Building a Backyard Shed    


In 2015 I realized that I needed more storage space so I decided to build a shed in the backyard.  The current city bylaw requires a building permit for buildings over 128 sq. ft. so I designed the shed to be exactly 128 sq ft which is about 12 by 10.5 feet.  I also wanted the floor of the shed to be even with the surrounding landscape to I planned to dig a foundation about one-foot deep.


Laying Out the Foundation

Laying Out the Foundation

Digging the Foundation

Digging the Basement

Building the Trusses

Building the Trusses

Just Need the Vinyl Siding

Just Need the Vinyl Siding

Starting the Big Dig

Starting the Big Dig

Foundation all Done!

Foundation all Done!

Farming the Walls

Farming the Walls

The Finished Product

The Finished Product

I began the construction by laying out the perimeter of the shed on the grass so I could dig the foundation as shown in the photo at the left. This job was actually much more difficult than I though since the land is sloped so the hole was one foot on one side and almost 2 feet on the other.

Once I had the foundation completed I dug a trench from the house to the shed to run power lines and a Cat-6 cable for wired Internet.  I planned to use the Internet to run a security camera and a router to extend my wifi into the back yard.

I then built a jig to lay out the trusses on the floor of the shed. These were built out of 2x6 lumber and used half-inch MSB for the Gusset plates which were glued and screw-nailed. These were spaced 24 inches apart and formed a nice attic with a 30 degree pitched roof.

The walls were framed with 2x4s on 16-inch centers and were also glued and screw-nailed to the floor. This framing resulted in a spacious interior of about 110 sq ft.

I used half-inch MSB sheeting on the walls and 5/8" sheeting on the roof. I did something a little different with the sheeting.  I used construction adhesive to glue each sheet to the framing. This technique made the framing and sheeting to make a single continuous structure similar to a eggshell which makes for a very strong  building.

Prior to shingling the roof I covered it with 15 lb tar-paper. I then used 1-inch roofing nails to secure the shingles to the roof.  Most roofer today use a staple gun with 7/8" staples which is a fast way of putting a roof on but do not have anything near the strength as good old fashion roofing nails.
 

 
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