Cottage Storage Shed - FH02Sep

PROJECT PLAN

Cottage storageshed

This article originally appeared in The Family Handyman magazine. For subscription information, visit www.familyhandyman.com

Please note that pages that appeared in the magazine as advertisements will not be included with this pdf. Page numbering may beinterrupted if an advertisement ran within the original story. Addresses, phone numbers, prices, part numbers and other informationmay have changed since original publication.

Copyright 2005 Home Service Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, in any manner, is prohibited. The Family Handyman, Handy Hints and Great Goofs are regis-tered trademarks of RD Publications, Inc. Ask Handyman, Handyman Garage, How a House Works, Re.Do, Re.Mod, TFH Reports, The Home Improvement Authority, Using Tools,Woodworks, Wordless Workshop, Workshop Tips, You Can Fix It, You Can Grow It are trademarks of RD Publications, Inc.

An easy-to-openoverhead door putsall your stuff ineasy reach

44 S E P T E M B E R 2002 THE FAMILY HANDYMAN

by DDaavviidd RRaaddttkkee

Cottage Storage

Shed

ple-to-apply asphalt shingles. All this storage space iseasy to access through an 8-ft. wide overhead door thatrolls up out of the way. We chose an expensive woodoverhead door ($1,500 installed) with lots of style, butyou can choose from a wide variety of less-expensivedoors available at any garage door supplier.

Creating a great-looking project is gonna take time. Infact, this shed will take an average DIYer about twoweeks or more to build! The process, however, isstraightforward. Our easy-to-follow, step-by-stepinstructions will get you through any tough spots youllencounter, and the clear drawings will give you confi-dence to tackle the hand-framed hip roof. You can alsobreak up the project into manageable steps and pick upwhere you left off at a later date. First get the framingand roof done, and then you can finish the rest at yourleisure.

If youve built a deck before, you can tackle a job likethis. Beyond basic carpentry tools like a circular saw,level, tape measure, drill and screw gun, youll need con-crete finishing tools (rent them from a rental center), amasonry saw blade (or diamond blade), a portable tablesaw and some roof jacks to reach the upper courses ofshingles. Two stepladdersone 8-ft. and one 10-ft.are necessary as well.

An eye-catching project like this is naturally going tocost more than a simple shed kit available from homecenters. Figure on spending about $400 for concrete andforms, $1,900 for building materials, another $800 forthe windows and service door, plus the cost of youroverhead door.

A concrete floor is morework, but it'll withstandheavy useOur site sloped about 3 in. from left to right. If you havemore slope than that, you may need to do some addi-tional excavating and grading to keep water away. Itsbest to keep the framing several inches above the fin-ished soil grade to prevent water and insect damage.

Using a sod cutter, remove the turf from the founda-tion sitethis is a mustplus at least 6 in. around theperimeter to fasten the forms. (You can rent a manualmodel for $15 a day or a power type for $45.) Use 2x8sfor the forms and drive stakes in about every 4 ft. andnear every corner (PPhhoottoo 11). Level one side first andthen level and square the other sides to it. The diagonalmeasurement across the forms should be equal if youve

WWho said backyard storage has to look badto be good? Besides being easy on the eyes,this shed has lots of storage in a built-to-last and low-maintenance design. Its got all the roomyou need for heavy-duty lawn equipment, the familysbicycles, plus all the sporting and camping equipmentyou own. And the generous use of windows sheds plentyof light from the sides, front and through the upperdormer window.This shed is built to last.

The spacious 10 x12-ft. foundation is concrete; the2x4 walls are skinned with 1/2-in. plywood and followedby durable cement siding. The windows are vinyl clad,and both doors are factory primed. And the roof is sim-

More SHED

Storage Shed

THE FAMILY HANDYMAN SEPTEMBER 2002 45

done your job right. Cut all thestakes even with the tops of theforms. We had hard-packed claysoil, so we dug about 3 in. deeperand replaced that soil with sand tohelp stabilize the slab. Note: Ifyouve got soil that never seems tothoroughly dry, lay 6-mil plasticover the ground up to the formsbefore you pour your slab.

If you follow our foundation planyoull need about 2-1/4 cu. yds. ofconcrete. Tell the ready-mix com-pany youll be pouring a slab for ayard shed and theyll send theappropriate mix. Develop a planearly on to figure out how to getyour concrete to the site from thestreet. We planned to do some land-scaping near the site anyway, so weallowed a small concrete truck todrive into the yard. Beware: A largeconcrete truck can leave deep rutsand damage your yard and septicsystem. To avoid having to do addi-tional landscaping, you may need toborrow an extra wheelbarrow and astrong teenager to help you get yourconcrete into your backyard. Besure youve got at least two stronghelpers when the concrete arrives. Ifit looks like rain that morning,reschedule the concrete delivery.

