How to Build a Movable Shed
A movable shed probably will not require a building permit, but check local regulations anyway. Some residential communities have restrictions on portable buildings. Pick a site which is flat, has good drainage in all directions and has no underground utilities or other impediments. Locate the shed where equipment to move it will have easy access. Avoid overhead wires or low-hanging tree limbs, which might interfere with moving the shed. Don't plan too big a shed -- moving an 8- by 10-foot shed is one thing; moving a 16- by 20-footer is something else (and a big shed may need a permit). Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Rake
- Stakes
- Builder's twine
- Tape measure
- Solid concrete blocks
- 4- by 4-inch posts
- 2- by 4-inch framing lumber
- Circular saw
- Hammer
- Framing nails
- Metal corner braces (optional)
- Joist hangers
- 3/4-inch plywood
- 1 1/2-inch nails
- 1- by 4-inch braces
- Roofing of choice
- Siding of choice
- Pre-hung door
- Exterior trim
Instructions
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1
Rake the site to remove all debris and get it level. Make some kind of foundation -- a concrete slab, compacted gravel base or concrete blocks or piers -- to hold the skids or big beams which will support the shed. Concrete blocks are easiest. Outline the area with corner stakes and builder's twine. Measure corner to corner with a tape measure and move the stakes until those diagonals are the same to square the corners of the shed.
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2
Make three rows of solid 4-inch concrete blocks. Use nine blocks for an 8-by-10 shed, one in each corner, one in the center of each wall and one in the center of the shed area; add more blocks for a longer or wider shed. Lay 4- by 4-inch posts across the blocks lengthwise. Set the posts in the lengthwise center of the blocks. Put a long board across those skids with a level on it and adjust the dirt under the blocks until the skids are level in all directions.
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3
Build a sturdy platform floor with 2- by 4-inch framing lumber and 3/4-inch plywood. Make a rectangular frame first, two end bands 8 feet long (for an 8-by-10 shed) and two side bands cut with a circular saw 9 feet, 9 inches long (to accommodate the end boards). Square that frame with corner measurements and nail the outer bands together with a hammer and framing nails. Add metal corner braces for extra support.
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4
Cut joists 7 feet, 9 inches long (for an 8-by-10 shed) and install them between the side bands 24 inches apart. Use U-shaped metal joist hangers nailed to the side bands to hold the joists, which are secured to the hangers from the sides. Set the frame on the skids and fasten it to the skids with toe nails, framing nails driven diagonally through the joists into the skids.
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5
Test the platform for level and adjust blocks or add wooden shims under the bands to get it level. Cover this platform with plywood, with its top grain running across the rafters. Fasten it with nails or screws driven into the rafters. Cut plywood panels to fit with a circular saw.
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6
Make standard 2-by-4 stud walls, with top and bottom plates and studs set 16 inches apart. Frame a door opening in one wall. Erect the walls on the platform and nail through the bottom plates into the bands and rafters. Nail corner studs together. Tie the walls together with a cap board that overlaps wall joints, 10 feet on the sides and 7 feet, 5 inches on the ends (for an 8-by-10 shed).
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7
Add diagonal braces to the walls. Use 1- by 4-inch boards cut at 45-degree angles. Put one brace across the back wall and two on each side wall, from the top of the wall end to the bottom center. Put two angled braces on either side of the door opening. Nail the braces to the studs and top and bottom plates.
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8
Frame a roof with trusses and cover it with any desired roofing -- corrugated metal, vinyl panels, wood sheathing or composite shingles. Side the walls with tongue-and-groove or shiplap wood, exterior plywood, corrugated metal or other cladding of choice. Add a pre-hung door and any required exterior trim boards.
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