February 5, 2012

Firewood Stack Plans


Firewood Stack PlansDeciding to build your own firewood rack, stack or storage unit is a wise move because if you decided to buy one at your local store, you will notice they are expensive and quite small, so you are very limited by the choices available.

If you build your own firewood rack it will be less expensive and you can make it large, so it will be able to hold a full face cord of firewood. Also if you have space limitations, you can customize the rack to fit the desired space.

You will need good quality firewood stack plans to work from in order to build your rack, and some great plans can be found at My Shed Plans Elite.

Some of the important things to consider when building your firewood rack are:

Ensure the base is sturdy as this is the most crucial part of the rack.

With the amount of weight the firewood rack will be holding you need a set of strong end panels to keep it safe and secure.

Paint the rack with a good exterior paint.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. If you are looking for a firewood stack plans, check out My Shed Plans Elite.

Storage Shed Floor Plans


Storage Shed Floor PlansWhen you start building a storage shed, it’s very important to use good storage shed floor plans to ensure the foundations you build your shed on will be strong.

The 3 main things to consider when building the floor of your shed are:

*Good shed floor plans
*Good choice of materials
*Great workmanship

So if you get the choice of materials and the design of the shed floor plan spot on, you are half way to building your ultimate shed.

When considering materials for the floor. You can either choose

Timber floor boards, Plywood
or OSB (oriented strand board).

For fixing the floorboards to the joists beneath use a nail which has a good pull-out resistance. The length of the nail should be about 2.5 times the thickness of the floor board.

The floor joists supporting the decking should all be preservative treated.

The key to building a good quality storage shed is the workmanship. Here are some tips to get off to a good start:

• Make sure the foundation is square and level. This is really important, by having a level surface to begin with will ensure the job will go smoothly. If not you will forever be making adjustments all because your foundation wasn’t level to begin with.

• Use material sheet sheet sizes to avoid excessive cutting. Plywood and OSB sheet flooring comes in 1.2×2.4m sheets. So a clever idea is to make your shed floor multiples of this size. This will reduce the number of cuts you need to make. It’s best of course to design the shed to the size you want, so don’t worry about having to stick to the sheet sizes.

• Use a nail punch to get the head of the nail below floor level. Otherwise you can either trip or hurt yourself quite badly.

Photo Credit: joeltelling

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. To get tips, hints and ideas on how to build a shed floor, check out the plans at My Shed Plans Elite.

Shed Floor Plans


Shed Floor PlansWhen you start building a storage shed, it all starts with the floor, and so it’s very important to use good shed floor plans to ensure the foundations you build your shed on will be strong.

Generally it is recommended that the weight a shed floor should be able to hold is 150kg per square meter. So considering an average person weighs between 70 to 80kg, that gives you an indication of what weight the floor has to support.

One of the main things to consider when building the shed floor, is that water is the biggest problem. It’s therefore important when looking at floor plans for a shed, that the following tips are provided to keep the shed floor dry:

• A polythene barrier, which is thick heavy duty plastic placed beneath the shed floor and held down with stones or a concrete slab. This will prevent rising moisture and stop plant growth under the shed.

• Provide good ventilation beneath the shed will help any damp air disperse and keep the timbers dry.

• You can also place damp proof membrane beneath the supports of the floor joists. This acts as another barrier to block moisture rising from the ground.

• You can prevent moisture getting in from above by placing large eaves and gutters to allow water to drain down onto the ground.

The next step is to start looking for quality storage shed plans that have detailed information, including the right materials to use to build a sturdy shed floor. Some good plans can be found at My Shed Plans Elite.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. To get tips, hints and ideas on how to build a shed floor, check out the plans at My Shed Plans Elite.

Loft Shed Plans


Loft Shed PlansDeciding to add a loft to the storage shed you are going to build is a great option, as you can store extra items that are out of the way and best of all, out of sight. There are some good loft shed plans to choose from that you can add to your existing storage shed plans, so you can build your dream shed.

