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A 10×20 shed material list for a gable shed on skids is 137 2x4s (125 for framing, 12 for blocks and braces), 21 treated 2x6s, 8 treated 4x4s, 7 sheets of 3/4 in plywood, 11 of OSB, 20 of T1-11 and 11 shingle bundles. It assumes 94 1/2 in walls, a 6/12 roof and 16 in spacing.

Every quantity and cut length on this page comes from the 3DSHEDPLANS plan generator, our software that models each board of the shed and counts what to buy. Our software checks spans, notches, splices and sheet coverage on every build, and this 10×20 build passed all 74 checks. The list is for one 60 in double door and one 36 x 36 in window. It is not the list in our 10×20 plan PDF, which has a larger front door, a side door and two windows.

What this 10×20 shed material list assumes

The generator ran a shed 10 ft deep and 20 ft wide, with 200 sq ft of floor and the ridge running the 20 ft way. These are its settings:

  • Walls: 94 1/2 in tall including the bottom plate and double top plate, so wall studs are cut to 90 in (7′ 6″).
  • Spacing: studs, floor joists and rafters all at 16 in on center.
  • Roof: 6/12 pitch, 2×4 rafters, a 2×6 ridge board, 8 in eave overhang and 4 in rake overhang. The roof works out to about 259 sq ft.
  • Floor: four pressure-treated 4×4 skids 20 ft long, about 39 in apart (38.8 in), on a crushed stone pad 22 x 12 ft and 4 in deep (12 in wider than the shed on every side), with 2×6 joists cut to 9′ 9″ at 16 in on center and 3/4 in tongue and groove plywood.
  • Loads: the 2×4 rafters pass a span table check at 30 psf ground snow (SPF #2 at 16 in, 60 in run). That is the generator’s design assumption; if your area’s snow load may be higher, check your local permit office before you buy rafter stock.
  • Openings: a 60 in wide double door on 76 1/2 in trimmers in the 20 ft front wall, and one 36 x 36 in window in the right 10 ft gable wall. The back wall and the left gable wall have no openings.

Our 10×20 gable shed plan uses the same footprint with that larger door layout. Its PDF has its own printable list, so if you build the plan, shop from the plan’s list.

Shopping list by stage

Lumber sizes are nominal. A 2×4 measures about 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 in, as the American Wood Council explains. Check the grade stamp on plywood and OSB; the APA trademark guide shows how to read it.

Totals at a glance

Material Total
2×4 boards, all lengths (framing, seam blocks, braces, ridge post) 137
Pressure-treated 2×6 (17 joists, 4 for the two rims) 21
Pressure-treated 4×4 (one 8 ft and one 12 ft per 20 ft skid) 8
Pressure-treated 2×4 x 14 ft (skid splice scabs) 2
2×6 (ridge and window header) 3
2×8 (door header) 1
3/4 in T&G plywood sheets (floor) 7
7/16 in OSB sheets (roof) 11
5/8 in T1-11 sheets (walls, gables, door leaves) 20
1/2 in plywood sheets (soffit, header fillers) 2
3-tab shingle bundles 11

Floor

Item Qty Used for
Pressure-treated 4×4 x 8 ft, tagged for ground contact 4 One piece of each 20′ 0″ skid
Pressure-treated 4×4 x 12 ft, tagged for ground contact 4 The other piece of each skid
Pressure-treated 2×4 x 14 ft 2 Eight 3′ 0″ splice scabs, one on each side of each skid joint
Pressure-treated 2×6 x 10 ft 17 Floor joists cut to 9′ 9″, including a second joist at the rim joint
Pressure-treated 2×6 x 10 ft and 12 ft 2 + 2 Two 20′ 0″ rim joists, cut 112 3/4 in and 127 1/4 in
3/4 in T&G plywood, 4×8 sheet 7 Floor decking (200 sq ft)
2×4 x 8 ft 3 Flat blocks under the decking seams
Crushed stone 3/4 in, loose 4.0 cu yd Gravel pad, measured loose before tamping
Deck screws 2 in (or 6d ring-shank nails), rated for treated lumber 5 lb Decking

