed, these five considerations can guide you with the planning process.  Discuss these suggestions with the people at the building supplier service desk.  With their experience and suggestions you should come up with a perfect plan to build that shed.

Visit http://marbuckshedplans.com to discover a huge selection of plans, information and procedures on building a garden shed.


How Large to Build a Garden Shed! Five Tips to Consider