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- Sheds can be finished with a variety of materials as long as the framing is sound.Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Building a new shed on your property can provide extra space for storing tools and yard maintenance equipment, a separate workshop or a playhouse for children. Types of sheds range from simple lean-tos to free-standing structures that require the same considerations and materials as a house. Some framing techniques for building sheds only work for specific types of shed structures. - Balloon framing is a challenging framing method that requires plenty of advance planing and careful construction. Wall studs are created from single long pieces of lumber, according to the American Forest & Paper Association, and the framing of the walls is constructed on the open floor joists. Only after the framing of the whole structure is complete is plywood sheathing attached. This method requires multiple workers to hold the longer lumber pieces in place as they are fitting together. Settling and shifting during the framing process is much less likely with this method, but these benefits are rarely important for a simple outdoor shed.
- Simpler platform framing makes it easier for one or two people to construct a shed by themselves. The floor joists are built and covered in sheathing, according to Just Sheds, creating a stable and level platform for building the wall frames on. The bottom plate of each wall should be the exact length of the floor joist you are building over, making it easy and quick to check the size and square of the wall as you build it. Some homeowners choose to install plywood on the walls before raising them, while others find it easier to hang sheathing once the wall frames are up. If a second story, attic space or roof trusses are used, they are installed after the walls are finished.
- Traditional barn and shed building methods offer stability and strength but can be an ambitious project for homeowners used to using metal bars and screws to fasten lumber together. Large vertical posts support thick horizontal beams, according to Joseph Truini's book "Building A Shed: Expert Advice From Start to Finish." Unlike other stick framing methods that use 2-inch-by-4-inch lumber, these posts are often 4 inches by 4 inches or even 8 inches by 8 inches. Mortise and tenon joinery is usually employed in post and beam construction. Vertical posts have rectangular slots cut into them, and the horizontal beams are trimmed to fit. This creates a sturdy structure that can bear a lot of weight.
- Sheds that will serve as a workspace or studio may feel more homelike and welcoming if plank-and-beam framing is used. In this method, large beams are used to create a framework, says the American Forest & Paper Association, then tongue and groove wood paneling is installed over it. No plywood sheathing or drywall is used in this method to finish the framing, only wood paneling. This might be too expensive for sheds intended for storage, but it will create a beautiful space in a shed that will be used on a daily basis.
Balloon Framing
Platform Framing
Post and Beam
Plank and Beam
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