Pick a nice 75-degree day or cool-er (if possible) to pour the concrete.The slab will turn out better in cool-er weather, and, you wont wearyourself out from heat exposure.Wear protective eyewear, glovesand boots. Concrete can burn withtoo much exposure. Rinse your skinwith water immediately if you getsplashed with it.

Before you pour, lay No. 4 rebar(Photo 1 and Fig. A, p. 51) aroundthe perimeter of the slab to rein-force the edges. Mark your anchor-bolt locations (and set them out) onthe forms so you wont forget topush them into the wet concrete.For more on pouring and finishing

46 SEPTEMBER 2002 THE FAMILY HANDYMAN

Storage Shed

More SHED

1FORM the 10x12-ft. slab with2x8 lumber. Taper the soilbeneath the slab from 7 in.thick at the perimeter to about 4 in.thick at the center. Reinforce theouter 12 in. of the slab with twoconcentric courses of No. 4 rebarspaced about 6 in. apart. Pour theconcrete and lift the rebar about 2-1/2 in. into the concrete, then screedit even with the forms.

2FINISH the slab with a bullfloat to get an even surface,then trowel the edges withan edger. Next, push the 6-in.anchor bolts into the fresh concrete.

concrete see Building a ConcretePad, July/Aug. 96, p. 80, or Poura Concrete Sidewalk, May 00 p.96. Also visit our Web site atwww.familyhandyman.com. Note:If concrete work is not your idea offun, you can have a pro do the jobfor you, but expect to pay about$1,200.

Wall framing isfast...and fun Snap chalk lines on the slab thatcorrespond to the inside edges ofeach wall (3-1/2 in. from the outeredge of the slab). Youll appreciatethe lines because theyll ensureaccurate wall positioning, even ifyou have a slight belly in your slabor plates. Next, cut your sole (bot-tom) plates and your top platesfrom 10-ft. and 12-ft. 2x4s (usepressure-treated wood for the soleplates).

Follow the steps in Photo 3 fordrilling holes in the sole plate forthe anchor bolts. Line up the topand bottom plates to mark studlocations, along with door and win-dow header openings. Markingboth plates (sole and top plate) atthe same time will make layout mis-takes less likely. Follow the dimen-sions in Fig. A for the wall measure-ments. Build the back wall first(drive a pair of 16d sinkers throughthe plates into each stud). Then tipit up and brace it (Photo 4) whileyou frame the side walls. The spac-ing is measured from the center ofeach wall specifically to ease rafterlayout.

Cut and nail (use 16d sinker

For more information on pouringthe concrete slab, visit www.familyhandyman.com.

TFHTFHplus

2x8FORMS

NO. 4REBAR

6-MILPLASTIC

BULLFLOAT


4ASSEMBLE each wall as shown in Fig. A. Cutyour 2x4 studs 88-1/2 in. and adjust your windowand door rough openings according to your win-dow size. Tip up and brace each wall.

3 CUT the sole plates to length, then measure andmark the bolt locations for each of the pressure-treated wall plates. Drill 1/2-in. holes at the loca-tions. Make sure your concrete has cured at least twodays before building on it.

5FASTEN each pressure-treated sole plate to theslab with a washer and nut and then nail the cor-ners of the walls together with 16d sinker nails.Next, tie the walls together by adding a 2x4 tie plate (Fig.A) at the top of the walls. Run the tie plates 3-1/2 in. longon the front of each side wall to overlap the large doorheader (Photo 6). Plumb and brace the inside of eachwall with a 2x4s nailed diagonally.

Storage Shed

More SHED

nails) the window header pieces together separately anddrop them between the king studs (Photo 6). (Check yourwindows and doors for specific rough openings). Nailthem to the king studs and the top plate. Next, nail thetrimmer stud to the king stud and then install the sill andthe cripple studs (Photo 4) below the sill. After youveframed the walls, tip them up into position, brace them,(Photo 5) then fasten the sole plates to the anchor bolts.

Climb up your stepladder and hammer along the topplate above the stud locations. This is necessary becausethe studs can work loose from the plates while you're tip-ping them into position.

Add angled braces to the walls (Photo 6) as you plumbthe corners. The braces must be nailed from sole plate totop plate and into the studs. The braces will keep the wallsstraight and solid while you install the rafters and nail thesheathing to the studs. Use a 4-ft. level to check the wallsfor plumb. In a perfect world, all the wall corners would beperfect. In reality, you may have to settle for "pretty close."

The tie plates bond the tops of the wallsCut tie plates from 2x4s and nail them (16d sinkers) to the

SNAPPEDSTRING

LINE

1/2ANCHOR

BOLT

TRIMMER

HEADER

CRIPPLESTUDS

BACKWALLBACKWALL

BACKWALL


top plate near every stud locationwith two 16d nails. Next, rip your 9-1/2 in. wide LVL beams (we usedMicrolam beams) to 9 in. with a cir-cular saw. This is necessary to keepthe door's rough opening height at84 in. Notch the ends of each beamto accommodate the side wall tieplates and install the LVL doorheader as shown in Photo 6.

