How to build a small garden tool shed
Building a shed will give you as much satisfaction as creating the garden itself; our small and neat shed will fit perfectly into any garden and is perfect for storing your essential garden tools. How do you build it?
Here’s the how... 28 steps later
Our guide will run you through all the tips and tricks of how to make a small shed - or use the guide to size up for a larger shed!
Tool Menu
- 1x Axminster Mitre Saw
- 1x Mitre Saw Stand, compact with wheels
- 1x AW50N Nail Gun 50mm
- 1x 18 gauge 35mm nails
- 1x Compressor
- 1x Stainless Steel Screws
- 1x Square
- 1x 3mm Twist Drill Bit
- 1x 2-5mm Countersink
- 3x F Clamps
- 1x 18v Combi Drill
- 2x HD Parallel Jaw Clamps
- 1x Osmo UV Oil
Cutting list
Dimensions of each piece of prepared wood
- 8x Frame uprights - 45 x 45 x 1,770mm
- 10x Cross members - 45 x 45 x 600mm
- 50x Shiplap - 150 x 15 x 770mm
- 2x Shiplap - 150 x 15 x 620mm
- 2x Shiplap - 150 x 15 x 360mm
- 2x Cover strip - 45 x 18 x 1,840mm
- 2x Cover stip - 70 x 18 x 1,840mm
- 2x Cover strip - 70 x 18 x 600mm
- 4x Roof cover strip - 45 x 18 x 640mm
- 2x Roof cover strip - 70 x 18 x 860mm
- 7x Standard tongue and groove panels - 1,700mm
- 3x Door braces - 70 x 18 x 540mm
- 2x Door braces - 70 x 18 x 770mm
- 1x Roof ridge - 45 x 45 x 680mm
- 4x Roof angles - 45 x 45 x 470mm
- 1x Door stop - 25 x 25 x 1,710mm
- 3x Floor bearers - 45 x 45 x 780mm
Shed furniture
- 2x Galvanised T hinges
- 1x Galvanised bolt
Step 1
Cut all pieces as per cutting list.
Step 2
Take all 8 uprights to mark screw holes. Mark halfway on six and 22mm in from either end on all eight. Use a woodworker’s square and pencil to mark drilling positions.
Cut all pieces and mark drilling positions.
Step 3
Drill and countersink all marked holes. We used a 3mm drill bit and 2-5mm countersink.
Top Tip! Use props to raise uprights off of your bench when drilling.
Step 4
To make the side and the back frames, take one upright and three support struts, line up with holes and screw into place.
Drill and countersink all marked holes. Construct side and back frames.
Step 5
Screw second upright to the three support struts to complete frame. Before final fixing of middle strut measure to make sure it is positioned centrally. Repeat the process to create the two remaining frames.
Top Tip! Use a clamp to hold the frame in place when screwing.
Join uprights to supporting struts.
Step 6
For the front frame repeat minus the middle strut. This space will be occupied by the door.
Step 7
We are now ready to join all frames together. Take a side and the back frame and clamp together. Drill and countersink 75mm from the top strut, 75mm up from the middle strut and 75mm up from the bottom strut. Screw frame together.
Top Tip! Always drill and screw from the inside. This allows the shed to be taken down and moved easily.
Step 8
Repeat step 7 until all frames are screwed together.
Join frames together.
Step 9
Mount the frame on the three floor bearers. Drill and countersink the frame 75mm in from each upright and in the middle of the frame. You will need to drill three holes for the side bearers and two for centre bearer. Screw into place.
Mount the frame on the three floor bearers.
Step 10
Insert pre cut ply floor.
Insert ply floor.
Step 11
Take the four roof supports and cut a 45 degree angle on one end. Drill and countersink the 45 degree end at a slight angle on all four pieces.
Prepare roof supports.
Step 12
Take the the longer two pieces and drill and countersink the opposite ends. On the side face of roof support drill and countersink.
Countersink the two longer pieces.
Step 13
Screw roof supports together. Then screw both roof supports to frame before screwing centre support into place.
Screw roof supports together and then attach to frame
Step 14
Starting from the bottom of one of the sides of the shed frame, nail the shiplap to the frame. Continue process until the last piece. Here you will need to cut to size. Offer final piece in place and mark cut line. Using either a handsaw or table saw cut to size. Repeat on the other side and back.
Top Tip! We used a piece of 9mm MDF to raise the shiplap an even distance from the floor.
Starting from the bottom, begin nailing the shiplap to frame.
Step 15
Offer the two side strips to the the frame and mark where it meets the 45 degree roof support. Cut and nail into place. Next take front cover strips and nail the bottom and top pieces to the frame.
Prepare and attach side and front cover strips.
Step 16
Measure and cut shiplap for front and back of the roof. Then nail into place. Repeat until front and back are complete.
Measure and apply front and back of roof shiplap.
Step 17
Next shiplap the sides of the roof, making sure there is sufficient overhang at each end to help keep rain out. Starting from the top down, nail roof panels into place. Repeat on both sides.
Top Tip! Use a spare bit of timber to locate top of ridge.
Starting from the top down, shiplap the sides of the roof.
Step 18
Cut two roof cover strips and nail into place.
Step 19
Measure and cut all remaining cover strips. Our strips are 640mm in length. Nail into place. Repeat the same process on the back of the shed.
Measure, cut and apply roof cover strips.
Top Tip! For purely decorative reasons you can add a cover strip to the underside before fixing the top strips. We also capped off the joins of the cover strips with a decorative diamond shaped piece.
Add in some decorative features.
Step 20
Measure up your door opening and cut the tongue and groove pieces to length. Unless your shed has been made to exact widths of tongue and groove panels you may need to cut one panel widthways also. Lay door pieces on a workbench. Using two parallel jaw clamps, clamp into place.
Measure door opening and cut tongue and groove to length.
Step 21
Cut three straight supports and two 40 degree angled cross braces.
Top Tip! It is important to cut straight supports 50mm short of total door width to allow space for the door to open and close.
Step 22
Make a mark 220mm from the top of the door and with the aid of a square tack with nails into place. We can now lay out other supports and tack into place.
Prepare door supports and tack into place.
Step 23
Turn the door over on the bench, and with a pencil, square and rule transfer where the support braces run. We can then determine where we need to screw together. Drill and countersink before screwing together.
Top Tip! We screw instead of nail the door to add strength.
On the door front, mark where the brace run and screw together.
Step 24
Take your door furniture, 2x Galvanised T hinges and 1x Galvanised bolt. Align with top and bottom support braces and screw into place. On the opposite side of the door screw the bolt into the middle support brace.
Align door furniture with top and bottom supports.
Step 25
Take door stop and nail 10mm in from the face, allowing the door to shut flush with the front of the shed. (see pic)
Step 26
Offer the door and hinges to the frame and make a pencil mark in the hinge holes. Screw into place.
Top Tip! To hang the door by yourself use some wooden wedges.
Position and attach door stop and hinges.
Step 27
Close the door screw bolt latch into position.
Step 28
Finish with Osmo UV and start using your new tool shed.
Attach door bolt latch and apply protective finish.
