Garden Sheds

Call the boys! We’re building a shed.

Deciding on the Size you Need

But before you get the boys in, you need to decide what size shed you need. 
What are you going to use your shed for – garden equipment, sports equipment, general storage or do you need to have a work bench? The actual size of items can be deceiving, so grab them all out of their current spot and lay them out in the yard to get a better idea of how much space you are going to need. Remember some of it can be hung from hooks around the walls.

Once you’ve worked out the size, add a bit more – once you have your shed up you’ll find lots more to put in it.

Planning Your Shed Layout

Things that you need often need to be easily accessible, so have a think about the location of the door in relation to the storage areas. You don’t want to have a space for your lawn mower on one wall but the door at the other end of the shed. The actual placement of the shed in your yard will also affect where the door will be.

Shed Location

Do not build your shed in a low area of the yard as it will flood when it rains. Check with the council to find out if there are any regulations about the size of shed allowed and any restrictions on location in relation to fences and boundaries. Make sure you will be able to get around it to mow or trim weeds.

Calling in the Boys
Once you know what size shed you need and get it home organise a boys weekend. You’re going to need a lot of food and plenty of liquid refreshments. Just make sure those drinks are non-alcoholic until quite late in the work day – otherwise it could cost you a small fortune in food and beer, especially if you’re making it a two day job with the slab one day one, and shed erection on day two! If you start on the beer too early, getting the shed up might take more than two days.

Step by Step Instructions

Your shed kit will have detailed instructions – read them. Make sure you have all the parts before you start.

1.  Prepare the area and pour the foundation, based on the size of your shed. IMPORTANT! It must be square and level.  This is the most important part of the project. If your base is not level, everything will be a drama.
2. Build all of the walls carefully following the instructions supplied with your kit.
3. Build the door and fix to the panel that you have chosen for your door location.
4. Build the roof.
5. Stand up the walls on your slab in their correct position.
6. Add the roof to your shed.
7. Anchor the shed to the concrete slab.
8. Open the bar!

You still need to add some shelving and hooks but that’s a job for another weekend.