There are many things to keep in mind when building a shed for storage. While the process of building a shed might be straight forward, there are many considerations that must be made ahead of time. Here are some of the pitfalls to watch out for and issues that should be tended to when you decide to expand your storage space and wish to start building a shed.
City Zoning Requirements
Some cities could care less what you do when building a shed or what it looks like. Others are involved down the minutia of the flooring and how close storage sheds are to the property line. You must be compliant with the city when building sheds or installing sheds on the property. To determine where your local government stands, contact the building department. They should have a printout you can pick up regarding size limits for building a shed, foundation requirements, placement limitations and information on getting a permit.
Decide what its Purpose will be
Additional storage is always great, but you want the storage sheds to meet your needs. If you’ll be putting bikes in the building shed, for example, then you want to take steps to avoid condensation that will rust the bikes. The same consideration is vital if you will be storing camping gear in the building shed that might be prone to mildew. Stop to consider the size of the different items as that may impact the sheds shape. Think about the special storage needs of any items you want stored in the sheds before deciding on materials and final design. This will prepare you for building a shed that perfectly matches your needs. Once you decide the purpose, you can more easily pick the best material for you shed, such as plastic, metal, wood, or vinyl.
Location
If you will be storing items that are used on a regular basis in sheds then you may want the building shed closer to the house. If you’ll only go in it a few times a year, then it can go further away without a problem. Before making a final decision on location, check that area the next time it rains. You don’t want to waste time building the shed in a low spot where the ground tends to get swampy as building a shed on land that will have standing water is never a good idea. Choose the area for your shed building project with care so you won’t have to deal with the large task of moving a storage shed later, which can void the warranty of a shed, depending on the manufacturer.
Foundation
Every storage shed needs a proper foundation and this should be considered before building. Whether that will be a full concrete slab or a simple wooden floor depends on your individual needs. Before deciding on the type of flooring, understand the many purposes of it. It will support the weight of the shed and spread it evenly over the ground. It will protect the wood of the shed from ground moisture and prevent vegetation from growing under the shed. A good foundation will also keep your shed firmly in place, even as the ground freezes and lifts.
There are several options for your foundation. You can choose a heavy, poured concrete base. Some people choose building a shed over heavy timbers that are placed on the ground, digging out where necessary to get them level. Smaller storage sheds can be placed on patio blocks or you can make a foundation for building shed for storage using concrete paving slabs.
Roofing
The roof will complete your storage shed, keeping the items inside dry. Another feature of the roof for the building shed is that it will shed water where you want it, keeping it away from the entrance of the storage shed. Choose a straight roof that slants down one side or to the back for the ultimate in simplicity. A gable roof is two pitches that meet in the middle, like a traditional home. A hip roof on a building shed has a complex framework that puts a roof plane on each side of the shed.
Gambrel roofs are great, but a little more complex, when you are building a shed. They were commonly used in Dutch Colonial architecture and feature a great deal of headroom. The top pitch of two roof planes is very mild; however, each side drops into a steeper pitched roof plane. Choose the style of roof for building shed based on your needs for the shed, local government requirements and what will look nice with your home. Even though the shed is in the yard, you don’t want it to be an eyesore. Consider this roof type when building a shed if you will want the extra headroom or want to store things along the ceiling inside.
Ventilation
It’s tempting to build airtight sheds, but this should be avoided when building a shed. Airtight storage sheds are also musty places where the odor of garden tools lingers, the smell of the lawn mower,etc. Allow for some ventilation, much as an attic is ventilated. This will help prevent odors and condensation from building up inside new sheds. Shed vents or skylights are easily added.
