How To Build a DIY Garden Storage Shed

"The half-shelf we built into this storage shed still allows long-handled tools to be stored on the opposite side of the shed."

- Todd Dermody

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For the sixth year, we’re heading to the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival (NWFGF). We're excited to bring you more fun projects at the Dunn DIY booth to help you move forward in your DIY journey, so stop by booth 707 to say hello! The show runs Feb. 26 through Mar. 1. And be sure to check out our other NWFGF project: "How to Make a DIY Planter Box on Wheels."

Building a garden takes a lot of work—and a lot of tools. This DIY garden storage shed is designed to make the most out of your small space. It’s complete with a fold-away table and half-shelf, so you can store your tools in the same place as you work. If you’d like more space for tools, customize the storage shed to your needs by adding shelves or leaving off the fold-away table.

Step 1: Assemble frame

Start by assembling the back framework of the storage shed. With a handsaw or a power saw, cut two pieces of two-by-fours to 72” long and two to 24 1/2”.  The longer pieces will be the uprights, and the shorter pieces will be the top and bottom. Make a rectangle with the pieces and screw together using two 3” screws through the uprights at each juncture.

Add a middle brace by mounting a 24 1/2” two-by-four on edge, so the top of the board is about 39” up from the bottom of the frame. Secure by toenailing with screws with the board even with one edge of the uprights.

Then, make another, identical, rectangle for the front of the storage shed. But leave the mid-span brace out, as this rectangle will be the opening for the door of the shed.

Join the front and back frames together using 17” two-by-fours: two at the top, three at the bottom, and two at the 39” mark (as measured from the bottom). The top and bottom boards should be faced flat, whereas the side boards should be mounted on-edge to match the middle brace on the back of the shed. Toenail into place using 3” screws.

Step 2: Attach back boards

Screw five one-by-six cedar fence boards to the outside of the back framework using 1 1/4” screws. Trim the boards to length beforehand if necessary: they should be no longer than 72” (a bit shorter is better). Fasten them with two screws (or nails) at the top, and middle, and bottom.

Step 3: Assemble storage shed door

Lay out your door on a flat surface using five one-by-six boards that have been cut to 70 1/2”. With the face of the boards downward on your work surface, even up the ends of the boards and attach three, 24" one-by-fours across the one-by-sixes at the following points:  For the bottom-most one-by-four, attach it about 4" up from the bottom of the one-by-sixes that make up the door.  Attach the center cross piece 34" up from the bottom of the door and the top-most piece 64" up from the bottom.  Center these one-by-fours side to side (you'll have about 1-3/4" at each end of the one-by-fours.).  Screw through the one-by-fours using 1 1/4” screws.

You’ll mount hinges underneath the crossbars in the next step, so try not to set screws into the middle of the one-by-four on the side of the door which will have hinges.

Step 4: Hang storage shed door

In my experience, doors tend to be the sticking point (so to speak) on projects like this because they can sag. To minimize the chance for sagging, we’re mounting the door on three heavy-duty, five-inch T-hinges and through-bolting the hinges to the door.

First, determine which way your door will open. Our door will hinge on the left. Choose whichever side works better for your space.

Center the long wing of one hinge at one of the crossbars on the door and mark the position of the two screw holes farthest from the hinge pin. An awl is best for this, but you can also use a pencil. Then, carefully drill two 1/4” holes through both the crossbar and the door board. Drill slowly so you don’t get splinters on what will be the face of the door.

Slip the long wing of the T-hinge between the crossbar and the door board (loosen or reposition screws from step 3 if necessary). Insert two 1/4” x 2” galvanized carriage bolts through the face of the door, through the holes in the hinge, and out through the crossbar. Place a washer and nut on the exposed end of the bolt and tighten. Repeat for the other two hinges on the other two cross braces.

Place the door in the doorframe on top of a scrap piece of wood at least 3/4” thick so the door is elevated off the ground and will not drag once mounted. Screw the rectangular wings of the hinges onto the outside edge of the door’s frame.

Step 5: Attach sides

Now you can attach the side boards to the shed framework, just like you did on the back of the shed. Our design uses four one-by-sixes and one, one-by-four for each side.

