Plan Carefully Before Building Your Own Shed

An outdoor shed can add beauty and needed storage for gardening tools and seasonal supplies. If you are handy with tools there are hundreds of plans to choose from with detailed building directions. Sheds large enough for riding mowers or attractive potting sheds can make your yard come alive in styles that correspond with the natural environment.

You can find hundreds of cheap or free shed plans online for building your own shed. But by planning ahead before you even order your plans can save you time and money. Gathering the necessary tools and supplies needed to perform the job should be a priority. Pricing materials that you want may come on sale or after looking at the new options in building materials today you may change your mind completely. For instance, cedar wood may be a dream of yours but after figuring the pricing and seeing the cedar-look available in other forms, you could quickly change your mind.

The overall design and proportionate properties also need to be measured against the distance of a home and other existing out buildings. Without proper placement, your brand new shed could appear odd and out of place. Take time to stake off the area where you are planning on building your new shed. Will the building be blocking any walkways or the view from a home window?

Scale down your measurements and transfer to paper along with other buildings and distances on your property. Consider the placement and height compared to buildings, shrubs and trees to make sure that your plan is symmetric and will flow easily. An open grassy area may seem the perfect spot to build a large, attractive shed with an attached porch but find out if there is a reason why nothing has been previously placed in this spot. Underground cables or septic tiles could be running under the ground. This would not be a fact to discover after your building has been permanently set.

Low-lying areas are another point to consider. Piling the dirt on may not be enough if your soil is sitting on a marshy patch. Have your soil checked to see what steps need to be taken to prevent a sinkhole. It may be impossible to build on this spot and better to find out before your shed begins to sink into the ground. An open grassy area may seem the perfect spot to build a large, attractive shed with an attached porch but find out if there is a reason why nothing has been previously placed in this spot. Underground cables or septic tiles could be running under the ground. This would not be a fact to discover after your building has been permanently set.

Make a list of your building options and potential problems that may occur. Building your own shed or as a family project can be rewarding or turn into a disaster. With proper planning your new shed will look great for many years.

DIY Resources:

Teds Woodworking
Created by Ted McGrath, "Teds Woodworking" is one of the most popular woodworking plans and projects packages online today.
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Furniture Craft Plans
Over 9,000 premium woodworking furniture and craft plans that you can easily follow at home.
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Home Made Power Plant
There are some other guides for DIY wind and solar generators, but all of those that I've read don't get into the same details.
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My Boat Plans
My Boat Plans is a comprehensive collection of 518 boat plans, 40 videos and about 500 pages of boat building guides.
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Chickens 4 Wealth
Absolutely everything you need to know to get started with backyard chickens and produce your own eggs.
More info here