Shed ???

[rmousir]

Hi,

Not sure this is the right section or not but I wanted to ask.

I need a shed. I can't see paying $900 for a wooden one from HomeDepot so I have been looking at the $280 metal shed. I figure with a floor kit and some bricks to raise it up I can do it for about $350.

Another thought was to just buy the lumber and build one my self but I haven't been able to find any plans or a list of materials. Then ones I do find, I have to buy the blue prints. Not crazy about that since I am a major cheap ***.

Any one with a 10x8 metal shed? Reviews? Comments?

Any one with a 10x8 wood blue prints and materials list?

Any suggestions or comments is greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much.

 

[LEVE]

I used two Arrow 10'X9' sheds (Sold by Sears) before I was able to build my garage.

They were in place for over 6 years. They held up to the wost winters in history in our area. IIRC, I paid about $200 for each shed and put a 2"X10" - 3/4" plywood foundation/floor under each one. They were up off the ground a couple of inches place on concrete blocks. I built the floor with "Skids" that I could attach tow straps to. That way I could move the sheds if needed. I did move them, twice prior to building the garage.

I was very pleased with them and how they held up.

 

[chevelle64]

I agree with LEVE and I've had mine for 7 years now. The only downfall that I can think of is the lack of headroom inside the shed. I'm 5'11" and I need to duck to get into the shed, and once inside I cannot stand up straight. They are good for the money and will keep things dry, but I don't think I would ever own another one based on headroom. Plus you really can't hang things on the walls like you can with 2x4 studded walls. I vote for a wood shed . Good luck.

 

[RPH]

Check this site for plans,most are designs from the depression era. The goverment was trying to help people back then, not sure if their still doing that part yet.
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/index.htm

 

[Cargo]

Here is a shed thread. There may be some stuff in there you can use.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65217

 

[onewaydave]

You can build a wood shed for much less than buying one retail. Your labor. Go to a construction site and look at stick framing, go to HD and look at how they build theirs. It isn't all that hard and exact plans aren't necessary. The tin ones have the above short comings. You could build knee walls 2' high and assemble the tin one on top of that.

Libraries should have tons of books on shed plans and how-tos.

Once you've decided on demensions, lay out and frame the floor. Using a fat crayon marker, draw out the wall/roof shape and use that to build them. ie a template. It helps if you choose demensions that take advantage of 4x8 sheets of ply. Making your own plans also allows you to customize, ie taller for a loft or whatever.

Oh, and a digital camera so we can watch.

Dave.

 

[aqr81]

You can build a wood shed for much less than buying one retail. Your labor. Go to a construction site and look at stick framing, go to HD and look at how they build theirs. It isn't all that hard and exact plans aren't necessary. The tin ones have the above short comings. You could build knee walls 2' high and assemble the tin one on top of that.

Libraries should have tons of books on shed plans and how-tos.

Once you've decided on demensions, lay out and frame the floor. Using a fat crayon marker, draw out the wall/roof shape and use that to build them. ie a template. It helps if you choose demensions that take advantage of 4x8 sheets of ply. Making your own plans also allows you to customize, ie taller for a loft or whatever.

Oh, and a digital camera so we can watch.

Dave.

to Dave's post.

Arrow sheds are reasonably priced temporary storage. Quick and easy but I found mine to be disappointing. I tossed mine out after about 5 years and built a wooden shed. I had that shed for about 7 years until I recently sold it and it was as good as it was on year one. Just build your own; you'll end up with exactly what you want and will last far longer.

 

[Torque1st]

I have an 8x10' metal shed and I would never buy another one.

They are a major PITA to assemble. Metal sheds will stand up to static snow loads fairly well but they are very fragile. Any sudden load such as a small tree branch will damage them severely, especially added to a snow load. The doors bend easily and straightening them is impossible. I added some wood 2x4's to the inside so that I could add shelves and hang tools. There just is no decent structure in a metal shed. They cannot be repaired like a wood shed.

Build your own wood shed. Buy a general construction book at the box store and go to it.