Finally, add the steel straps weshow in FFiigg.. AA. Mark the rafter loca-tions onto the tie plates and frontheader. Start the layout from thecenter of each wall and mark out tothe corners so each rafter will be 16in. on center (Fig. A).

Using full-sizepatternssimplifies rafter cuttingTo get your rafters to all fit and sitevenly on the walls, they must beconsistent. Mark the commonrafters from a single pattern rafterand then use this same pattern tomark the jack rafters later.

Cut the three common rafters tothe dimensions in Fig. B, p. 53. Nailthe two side common rafters to thecenter of the ridge board as shownin Photo 8 and Fig. A and carefullywalk it up a ladder with a helper tohold the rafters into position. Fastenthe rafters to the side walls and thentoe-nail the back wall rafter into theridge board.

Now cut the hip rafters to thedimensions in Fig. B. Note that twoof them have a left-hand bevel cut atthe top and two have a right-handbevel. To cut these, mark the anglewith your speed square at the 10on your hip/val gauge. Now set yourcircular saw to cut a 45-degreebevel. Follow the angle you marked

More SHED7BUILD the 2x4 header-support walls and fasten them to the slab withthe concrete anchors and then to the underside of each header. Checkthe front corners to make sure theyre still plumb and redo the bracesas necessary.

6RIP each of your LVL headers to 9 in. wide and make 1-1/2 x 3-1/2 in.cutouts in each top corner to accept the tie plates from the side walls.Clamp a temporary 2x4 support on one side about 9-1/2 in. down fromthe top of the tie plate, set the first header section onto the support, and care-fully walk the other side up the ladder and nail it to the end stud of the sidewall. Make sure the top of the header is flush with the tie plates on the sidewalls. Next, nail the other side and repeat the process with the second LVLheader. Glue the headers together with construction adhesive and then nailthem every 16 in. with a pair of 16d sinkers. Nail the tie plates into the LVLs atthe notches.

Storage Shed

LVL MICROLAMDOOR HEADER

BR

AC

ES

FRONTBRACE HEADER-

SUPPORTWALL

KING STUDS


1-1/2" x 6-1/2" x 14-1/2" BLOCK (TYP.)

2x6 COMMON RAFTER2x6 JACK RAFTERS

2x6 HIP RAFTER

1/2" SHEATHING

1/2" SHEATHING

SIMPSON LSTA 18STEEL STRAPS

STEEL STRAP

2x4 TRIMMER

2x4 TRIMMER

CENTER WINDOWOPENING

2x4 x 21-1/2"CORNERSTUD

2x4 x 26"TOP PLATE

2x4 x 18-1/8"COLLAR TIE

2x6 x 14" DORMERRIDGE HEADER

2x6 x 63-7/8" DORMER RIDGE

2x6 x 42" RAFTER TAILHEADER

2x4 RAFTER

2x8 RIDGE

12'

10'

8'

7'

34"12"

12"

82"

93"WALL HEIGHT(TYPICAL)

48-5/8"

33-3/8"

26"

19-3/4"

51-1/2"

2x4CENTER FRAMING

2x4 PRESSURE TREATED PLATE

CONCRETESLAB

ANCHOR BOLT

2x6 RAFTER

2x4 STUDS( 88-1/2" TYP.)

1/2" SHEATHING

3/8" OVER-HANG

12"

7"3-1/2"

3" 6"

1/2" DIA. REBAR

BLOCKING

1/2" SHEATHING

16" O.H.(DOUBLED LVL)

9"

3-1/2"

3-1/2"

NOTCH FOR 2x4TOP PLATE

DOUBLE 2x6

1/2" PLYFILLERS

2x4

8"

40 APPROX.

1046"

30-7/16"

12

2-3/4"

2-5/16"

2x4 RAFTER

2x2 x 21-3/4"

2x4 x 27-1/2"

2x4 x 41" (TRIM BOTTOM TO FIT)

RAFTERS TRIMMED AND INSTALLED AFTER ROOF SHEATHING

2x4 TOP PLATE

2x4 TIE PLATE

2x4 CROSS TIE

SIMPSON A23 ANGLE BRACKET

2x4 CROSS TIE

TYPICAL WALL SECTION

DOOR/WINDOW HEADER

GARAGE DOOR HEADER

Story NumberStory NameShedIssueEditorDavid RadtkeArt DirectorMarcia RoepkeTech Art Version3F 6/26/02

TECH ART 1 FRAMING VERSION 3F 6/26/02

Storage Shed Fig. A Framing

with your speed square to cut a topangle. This cut is called a cheek cut.Next, mark the birds-mouth angleand the plumb cut at the bottomend of the rafter. Cut the birds-mouth and the tail cuts (Fig. B) withyour saw set at 90 degrees. Drivethree 10d common nails into eachhip through the ridge and fasten thehips to the tie plates with a pair ofA23 angle brackets. Cut and nail thedormer ridge header (Figs. A andC) in place at this time to stabilizethe front hip rafters.

