Building your own shed is a very rewarding task and can save you a load of money. The following free shed plans will describe step-by-step how to build this 12ft x 10ft garden shed from scratch. You’ll need about a week (on your own) to complete this shed construction but once you’re done you’ll have a very strong, durable garden building. Whilst this is designed as a storage shed you can take it a step further and convert it into a garden office or garden room. Simply add some windows, french doors and insulation and you’ve got a functioning garden room that can be used all year round.
Table of Contents
Introduction
These plans include the key stages required to build this 12ft x 10ft shed. The actual size is a metric dimension of 3000mm x 3600mm. If you have some previous construction skills then this build should be easy enough to complete. If you require a little more help with this build then you could try my full plans.
Full 12x10ft shed plans
For a full materials list, cut list and 20-step guide you can download my printable pdf here. I’ve put a lot of effort into these plans so wanted a little something in return. As an introductory price, I thought £2.99 was fair. These are probably the cheapest and most detailed shed plans on the internet. (Let me know what you think in the comments section at the bottom of this post.)
If you don’t want to part with your money then the below free shed plans will give you a great grasp of how to build this 12x10ft shed. They don’t include all the dimensions or a complete cut list but are a great starting point for anyone thinking of taking on this project.
Take a look and follow my own personal 12x10ft shed build here.
Free 12x10ft shed build guide and plans
Step 1. The shed foundations
To start with you’ll need a nice flat surface on which to start your build. This can be created by manually moving soil with a shovel, or heavier equipment where required. If however you want to build your shed on an uneven slope you will need to construct a shed wooden framed base. These can be perfect where you have a steep slope or you simply don’t want to manoeuvre large amounts of earth.
Here are three options for a shed foundation.
- Wooden frame – This shed foundation is ideal for uneven surfaces. It raises the whole shed off the floor away from water to provide a secure and rot-free surface on which to build your shed.
- Raised plinth – When you have a nice level surface, it’s very cost-effective to use patio slabs to raise your shed base off the floor.
- Patio style – Creating a patio base for your shed will be a very strong solution for your shed. With a sub-base of type 1 MOT and a cement mixture to secure the slabs in place this can last a lifetime.
For this build, I have chosen a raised plinth base as it is the cheapest.
Step 2. The shed base
The first step of the build is to build a secure floor for the shed. This will be the main building block for the rest of the structure to be built on. In this example, the main frame will sit on paving slabs equally spaced out to help distribute the weight.
The wooden frame is constructed from 47x70mm construction timber and secured together using 70mm wood screws. Each screw will need to have a pilot hole drilled prior to fitting.
The frame will need to support 18mm OSB 3 boards which measure 2440x1220mm. The cross sections will help support the boards where they join.
Step 3. The shed walls
The side and rear walls are the first to go up. The three frames are constructed and then secured to the base and the corner posts using 80mm screws. The corner posts measure 100mm x 100mm. The walls and corner posts should be in line with the edge of the base to allow for the cladding to sit flush over both.
The front wall can now be constructed and secured to the rest of the structure.
This completes the walls for the shed. You should now have something that looks like this.
Facia pieces should be fitted to the corner posts as seen in this image. They will line up with the cladding that will be fitted later on.
Step 5. The shed roof
The roof is constructed using rafters in an apex. Each rafter is the same and fixed to the top of the side walls, with the exception of the front and rear rafter.
Each rafter is supported and given strength using some OSB board. These can be secured in place using 40mm screws. The front rafter is secured with support beams. Notches are cut into each rafter to provide a secure footing on top of the side walls.
Once all of the rafters have been fitted to the walls, OSB boards can be secured in place using more 40mm screws.
For the final stage of the wall and roof construction, we need to add some sections for the cladding to fit into the roof.
Step 6. The shed cladding
The cladding can be screwed into place or nailed. Starting from the top of each wall and working your way down. Leave the front wall till last as this can be a little trickier.
The front wall view without the doors fitted.
Step 7. The shed doors
The doors are a simple construction and made from the same cladding as the walls. A frame is first completed and the cladding secured to this. Additional 45-degree sections can be added for strength. Internal hinges can then be fitted and a hasp and staple for securing the doors.
Step 8. The roof felt and facia boards
2 x 10m lengths of roof felt will be required to complete this roof. The felt should be secured with 20mm roof tacks to the edge of the roof frame. The final task is to cut and secure facia boards to the front and rear roof sections.
Step 9. Painting your shed
This final step will help your shed stay dry and rot-free for as long as possible. A good shed paint will provide protection from the elements and make sure the wood does not deteriorate prematurely.
You could paint your shed your favourite colour or try and keep the natural wood colour with a protective wood stain. The option is yours.
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this free guide on how to build a wooden shed. If you need additional help with this build then please consider buying my full guide. It includes a 20-page step-by-step guide with individual cut lists for each piece of the build. What’s best, it also includes a full materials list which you can simply print out and give to your local timber merchant / hardware supplier. It makes the whole process super easy.
If you’re still not sure about building your own shed then take a look at some of these pre-fabricated sheds. They’re good quality sheds for a very reasonable price. You can see my own pre-fab build here.
Thanks for reading. Please feel free to drop me a comment below and I’ll get back to you asap. I’d also be keen to know what you think of these free shed plans? Did they help you or did you simply try and look for others online?
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