Garden Sheds Archives

Deciding Between Plastic, Metal or Wooden Sheds? This Can Help

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 5:41 am  
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Cedar-shedThere are quite a few considerations to keep in mind if you are trying to decide between plastic, metal or wooden sheds. With the exception of cost, let’s look at three basic categories.

?Durability

Plastic and metal sheds are both durable products and last a long time. Exposure to heat can take its toll on plastic (vinyl) over time. Likewise, metal sheds can get blistering hot in warmer climates. Wooden sheds can be damaged if overexposed to sunlight and heat but if the wood is treated, this will help the shed last for years. All three types of materials can be painted which is a real plus.

One of the negative aspects of metal is that it can be dented pretty easily since the metal is thin. This doesn’t make for a pretty site if there are a few good sized dents in the walls of your shed. On the other hand, wooden sheds can be easily repaired if nicked or dented simply by filling in with wood filler and painting. Since wooden sheds are framed the same way that larger structures are, such as a house, they are quite sturdy and can handle extreme weather conditions.

Flexibility

imagesCA2CL5YOIt can definitely be overwhelming when you start to shop for sheds simply because there are so many choices. All of these shed types – whether they are metal, plastic or wood, come in many different styles and sizes. Perhaps the biggest advantage of using wood over the other two materials is that you are able to construct a custom shed from scratch.

You can purchase (for a minimal cost) and download shed plans online. There are literally hundreds of shed plans to choose from. If you have basic carpentry skills, this makes a great starting point. Building from plans gives you the extra freedom to alter it any way you need. So, if you need more space for your riding mower or quad, just add the extra to accommodate them.

Aesthetics

There really is no comparison when it comes to the appearance of wooden sheds. Particularly, if the shed is made from cedar, you can take advantage of its natural beauty by simply using a good quality stain or water sealer. You’ll want to place your shed in a spot where it is easily seen from your house as opposed to metal or plastic sheds that are better placed off to the side of the house or further away from view.

Timothy Corcoran has a long time interest in wooden sheds. You can find more info and resources at his web site devoted to these wonderful structures: BestWoodenSheds.com


How To Build A Wooden Shed In Just One Weekend

Monday, August 31st, 2009 at 8:07 am  
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Super-Shed-Free-Plans
Super-Shed-Free-Plans

If you have a lot of important “stuff” piling up in the corner of your garage, wouldn’t it be great to have a better place to store it? The solution – a wooden shed. And, the good news is it only takes two days to get it done (that’s assuming you have the materials purchased already from the local supply store.) Here is a quick overview:

Day 1 – A Solid Foundation and Framework

Site preparation is the first item on the list. Its OK if the site isn’t perfectly level as a slight downward pitch towards the back of the shed is optimum for water runoff. Make sure you now remove all large rocks and debris from the site where the shed will rest. Since this is only a one weekend project, instead of pouring a concrete floor, you will need to make a wood floor. If you really want or need a concrete foundation, allow a couple extra days for drying. Not only is a wood floor faster to build, it requires less skill, is less expensive and even portable. For this shed, rest the frame of the floor on cinder (or patio) blocks – making sure they are level.

Now, lets get started on the actual building. Once you have the first floor joist cut, use it as a template for the rest ” its way easier and faster. Here’s another tip, for strength, use deck screws instead of nails. A power drill makes screwing boards together very quick work. Once the frame of the floor is finished, make sure its square by measuring two corners diagonally, then the other two. The measurements should be the same. If not, take one of the corners with the longer measurement and adjust it by pushing in towards the opposing corner. Make small adjustments at a time. Nail on the plywood subfloor by staggering the boards (much like bricks). You don’t want four corners of four different pieces of plywood to end up in the middle of your shed.

Building the walls is pretty much the same process as building the skid for the floor. If you want any windows on the shed, frame them accordingly. To cover the sides, use T1-11 plywood. T1-11 has vertical grooves cut into it to give the appearance of tongue and groove siding but since it comes in sheets, the amount of time to put on the siding is cut way down. Take one of the wall frames and place the T1-11 on top (outside facing down). Use the same method to make the walls square that you used for the floor. Now nail the siding to the frame. If possible, buy, borrow or rent a router to use to trim the siding to the studs all the way around the walls. Once you have the walls put together, you can now attach them to the floor. Use temporary braces to hold the walls up until you have them screwed together. Make sure you use a level to plumb the walls (they should be perfectly vertical). This is a good place to stop for the day.

Day 2 – Roof, Door, Windows and Trim

Today, you’ll start off by building the trusses. Assemble all the pieces of the first truss by following the plans but don’t nail it together at this time. If all the pieces are fitting together correctly, use the pieces as templates for the rest of the trusses. You can now go back and screw (or nail) all the trusses together and attach each of the trusses to the top of the shed walls. Now you can cut and attach plywood sheeting for the roof. Next comes the installation of the asphalt shingles which is done exactly as they are on a house. Start by rolling down roofing felt. Place the first row on the bottom and overlap the rows as you work up to the top. Apply a second layer across the top ridge for extra strength. When you apply the shingles, make sure to offset the seams and work your way from the bottom to the top. Now all you have left is the ridge cap which is made by cutting down single shingles. Shingles are usually made with slits on the bottom half to look like three shingles on a single sheet. Overlap these single pieces of shingles to form the ridge cap.

You should use a door on your shed that is prefabricated which will save you a huge amount of time since all you need to do is attach it with hinges. You will want to finish off the door with trim.

There are a few details that have been passed over in this short article but the intent is to show you how possible and simple it is to build a wooden shed in the matter of only a couple of days.

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