The jack rafters that fasten to thesides of the hip rafters may lookconfusing at first, but they are sim-ply shortened common rafters witha 45-degree bevel cut that followsthe 10/12 common mark. Thebirds-mouth, overhang length andthe plumb cut are identical to thecommon rafter.

To mark the locations where thejacks intersect the hips, hold your

9CUT AND NAIL the 2x6 hip rafters to the sides of the center ridge andthe backside common rafter (see detail Fig. A). Each hip should inter-sect with the top edge of the ridge. Use 10d common nails. Next, markthe locations for the jack rafters onto the hip rafters (see text at right).

8CUT the three 2x6 common rafters (one on eachlong wall and the one on the back wall) and thecenter 2x8 ridge to the dimensions in Fig. A. Use aspeed square (see "Speed Square Know-How, p. 53) tomark the angles at a 10/12 slope. Mark the rafter locations

on the tops of the tie plates, starting in the center andworking out to the sides on 16-in. centers. Have a helperhold the rafters in place on the plates and screw therafters to the tie plate using Simpson A23 angle bracesand Simpson bracket screws.

Storage Shed


COMMONRAFTERS 2x8 RIDGEBOARD

HIP RAFTER

HIPDUDE

More SHED

This shed has a roof with a 10/12 slope.This means the roof will rise 10 in. whenyou measure 12 in. horizontally.

Your speed square has a gauge tohelp you accurately mark the cuts onthe rafter for a 10/12 slope. In fact, youllnotice there are two gauges on yoursquare that have the same numbers butdont match up to similar degrees.

The 10 mark on the common gaugeis close to 40 degrees, while the othergauge (marked Hip/val) when lined upon the 10 mark reads closer to 31degrees. How can this be? Well, the hiprafters of this shed start on the edge ofthe wall just like the common raftersand even meet at the same height. Butat closer inspection, youll notice thatthe hip rafter must travel considerably more distance horizontally thanthe 12 in. the common rafter must travel.

In fact, the hip rafter needs to travel nearly 17 in. horizontally to rise 10in. By the way, when marking a jack rafter, use the common rafter gaugebecause the jack rafter is a just-shortened version of the common rafter.

Speed Square Know-how


42"C

STUDS AND RAFTERS 16" O.C. STARTING AT CENTER 2x6 RIDGE

2x6 RAFTER TAIL HEADER

2x6 RAFTER TAIL (3 REQD.)

L

16"

16"

16"

2x8 x 25-1/2" RIDGE

2x6 HIP RAFTER

2x6 x 14"DORMER RIDGE HEADER

2x6 COMMON RAFTER

2x6 COMMON RAFTER

2x6 JACK RAFTERS

DOUBLE 2x6 JACKS

77-11/16"*

56-7/8"*

36-1/16"*

*DIMENSIONS ARE JACK RAFTER LENGTHS

93-5/16" *72-1/2"*51-11/16"*30-13/16"*

JACK

RIDGE

COMMON

HIP

45BEVEL

COMPOUND CUT

CUT TO LENGTHFOR JACKS

10

12

10

12

23-7/16"RAFTERTAIL (3)

4"

4"

77-3/8"

3-5/8"

97-15/16

40APPROX.

40APPROX.

3-1/2"

124-3/8"

31

45 BEVEL

98-1/4"

3-5/8"

45 BEVELS

COMPOUND CUT

BIRD'S- MOUTH

RAFTER FRAMING DETAILS

JACK RAFTER

COMMON RAFTER

HIP RAFTER

Story NumberStory NameShedIssueEditorDavid RadtkeArt DirectorMarsha RoepkeTech Art Version3F 6/26/02

TECH ART 2 FRAMING DETAILS VERSION 3F 6/26/02

40

Storage Shed

Fig. B Rafters

42"C

STUDS AND RAFTERS 16" O.C. STARTING AT CENTER 2x6 RIDGE

2x6 RAFTER TAIL HEADER

2x6 RAFTER TAIL (3 REQD.)

