4 Rules You Must Follow When Building Your Shed
Outdoor Storage Shed Plans - 4 Rules You Must Follow When Building Your Shed
Log Shed
An outdoor storage shed may be the perfect solution to storage problems in the home. They are also more convenient and secure than other options, especially if you own expensive gardening or landscaping equipment that must be locked away. The only real question, of course, is whether you should build a storage shed or simply purchase a prefabricated unit?
As you might expect, this will depend on whether or not you have completed large projects in the past. For people who are not handy and have difficulties assembling a chest of drawers from IKEA, we suggest that you simply purchase a prefabricated unit. But for those who consider themselves handymen and who want to save a little money and build a shed that meets their own specifications, outdoor storage shed plans may be a good idea.
These plans can be found on the internet either for free or a nominal fee. We suggest that you actually invest in plans that cost a few dollars, since they are often easier to follow than the free plans.
In the rest of this article we are going to focus on some general tips and advice for people who are interested in outdoor storage shed plans. While we will not be taking you through the entire process, step-by-step, we will begin at the beginning.
1. The foundation is obviously the most important part of any structure. When it comes to sheds, they can often be supported by a simple base that consists of either concrete blocks or pressure-treated timber, commonly called skids. Depending on the size of the shed, they must be placed close enough to support the weight of the shed.
2. As far as the land or ground goes, you should never build a new shed on land that is wet or is prone to excessive rainfall or runoff. This will obviously cause the shed to sink over time and no foundation, no matter how solid, will be able to prevent this if the ground is not solid or firm. In a dry environment, a shed may also be subject to the effects of erosion, which is not nearly as serious, but should still be considered.
3 Lastly, you will want to make certain that the timber or skids you use are rated for ground contact, which means that they can be buried. Wood that is designed for above ground use may not be appropriate for this kind of project and it may begin to warp or decay after only a few months of use, at which time you may have to perform repairs.
4. Another important concern when it comes to outdoor storage shed plans is air circulation. As you probably know, water is woods mortal enemy. And no matter what kind of wood you use, over time, moisture can seep in, rot the framing and warp the doors and floors. Mold and mildew are also quite common and can and will ruin all of your hard work if ignored.
The easiest thing you can do to ensure that your shed does not fall victim to the ravages of moisture is to make certain that you build the shed at least six inches above the ground.
So, sounds easy, or does it? Yea, you have to know what grade of lumber to use, what tools to use and when to use them.... Tell you what, spare a moment of your time and visit http://www.manandshed.com and you will be guided step by step through the entire process of building your own outdoor shed, following your own set of downloadable Outdoor Storage Shed Plans
Steve Adams is a woodworking enthusiast and enjoys sharing resources that he has found useful. In doing so he has created relationships with certain experts and in recommending their products may receive compensation for doing so.
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