16x16 Shed Material List: Lumber, Sheets and Hardware

A 16×16 shed material list for a gable shed on skids comes to 112 2x4s, 37 2x6s, 15 treated 2x6s, 5 treated 4x4s, 8 sheets of 3/4 in plywood, 12 of OSB, 21 of T1-11 and 12 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, and this 16×16 gable build passed all 93 of its framing checks. The list covers one 72 in double door and two 36 x 36 in windows.

Every wall, skid and rim on a 16×16 shed is exactly 16 ft, a common stock length, so only the ridge and the eave fascia need a planned joint.

What this 16×16 shed material list assumes

The generator ran a shed 16 ft deep and 16 ft wide, with 256 sq ft of floor. 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, 2×6 rafters, a 2×8 ridge board, 8 in eave overhang and 4 in rake overhang. The roof works out to about 321 sq ft.
• Floor: five pressure-treated 4×4 skids 16 ft long, about 47 in apart (47.1 in), on a crushed stone pad 18 x 18 ft and 4 in deep (12 in wider than the shed on every side), with 2×6 joists cut to 15′ 9″ at 16 in on center and 3/4 in tongue and groove plywood.
• Loads: the 2×6 rafters pass a span table check at 30 psf ground snow (SPF #2 at 16 in, about 96 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 72 in wide double door in the front eave wall, and one 36 x 36 in window in each gable wall (left and right). The back wall has no openings.

If you build a neighboring plan instead, such as the 16×20 gable shed plan or the double-door 12×16 gable shed plan, shop from that plan’s own printable 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, stakes, cleats, braces, ridge post)	112
2×6, not treated (30 at 10 ft for rafters, 7 at 8 ft for headers and frieze blocks)	37
2×8 (8 ft and 10 ft for the ridge, 14 ft for the door header)	3
Pressure-treated 2×6 x 16 ft (13 joists, 2 rims)	15
Pressure-treated 4×4 x 16 ft (skids)	5
3/4 in T&G plywood sheets (floor)	8
7/16 in OSB sheets (roof)	12
5/8 in T1-11 sheets (walls, gables, door leaves)	21
1/2 in plywood sheets (soffit, header fillers)	2
3-tab shingle bundles	12

The counts include no spares for rejects. Add a few 2×4 x 8 ft if you expect to cull warped or split boards, and two or three spare 2×6 x 10 ft for the rafters (see the cut list).

Floor

Item	Qty	Used for
Pressure-treated 4×4 x 16 ft, tagged for ground contact	5	Skids, one full board each
Pressure-treated 2×6 x 16 ft	13	Floor joists cut to 15′ 9″
Pressure-treated 2×6 x 16 ft	2	Rim joists, full 16′ 0″
3/4 in T&G plywood, 4×8 sheet	8	Floor decking (256 sq ft)
1×4 x 10 ft	2	Decking filler strip, ripped to 2 in and cut 8′ 0″
Crushed stone 3/4 in, loose	4.8 cu yd	Gravel pad, measured loose before tamping
Deck screws 2 in (or 6d ring-shank nails), rated for treated lumber	7 lb	Decking

Walls and roof framing

Item	Qty	Used for
2×4 x 8 ft	64	51 wall studs, cripples, window sills, gable studs, vent blocks and lookout blocks
2×4 x 12 ft	4	6 collar ties (two per board) and gable studs
2×4 x 14 ft	4	Door and window trimmers, gable studs
2×4 x 16 ft	23	All wall plates and cap plates, 11 rafter ties
2×6 x 10 ft	30	26 rafters and 4 fly rafters, one per board
2×6 x 8 ft	7	Window headers and 24 frieze blocks
2×8 x 8 ft and 2×8 x 10 ft	1 + 1	Ridge board (16′ 8″, two pieces)
2×8 x 14 ft	1	Door header, two 6′ 3″ pieces
Hurricane ties, H2.5A type or equal	26	Rafter to plate
Temporary braces 2×4 x 12 ft	12	Wall bracing, reused later
Temporary post 2×4 x 12 ft	1	Under the ridge joint until that rafter pair is set
2×4 x 8 ft	4	8 pointed brace stakes (2 boards) and 12 deck cleats (2 boards)