In regards to the loft you are going to build, just make sure you’re not tempted to use it as a place to dump items that you know should throw out, otherwise it just defeats the whole purpose. A loft is a great place to store lighter items while you can store your machinery such as lawn mowers, bicycles etc below.

When planning your loft, take into consideration what it’s going to store, as it has to be built strong enough to take the weight. So bare this in mind when you are looking at loft shed plans. Things you might want to store in the loft are Christmas decorations, chairs, extra boxes, or you might want to convert it to a room with a bed, desk and table.

During the planning process of your loft, consider where the hatch will be placed to access the loft. Centrally is a great location, as you can utilize the space all around the loft, not just the part right in front.

Another thing to consider is the size of the loft. Do you want to store a lot of items up there, or only a few? If you want to store a lot of items, build the loft to run along the whole length of the shed, otherwise just build it to only half the shed. This can save you time and money.

Also you will need to think about lighting for the loft. You can just go for solar powered lights to save costs on electricity, or even a battery powered LED light. If you want more reliable light, then get it connected to the mains of your house.

The best style of shed to build a loft in is a gambrel shed(barn style) as it is dual pitch on each side of the roof, which makes a lot of space to add a loft. The pitch of the roof should be at least 8/12 to create a decent amount of room.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. If you are looking for some loft shed plans, check out My Shed Plans Elite.

Storage Shed Design


Storage Shed Designstorage shed design is very important to take into consideration before deciding on the style of shed you are going to build. It’s very easy to just think of the shed as a place to store extra items, without considering the aesthetics of the structure.

Just remember the appearance of the outdoor storage shed is important because it can impact the look of the property. So when looking through storage shed plans, and considering a design, just make sure it compliments your property.

So if you live in a country style home, a barn style shed could be the way to go, as it will match the look and feel of your property. If you live in a more formal home, you may decide to just go with a standard gable style shed with an arched window to keep in line with the feel of your house.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. If you are looking for inspiration for your shed design, check out the plans at My Shed Plans Elite.

Firewood Storage Shed Plans


Firewood Storage Shed PlansSheds built especially for firewood are a great idea to keep the wood dry during a long, cold and wet winter. There is nothing worse than storing your wood by the side of your house where it can get damp. Then it takes forever to dry it out before you can use it.

Firewood needs to be dry in order to use it, so a firewood shed is a great solution.
Deciding to build your own firewood shed is a great idea as you can customize it to your liking. There are plenty of firewood storage shed plans out there on the internet which can assist you in this project. Get 12000 Plans Including Firewood Shed Plans now.

When looking at plans for your firewood storage shed, just make sure you allow space for airflow. When you stack wood properly air can flow around the wood which keeps it dry, avoids it decaying and breaking down.

Air needs to flow around all sides of the wood when stacked, and also the bottom layer of wood needs to avoid contact with the ground, because if the ground is wet, the wood will absorb it making it unusable until it’s dried out again. To overcome this issue a raised floor is the best option which can be made from a wood pallet or a floor made with slats which will allow airflow to circulate from the bottom as well.

The roof of a firewood storage shed is also important. It needs to keep dew, moisture and snow off the wood pile, and therefore the roof should be slanted. This allows water to flow off the roof away from the wood. Also the ground level where the shed is placed should have  a slope so the water runs away after heavy rain and doesn’t collect around the shed.

If you look at firewood sheds, they have 3 closed sides and one open side. This keeps the airflow moving as well as keeping the wood dry. Always make sure the open end of the shed faces away from where the elements such as angled rain can strike.

So enjoy the pleasures a great firewood storage shed can give you during the winter months by building one from quality firewood storage shed plans which can be found at My Shed Plans Elite.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. If you are looking for a firewood shed plan, check out My Shed Plans Elite.

Metal Storage Shed Kits


Metal Storage Shed KitsIf you want a storage shed for the garden, and you don’t want to have to build one yourself from scratch, then a quick solution is purchasing a metal storage shed.

