Building a shed by yourself might seem like a daunting task but it isn’t really. You don’t have to pay thousands of your hard earned dollars to have a professional make it for you. With little help, even a newbie woodworker can get the job done. Want to know how? Well, let’s find out.

For most woodworkers, the two most complex parts of a shed are the foundation/flooring and the roof. While the roof is a lengthy process altogether and can be learned later on, the foundation is the first step of building your shed. Therefore, it is important that you start with learning how to build the foundation before we move on.

Let’s start with assuming that you are building a 12X18 lean to shed. The steps would remain the same for every shed size just the dimensions would change.

Step # 1: Build the Foundation:

You need to have treated timber joists and galvanized nails. You can either get the timber sized as per your requirement from a local hardware store or do it yourself. Next step is to simply place the timber joists together and nail them with galvanized nails.

Step # 2: Adding the Skids:

Once your foundation has the basic layout, you will now add skids to it. You would simply require 4×4 to feet pressure treated timber skids. Simply fix them below the bottom of each floor frame with a gap of 3 feet 6.75 inches. You will now need to use 6 inch long bolts to nail through the skids.

Believe it or not, your foundation is ready now. The next step is to add flooring to it.

Step # 3: Understanding Your Flooring Options:

When it comes to flooring, there are three major options you have:

  • Timber floor boards
  • Plywood
  • OSB (Oriented Strand Board)

Most professionals, including us, prefer using tongue and groove plywood since it is easy to install and is less prone to damage.

Step # 4: Cutting the Plywood:

We prefer buying 0.74 inches tongue and groove plywood. Simply cut six 4 x 8 feet and one 2×4 feet of 0.74 inch tongue and groove plywood. This should be fairly easy if you have a proper saw.

Step # 5: Adding the Plywood to the Foundation:

Once you have the plywood cut, next step is to start attaching it on the foundation. Do this by simply nailing the tongue and groove plywood’s edges to the foundation with 2 inches galvanized nails. Also, nail the areas where the joists lie under the foundation. By doing this, you will ensure that the plywood is concretely attached to the foundation.

That’s it! That’s how easy it is to add tongue and groove plywood flooring to your shed’s foundation.

Some Tips to Keep Your Flooring Safe & Sound:

  1. Make sure you have kept enough distance between the foundation and the ground. This will help any damp air to easily disperse. The timber of your foundation will stay dry and not get moist. A lot of woodworkers leave little to no space between the ground and the foundation, allowing the timber to absorb the moisture from the ground.
  2. Professionals also recommend adding damp proof membrane to the floor joists to keep them from dampening. You can place damp proof membrane beneath the supports of the floor joists. Again, this will help the timber to not get moist.
  3. Use a proper drainage system within the shed to allow any water to easily drain out. If you are putting your gardening tools inside the shed, make sure there is enough ventilation for the moisture to evaporate. If it does not evaporate, it may warp the flooring.

Building a shed foundation and flooring is not as difficult as it may seem. If you are still unable to grasp the steps, it is best to buy a PREMIUM shed plan from our shop. These plans come with a complete list of materials and tools you would require to building your shed, step by step instructions with 3D illustrations and markings so you know exactly how each step should look like and tips from professional woodworkers to help you build a solid shed within affordable rates.