Walls and roof framing

Item Qty Used for
2×4 x 8 ft 79 51 wall studs, cripples, window sill, short plate pieces, collar ties, gable studs, lookout and frieze blocks
2×4 x 10 ft 6 Side wall plates and cap plates
2×4 x 12 ft 17 14 rafter ties, back wall plate and cap plate pieces
2×4 x 14 ft 23 32 rafters and 4 fly rafters (two per board), front plate and cap plate pieces, door and window trimmers
2×6 x 8 ft 1 Window header
2×6 x 10 ft and 12 ft 1 + 1 Ridge board (20′ 8″, spliced)
2×8 x 12 ft 1 Door header
Hurricane ties, H2.5A type or equal 32 Rafter to plate
Temporary braces 2×4 x 12 ft 8 Wall bracing, reused later
Temporary post 2×4 x 12 ft 1 Under the ridge joint until that rafter pair is set

The two header filler strips of 1/2 in plywood are ripped from a soffit sheet, so buy the soffit plywood with the wall lumber.

Roof covering

Item Qty Used for
7/16 in OSB, 4×8 sheet 11 Roof sheathing
15 lb felt, 400 sq ft roll 1 Underlayment
3-tab shingles, 26 per bundle 11 bundles Roof, starter course and ridge cap
Drip edge, 10 ft 8 Eaves and rakes
Roofing nails 1 1/4 in galvanized 9 lb Shingles
Roofing cap nails 1 in 2 lb Felt
Roofing cement, 10 oz tube 2 Roofing
Louvered gable vent, 8 x 12 in 2 One in each gable
Insect screen, 2 ft x 25 ft 1 roll Vent holes and gaps at the eaves

Siding and trim

Item Qty Used for
5/8 in T1-11, 4×8 sheet 16 Walls (480 sq ft, before the door and window cut-outs)
5/8 in T1-11, 4×8 sheet 2 Both gable triangles
5/8 in T1-11, 4×8 sheet 2 Door leaves (one per leaf)
1/2 in plywood, 4×8 sheet 2 Eave soffit and header fillers
Z-flashing, 10 ft 2 Wall siding to gable siding joint
Drip cap, 10 ft 1 Over the door and window head casings
1×6 x 10 ft and 12 ft 2 + 2 Eave fascia (two 20′ 8″ runs, spliced)
1×6 x 14 ft 2 Rake fascia (two pieces per board)
1×4 x 16 ft 2 Corner trim on the eave walls
1×4 x 14 ft 4 Door casing sides, door stiles, Z braces
1×4 x 12 ft 1 Door rails
1×4 x 8 ft 7 Gable-wall corner trim, door head casing, window casings
1×2 x 8 ft 2 Door stop and astragal
Exterior paint and primer in one 5 gal Two coats over about 672 sq ft
Exterior caulk 3 tubes Trim

Hardware and window

Item Qty
Framing nails 3 1/2 in (16d), hot-dip galvanized 39 lb
Siding nails 2 1/2 in (8d), hot-dip galvanized 17 lb
Sheathing nails 2 1/2 in (8d) for OSB 9 lb
Connector nails 1 1/2 in for the ties 3 lb
Construction adhesive, 10 oz tube 10
T-strap door hinges 6
Door handle and latch set 1
Barrel bolts for the fixed leaf 2
Exterior screws 1 1/4 in (door frame to T1-11) 1 lb
Exterior screws 2 1/2 in (hinge straps into framing) 1 box
Prefabricated window, 36 x 36 in rough opening 1
Flashing tape 4 in 1 roll
Wood shims 1 bundle

Cut list highlights

Most of the 10×20 cut list is square cuts: 51 wall studs at 7′ 6″ and 17 floor joists at 9′ 9″. The table holds the parts that need angles, splices or a tape for each piece.

Part Lumber Cut length Qty
Rafter 2×4 6′ 5″ 32
Fly rafter (rake) 2×4 6′ 5″ 4
Ridge board (spliced) 2×6 20′ 8″ 1
Rafter tie (interior pairs, at the plates) 2×4 10′ 0″ 14
Collar tie 2×4 3′ 8 1/2″ 7
Lookout block (rake overhang) 2×4 2 1/2″ 16
Frieze block (over the eave walls, top beveled) 2×4 1′ 0 1/4″ to 1′ 1 3/4″ 30
Skid (spliced) PT 4×4 20′ 0″ 4
Rim joist (spliced) PT 2×6 20′ 0″ 2
Front and back wall plate (spliced) 2×4 20′ 0″ 4
Front and back cap plate (spliced) 2×4 19′ 5″ 2
Door header (2×8 doubled + 1/2 ply) 2×8 5′ 3″ 2
Door trimmer 2×4 6′ 4 1/2″ 2
Window header (2×6 doubled + 1/2 ply) 2×6 3′ 3″ 2
Window trimmer 2×4 6′ 1″ 2
Center gable stud (under the ridge) 2×4 2′ 2 3/4″ 2
Gable end studs 2×4 7 1/8″ to 2′ 3 1/8″ in six lengths 2 each

