Storage Sheds

I looked for storage solutions at Home Depot and similar stores and was disappointed by the products that were offered and the prices being asked for them. A 10’x14’x 8’height metal shed without a floor was $750. The materials used were light weight and construction seemed tenuous as if it would be easy to kick the shed down with sneakers on. The doors to the demonstration unit were already warped and did not close right. Unless the unit is to be placed on a concrete pad, the shed would not be good for storing things susceptible to ground moisture over the winter, which in my case was everything the shed was intended to be used for. Units which included a floor system were nearly double in price and they were only marginally better constructed. Usually the flooring was made of some sort of compressed fiber board without adequate support underneath which gave it that bouncy sensation when walked on.

The price and quality of these sheds reflect the current cost of building materials, which to the average home owner is uncomfortably high. Still, for $750 worth of decent materials a home owner should be able to build a much sturdier, bigger and longer lasting storage shed, assuming that the person has the time, tools and know how to undertake a project like that.

Pole building garages are popular and they come as kits or the retailer comes and puts it together for you on your level building site. Instead of the traditional framed building on a foundation, pole buildings are built around treated 6”x6” squared edge posts placed in ground and tied in with pre made roof trusses. Then the structure is sheathed with steel panels much like metal roofing material. The smallest one offered in my area was 24’x 24’ at about $5000 for the kit and $8000 put together. However they too do not include a floor system. Usually the owner has a concrete pad poured for it, which is a $3000 to $5000 additional expense. It would have been nice but it was over my budget.

So the question became was it worth pouring a concrete pad to place a pre fabricated storage shed, build a shed myself or have one built. I would have preferred the latter but I could not stand the idea of paying someone to do something I can do. I would use 2”x4”s to frame out the structure, 2”x6”s for floor and roof joists and sheath the walls with half inch exterior grade plywood. The roof will have to have enough pitch to shed the snow load. Metal roof panels are the way to go and for flooring use three quarter inch thick exterior or marine grade plywood and use screws for everything rather than nails. Raise the shed off the ground with cinder blocks or something like it and lay heavy gauge 4 or 6 mil black plastic on the ground for a moisture barrier. I may build a ramp so the kids can roll lawn mowers, wheel barrows and the like in and out easily. You won’t be able to kick this shed down even with steel toed boots on.

An ocean going container can be a good storage alternative to sheds if space permits. more

High end pre-fab shed.

Easy to build shape.