How to Build a Prefabricated Storage Shed Kit

Choose a storage shed that compliments the style of your home.

There are many brands and types of prefabricated storage shed kits that come in a box and are constructed on site. Brands such as Handy Homes, Arrow, DuraMax, Murryhill, and Glenwood, just to name a few, can be bought online or at home improvement stores such as Home Depot or Lowes. These types of storage sheds look really nice in the pictures, but they can be a lot of work for an amateur carpenter who isn't prepared.

Instructions

1. Before you purchase a storage shed kit go online and read reviews. Search for common comments that previous buyers of the brand and model you are considering have made. For example, if three out of five people had to buy extra 2x4's to fortify the walls, than take that information into serious consideration, and purchase the extra wood ahead of time so you can make the same improvements to the design.

2. Decide which storage shed material is best for your climate. Storage shed kits are available in materials such as metal sheds, wood sheds and plastic sheds. Weigh the pros and cons of each material. Select a storage shed kit that resembles the construction and style of your own home.

3. After you buy the storage shed, but before you leave the store, open the box and get out the directions. Read the instructions thoroughly to determine if you need extra caulking, wood glue, nails, lumber, shingles, paint, etc.

4. Before you pull all the pieces out of the box, prepare your building site. Whether you are going to build on a concrete slab, a gravel bed, or the bare ground, the site needs to be firm and level.

5. Before you begin nailing or screwing pieces together you should check to make sure you have all the pieces. Lay out all the lumber, metal sheeting, sidewalls, roofing, nails, screws, etc, and call the 800 number in the directions to order extra pieces that may be missing. Typically, storage shed kit companies will mail you any missing pieces for free.

6. Follow the storage shed kit directions meticulously. Occasionally, you may have a better method to build a portion of the storage shed, but make sure that your variation in the directions will not have any deleterious effects.

7. Have somebody help you build the storage shed kit. The majority of storage shed kits on the market are designed to be built by two people.