The three 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	12	Roof sheathing
15 lb felt, 400 sq ft roll	1	Underlayment
3-tab shingles, 26 per bundle	12 bundles	Roof, starter course and ridge cap
Drip edge, 10 ft	8	Eaves and rakes
Roofing nails 1 1/4 in galvanized	11 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, one sheet per 4 ft of the 64 ft perimeter
5/8 in T1-11, 4×8 sheet	3	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	4	Wall siding to gable siding joint
Drip cap, 10 ft	2	Over the door and window head casings
1×8 x 8 ft	2	Eave fascia, short piece of each run
1×8 x 10 ft	6	Eave fascia long pieces, 4 rake fascia boards
1×4 x 16 ft	2	Corner trim on the eave walls (two per board)
1×4 x 14 ft	4	Door casing sides, door stiles, Z braces
1×4 x 8 ft	11	Gable-wall corner trim, door head casing, door rails, window casings
1×2 x 8 ft	2	Door stop and astragal
Exterior paint and primer in one	6 gal	Two coats over about 772 sq ft
Exterior caulk	3 tubes	Trim

Hardware and windows

Item	Qty
Framing nails 3 1/2 in (16d), hot-dip galvanized (about 1,433 nails plus 10 percent)	40 lb
Siding nails 2 1/2 in (8d), hot-dip galvanized	22 lb
Sheathing nails 2 1/2 in (8d) for OSB	11 lb
Connector nails 1 1/2 in for the ties	2 lb
Construction adhesive, 10 oz tube	11
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	2
Flashing tape 4 in	1 roll
Wood shims	1 bundle

Cut list highlights

Most of the 16×16 cut list is square cuts: 51 wall studs at 7′ 6″ and 13 floor joists at 15′ 9″. The table holds the parts that need angles, a joint or a tape for each piece.

Part	Lumber	Cut length	Qty
Rafter	2×6	9′ 10 1/8″	26
Fly rafter (rake)	2×6	9′ 10 1/8″	4
Ridge board (two pieces)	2×8	16′ 8″	1
Rafter tie (interior pairs, at the plates)	2×4	16′ 0″	11
Collar tie	2×4	5′ 10 7/8″	6
Lookout block (rake overhang)	2×4	2 1/2″	24
Frieze block (over the eave walls, top beveled)	2×6	1′ 0 1/4″ to 1′ 1 3/4″	24
Front and back cap plate	2×4	15′ 5″	2
Side wall plate (bottom and top)	2×4	15′ 4 7/8″	4
Side wall cap plate	2×4	16′ 0″	2
Door header (2×8 doubled + 1/2 ply)	2×8	6′ 3″	2
Door trimmer	2×4	6′ 4 1/2″	2
Window header (2×6 doubled + 1/2 ply)	2×6	3′ 3″	4
Window trimmer	2×4	6′ 1″	4
Center gable stud (under the ridge)	2×4	3′ 8 3/4″	2
Gable end studs	2×4	6 5/8″ to 3′ 2 5/8″ in five lengths	4 each
Gable vent sill and header (flat)	2×4	1′ 2 1/2″	4

Rafters. Each rafter is 9′ 10 1/8″ with 26.6 degree plumb cuts at the ridge and the tail, which includes the 8 in eave overhang. One rafter comes from each 10 ft 2×6, and the generator needs about 118 3/16 in of board for it, so there is under 2 in to spare. Buy two or three spare 10 ft 2x6s so a split end or a bad cut does not stop the roof. Cut one pattern rafter, test it at both gables and the middle, then trace the other 25.

Birdsmouth. The seat is a full 3 1/2 in, the width of the wall plate, which makes the notch about 1 9/16 in deep. That stays under a third of the 2×6 rafter’s depth, the generator’s limit, so do not cut it any deeper. 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 2×8, deeper than the 2×6 rafters’ plumb cut, and 16′ 8″ long because it runs 4 in past each gable wall to carry the fly rafters. It is cut 7′ 0″ and 9′ 8″ from an 8 ft and a 10 ft board, with the joint centered on the rafter pair 6′ 8″ from the left corner. Hold the joint on the temporary 2×4 post, cut 11′ 7 1/4″ from the deck to the underside of the ridge, until that pair is nailed.

Eave fascia. Each 16′ 8″ eave run is the same two pieces as the ridge, 7′ 0″ + 9′ 8″, with a square butt joint centered on the rafter tail 6′ 8″ from the left corner. The four rake fascia boards are 9′ 9 1/8″ each, one per 10 ft 1×8.

