Build your own Storage Shed - Choosing the Lumber
By: Daniel Lazaj
Wood is the most common material for building a storage shed. When buying the lumber for your shed, inspect it for warping, twisting, or loose knots. Avoid buying unseasoned or green wood, it can shrink, and split as it dries.Pass up lumber with these flaws, since it will likely ruin your storage shed.
Wood is the most common material for building a storage shed. When buying the lumber for your shed, inspect it for warping, twisting, or loose knots. Avoid buying unseasoned or green wood, it can shrink, and split as it dries.Pass up lumber with these flaws, since it will likely ruin your storage shed.
Kiln dried lumber is a good choice for framing your storage shed. It is kiln dried, and not as heavy as green, or unseasoned lumber. The better grades of kiln dried lumber won't crack, or twist, as bad as green, or unseasoned lumber.
When choosing lumber, watch for cupping, a lumber defect, it can be spotted by laying a straightedge accross the width of a board and looking for gaps.
The grades of lumber most commonly used are 1, 2, 3, 4 common. No.4 common is the cheapest grade and usually has alot of open knots, and weak spots. For building most storage sheds No.2 offers the best quality and price, be certain that all knots are tight in the wood.
Use pressure treated wood, whenever wood is in contact with the ground, or in high moisture area.
Preasure treated protects the wood from rot, decay, and insects. Preasure treated pine is stronger, and more durable than redwood or cedar, and it is also less expensive.
If you use preasure treated wood to build your storage shed foundation, wear gloves and a dust mask, when sawing. Avoid breathing the dust. Whenever possible, sawing should be done outdoors, to avoid indoor accumulation of airborne sawdust from the treated wood.After working with treated wood, and before eating, wash exposed areas thoroughly.Dispose of treated wood by ordinary trash collection. Treated wood should not be burned, becouse toxic chemicals may be produced as part of the smoke and ashes.Although preasure treated wood for your storage shed foundation resist rot, you should prepare a foundation base. A gravel base foundation provides a flat surface that drains well to keep the lumber dry. To build a gravel base for your storage shed, remove 4"of soil in an area about 12" wider and longer than the dimension of your storage shed. Fill the area with 4" of compactible gravel, tamp the gravel using a hand tamper, add or remove gravel until it is leveled. Use a straight 8 foot long 2x4, and a level to check.
Plywood is made by shaving thin layers of wood and then gluing these layers together with special glue. Because the grains of the different laminations go in differint deriction, plywood is much more stronger than solid wood and it won't split or crack.
Plywood comes in thickness ranging from 1/8 to 3/4 inch thick, and commonly in 4x8 foot sheets, thicker and longer sheets can be special ordered.
Plywood is a good choice to build the storage shed side walls, and end walls,it is the least expensive, and easiest to install.
A good choice for the storage shed roof, is CDX plywood sheathing, this is an exterior grade good for asphalt shingles.
Remember to paint, stain or varnish your storage shed as soon as possible to protect it from the elements.
I have built many do- it- yourself projects. My most recent was a storage shed. You can see my most recent project here Free storage shed plans
This blog will take you through the process of building a storage shed, price estimate for material. I have also added a material list and a cutting list. http://mystorageshed.blogspot.com