L

16"

16"

16"

2x8 x 25-1/2" RIDGE

2x6 HIP RAFTER

2x6 x 14"DORMER RIDGE HEADER

2x6 COMMON RAFTER

2x6 COMMON RAFTER

2x6 JACK RAFTERS

DOUBLE 2x6 JACKS

77-11/16"*

56-7/8"*

36-1/16"*

*DIMENSIONS ARE JACK RAFTER LENGTHS

93-5/16" *72-1/2"*51-11/16"*30-13/16"*

JACK

RIDGE

COMMON

HIP

45BEVEL

COMPOUND CUT

CUT TO LENGTHFOR JACKS

10

12

10

12

23-7/16"RAFTERTAIL (3)

4"

4"

77-3/8"

3-5/8"

97-15/16

40APPROX.

40APPROX.

3-1/2"

124-3/8"

31

45 BEVEL

98-1/4"

3-5/8"

45 BEVELS

COMPOUND CUT

BIRD'S- MOUTH

RAFTER FRAMING DETAILS

JACK RAFTER

COMMON RAFTER

HIP RAFTER

Story NumberStory NameShedIssueEditorDavid RadtkeArt DirectorMarsha RoepkeTech Art Version3F 6/26/02

TECH ART 2 FRAMING DETAILS VERSION 3F 6/26/02

40

Fig. C Rafter Framing Details

tape parallel to the ridge board andhook it over the center commonrafter. Keep the tape parallel to theridge (and square to the commonrafter) to ensure accurate place-ment. Mark each 16-in. center onthe hip as you slide the hook end ofthe tape down along the commonrafter. Youll see that these will cor-respond with the marks you haveon the tie plates. To cut the lengthaccurately, measure from yourmarks on the hip and measure tothe outer edge of the marks on the

COMPOUNDANGLE

SPEEDSQUARE

10/12 HIPGAUGE

ABOUT31

10/12COMMON

GAUGE

ABOUT40

HIP RAFTER

COMMON & JACK RAFTERS

wall tie plate. Transfer these mea-surements to a piece of 2x6 and useyour pattern to trace the birds-mouth and rafter tail (remember,the outer edge of the tie plate is theinside corner of the birds-mouth).Next mark the compound cut andthe plumb cut at the overhang end.Follow this process for cutting allthe jack rafters. Nail each rafter tothe hip rafter (be careful not todeflect the hip rafter as you drivethe nail) with three 10d commonnails.

Dormer-buildingis meticulous,but it brings in a flood of lightIf you want to eliminate the dormer,you can frame the front roof exactly

More SHED

11SUPPORT the plywood temporarily with cleatsscrewed to rafter ends while you position andnail it to the rafter. Drive in 8d sinkers nailedevery 6-in. Mark the edge of the plywood with a string linejust short of center to the hip rafter. Set the depth of your

circular saw and the angle at about 15 degrees and cutalong the line. Sheathe the walls in the same manner with1/2 in. plywood once youve finished the roof. Hang theplywood 3/8 in. below the bottom plate to cover the seamat the slab. Remove the braces as you finish each wall.

10NAIL the dormer gable ridge header (cut a 45-degree bevel oneach side) to the front hip rafters as shown. Cut two double jackrafters (without the tails) and nail them in place at the locationsshown in Fig. C. These double jacks will support the dormer side walls andthe small dormer roof. Screw the lower tail header to the inside edges of thedouble jacks with A-23 angle braces. Cut the rafter tails 23-7/16" long asshown in Fig. B (bottom illustration) to fit against this support and screw thetails to the tail header from the backside with 3-in. deck screws.

Storage Shed


DOUBLE JACKRAFTERS

GABLE RIDGEHEADER

GABLE RIDGEBOARD

MICROLAMDOOR HEADER

42 TAIL HEADER

ADDITIONALRAFTER TAILS

1/2 PLYWOODSHEATHING

CUT HERECLEATS


TREATED 2x4

WINDOWFRAME

BUILDING PAPER

BUILDING PAPER

ASPHALT SHINGLES

WINDOWFRAME

FRAME

VINYL CLAD CASEMENT WINDOW 32" SERVICE DOOR 7' x 8' OVERHEAD DOOR

3/8" x 5" HARDIPLANK SIDING(4" EXPOSURE)

BRICKMOLD

NAILING FLANGE

2x4 CENTER FRAMING

NAILING FLANGE

VERTICAL STRIP OF SIDING

STRIP OF SIDING

5/4 x 3-1/2" TRIM

5/4 x 3-1/2" TRIM

3/4" x 5-1/4" HEAD JAMB

3/4" x 5-1/4" GARAGE DOOR JAMB

5/4 x 3-1/2" TRIM

5/4 x 2-3/16" CORNER BOARD (TYP.)

5/4 x 3-3/16" CORNER BOARD (TYP.)

