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How to Build a Shed (or Firewood Woodshed): The Complete Beginner's Guide + Free Cost Estimator
Skip the guesswork: Ryan's Shed Plans gives you 12,000 shed plans with blueprints, cut lists and material lists.
Get Ryan's 12,000 Shed Plans →The sales page also offers a free 8x12 sample plan so you can see the format first.
What you get with Ryan's Shed Plans
- 12,000 shed plans by woodworker Ryan Henderson
- Blueprints with cut lists and material lists
- Designs from small lean-tos and woodsheds to large workshops
- Free 8x12 sample plan offered on the sales page
Shed cost estimator: build vs buy
All results come from your inputs. Defaults are rough starting points; get local quotes.
1. Planning your shed
Start with what the shed is for: garden tools, a mower, a workshop, bikes or firewood. Its job decides the door width, floor strength, windows, and whether you need power. Pick a spot that is level, drains well, is reachable with a wheelbarrow, and sits above any low spot where water pools.
Sketch the shed with the door location, then mark the footprint in the yard with stakes and string and stand inside it. Most first ideas turn out smaller than you need.
2. Permits, setbacks and rules
Rules vary by town, county and country. Many places exempt small sheds under a set floor area or height but still enforce setbacks. Before buying materials:
- Check your local building department for size and height limits
- Check setbacks from fences, property lines and the house
- Check HOA rules if you have one
- Call your utility locate service before digging any holes
3. Choosing the right size
| Common size | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 4x6 to 6x8 | Garden tools, bins, small lean-to storage |
| 8x10 to 8x12 | Mower plus tools; a popular backyard size |
| 10x12 to 10x16 | Storage plus a workbench, bikes |
| 12x16 and up | Workshop or garden room; more likely to need a permit |
Tip: dimensions in 2 ft steps waste less lumber because standard boards and 4x8 sheets fit them.
4. Foundations
- Gravel pad with skids: drains well and is cheap; good for small and medium sheds.
- Concrete blocks or piers: good on slightly sloped ground; level each one carefully.
- Concrete slab: most permanent and strongest, best for heavy workshops, but the most work.
Keep wood off the soil and use ground-contact rated treated lumber for anything near it.
5. Framing basics
Floor: joists on the skids, covered with exterior plywood or OSB. Walls: a bottom plate, studs usually 16 inches on center, and a top plate (often doubled). Door and window openings get a header. Roof: rafters meet a ridge board and rest on the top plates.
Build each wall flat on the floor deck, tilt it up, plumb it and brace it before raising the next.
6. Roof types
- Gable: two slopes, sheds rain and snow well, easy to frame.
- Lean-to (skillion): one slope; easiest for beginners and ideal for a woodshed.
- Gambrel: barn style with loft headroom, but more angled cuts.
Cover the roof deck with underlayment, then shingles or metal, and add drip edge.
Ryan's Shed Plans include blueprints and material lists across thousands of designs.
See all 12,000 shed plans →7. Materials and what drives the cost
| Part | Typical material |
|---|---|
| Foundation | Gravel, concrete blocks or concrete; treated skids |
| Floor | Treated joists, 3/4" exterior plywood or OSB |
| Walls | 2x4 studs, siding panels or boards |
| Roof | Rafters, sheathing, underlayment, shingles or metal |
| Hardware | Exterior screws and nails, hinges, rafter ties, latch |
| Finish | Exterior paint or stain, trim, caulk |
Lumber prices change often and vary by region, so price your list locally and add 10 to 15% for waste. A full material list from a plan helps you buy once.
8. Tools you'll need
- Circular saw (optionally a miter saw)
- Drill/driver
- Tape measure, speed square, chalk line
- 4 ft level and string line
- Hammer, pry bar, utility knife
- Ladder, safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves
9. Step-by-step overview
- Choose a plan and check permits
- Clear, level and lay out the site
- Build the foundation; check level and square (equal diagonals)
- Build the floor frame and deck
- Frame, raise and brace the walls
- Install rafters and ridge, then roof sheathing
- Underlayment, drip edge and roofing
- Siding, trim, door and windows
- Paint or stain and caulk
- Add shelves, hooks or a ramp
10. Building a woodshed for firewood
A woodshed keeps split firewood off the ground and out of rain while air moves through it, so the wood keeps drying.
- Open or slatted sides for airflow
- Raised floor or pallets so wood stays clear of ground moisture
- Roof overhang on the weather side
- Lean-to roof: simplest and works well
- Size to your burn: a full cord is 128 cubic feet (4 x 4 x 8 ft), so plan space for each season's cords plus next year's wood that's still seasoning
- Location: near the door you carry wood through, with a gap from the house walls
Use a proven plan with a cut list instead of guessing.
Get the shed plans →11. Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the permit check
- Wood touching soil, which rots fast
- A foundation that is out of level or square
- Building too small
- A door too narrow for the mower or wheelbarrow
- Skipping the roof overhang or drip edge
- Buying lumber without a full material list
FAQ
What is in Ryan's Shed Plans?
12,000 shed designs with blueprints, cut lists and material lists, from small woodsheds to workshops.
Can I see a sample plan first?
Yes, the sales page offers a free 8x12 sample plan.
Do I need a permit?
It depends on local rules and the shed's size; check with your building department.