How to Brace a Shed for Moving

Long wooden boards are needed to brace a shed's interior during a move.

Depending on its size and location, bracing a shed for moving can be a relatively simple, hassle-free task. There are two keys to accomplishing the goal. The first is having jacks to place under the structure's four corners to act as a stabilizing force. The other is to have long wooden boards available that can be used to support the structure's interior during the move and keep it from collapsing in on itself.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• Four jacks
• Long wooden boards

Instructions

1. Remove the contents from the shed and measure the dimensions of the inside. Before the shed is moved, it should be empty in order to minimize the stress and strain on the equipment that will be moving it. Then, after measuring the dimensions of the empty shed, secure at least four long, heavy pieces of wood that match the length and width of the structure's interior.

2. Dig a shallow channel around the shed if the shed is on a dirt lot and isn't on blocks, a platform or otherwise elevated from the ground. This is to help prepare the shed for having jacks placed under the four corners. Use a shovel to dig a circle about two feet deep around the shed's perimeter. Then go back and dig another one-foot deep at each corner.

3. Place jacks under each of the shed's corners. This is to help stabilize the outside. The jacks should be snugly positioned squarely in the center of each corner. Remove or add dirt to the area around each jack as needed if the areas are too tight or loose for each jack to fit. Or, if the shack is on another surface, such as asphalt or concrete, just slide the jacks under the corners.

4. Attach long wooden boards to the studs along the doors, windows and other areas inside the shed, and also place braces in an "X" shape across the bottom of the structure. The braces have to be the same length as the shed so that they can reach from one corner to another. This step ensures that the shed retains its shape during the moving process and doesn't collapse.

References

• Secrets of Shed Building: Moving a Storage Shed