5/4 x 1 7/8"TRIM

5/4 x 1-7/8"TRIM

5/4 x 5-1/2" TRIM5/4 x 3-1/2" TRIM

5/4 x 3-1/2" TRIM

2x4 x 96" TRIMMER

2x6 RAFTERTAILHEADER

RAFTERTAIL

2x4 x 93" TRIMMER

5/4 x 2" SILL TIPPED 10

DOOR JAMB

SLAB

12"

CUT FROM 2x4s

STEP FLASHING

3x3 FLASHING

50

14-3/4"

NOTCH BOTH ENDS

14-1/2"

3-1/4"

1/2" CHAMFER (TYP.)

LVL

1/4" REVEAL

SILL

METAL DRIP CAP

TAPCON FASTENER

CONSTRUCTION ADHESIVE

40

1/2" x 3/4" STOPS

1/2" x 3/4" STOPS

3/4" x 3-1/4" FRAME

3/4" x3-1/4" FRAME

2x2

20" x 25" SASH

1-3/4" x 4-3/4" x 27-1/2" SILL

21-3/4" WIDEx 27-1/2" HIGHSASH FRAME

10

SILL

SASH

COLLAR TIE

2x TRIM TO FIT3-1/2"

6 SASH SECTION

4 DORMER CORNER SECTION

3

1

2

7 BRACKET

9 DOOR SILL 10 SHED CORNER SECTION8 WINDOW SILL

3 HEAD/SIDE DOOR JAMB

1 HEAD/SIDE WINDOW JAMB

5 GARAGE DOOR HEAD JAMB

2 CENTER WINDOW JAMB

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Story NumberStory NameShedIssueEditorDavid RadtkeArt DirectorMarcia RoeptkeTech Art Version3F 06/26 /02

TECH ART 3 FINISHING VERSION 3F 6/26/02Storage Shed Fig. D Finishing

13RUN the dormer plywood 12 in. beyond each front side to extendthe roof overhang. Next, screw the 2x4 fly rafter to the edge ofthe plywood. This overhang may seem flimsy now but it will getsupport from the brackets later.


like the backside, but Im sure youllagree that the dormer is worth theextra effort.

First, cut a pair of double jackrafters to support the side walls ofthe dormer. Measure 24 in. from thecenter of the header toward eachcorner. This is the location of theouter double jack on each side. Cuta pair of jacks for each side but cutthem even with the face of the frontheader so they dont interrupt thespacing of the overhang tails.

Next, cut the vertical 2x4 dormergable corners that rest directly overthe double jacks, and then cut thetop plate and nail them both to thetops of the double jack rafters.

Cut the gable face rafters asshown in Fig. A. Cut the 2x6 gableridge 63 in. long and nail it to thegable header between the hip raftersand nail the rafters to the ridge.

After you cut the 42-in. tail head-er (Photo 10) between the jacks,you can cut the three remainingrafter tails (use your old commonrafter pattern). Fasten the headerflush with the inside face of the LVLdoor header. Next, nail the raftertails to the header and screw themin place from the backside as shownin Photo 10.

Before you finish framing thedormer roof, cut the roof plywoodfor the main roof and nail it inplace. The remainder of the dormerroof framing will rest on this ply-wood (Photo 12). Cut the dormerplywood and be sure to overhang it12 in. on the front side.

Cut two pairs of rafters identicalto the gable face rafters. Nail one setover the gable-face rafters and thenscrew the next set to the end of theplywood to create the overhang.Now cut the 1/2-in. plywoodsheathing for the dormer sides andfront and secure it with 8d sinkers.

12NAIL a 2x2 cleat to the outer edge of the double jack rafters tosupport the roof plywood around the dormer. Once the plywoodis on the front roof, cut the rest of the framing members for thedormer and nail them in place. See Fig. A for dimensions of the framing.

Storage Shed

More SHED

GABLE-FACERAFTER

DORMER GABLECORNER STUD

BRACKETNOTCH

FLY RAFTER

12 PLYWOODOVERHANG

2x2 CLEAT UNDERPLYWOOD

ADD ADDITIONALRAFTER HERE


Materials List

FOUNDATION2x8 x14 (forms) 2

2x8 x10 (forms) 2

2x4 bundle of stakes 2

Concrete 2-1/4 yds

No. 4 rebar 12 long 8

RAFTERS2x6 x 12 spf (spruce, pine or fir) 4

2x6 x 10 spf 20

2x8 x 3 ridge (cut to fit) 1

WALLS, BEAMS, AND PLATES2x4 x 8 spf (or precut) 55

2x4 x 12 treated 3

2x6 x 14 spf (headers) 2

1-3/4 x 9-1/2 x 10 LVL beams 2

2x4 x 10 (plates) 2

2x4 x 12 (plates and braces) 9

WALL AND ROOF SHEATHING 1/2-in. CDX plywood 20

BRACKETS AND GABLE DORMER RAFTERS2x4 x 8 spf 6

ROOFING4-1/2 squares of shingles

Rolls of 15 lb. felt 2

Metal roof drip edge 6

1 roofing nails 10 lbs.