Wall plates. The front and back walls take full 16 ft bottom and top plates and a 15′ 5″ cap plate. The side walls get 15′ 4 7/8″ plates, 1/8 in short of the gap so they drop in between the eave walls, and full 16 ft cap plates that lap the corners. Mark the bottom and top plate of each wall together so the studs line up.

Headers. The 72 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 five 6 1/4″ cripples above it. The bottom plate is cut out of the doorway after the wall is up, so the leaves swing over the floor. Each 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 16 ft gable has one 3′ 8 3/4″ center stud plus ten end studs, two each of 6 5/8″, 1′ 2 5/8″, 1′ 10 5/8″, 2′ 6 5/8″ and 3′ 2 5/8″, laid out 16 in on center from the corner so the T1-11 joints land on them. Because 16 ft divides evenly by 16 in, the two halves of each gable mirror each other. Measure each stud off your actual end rafter before cutting, and frame the 8 x 12 in vent with two 1′ 2 1/2″ flat blocks per gable.

Gable vs lean-to: what changes

We ran the same 16×16 footprint as a lean-to (single-slope) roof at 3/12, with a 71 in low back wall. The lean-to run uses the generator’s own lean-to openings, a 60 in double door in the high front wall and one window in the back wall, so part of the 2×4, nail and siding gap comes from the smaller openings, not the roof. The skids, joists and decking stay the same.

Item	Gable (6/12)	Lean-to (3/12)
Rafters	26 2×6 at 9′ 10 1/8″ + 4 fly, from 10 ft stock	13 2×10 at 18′ 0 3/4″ + 2 fly, from 20 ft stock
Ridge board	2×8, 16′ 8″ in two pieces	None
Wall studs	7′ 6″ on all four walls	9′ 5 5/8″ front, 5′ 6 1/2″ back, stepped on the sides
2×4 framing boards bought	95	62
2×4 braces, stakes, cleats (and ridge post, gable only)	17	20
2×10 boards bought	0	18
T1-11 sheets	21, all 4×8	18: six 4×10, two 4×9, ten 4×8
Roof OSB sheets	12	11
Shingle bundles	12	11
Felt	1 roll	2 rolls, laid double below 4/12
Fascia	1×8, longest board 10 ft	1×8, two rake boards from 20 ft stock
Doors and windows	72 in door, 2 windows	60 in door, 1 window
Extra hardware	4 Z-flashing, 2 gable vents	4 twist straps at the wall corners
Soffit plywood	2 sheets	1 sheet
Ladder in the audit	16 ft	20 ft, for the taller front wall
Framing nails (16d)	40 lb	29 lb
Floor	5 skids, 13 joists, 8 sheets	5 skids, 13 joists, 8 sheets

The big change is the rafters. A lean-to rafter spans the full 16 ft depth in one piece, and the generator checks a 185 in span against a 222 in limit for 2×10 at 30 psf, so it buys 15 2×10 x 20 ft boards. Twenty foot 2x10s and 1x8s are often special order and need a long trailer or delivery.

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 14×16 lean-to shed plan, the 12×16 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: each 10 ft 2×6 yields one rafter with under 2 in left, so there is no room to recut a bad plumb cut. That is why the totals suggest two or three spare 2x6s.
• Floor joists: 15′ 9″ from a 16 ft board leaves 3 in for squaring the ends.
• Rafter ties, side cap plates, front and back plates, skids and rims: all full 16′ 0″ boards with no trim room, so check that the factory ends are square at the yard.
• Side wall plates and front and back cap plates: 15′ 4 7/8″ and 15′ 5″ from 16 ft boards, leaving about 7 in each.
• Collar ties: two 5′ 10 7/8″ ties per 12 ft board leave about 2 1/4 in.
• Ridge and eave fascia: the 7′ 0″ piece leaves about 12 in of its 8 ft board and the 9′ 8″ piece about 4 in of its 10 ft board.
• Rake fascia: 9′ 9 1/8″ from a 10 ft 1×8 leaves about 2 7/8 in.
• Floor decking: 8 sheets cover the 256 sq ft floor in four full rows with no ripped row, and a 2 in filler strip of ripped 1×4 makes up the last bit of the 16 ft joist span. A damaged sheet means a trip back to the yard.

For delivery or a trailer run, the longest boards are the 16 ft skids, joists, plates, rafter ties and corner trim. Nothing on the gable list is longer than 16 ft.