Rafters. Each rafter needs a 6′ 5″ board with 26.6 degree plumb cuts at the ridge and the tail, which includes the 8 in eave overhang. The list buys 14 ft 2x4s and cuts two rafters from each, which leaves about 14 in per board. An 8 ft board holds only one rafter and wastes about 19 in, so you would need 32 boards instead of 16.

Mark the plumb cuts with a speed square pivoted to 6 on the common scale. The birdsmouth seat is 2 1/2 in, which makes the notch about 1 1/8 in deep. The generator keeps the notch to a third of the rafter’s depth or less, so do not cut it any deeper. Cut one pattern rafter, test it at both ends and the middle of the shed, then trace the other 31.

The 4 fly rafters hang off the 2 1/2 in lookout blocks and the ridge extension, not a wall, so they get the plumb cuts but no birdsmouth.

Ridge. The ridge is 20′ 8″, not 20′ 0″, because it runs 4 in past each gable wall to carry the fly rafters. It is cut 116 in from a 10 ft 2×6 and 132 in from a 12 ft 2×6. Put the joint at a rafter pair so both ends of the splice are nailed through rafters, and hold it on the temporary 2×4 post until that pair is set.

The 20 ft runs. The skids, rim joists, wall plates, cap plates, ridge and eave fascia are all longer than the 16 ft stock on the list, so each is two boards with a planned joint. Each skid is one 8 ft and one 12 ft 4×4, with the joints of neighboring skids 4 ft apart, each joint under a floor joist and scabbed on both sides. Each rim breaks where a layout joist and a second joist sit side by side, so both rim ends nail into a full joist. Spliced skids work on a level, compacted pad but are weak for dragging, so do not plan to skid this shed to a new spot later.

The splices come from the generator’s rule of no board over 16 ft, the longest length most home centers stock. If your yard sells 20 ft treated 4×4 and 2×6, one board per skid and rim removes those joints; recount the stock before you order.

Wall plates. The front plates are cut 152 1/4 in and 87 3/4 in, with the joint centered on a full-height stud. The back plates use a full 12 ft and a full 8 ft board, joint on a stud. The 19′ 5″ cap plates also break on a stud, at least 4 ft from the plate joint below, so each layer laps the other’s joint. The side walls get 9′ 4 7/8″ plates, 1/8 in short of the gap so they drop in between the eave walls, and full 10 ft cap plates that lap the corners.

Headers. The 60 in door opening gets a doubled 2×8 header with a 1/2 in plywood filler, on trimmers cut to 6′ 4 1/2″, with four 6 1/4″ cripples above it. The bottom plate is cut out of the doorway after the wall is up, so the door leaves swing over the floor. The window gets a doubled 2×6 header on 6′ 1″ trimmers, two 11 1/2″ cripples above, a 3′ 0″ sill and two 2′ 11 1/2″ cripples below.

Gable studs. Each 10 ft gable has one 2′ 2 3/4″ center stud plus six end studs, one each of 7 1/8″, 11 1/8″, 1′ 3 1/8″, 1′ 7 1/8″, 1′ 11 1/8″ and 2′ 3 1/8″. The studs are laid out 16 in on center from one corner so the T1-11 joints land on them. That means the two halves of a gable are not mirror images, so label each stud and measure it off your actual end rafter before cutting.

Gable vs lean-to: what changes

We ran the same 10×20 footprint as a lean-to (single-slope) roof at 3/12, with an 80 in low back wall, the door in the high front wall and the window in the back wall. The skids, joists and decking stay the same; the studs, rafters and siding change.

