I am not a carpenter. I’m sure this is not the “right” way to do this. But it works. It has worked for several years. I needed a below-the-fencetop shed, with plenty of space (about 64 sq. ft. here). There are not many options in low profile sheds, so I set out to build my own. All this to avoid self-storage places. It paid for itself quickly though. Here’s how I went about it.
Position the Deck Blocks
You may want to consult a more authoritative reference on deck block placement. I used the pattern below. It has supported several hundred pounds (if not over 1000 lbs.) for 8+ years now. Those are 8-foot 2×4’s for reference, 4 feet on the ends
Push / wiggle the blocks into the ground a little to make sure they are firmly planted on the ground. The ground should be hard-packed, not likely to settle from recent digging.
Put a straight board from each block to its neighboring blocks, and put a level on the board.
TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE SURE ALL THE BLOCKS ARE LEVEL WITH EACH OTHER NOW.
The wood here is treated lumber. That’s why it’s that color. It’s specifically made for ground contact. It costs a little more than untreated lumber. Spend the extra money. This isn’t in a place you can easily come back and replace in a few years should it start to rot or get eaten by termites.
Use whatever Simpson Strong Ties you need to join the lumber together at the corners and where the deck blocks are not supporting the joint. They are common and available at the home improvement or hardware store.
Add the Flooring
I used treated lumber for the flooring too. It may not have been necessary because it’s not in contact with the ground. I figured better safe than sorry. It’s just 2 4×8 sheets of 3/4″ plywood. Due to laziness in planning, the shed is the width of a 2×4 longer than 16 feet, so there’s a gap in the flooring. It works for what I need it for, so I didn’t fix anything.
I did not get a photo of just the flooring. So you see the frames for three of the walls up here. I built the frames flat on the floor, then stood them up. Here they are just temporarily put up before I cut the siding for them.
Build the Walls
I framed the walls flat on the floor. I stood them up and checked their size and fit with their neighbor. Then I cut siding panels for each. Those facing the fence got painted before I put the wall up. Each wall is secured to the floor and its neighbor.
Adding the Roof Joists
With the walls up, it’s time to start on the roof.
LESSON LEARNED: DO NOT DO WHAT I DID HERE.
The header across the front and the joists (boards on top) should be turned on edge. They should be oriented the same as the floor joists. After several years, these are sagging. Short of tearing the roof off and replacing everything from here up, there’s little I can do about it.
What About the Front Wall and Doors?
It’s complicated, and a little weird. I’ll get to it. Hold on.
Finishing the Roof
I added metal drip edge, a layer of tarpaper, and then asphalt shingles which match the house color (ish).
Now the Front Wall and Doors
Because of the narrow space, I didn’t want hinged doors. They would swing out and touch the house, making it impossible to move big things in and out of the shed. And that’s really the point of a shed, so…
I decided to build 4 panels which are removable. There is no wall. The 4 panels cover the entire front opening. That way, I can remove any number of panels, move what I need to move using the full space, and replace the panels. The only obstacle is the center support in front for the roof. It turns out to be fine, I can get big items in and out in the 8 foot spaces on either side.
Each panel simply sits on a pair of angle brackets along the bottom edge, and hooks to the shed using an eye hook on the top. Easy-peasy. I left a vent gap under the eave (no pic) for wind to blow through the shed, so I hoped the doors would not blow off in a big storm. As it turns out, they have done far batter than I thought. They’ve stayed on through some serious winds, despite barely just sitting there.
If I didn’t have this space constraint, I would have done something more conventional for a door, probably involving hinges or a rolling barn-door.
