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Shed building guides

From the ground up

Start with the step-by-step guide to building a shed, then go deeper in the order you build: check the rules, lay the foundation, frame the walls, cut the rafters. Every number comes from the shed designer, so the guides and your plan always agree.

Design your shed
  1. PROPERTY LINEHOUSESHEDsiderearto houseeasement or utility lineSTREET
    17 min readShed Permit BasicsWhat building departments usually look at for a backyard shed, how size thresholds and setbacks work, and what to ask before you build.Read the guide
  2. 3/4" T&G subfloor2x6 PT joist, 93" long4x6 PT skid, on edge4" compacted gravel8' wide, supports about 46-1/4" apart
    29 min readHow to Build a Shed FoundationSkids on gravel or a floor frame on concrete blocks: how to choose, level and build a shed foundation that stays flat and dry.Read the guide
  3. DOOR48" x 78"Header 2-2x620-1/2"68-1/2"17-1/2"0"11-3/4"75-3/4"87-1/2"7' 5" long, studs 84-1/4"7' 4-3/4"door head 78"
    310 min readHow to Frame Shed WallsLay out plates, studs, headers and cripples, then build, raise, plumb and brace shed walls with a double top plate.Read the guide
  4. 59-9/16" along the edge, plumb cut to plumb cut53-1/4" horizontal run6" tailseat 3-1/2", heel 1-3/4"6/12 plumb cuts (26.6°)
    410 min readHow to Build Shed RaftersSize, lay out and cut shed rafters with a pattern: plumb cuts, the birdsmouth seat, the tail, and how to raise the ridge.Read the guide

More building guides

Free shed plans

Prefer a finished plan?

20 common sizes, from an 8x4 lean-to to a 16x20 gable workshop, each with framing drawings, a cut list and a printable PDF.