Building a Storage Shed from Plans

If I had to do it again I would definitely build my shed from scratch!

While the prefab, all 'plastic' kit I purchased had a number of great advantages, at the time:

• Very fast assembly
• Zero maintenance
• Great size
• Reasonable price

I am disappointed in my purchase decision as I have discovered that it has some real weaknesses, particularly for northern climates:

• Snow loading has required me to augment the roof with a standard wood frame and single roof and to build external supports for that roof
• The plastic material does not stand up to rough usage - for instance in the cold the bottom of the shed doors have been chipped with a snow shovel.
• The security is flimsy

My Next Shed

For the next shed I will definitely get a plan that I like -- they are generally very reasonably priced under $30, purchase the building materials and build the shed myself. My experience building the cottage has shown me that the cost of the materials will come close to 'plastic' kit prices, but with the advantage of greater longevity and security.

Searching the Web for Shed Plans

In doing some preliminary search on the web I have found that there is a multitude of sites that offer shed plans, but very few have a great selection.  One site which has my interest is a site called My Shed Plans.

'My Shed Plans' has a library of over 12,000 plans.  I downloaded one that close to what I am looking for.  Here is a sneak peek at the sample shed plan I downloaded.

Get a $10 Discount on Shed Plans...
If you take this link to 'My Shed Plans' there is a $10 Discountt on the shed plans.



Related Posts:  
Reinforcing a Shed Roof

This fall I reinforced the shed roof with a couple sheets of plywood. It was a hastily done task as it was snowing at the time - I used some scrap lumber I had left over from the Cottage construction. But it was very necessary! ...

Lesson Learned: Buy Sheds Designed for Canadian Winters

The shed you see in the picture was purchased at Costco. Quite inexpensive for the size of the shed but it is totally unsuitable for the volume of snow we get in Canada. Manufactured in Israel - sold in Canada. ...

It's beautiful... Even with all the snow!
We did have to clear snow off the shed as it was feeling the pressure under the three feet of snow on it. We paused for a lunch break sitting on the tailgate of my Jimmy, waving at our neighbours as they passed by. ...
;-)

Another Shed: Adding a Garage

I added one of those vinyl garages to the suite of sheds up at the cottage.  While the immediate need was protection from the elements while refinishing my sailboat, I was thinking ahead for the power toys that will be inevitably arriving at the Cottage:  dirty bikes, ATVs, etc...

While the instructions strenuously suggest that assembling the structure is a 2-person project, I was able to complete almost the entire project myself although it would have been nice to have a second set of hands.  Where I really needed help was in the last step of adding the reinforcing bars at the very bottom of the walls of the garage.  These bars proved the tension to the walls and ultimately for the roof.  This last task cannot not be done single handed.

I purchased this garage from Canadian Tire, on sale (I never buy anything for full price).  The quality is great. and there were several different size models.  This model is the standard model that fits a standard size automobile bu there are other models smaller and/or wider. If you need one of these they tend to come on sale either in the Spring or late Summer.
;-)

Lesson Learned: Buy Sheds Designed for Canadian Winters

I learned a hard lesson about buying structures designed for Canadian winters!

The shed you see in the picture was purchased at Costco. Quite inexpensive for the size of the shed but it is totally unsuitable for the volume of snow we get in Canada. Manufactured in Israel - sold in Canada...

The problem is the snow load on the roof. We received and had over 4 feet of snow on the roof. It would have collapsed for sure if I have not strengthened it with a few pieces of plywood!

Actually the shed was well engineered - not just for Canadian snow!

;-)

Re-inforcing a Shed Roof

This fall I reinforced the shed roof with a couple sheets of plywood. It was a hastily done task as it was snowing at the time - I used some scrap lumber I had left over from the Cottage construction.
But it was very necessary! As you can see it is only the middle of December and already there is almost three feet of snow on the shed roof.
Last winter the shed roof almost collapsed under the weight of the snow. Plus it was damaged and leaked during the spring melt.
I quickly nailed two sheets of plywood to a centre board at the peak of the roof, and inserted a post inside the shed to provide additional support for the centre beam.
So far it looks like the quick & dirty fix is working. Next Spring/summer I intend to remove this quick fix and build a 'real' roof with a solid structure and shingles. But for now this will keep the contents safe for the winter.
Coming Up:
This weekend we are painting - both Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully we will be able to get two coats on both the ceiling and the walls on the main floor.
Related Posts:

Cottage on the Edge: Snow, Snow, and more Snow - Dec 18, 2008

Snow & Winter has arrived! - Dec 02, 2008

Snow and the impact on Cottage Construction - Nov 29, 2008

;-)