Most houses simply don't have enough storage area, especially outside for Dad's stuff, like tools and building materials. If you are a home handyman you will have a fair collection of tools and a range of left over building materials from the last few jobs. Can't throw this stuff out because we are definitely going to need it one day. Besides, it pays to keep a selection of bits and pieces on hand to save running down to the hardware for every little job. What we need is a purpose built storage come work area just for us.
We are already handy so this is going to be a breeze. First make sure we have the approval of the local authorities to start building and determine where we are going to put our new workshop. Be mindful of the regulations regarding set backs from the back and side boundaries. Once all that preliminary stuff is out of the way and we have decided on the size, it is time to get to it. When we set out for the concrete floor, work out the sheet sizes of whatever we are going use for outside lining. These will probably be 8'x4' and design the size to suit. That way we don't waste any.
Box out the outside of the shed with 2"x4" and peg securely into place making sure it is all level. You can utilize the garden hose with a piece of clear pipe in each end and filled with water to give accurate levels. Inside this boxing dig a trench in the ground right round the outside about 1' deep and 2' wide. Use the dirt inside if you need to fill any holes to get the area an even 4" deep. Lay some sheet reinforcement and tie the joins together and you are ready for concrete. Have the concrete delivered the next day and invite a couple of mates over for a BBQ to help you lay it. That is Saturday and Sunday of the first weekend done.
Make sure all the rest of the materials are delivered before the next weekend because you are going to be busy. Up early Saturday and into it. Select the plates from your lumber usually 2"x4" or 1 1/2"x3" and lay them round the outside edge. Once you have cut them right round do the same again with another plate on top of the first one and roughly the same length. Then you can set out your stud spacings on these plates. Start at the corner and put a mark every 2'. Make sure you put one exactly where the 4' sheet will join. Mark the studs for your door and any window as well and square the marks down over the two plates so you have two plates that exactly match. Then each pair of plates roll over on to their edge and move apart and lay the studs in between on each mark. You will have all the studs cut to length before you start. Then you just nail the studs together through the two plates and you have a wall.
Use a long tape to measure from corner to corner and push and pull until that wall is exactly square and tack a diagonal brace at about 45 degrees to hold it square. If that is the steel brace you will need to run your power saw across each stud at the mark at the depth of the brace. Only tack this at this stage in case we need to adjust slightly later on. Stand this frame now and hold upright with a temporary brace out to a peg in the lawn. Go round and do the same with all the pairs of plates and you have a frame standing. The plates at the top are held together by a metal fastener and on the bottom just nailed together. Before this stage we need to decide what do with our roof. The quickest way is the make one side a bit shorter so we can just lay rafters across and have a skillion roof. We will need to make our two end walls on an angle and cut each stud separately as it will go from 8' high one end to say, 7'6" the other.
Go round and add extra studs to the corners, plumb and straighten the walls and nail off the bracing. Then add your rafters. Just lay these across your frame and they will need to be at least 2'x4' or bigger depending on the width of your shed. A good guide is half the span and add 2 so if you have a 12 wide shed half that which is 6 and add 2 which makes it 8 so you will need an 2'x8' rafter for that span. That will be strong enough later to hang stuff off in your shed. These rafters only need to be 3' apart and just nail them to the top plate. If you want an over hang on either side or both allow this in the length of your rafter. On top of the rafter you will need roof battens to fasten your iron to. These will need to be about 30" apart and fastened securely. Some diagonal metal roof bracing strips from corner to corner so you have a cross shape on your roof is a good idea here. And that is Saturday done and you are ready for a beer. You have done well.
Sunday we will attach our lining to the outside. Get it long enough to cut up around your rafters and butt under the iron so as to give you a fully enclosed shed. Screw the iron down on the roof. Install any doors or windows and you are done for Sunday. Weekend two and your shed is finished. Not too hard and not too long. So get into it and you will soon have your own place for all your handyman stuff.
