how to build rustic woodshed


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How to Build Nature's Woodshed By Karl Klint Basic Woodshed Dimensions For this project we will cover the basic design for natures wood shed. Our basic shed dimentions will be: 6 feet wide. 12 feet long. stand 8 feet tall. The shed's eight-foot height should be measured from the ground to the lowest point of the roof. The front wall will have a three foot wide doorway. Note: It is suggested if you have garden and lawn equipment that measures wider than three feet, you might want to expand the width of the doorway to accommodate these tools. Constructing the Walls Wall construction can look challenging. Lay your 2X4's, on the ground, with the following distances, and step back: Place 2X4's two feet apart. Place the first cross beam three feet from the shed's floor. Place the second beam three feet from the bottom of the ceiling. Two feet of space will be between beams. With a little bit of time, and the proper measurement, your walls will be ready to rise into place. Note: Your woodshed may someday be converted for use as a simple storage shed! If this happens, our construction design should allow for an easy change over, without adding any added stress to the structure. Firming Up the Building Are you wondering what will keep Nature's Woodshed from falling over? The answer is cement: Dig a half foot hole for the corner posts. Place the 4X4 beams in the hole. Mix up your concrete. Fill the area around the beam with concrete. Up and down, use a level to make sure the beam stays level. Support the beam until the concrete is able to solidify. The post holes will be going on the inside corners of the walls. After the cement dries completely, the walls can officially be raised. Note: Wait 24 hours until you nail the woodshed's walls to the corner beams. If you attach them too soon, your shed may end up leaning one way or the other. Framing the Windows Go ahead and frame in your windows. The height of your window has been decided, but the width is up to you: Add 2X4’s to frame the sides of your windows. Border the inside of the windows with 1X4 boards. Tilt the window's baseboard slightly outward. The 1X4's are mainly for aesthetic value. The tilted baseboard will help keep rainwater from dripping into the woodshed's interior. Note: The height of your Woodshed's window frames will be set by the distance between the wall's two cross beams. Adjust this facet of the wall design to fit your ideal shed concept. Raising the Roof How high is your roof going to stand? The highest point you wish to have the roof reach will decide the slope of your roof. It will also decide the length of roof tin you purchase. For this shed design, we are going to have the peak of Nature's woodshed measure 12 feet from the Wood Sheds floor. Measure 4 feet above our walls. The distance from the shed's peak to the sidewalls will be 5 feet. We will be able to use 6 foot long roof tin for the roof. Note: The slant of the roof will be five feet long, with one foot of the tin hanging past the shed's walls. Go Ahead and Nail on the Roof Tin: Nailing on tin is not so tuff. Make sure someone is holding the ladder for safety. After that, just follow these few tips: Overlap the roof tin sheets. Nail them together in the ridge that stands up from the building. Overkill is not necessary. Placing one nail every two feet along the support beam will be enough to keep the tin attached to the roof. If the nail is nailed outside the ridge, water may leak through. This is why the ridge was placed on the tin. Note: The color of the roof-tin you purchase will enhance the rustic affect of your woodshed. Adding the Quarter Cut Wall boards This is the fun part. By mixing and matching different wood types, you will shape the sheds personality. When choosing wood for walls, think about: The wood's contour. The wood's color. The size of quartercut you wish to use. Will your shed have the flavor of your native wood? Or will you find wood boards that are exotic for your region? Note: The contour and color of the woods bark, along with the roof tin, will decide the look of your shed. The walls of the woodshed pictured on this page have two types of wood. The majority of these walls contain Birch. However, the corner pieces are made of Pine. What to do with the Shed's Floor The finished product can be anything you want it to be: The shed's floor can be left as-is. Some people put cement tiles down for a floor. Any material you want can be used for the floor. Just remember to elevate your wood off the floor somehow, even if it is just an inch. Note: Elevating your firewood will speed up the drying process. This will add to the amount of airflow around the wood. Where to purchase Quarter Cut You can purchase quarter cut at most lumber mills. Also, if you live in an area where tree harvesting takes place, ask if you can purchase a pick-up full of quarter cut. Some Final Thoughts Remember, the final size and shape of the shed is up to you. As with the shed pictured above, you can add many different alterations: Add Shutters? Add a lean-to on the side? Add a tower? Add antlers? Add flower boxes? The color of the roof-tin, plus any alterations you make, will decide how much your Nature's Woodshed will stand out. Do you want it to be noticed right away? Or, do you want it to blend in with the natural setting? After a few years, feel free to put on new Quarter Cut. The boards you remove will be really dried out. Burning the old walls feels wonderful. Also, by changing the look of your woodshed, you may not be overwhelmed by the desire to remodel your kitchen? Or maybe the kitchen would look nice with a rustic look? Have fun and enjoy!	In Need of a Woodshed Frozen plastic, winter winds, and a love for log cabins: I was tired of trying to find the firewood under snow and ice. Trips to the cabin were less enjoyable in the winter. A fire is fun in the summer. In the winter it is a necessity. Need and want came together under one roof. This is how the idea for Nature's woodshed came to fruition. Tired of the Winter Trouble Taking a shovel with to uncover the wood, along with the excess exposure to the skin, brings with it dreams of a permanent woodshed structure. Running out to the wood pile, covered in snow and plastic, to retreive firewood grows old. If your sending a friend, they might just let you know how they feel. If you burn wood for any reason: campfire, heat, art projects, you might have been thinking about building a woodshed. When asking someone else to retrieve wood, they might laugh at you the first time you mention it. Just be glad the lake is frozen. Your friends might be less likely to throw you into the frigid water for sending them outside. I needed a solution to the winter firewood season. A woodshed! The pre-fab suburbanite-sheds sold at most do-it-yourself supply stores just wasn't going to cut it. They are nice, but for a woodshed they are too airtight, too ordinary. Images of the shed styles I do not want to own Here's another natural woodshed concept The Quarter Cut Walls give Nature's woodshed a rustic, log cabin feel. Also, the natural gaps between the boards allow for wonderfully natural air flow. The firewood will dry out faster. Quarter Cut and other wood working Definitions Tools You Will Need Saw Hammer Tin Shears Level Various Power Tools A building project is a great excuse to purchase power equipment, even if the equipment isn't actually necessary. Supplies You Will Need Quarter Cut Log Treated 2 inch by 4 inch beams 1 inch by 4 inch boards Cement Nails Roof Tin Small gaps between Quarter Cut boards is OK. This allows for airflow! Watch out. If you have children, they just may want to turn your new woodshed into a permanent playhouse.
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