 

[cheap bastard]

I have had 3 metal sheds, and 3 wooden ones in thirty years. The best metal shed was a gable roof 10X14. It cost about $350 in 2003. I didn't have a head clearance issue once inside. The door was still too short. It was on a 2X8 joist 3/4 plywood decked floor. It was a weekend project for my kids and I. It was tricky to assemble with young-uns, but they learned some new skills. It worked well but now looks shabby when I go by the old place.
The shed I build here will be wood.

 

[Red Green]

I have an 8x10' metal shed and I would never buy another one.

They are a major PITA to assemble. Metal sheds will stand up to static snow loads fairly well but they are very fragile. Any sudden load such as a small tree branch will damage them severely, especially added to a snow load. The doors bend easily and straightening them is impossible. I added some wood 2x4's to the inside so that I could add shelves and hang tools. There just is no decent structure in a metal shed. They cannot be repaired like a wood shed.

Build your own wood shed. Buy a general construction book at the box store and go to it.

I feel the same way I have a 10x10 from Sears and I would never assemble another metal shed. I would build a wood one buying the individual components from the local lumber yard or big box store before a metal kit.

 

[shakamanno]

Hello, here is a shed thread.
http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/shed-building-plans-9-x-13-ft
Hope this helps.

 

[shakamanno]

Here is a shed thread, maybe this will help.
http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/shed-building-plans-9-x-13-ft

 

[JHunter]

I was in a similar situation - needing a shed, balked at the price at the box stores and felt I could do it cheaper on my own. I drew up some plans myself - not hard at all really - I wanted a 8 foot wide, 12 foot deep shed, so from there it was easy to figure out - 3 sheets of plywood for the floor equals a minimum of 3 joists (I used 7), and I did 8 foot studs 16"OC. That meant 3 sheets of 4x8 sheeting per side, 3 per back/front wall due to the pitch. Anyway, it was easy to figure out based on the basic building blocks of a sheet of plywood and common stud configuration.
However, I totally underestimated the cost. By the time I added in roofing felt, shingles, nails, paint and more lumber for the roof than I originally estimated, my bill was more than what I could have had one built for on site by Lowes.

Sorry for so many pictures - I just found my power point 'blueprints' in the recycle bin:

I built pretty close to how my plans were - some things had to be adjusted as I went along, but thats why I'm not a contractor I suppose

 

[PurdueSD]

^ Your shed is built a lot better than the ones the sell at lowes. It looks better too, so dont feel bad!

 

[kornjulio]

I've done a couple of stick-built sheds. 10x16 & 12x14. Both had concrete pads, 8' 2x4 walls, vinyl siding and painted trim. You cannot build this type of shed for $900, but they are nice man-caves & will be around for a long time.

As for canned plans, you don't need them. Build it like you'd build a house - there's enough info on the net to get you there.

 

[jeffk14]

I've done a couple of stick-built sheds. 10x16 & 12x14. Both had concrete pads, 8' 2x4 walls, vinyl siding and painted trim. You cannot build this type of shed for $900, but they are nice man-caves & will be around for a long time.

As for canned plans, you don't need them. Build it like you'd build a house - there's enough info on the net to get you there.

What he said. I stick-built built my 12 X 16 with big doors on each end, two windows and a ramp back in 2001 for around $1500. It's better than a store-bought shed and was cheaper too. BTW kornjulio, I like the BFL avatar.

 

[R6 Racer]

I like JHunter's shed! And his plans will help you a lot! Yes he did spend more than he would have if he had one built on site for him by Lowes but he ended up with a way better shed by doing it the way he did!
My vote, do one like his... it will last a lifetime!

Great job JHunter!

 

[JHunter]

Thanks guys - it was certainly a labor of love - took a bit longer than I planned, but I'd just moved to Louisiana and the record temps and humidity was slowing me down a bit.

 

[srmofo]

I had an arrow shed for several years before I built my shop. This one to be exact.
http://www.bettymills.com/shop/product/view/Arrow Sheds/ARRVS1014.html?referer=search
Once I got the shop under roof I gave it to a friend. We lifted it up, attached 2x4s as a support and brace then placed it on a trailer and screwed the 2x4s into the trailer deck. Through a couple of straps over the top just in case. I drove about 5 miles to his house and unloaded it. I told him he should probably anchor it since its now sitting in the open and 4 guys picked it up with little effort. Within a month we had a freak wind storm come through, lift the shed about 20 feet straight up and then drop it right on its face. It could of been salvaged but it would have never looked good again as most of the metal was creased or crinkled.