Tools for a 16×16 build

• Circular saw, speed square and framing square for 51 stud cuts and 30 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, a 25 ft tape for checking that the floor diagonals match, and a string line for the 16 ft rims and plates
• A 16 ft extension ladder, which reaches about 4 ft past the roof edge at a 4 to 1 setup
• A rented plate compactor for 4.8 cu yd of gravel, laid in thin layers
• A helper: the generator plans each wall as a bare frame raised by 2 people, and the heaviest, the front wall with the door, is about 211 lb. Add a third pair of hands if you can, to hold the braces while the wall goes plumb
• Roof brackets or a harness and anchor for working on the 6/12 roof while you shingle
• Safety glasses and hearing protection for the saw and nailer, and gloves for the treated lumber

Common mistakes

• Buying 2×4 rafters. Our 12×16 gable list uses 2×4 rafters, but on a 16 ft deep shed each rafter runs about 96 in, so this list uses 2×6. Do not copy a smaller list and scale it up.
• Skipping rafter ties. A ridge board is not a beam. The 11 rafter ties at the plates stop the 16 ft eave walls from spreading. The 6 collar ties hold rafter pairs together near the ridge; they do not replace the rafter ties.
• Storing things on the rafter ties. The ties are single 2x4s spanning 16 ft, sized to hold the walls in, not to carry a load. This list has no loft, so do not lay boards across them for storage.
• 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.
• Using precut studs at full length. Precut 92 5/8 in studs make a wall about 2 5/8 in taller than this list’s 94 1/2 in, which throws off the siding fit, corner trim and soffit. If you buy precuts, trim every one to 90 in.
• Planning to drag it later. The 4×4 skids carry the shed on a level, compacted pad. A 256 sq ft shed is heavy, so if you ever need to move it, ask a mover rather than dragging it on the skids.
• 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.
• Nailing the siding skirt into thin air. On the eave walls the T1-11 laps the rim joist by about 2 15/16 in, enough to nail into it. On the gable walls the lap is only about 3/4 in, so nail the skirt into the rim only where it laps 1 1/2 in or more, and prime and paint the bottom edge of the sheets before they go up.
• 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.

Not in this list: a ramp, a loft, shelving, ground anchors and paint color. Plan those separately (our shed ramp guide covers the ramp), and recount if you change the wall height or the 16 in spacing.

Whether a 256 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 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

3DSHEDPLANS has no 16×16 plan PDF yet. The closest sizes are the 16×20 gable shed plan, which keeps the 16 ft depth and adds 4 ft of length, and the 16×24 gable shed plan. Both are 3DSHEDPLANS PDFs with step-by-step 3D images and their own printable material lists. To compare counts, see the smaller 12×16 shed material list and the larger 16×24 shed material list.

To see the plan format first, download the free 16×20 gable shed plan preview PDF or the free 16×24 gable shed plan preview PDF. You can also compare all gable shed plans or browse every size on the shed plans page.

Frequently asked questions

What is on a 16×16 shed material list?

For a 16×16 gable shed with 94 1/2 in walls and a 6/12 roof, our generator lists 112 2x4s, 37 2x6s, 3 2x8s, 15 treated 2x6s, 5 treated 4x4s, 8 sheets of 3/4 in plywood, 12 of OSB, 21 of T1-11, 2 of 1/2 in plywood and 12 shingle bundles, plus trim, nails and hardware.

How many 2x4s do I need for a 16×16 shed?

112 in all for a 16×16 gable shed with a 72 in double door and two windows. That is 95 framing boards (64 at 8 ft, 4 at 12 ft, 4 at 14 ft, 23 at 16 ft), 12 temporary wall braces and 1 temporary ridge post (12 ft), and 4 boards (8 ft) for stakes and cleats.

How many sheets of plywood, OSB and siding does a 16×16 shed need?

8 sheets of 3/4 in tongue and groove plywood for the floor, 12 sheets of 7/16 in OSB for the roof, 21 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 16×16 shed roof?

12 bundles of 3-tab shingles for the 6/12 gable roof, which is about 321 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.

What size rafters does a 16×16 shed need?

In our 16×16 gable build the rafters are 2×6 at 16 in on center, each cut 9' 10 1/8" from a 10 ft board, on a 2×8 ridge. The generator picks 2×6 because each rafter runs about 96 in, checked at 30 psf ground snow; check your local permit office for your area's load.