Item Gable (6/12) Lean-to (3/12)
Rafters 32 2×4 at 6′ 5″ + 4 fly 16 2×6 at 11′ 9 1/2″ + 2 fly
Ridge board 2×6, 20′ 8″ from a 10 ft and a 12 ft board None
Wall studs 7′ 6″ on all four walls 8′ 8 5/8″ front, 6′ 3 1/2″ back, stepped on the sides
2×4 framing boards bought 125 65
2×4 seam blocks, braces and posts 12 11
2×6 boards bought (not treated) 3 23
T1-11 sheets 20, all 4×8 18: seven 4×10, two 4×9, nine 4×8
Roof OSB sheets 11 9
Shingle bundles 11 9
Felt 1 roll 2 rolls, laid double below 4/12
Fascia 1×6 1×8
Extra hardware 2 Z-flashing, 2 gable vents 4 twist straps at the wall corners
Framing nails (16d) 39 lb 28 lb
Floor 4 skids, 17 joists, 7 sheets 4 skids, 17 joists, 7 sheets

On a 10 ft deep shed the lean-to rafters are 2×6: the generator checks a 113 in span against a 143 in limit for 2×6 at 30 psf, while a 2×4 tops out near 98 in. That is why the lean-to buys 23 plain 2x6s (16 rafters and 2 fly rafters from 12 ft stock, plus blocking and a header) but far fewer 2x4s. Each side wall has 9 studs stepping from 6′ 5 3/8″ to 8′ 9 1/4″ under a 9′ 8 1/2″ sloped top plate cut at 14 degrees.

Each lean-to rafter is 11′ 9 1/2″ from a 12 ft board, which leaves only about 2 1/2 in, so check the board ends before you mark it. The 8′ 8 5/8″ front studs come out of 10 ft boards, and the high wall takes 4×10 siding sheets, which some yards have to order. At 3/12, read the minimum slope on the shingle wrapper and follow the maker’s low-slope instructions. For single-slope layouts, see the 8×16 lean-to shed plan, all lean-to shed plans and our gable vs lean-to vs hip roof comparison.

Where the waste goes

  • Wall studs: 90 in from a 96 in board leaves about 6 in each.
  • Rafters: two 6′ 5″ rafters from a 14 ft board leave about 14 in. Cut the 2 1/2 in lookout blocks and short gable studs from those ends if you want, but the list already buys boards for them.
  • Floor joists: 9′ 9″ from a 10 ft board leaves 3 in for squaring the ends.
  • Rafter ties: the fourteen 10′ 0″ ties come from 12 ft boards, leaving about 2 ft each. Cut the 8 brace stakes from these; at just under 24 in after the saw kerf, they are close enough.
  • Collar ties: two 3′ 8 1/2″ ties per 8 ft board leave about 7 in.
  • 20 ft runs: the skids and back plates use full boards with factory ends and no offcut. The rim pieces leave about 7 in and 17 in, the front plate pieces about 16 in and 8 in, and the ridge and eave fascia pieces about 4 in and 12 in.
  • Cap plates: the front 19′ 5″ cap pieces leave about 19 in and 12 in, the back ones about 3 1/2 in each.
  • Side cap plates: each uses a full 10 ft board with no trim room, so check that the factory ends are square at the yard.
  • Floor decking and wall siding: 7 floor sheets give 224 sq ft for a 200 sq ft floor, and 16 wall sheets give 512 sq ft for 480 sq ft of wall. The leftover is in strips you cannot use for a full panel, so a damaged sheet still means a trip back to the yard.
  • No spares: the counts include nothing for rejects. Pick straight stock at the yard, and add a few 2×4 x 8 ft if you expect to cull warped or split boards.

The longest pieces bought are 16 ft: the two corner trim boards for the eave walls. Everything else is 8, 10, 12 or 14 ft stock.