1/2 staples 1 box

SIDING5-1/4 cement siding 60(12-ft. lengths)

TRIM (CORNERS, WINDOWS AND DOORS, GABLES)5/4x 6 x12 Miratec 8

WINDOWS2 x 4 windows 4(casement or double-hung, 20x25 plastic barn sash for gable windowsee Buyers Guide)

1x4 x10 gable window 1frame material

DOORS32 pre-hung wood exterior door 1

(order 2 in. shorter)

8 x 7 wood overhead door 1

1x6 x 8 door jamb material 3

pine shims 2 pkgs.

HARDWARE16d sinker nails 10 lbs.

8d sinker nails 5 lbs.

10d common nails 10 lbs.

7d galv. common nails 5 lbs.

10d galv. casing nails 5 lbs.

A23 Simpson steel angles 38

Simpson Strong-Drive screws 4 pkgs.

Simpson 18-in. steel straps 10

Door lockset and deadbolt 1

3 deck screws 1 lb.

IItteemm QQttyy.. IItteemm QQttyy..

Sheathe the walls, then remove the bracesYour plywood sheathing shouldhang below your sole plate about3/8 in. to give a good seal aroundthe foundation. To ensure thisaround the whole perimeter, mea-sure the distance from the bottomof the rafter to the bottom of thesole plate along each wall. Add 3/8in. to this measurement and cutyour plywood to this length. Startwith a sheet of plywood in the mid-dle of each wall and work your wayout to the corners. Nail the ply-wood sheathing every 6 in. to thestuds and plates. Be sure to nail the18-in. steel straps (Fig. A) to theheader and the support wallsbeneath. The extra support fromthese straps helps strengthen thesenarrow header support walls andkeep them from racking in highwinds. When sheathing the frontwall, start at the corners with a full4-ft. wide piece and then cut out thedoor opening. Nail the plywoodevery 4 in. along the support wallsand into the header.

When youve got all the wallsheathing installed, remove thebraces.

Order yourwindows and doors in advanceSeveral weeks before the projectstarted, I ordered double-hungwindows for each side of the shed.The windows were delayed, but tokeep the project moving, we substi-tuted casement windows that we

Storage Shed

14CUT AND NAIL prefinished metal roof edging around the perime-ter of the main roof and the gable roof. Staple 15-lb. roofing feltto the plywood roof deck. Start shingling with the first course ofshingles upside down even with the metal drip edge. You must nail this rowand the next seven rows into the rafters only to prevent the nails from show-ing through on the underside of the overhang.

More SHED

15-LB. ROOFINGFELT

ASPHALT SHINGLES

150-LB.ROOFER


purchased right off the shelf. Thesestock windows fit the rough open-ings with only one simple modifica-tion. We added a stud to the centerof each opening. The substitutewindows did not have divided lightslike the double-hung windows, sowe purchased window grids to givea similar look. Our windows costnearly $200 each, so keep in mindthat you can keep the costs down bylooking for windows at an outletcenter or by installing used win-dows.

Oops! We found out the hard waythat the service door would conflictwith the overhead door. We calcu-lated the height of the overheaddoor and the track but forgot toinclude the large steel door brace onthe overhead door. When the doorwas in the raised position, the cor-ner of the service door hit the brace.To fix the problem, we had to cutdown the service door to fit. Youcan order a shorter door or simplyremove the threshold and cut thedoor and jamb down 2 in.

Install building felt around therough opening, then shim and nailyour doors and windows, makingsure theyre plumb and level. Also,follow your manufacturers sugges-tions.

Rip your trim to size with a table sawInstall 15-lb. felt over the sheathingand around the windows and doors.We used 1-in. thick Miratec trim(see Buyers Guide, p. 66) becauseits tough, durable and preprimed.Its a composite exterior fiberboardthat is weather- and crack-resistantand holds paint very well. Rip apiece 2 in. wide for a windowsill16RIP 2x8 pieces to about 6-1/2 in. wide (cut yours to fit) and tapthem into the spaces between the rafter tails. These blocks willkeep out the birds and bugs. Nail them to the top plate with 10d

galvanized casing nails.

15STAPLE 15-lb. roofing felt to the walls and install your windowsand your prehung door. Order your door 2 in. shorter than stan-dard to clear the brace hardware of the overhead front door. If youorder a standard-size service door, relocate it toward the back of the shed toavoid this step.

Storage Shed

More SHED

CASEMENT WINDOW

SHORT PREHUNG

DOOR

ADD BLOCK HERE

1-1/2 x 6-1/2 BLOCK

BUILDING FELTUNDER WINDOWS


18MARK the locations of your siding courses with a story pole toensure accuracy and to save you the trouble of leveling eachpiece of siding. We used cement siding called Hardiplank. It cutsnicely with a diamond blade in your circular saw. If you have an old sawyoure not attached to, use itthe abrasive dust from this stuff is hard on sawbearings. More SHED

below each pair of windows. Cut thehead and side trim pieces for thewindows and nail them in placewith 10d galvanized casing nails.

