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How to Build a Shed
By Keith Kingston
The easiest way to build a shed in the backyard is to make a trip to the
local Lowe's or other hardware shop to purchase a shed-building kit.
Never
choose one from a picture in a brochure or from the Internet. When viewing
in person, you can check for important quality control details such as
thickness of timber, overlap structure of panels, type of wood, whether it
is pre-treated with a preservative and the quality of flooring. Thick
timber is longer lasting. An overlap structure on wall panels is important
to prevent water leakage. It is beneficial for the shed to have been
pre-treated with preservative, but in your upkeep you will still want to
treat it once a year. Flooring should be thick so that it does not give
with the weight of tools and equipment you want to store.
Do not skimp on
size or quality, because in the long run, you will be happiest with a large,
lasting building.
Before starting, make sure you have a level base on which to build the shed. Otherwise, the wall panels will not line up properly. Double check that
you have all necessary building tools for the particular shed-building kit;
you will not want to stop mid-project to purchase more tools. Find out if
you need permission to erect a small building on your property. Detail an
access route for getting large panels and other materials to the site for
the shed.
To begin, make sure the land is dry. Excavate a place to put in a concrete
floor. If you choose to make the shed above ground, then wood boards are
acceptable. Follow instructions and proceed to screw all pieces together in
the pre-made holes. Run a frame sealing mastic around windows to prevent
weather damage. T
o insulate, either use glass fiber loft insulation or
expanded polystyrene slabs covered with wallboards. If the shed needs
electrical wiring, be sure to bury cables in the ground or run them high
overhead. Wires should never drag along the ground, wall or fence. Call a
professional electrician for assistance if you are not familiar with these
procedures.
It is possible to build a shed without purchasing the kit. Keep in mind
that you are essentially building a box. Begin with the same flooring
process- either excavate for a concrete floor or use a wooden floor. A
simple shed can take the shape of a lean-to with one large slanted wall
nailed to three smaller side walls. If you feel confident in your building
abilities, then a more complicated shed would be a four-sided rectangular
shed with a pitched roof. To attach the roof, nail the slanted slabs of
wood to the upright walls. To finish the project, apply a preservative
treatment, and any insulation or electric wiring that is desired.
Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher offering advice on garden sheds and outdoor storage sheds
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