Tools for a 10×20 build

  • Circular saw, speed square and framing square for 51 stud cuts and 36 rafters; cut the 2 1/2 in lookout blocks from a long clamped stick with a stop block, never as loose scraps
  • Framing hammer or framing nailer, and a drill/driver for the screws
  • 4 ft level, 25 ft tape for checking that the floor diagonals match, and a string line for the 20 ft rims and plates
  • A rented plate compactor for 4.0 cu yd of gravel, laid in thin layers
  • A crew: the generator plans for a helper on most steps and 5 people to raise the 20 ft front wall
  • Safety glasses and hearing protection for the saw and nailer, and gloves for the treated lumber

Common mistakes

  • Mixing up 10×20 and 20×10. In this list the ridge runs along the 20 ft side and the door sits in a 20 ft wall. If the ridge runs the 10 ft way, the roof spans 20 ft and each rafter’s run grows from about 60 in to about 120 in, past the 2×4 span check, and the ridge, gables and rafter sizes all change.
  • Lining up the splices. Every 20 ft member here is two boards. If the skid, rim, plate and cap plate joints all fall at the same spot, the floor and walls get a hinge line. Keep them where the list puts them.
  • Forgetting the door sheets. The siding cut out of the doorway is 76 1/2 in tall, shorter than the 77 1/4 in door leaf, so each leaf needs its own new T1-11 sheet.
  • Skipping rafter ties. A ridge board is not a beam. The 14 rafter ties at the plates stop the 20 ft walls from spreading. The 7 collar ties, on every other pair in the upper third, hold the rafter pairs together near the ridge; they do not replace the rafter ties.
  • Deep birdsmouths. A full 3 1/2 in seat would notch a 2×4 rafter past the generator’s one-third limit, so keep the seat at 2 1/2 in.
  • Swapping materials without recounting. This list is for 3-tab shingles and T1-11. Architectural shingles, metal roofing or lap siding cover differently, so recount from the coverage printed on the bundle or the maker’s install guide.
  • Untreated wood near the ground. Skids, rims and joists are pressure treated; plain framing lumber there rots. Use ground-contact rated wood for the skids, and hot-dip galvanized nails and treated-lumber rated screws in treated wood. The USDA Wood Handbook covers why wet, untreated wood decays.

Whether a 200 sq ft shed needs a permit, and what setbacks and tie-downs apply, varies by town, so check your local permit office before you order. Our shed permit checklist lists what to ask. Ground anchors or tie-downs are not counted in this list, so ask the same office what your area expects for a 200 sq ft shed on skids.

For how to read any list like this one, see our shed material list guide. For other sizes, try the shed material calculator. For the base under the skids, see shed foundation options, and for a rough budget, see how much it costs to build a shed.

Get the full plan

The 10×20 gable shed plan is a 3DSHEDPLANS PDF with 40+ steps, 3D images and its own printable material list. For the nearest sizes, see the 12×20 gable shed plan, the 8×20 gable shed plan and the 10×24 gable shed plan, or compare the 12×20 shed material list and the 10×16 shed material list.

Want to see the format first? Download the free 10×20 gable shed plan preview PDF. Need more or less room? Compare all gable shed plans or browse every size on the shed plans page.

Frequently asked questions

What is on a 10×20 shed material list?

For a 10×20 gable shed with 94 1/2 in walls and a 6/12 roof, our generator lists 137 2x4s, 21 treated 2x6s, 8 treated 4x4s, 7 sheets of 3/4 in plywood, 11 of OSB, 20 of T1-11, 2 of 1/2 in plywood and 11 shingle bundles, plus trim, nails and hardware.

How many 2x4s do I need for a 10×20 shed?

137 in all for a 10×20 gable shed with a 60 in double door and one window. That is 125 framing boards (79 at 8 ft, 6 at 10 ft, 17 at 12 ft, 23 at 14 ft), 3 boards (8 ft) cut into flat decking seam blocks, 8 temporary wall braces and 1 temporary ridge post.

How many sheets of plywood, OSB and siding does a 10×20 shed need?

7 sheets of 3/4 in tongue and groove plywood for the floor, 11 sheets of 7/16 in OSB for the roof, 20 sheets of 5/8 in T1-11 for the walls, gables and door leaves, and 2 sheets of 1/2 in plywood for the soffit and header fillers.

How many bundles of shingles for a 10×20 shed roof?

11 bundles of 3-tab shingles for the 6/12 gable roof, which works out to about 259 sq ft with an 8 in eave and 4 in rake overhang. The count includes the starter course, the ridge cap and about 10 percent extra.

Are there free 10×20 shed plans with a materials list?

This page is a free 10×20 materials list with cut lengths. The 3DSHEDPLANS 10×20 gable shed plan PDF adds 40+ steps, 3D images and its own printable list, and a free 10×20 preview PDF shows the format before you buy.

Shed building guides