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[B931]Build A Garden Shed

by Dan Lazaj, Dan

If you will be buying the material needed, and building it yourself, here is a quick overview in the steps required for such a project.

Begin by finding out any requirements or permits that will be required. Visit or contact your building department for building information and requirements in your area. Zoning laws can govern the size and or setbacks from buildings, fences, or property lines. You will also want to avoid building on top of any utility lines.

Once you now what you are allowed to build, you can begin by selecting the design that you want. Choosing a design to blend with your home or landscape will be ideal. Having plans is crucial for achieving good results. You can purchase or draw out your own plans. Studying how to build a shed books are a great resource for ideas.

Now that you have your plans, and have a good understanding of the building process you will need to choose the location. When choosing the location be aware of zoning laws and underground utility lines.
Choose your location carefully to avoid problems in the future.

The first step will be building a foundation. The most common are concrete and wooden skid foundations. A concrete will be permanent, unlike a skid. A skid foundation will allow you to move your shed, depending on its size. Begin by cleaning and leveling out the area to start building the foundation of your choice.

Next frame the walls according to the plans. In most cases you can install the siding to the wall frame while it is still on the floor. Installing the siding before you raise the wall will make installing the siding faster and easier.

Now that the walls are up, next step is building the roof truss. Build the roof truss according to the plans and install. Once the truss are installed and nailed, you can install the roof decking.

Installing the door, windows, trim, and shingles will be the last step. Painting or staining, and adding shingles to match and blend with your home will make the appearance pleasing.

If you have the time, skills, and patience, building your own shed is possible for most do it yourselfers. If you are handy with tools, and can follow plans, you can build your own shed, even if you have never done this before.

Another option will be buying a garden shed kit. A prefabricated kit will be simple to build from scratch, and it is the most preferred method. Common household tools will be needed to put these kits together. When choosing a kit do your homework to get the best one that will meet your needs. Look for quality, appearance, and the warranty it carries. If you have the patience and skills, you can buy the material and build your own garden shed that will outlast most of these kits.

When spring arrives, many people start to think about their garden and what they plan to plant in the coming year. Obviously you're going to need tools and some equipment, even for the most basic of gardens, in which case you also need a place to store them. The most ideal solution is of course a garden shed.

Choosing a garden shed

A shed needn't be an elaborate structure unless you have the space to accommodate it. If you do then you can choose from hundreds of different styles of garden shed, in fact your shed can be an attractive feature in your garden blending in very well with the rest of the surroundings.

Even in a small town house garden, you should still be able to find a space to position a small wooden garden shed just large enough to store a few small tools, pots and some compost. Again, there are many variations and styles available.

One thing that you shouldn't overlook is the size of your shed in relation to the size of the space you have available. Measure everything up beforehand. A garden shed can look a lot smaller in the showroom than it does when it arrives in your backyard. There would be nothing worse than finding out too late that the garden shed you chose is not suitable for your garden.

Where to position a garden shed

When deciding where to position your shed you need to make sure there is enough distance from hedges, fences, flower beds, washing lines etc. to allow easy access all the way round. This makes it easier not only to erect the shed but also to carry out any maintenance work on it.

You also have to consider the position of the sun when choosing where to place your garden shed as you don't want to cast shade on your prize plants that need full sun to thrive.

Do you need access to water? If you don't have an outside water tap then you might want to position your shed nearer the house.

Generally, garden sheds are classed as portable buildings so you don't need any planning permission, however, if your garden shed is particularly large or you live in a conservation area then you might want to check with your local planning department to make sure you comply with current legislation. For example, it could be that you need to place it a certain distance from the house.

Erecting a garden shed

When erecting your garden shed you need to make sure amongst other things that you have a flat base on which to base it and that there are no wires or cables underneath. If you enjoy a bit of DIY then you could quite easily erect your garden shed yourself. However, if you don't have the expertise or the inclination then some garden shed companies will arrange for your shed to be erected for you. Shop around.

Article Source : Pg. 18

About Author

Both Dan Lazaj & Jamie Simpson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Dan Lazaj has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Build Online Business and Gardening. For more information and garden shed plans, visit my site. I have free plans, from building a bird house, to