Rip the corner pieces from widerstock and install them as shown inPhoto 17. Nail on the thinner piecefor the corner first, making sure itsflush with the sheathing. Next, nailthe wider piece and sand the sharpedges to complete the corners.

Make your garage door jambsfrom 1x6 pine. Rip the pine to 5-1/4in. and nail it around the doorsrough opening (Fig. D, detail 5).Nail the jambs to the 2x4 framing.Next, cut 2x4s and nail them flatagainst the framing and tight to thedoor jambs. This extra bit of fram-ing around the door supports thegarage door track hardware. To fin-ish the opening, rip 3-1/2-in. trimpieces and nail them to the sheath-ing and the jambs, leaving a 1/4 in.reveal along the jambs.

Fiber cementsiding andbracketscomplete the detailsTo seal off the area between therafters, rip and nail blocks betweenthem as shown in Photo 16. Next,make a story pole (Photo18) out ofsome scrap wood and draw linesexactly 4 in. apart. Use this scrap formarking the corner boards and thewindow trim to ensure uniformcourses around the shed. To use thestory pole, just align the bottomedge of it with the bottom of thecorner board trim, tack it next tothe trim and transfer the marks.

To get the bottom course of sid-ing to bevel, rip a 5/16-in. piece of

17CUT corner and window trim from 5/4 composite trim or cedar(see Fig. D). We used Miratec because its durable, comespreprimed and has nice square edges. The 1-in. thickness is deepenough to cover the edges of the siding. Rip the 5-1/2 in. wide trim boards foreach lower corner to 3-3/16 in. and use the remaining 2-3/16 in. piece for theother side of the corner.

Storage Shed

SILL

2-3/16 CORNERTRIM PIECE

3-1/2 DOOR TRIM

3-3/16 CORNER

TRIM PIECE

DIAMONDMASONRY

BLADE

ANGLED SILL

3-1/2TRIM

1-7/8 TRIMAPPLIED

AROUND BRICKMOLDING

CEMENTSIDING

STORY POLE

NAILHERE

19PLACE the siding to your marks and nail it though the sheath-ing into your wall studs with 7d galvanized box nails. Poundthe nails flush. Cement siding is nailed within the top 1 in. ofeach course (except for 10-in. or wider widths) so the next piece will hidethe nails of the previous course. If a stud is not available within 6 in. of thepiece, nail the end to your 1/2-in. plywood sheathing.

20MARK the location of the gable-overhang brackets so they fittightly into the notches of the fly rafters. Screw the bracketsinto the corner trim and the fly rafters with 3-in. deck screws.

Storage Shed


More SHED

GABLEOVERHANG

BRACKET

5-1/2 WIDE CORNER TRIMBARN-SASH

WINDOW

3 DECKSCREWS

wood from a 3/4-in. thick boardfor each side. Nail these piecesabout 1/4 in. from the bottom tobevel the first course of siding.Cut the siding (Photo 18) so youleave a gap of about 1/8 in. at thecorner boards to allow for expan-sion and contraction.

When you get to the top courseof the siding, youll have to rip itto width. You'll also need toinstall a backer piece similar tothe piece at the bottom to pre-vent the top piece from having apronounced lean along the topedge. Notch this top piece slight-ly to fit around the rafters.

Prime all bare spots (the sidingcomes preprimed from the facto-ry) and then caulk any gaps alongthe trim with a urethane caulk.Finish the job with two coats ofdurable satin latex exterior paint.

You can purchase and hangyour own overhead door but Idrecommend having the pros do itfor you.

Now that youre finished, youcan plan the inside of your stor-age shed to accommodate all thatstuff you cant wait to put in itsplace!

Buyer's GuideMiratec can be purchased at most full-ser-vice lumberyards. Call (800) 255-0785 formore information.

Our semi-custom garage door was madeby Clopay. Go to www.clopay.com or call(800) 225-6729 to find a dealer in your area.

For information about the barn sash, callRecycled Products (800) 765-1489.

For More Information "Cement Siding," July/Aug. '02, p. 48.

"Craftsman Yard Shed," June '01, p. 32.

For more information on how to order backissues, copies of articles or the Five-YearIndex, see p. 7.

Art Direction MARCIA WRIGHT ROEPKEPhotography BILL ZUEHLKEIllustrations GENE THOMPSONStructural Plan Review ERIC BUNKERS, P.E.MATTSON/MACDONALD INC.Project Design DAVID RADTKE

Storage Shed

66 SEPTEMBER 2002

Documents

Cottage Storage Shed - FH02Sep