Reasons for a Shed
I can remember playing in Dad’s shed at the bottom of the garden. It was a place of mystique and my dad spent many a happy hours in his shed. He loved woodworking and even rebuilt an old 1927 Buick and made it into a station wagon. Probably sacrilege now but in back in the fifties it was a grand project. Remembering now I can still smell the mustiness, the old wood glues which he heated himself, the wood shaving peppering the floor from his hand plane. Despite those memories a shed is still the wish of many and for some very good reasons.
Reason 1
Many homeowners possess a garage. However most of us do not use it to garage the car. Instead it’s a storage area for all the clutter that we do not need but we want to keep just in case. Its starts with one box and pretty soon the space is over brimming with unused toys, tools, old bikes, etc., and it’s difficult to even move in the place.
Reason 2
A shed creates a retreat, an activity center, a place to potter about or enjoy your hobbies; woodworking, pottery, or just repairing things. Better to have oil and spills on a shed floor than in the middle of the lounge room.
Reason 3
A garden shed is an ideal place to store all the garden tools, lawn mower, sprays and pesticides (hopefully under lock and key if children are about). It can even be used partially as a propagating area or depending on design as a hot house.
The Solution
Whatever the reason for requiring a shed if built correctly it can solve and accommodate all your storage problems outside the house or garage as well as provide for your hobbies or other activities. There are two ways to obtain a shed, one is to buy a pre-fabricated shed and have it erected; the other is to build the shed yourself. The first can be a boring design and may not meet your requirement. The second will give you your own unique shed. So if you fancy yourself as a bit if a DIY boffin it is not that difficult. In fact anyone capable of using some hand tools can do the job and do it well.
Design
Building your own shed allows you to build it to your requirements to cater for all of your specific needs. Spend some time getting the right garden shed plans. These will save you a lot of hassle. Good plans should take you by the hand and walk you through the building process step by step. Each piece of wood that you require should be explained and the sizes clearly marked. You will not only have your blueprint but also a list of the building materials required so you do not waste money on unnecessary materials. Building a shed is also a great way to learn about carpentry and building techniques and give you the confidence to tackle other wood working project such as a timber deck or pergola. Don”t forget to build in a heap of storage and tool boards.
Placement
Apart from the design you should also carefully consider where best to place the shed. You do not want to put it in a place which floods or directly over the top of power or gas lines. the worst thing that can happen is to have to dismantle the pride and joy you constructed. Design and placement is important. Another vital aspect that must be considered is to check with the local authorities or council to ensure you obtain a permit to build a shed. Nothing can be more disheartening then having to pull down your shed because you do not have the necessary permits to erect the shed in the first place.
Need Help?
Sounds exciting so far but also a bit daunting if you have not done any carpentry before. If you lack the confidence here’s where we can help. Here’s a link to over 12000 shed designs and related woodworking projects. The amount of shed designs you can choose from means you can get the perfect shed for your needs for a very small outlay. It comes complete with easy to follow step by step instructions so that within 5 minutes you can start to learn how to start building an amazing outdoor shed. Check it out there’s a free video that shows you how easy it can be.
Tools
You will need a good set of tools to take on building a garden shed project. Power tools as well as hand tools. Most DIY handymen and women will already have all the tools required. The shed plans you will follow to build the storage shed will also give you a list of all the tools you will need to complete the project. The hire of a nail gun may be a good option.
Summary
A shed is a wonderful way of solving storage problems, having a workshop, a garden accoutrement, a hobby place or even serve as a your workplace. If storage is the prime reason you may want to get a grip on discarding items that are no longer in use particularly broken or unwanted and unused items. You do want to maximize the use of your new shed. So try selling some of the items on eBay. Might even help to offset some of the cost of building the shed, alternatively a charity could be grateful for some donations. Whatever your reason for building your own shed it can be an exciting venture that will give you a great sense of achievement on its completion.
Arnold Vee
Arnold has a technical background as an electrical fitter and yes does have his own shed. I hope that this article has whet your appetite to build your own shed. More hints on building sheds are provided at his website Building Your Shed.