Make sure when you purchase a metal storage shed that they are made of 100% galvanized steel. This way they wont rust and will last for a long time. Some top quality metal sheds come with a double baked-on polyester enamel finish for added protection from the elements as well as heavy duty, hot-dipped galvanized steel frame parts.

In other words, just make sure you buy a quality metal shed, otherwise it wont last long. Just remember, “cheap is expensive”. If you buy cheap, it wont last long and you will end up having to buy the item again. If you had spent that extra money buying something which was better quality, then it will last longer and not cost you as much in the long run.

metal storage shed kits come in a wide variety of designs, styles and sizes to meet your needs. There are gable style sheds, flat roof sheds and even barn style sheds to choose from.

When you have looked through all the metal storage shed kits whether they are online or in shops and you have made a decision to purchase, just remember you are still going to have to build the shed. So just make sure you feel confident to do this, otherwise most places can install it for you.

Also be aware that you may have added costs besides the shed itself. A good idea is to place the shed on a concrete slab to avoid moisture getting into the shed from the ground, and to have a solid base for the shed. This can be quite expensive so another solution is purchasing already made square concrete tiles from your local hardware shop and laying them down yourself, and then constructing the shed on top.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. While you were reading this post, I was looking at some tips on how to lay the foundations for your shed from My Shed Plans Elite.

Gambrel Storage Shed Plans


Gambrel Storage Shed PlansA gambrel storage shed is also sometimes referred to as a barn shed, which is typified by it’s roof design.

The benefit of this type of shed is that the roof offers a large amount of space for extra storage. So if you want a shed with lots of storage space, then get hold of some detailed gambrel storage shed plans as the roof design is quite complicated and can be a challenge to build.

Click on barn shed plans to see the article written about this style of shed.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. While you were reading this post, I was checking out some great gambrel storage shed plans at StorageShed-Plans.com. Check them out now!

Saltbox Storage Shed Plans


Saltbox Storage Shed PlansA saltbox storage shed is easily spotted by it’s asymmetrical roof. They add great character to your property, which has led to a lot of home owners getting hold of saltbox storage shed plans and building this style of shed.

The saltbox style of shed has a sloped roof with one long rear slope and one short slope. It’s a great choice if you have a small property, but would still like to build a shed that has plenty of room.

Because one side of the roof is a short slope, you can build this shed up against a side of a house with the shorter end out towards the garden without taking up too much space. Also they can be built up against the trunk of a tree with the sloped roof sitting under the tree branches.

Saltbox storage sheds can also be used to not only store your gardening tools and machinery, but the longer side of the sloped roof can be used to store wood during winter. This saves you time, effort and money building a whole other shed just to store firewood.

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. If you are looking for inspiration for your saltbox shed and need some plans, check out My Shed Plans Elite.

Gable Storage Shed Plans


Gable Storage Shed PlansA gable storage shed is by far the most popular style of shed in the backyard.

A gable style shed and gable storage shed plans are so popular when deciding to build a shed, because it will most likely be the type that best coordinates with the design of your house.

A typical gable storage shed has a roof with two sloping sides that meet in the middle, just like a typical roof of a house. The main purpose of this style of roof is that when it rains, water runs directly down the sides away from the shed. It’s very effective as there is no place for even snow or ice to accumulate.

It’s a very easy shed to build and the gable roof can be easily laid out for framing as it’s a simple design where the centre of the roof meets at the center of the house.

With a gable style storage shed, you can add windows,, single doors, double doors, a door at each end if you so choose, which allows easy access from the front and back.

The main benefits of this style of shed is that it’s easy to build, the materials are low in cost, and therefore it’s a very popular shed.

A gable storage shed can be used for many things, such as for storage for your garden tools, an area for woodworking, a place for your kids to play, a garage or perhaps even a little office away from the main area of your house. The possibilities are endless.

You are only limited by your imagination, and that’s why the best thing to do is use some great gable storage shed plans to create this pleasurable space.

Some good quality plans can be found at StorageShed-Plans.com. Check them out!

Best,

Brad Smith

PS. While you were reading this post, I was checking out some great gable shed plans at StorageShed-Plans.com. Check them out now!