That thing sat in my yard against my old shack of a garage for 5 years and even survived through hurricane ike 2 years ago without budging a bit. But Im in the middle of suburbia and he lives in the country.

Moral of the story: make sure to have the shed anchored to the ground.

 

[babzog]

Sheds are easy to build and are super forgiving of builder mistakes (such as your excavator smooshing your batterboards so you're trying to do the layout squareup again as best you can with a backhoe in the way and him not wanting to walk back and forth with the tape measure too many times.... so your building ends up 6" out of square....). Mine was a 12x16 parallelogram with a simple shed roof (one plane).

Here's a good site with a shed plan (go up one level for tons of plans you can modify to suit your needs).

 

[65cayne]

However, I totally underestimated the cost. By the time I added in roofing felt, shingles, nails, paint and more lumber for the roof than I originally estimated, my bill was more than what I could have had one built for on site by Lowes.

I cant see your pictures, but when I did mine, it came out a little more than 1/2 the cost of a similar sized "big box store" wooden shed.

Even though you did not have a similar experience, like the other gentleman said earlier, is it most likely much nicer than what is sold in kit form. Plus you took it from concept (paper) to reality. That in itself is priceless.

 

[Lippyp]

I built a mini pole barn with a single pitched roof as a log store, didn't add up the cost but it was pretty cheap, because its a wood store the front is half open for air circulation and it just has a gravel floor so add concrete and close the front in and the price would go up but boy is it sturdy, all my constructions are engineered to withstand a close nuclear blast, a habit inherited from my dad (who funnily enough did design nuclear weapons for a living!)

 

[Falcon67]

I have a 10x12 Arrow for storing "stuff" including the mower. Mostly car junk in there, really. It's held up to one 400 mile move and is about 15 years old now. The roof is on it's way out - pretty rusty- but I will probably just cover it with corrugated tin on a couple of treated wood purlins and call it a good fix. I used the Arrow base and covered it with treated plywood. When we moved here, I set the corners of the base in concrete to keep it in place. We get lots of wind here.

 

[NUTTSGT]

I'm going to build a shed off the back of my garage. I'd rather have it bigger but size was dictated but back corner of the garage. I poured the floor the other day when I poured a new floor for the garage.
It'll about 5x9, small but the log splitter, yard wagon(on end), and the push mower should all fit, along with the shovels and rake stuff.

 

[Jack Olsen]

That's the nice thing about building your own -- you can fit it into whatever space you've got. Mine filled in some extra space in the driveway.

 

[Stephenw]

Here is a construction guide...

Construction Guide

Plans for a 10x8...

10x8 Plans

 

[drmoonshine]

That's the nice thing about building your own -- you can fit it into whatever space you've got. Mine filled in some extra space in the driveway.

I love your shed because it such a great example of doing it yourself. You fit it to your needs. Once my workshop is finished I may do something like this for my dog house and the trash cans.

 

[onewaydave]

Years ago, my step dad acquired a 8x8 or so metal shed. He talked me into going to get it. It was in another town about 40 miles away. So, he hooked up a trailer to his caddy and grabbed some screw drivers and away we went.

When we got there the gate to the yard it was in was locked, and nobody was home (actuall the house was empty and if there were keys they were in Mom's office back home). I climed over the fence and tried to disassemble the monster. Even though this was west Texas, every screw/nut was rusted tight and we didn't bring any pliers to back up the screws, or WD-40 which hadden't been invented at the time.

Between the 2 of us, me about 24 and him in his late 50's, we got that shed over the fence and on the trailer. He threw a rope over the shed and off we went. He never drove under 70, in town or on the highway. A couple of miles out of town, the rope slipped and away the shed flew. I was for just going on home but not stepdad. He went back for what looked now like a crumpled up piece of tin foil. Loaded it backl on the trailer and got it home. He straightened it out (kind of) and used it for several years. The people who bought the house must have wondered how that shed came to be all wrinkled.

Dave.

 

[472scout]

Just curious - I know it depends on the local laws, but when do permits and property tax normally come into play?