concrete pad

I began by digging the footers 1' deep all the way around. I saved money by calling a local concrete company that delivered my concrete before they headed off to another job. Lots of companies will charge you a small load fee. However, if you're flexible, they'll drop it off to you for free if you're willing to come home at a moment's notice. I was on vacation and it worked out great.

Framing the walls

I built the walls using pressure treated 2 x 4's on the bottom. They are secured with 2 1/2" nails by using a .22 caliber power hammer. I doubled up the studs on the corners and spaced each at 2' instead of the standard 16". This not only saves money by using less lumber, it cuts down on the work load. 2' spacing on a shed this size will not hurt your structural stability at all.

roofing

Here's where I learned a valuable lesson. I did one side of the trusses first. I cut grooves into a 1 x 8 12' board and inserted another 1 x 8 vertically into the groove. This allowed me to bring up my trusses one at a time and nail them into place. This is not easy when you're alone! Here's what I recommend: build the trusses on the ground. Connect both sides by cutting a piece of 1/2" plywood into triangles and screw them into the tops of the trusses. This will ensure when you bring them up, they'll all line up. I spent an extra day on the roof by doing it the hard way. Lesson learned.

roof

The roofing wasn't bad. After I managed to get the plywood up and nailed down, I began the shingling. Please spend the extra money for a roll of tar paper. It will definitely pay off in the end. This roof only used 4 bundles of shingles. I bought onyx as it matches my house color. Shingles are relatively inexpensive. It's not hard either. Ensure you start on the bottom with the first row upside down. Then go over the first row the "right" way. This makes sure it doesn't leak on the bottoms. Pay attention to the way you lay the first row and stick to the succeeding rows in a pattern. Otherwise your roof will look funky.

The doors/walls

It's about time I mentioned what the walls are made of! I used texture 111. This is great because it looks nice and it's easy to work with. Also, I plan on staining the walls with an oil based stain which will last longer than paint as the wood will absorb the stain and the likelihood of chipping and repainting is dramatically reduced. If you want a nice red colored shed, you can paint T111 easily as well. Keep in mind that If you live in a harsh weather environment, you'll be scraping and painting more frequently. I live in Maine so stain was my only option as far as I'm concerned.

I made the door from pine 1 x 8 tongue and groove. By far the easiest job yet. If you've never used tongue and groove, do it! It's super easy and it takes me back to my Lego days! They snap right into one another. Be careful to inspect your load before you begin. Sometimes there are knots or holes in the boards and even damaged grooves. I made one return with a board which really slowed me down. I bought two extra though so that wouldn't happen again!

I'm not completely thrilled with how I hung the door. I plan on looking at it again in the future. I bought a couple different hinges but everytime I put them on it seemed as though the gaps got bigger. There are some standard hinges on the exterior now which I covered with a 1 x 3. I will admit it looks ridiculous and I plan on fixing it.

Cost and other points of interest.

This entire project was in the ballpark of $1200 to build. This includes the concrete, nails, flashing, and other goods.

You can buy prefabricated storage sheds at local hardware stores and save money and time. However, note that they DO NOT come with pressure treated lumber and they generally are poorly constructed.

If you're looking for a project to get your hands dirty, think about building a storage shed.

Another point of interest, go to your local town office or building department to obtain a permit. You don't want to work hard and spend money on something that could possibly get you into trouble. It only took five minutes to get and it was $50.00 at my town office.

TADA!

I'm 95% complete now. I will cover the trusses and stain this coming weekend.