Step 6: Build and attach roof

In this step, we’re building a simple framework for the corrugated metal roofing, which will be the roof of the shed. Cut three two-by-fours at 24 1/2” and both a two-by-four and a two-by-two at 24”. The shorter pieces will run front to back, and the 24 1/2” pieces will run side-to-side.

With the 24” two-by-four on edge, screw the three 24 1/2" two-by-fours flat-wise onto it using 3” screws. Position the outer boards on the edges, and the middle piece should be centered at the 13” mark. Next, screw the two-by-two onto the ends of the three two-by-fours.

Mount this ladder frame to the top of the storage shed so it slopes from one side to the other. On the side with the two-by-two, secure with 3” screws. On the side with the two-by-four, toenail using 3” screws.

Step 7: Cut and install metal roofing

First, measure and mark a 33” length of metal roofing. You’ll want to use gloves when working with metal roofing, so now’s the time to put them on. Cut with tin snips.

Place the roofing on top of the shed, center it, and attach with 1” self-piercing, grommeted sheet metal screws. Place the screws in the flat areas of the corrugated metal, not the raised parts of the profile. It’s important to drive the screws in straight. Once driven, make sure the screws aren’t too tight or loose. They should be driven so the rubber grommet is snug, but not squished.

Step 8: Attach gable

For this step you're going to fill in the open triangle between the metal roofing and the top of the shed's frame.  You'll be cutting a trapazoid* shape.  Cut two one-by-fours to 27 1/2” long. To get the trapazoid shape, draw a line starting at one corner of the flat side of a board toward the corner diagonal from it, but at a point 1 1/2" up from that diagonal corner. Cut both boards like this and mount them to the front and back of the roofing framework using 2” screws.

*For those unfamiliar with trapazoids, consult the photos below; the cut boards will have four sides (not three, like a triangle). Speaking of photos, our pictures show a two-by-four, but use a one-by-four as called for above.

Step 9: Install storage shed floor

Cut two one-by-fours at 24” and three one-by-sixes at 27 1/2”. Place them onto the side and middle braces at the bottom of the shed. The shorter boards will be at the front and back, and the three wider boards will be in the middle. Once they’re evenly spaced, screw them in place with 1 1/4” screws, anchoring them at the ends and the center.

Step 10: Build and attach fold-away table

Cut four one-by-sixes 18” long, and cut both a one-by-six and a one-by-four to 20”. Assemble the table much in the same way you assembled the shed door: lay the 18” pieces side-by-side, facedown. Position the 20” one-by-six across the 18” boards at one edge and the one-by-four even with the opposite edge. Screw through the 20” pieces into the four one-by-six boards using 1 1/4” screws.

Screw the long wings of two 4” T-hinges to both ends of the 20” one-by-six. Next, holding the shelf in place so that it sits in the center of the middle brace of the shed door, screw the short wings onto the middle brace.

Step 11: Build stay for fold-away table

Because the table folds down for storage, you’ll need a way to keep it up when in use. We built a small, hinged stay using a piece of one-by-four 19” long, one 2” long, and a 4” T-hinge. Screw the long wing of the T-hinge onto one end of the longer one-by-four. Attach the short wing of the hinge to the smaller one-by-four. With a helper, hold the table in the up/horizontal position.  Center the stay and hold it in the spot where the tip of the stay tucks under the one-by-six on the table's bottom.  The stay will angle downward and toward the door.  Screw the small one-by-four block to the door at this location with 1 1/4" screws.

Step 12: Build and install storage shed shelves

Cut two one-by-sixes to 23”. On the side of the garden storage shed with the door hinges, mount a shelf bracket at the same height as the shed's middle braces. Place the one-by-sixes on top of the bracket and attach on the front end with 3/4” screws. Use 2” screws at the back, middle crossbar. This half-shelf still allows long-handled tools to be stored on the opposite side of the shed.

Step 13: Install latch and handle

Finish the shed my mounting a pull handle on the outside of the door, as well as a latch to keep the door closed. Attach both using the screws they come with. If you need to lock your shed, different types of hasps can be combined with a padlock to keep the door closed and/or locked.

Now that you have all your tools stored away, add even more flair to your yard with a DIY garden trellis or kick back and relax with this how-to guide for a cocktail herb garden. Want to up your DIY game? Keep developing those fold-away table skills with this folding camping table.