Get More Out of a Cheap Metal Shed

A couple of years ago I decided I needed a shed so I started rough designing a wood framed one to work out pricing. No matter what I did I could never beat the price of a 10x12 Arrow metal shed on sale @ Sears (I think it was $275). The only problem was that the metal shed was 5 feet high, and I'm a bit over 6... The obvious answer is to raise the shed or lower the floor, and since the spot I wanted the shed to sit was sloped, I did a bit of both.
 (Another thing to thing about at this point is local building code. My city allows sheds up to 150sq.ft. to be built without a building permit so I had no problems but it is worth a call to your city's planning department).
 Sorry about the lack of decent photos throughout this instructable.

Step 1 Flatten site... or not

 The basic plan is to set four posts in concrete (plus two to support the door opening) and build the shed on top of them. This means if you like you can just dig four holes, set your posts and get started on the shed. I tried to flatten the site completely before even thinking about the shed... but it was hard not to be lazy. In the end I got most of the digging done before I couldn't resist setting the posts (I used pressure treated 4"x4" posts about 5 feet high - I bought a couple of 10 foot ones but if you keep looking, and asking to see the cull lumber at your local lumber yard you're likely to find some4-5 foot straight-enough posts to use). Then I had to finish the digging with the posts in the way... and even then the shed, that was sitting in it's box beside my hole, lured me into putting it together before the "floor" was as flat as I'd like it to be. This was a terrible mistake which cost me several weekend afternoons inside the shed with a pick and shovel covered in dust with no wind to clear it away.
 

Comments

[pfred2]

I helped a friend of mine put up a steel shed he bought at Sears. One thing I learned when I did it is don't ever attempt to put one together by myself. The one we did was really a two man job. We did sort of the same thing as you did, built a knee wall, then assembled the shed on it. We made the wall we made out of garden ties he had in another part of his yard. Some extra height really makes those little metal sheds a lot more usable.

I've since made a scrap wood lean too type of an arrangement at my new place, off the side of a trailer. I think I have about $200 invested in it with materials. Lets just say when I slapped it up I didn't call the building department. ha ha.

[markbyounger]

Definitely a two-man job (or three), Those things are flimsy when they're half constructed, and the wind always starts just then...
My Father-in-law has one the same as mine built one the ground and it's practically unusable (except for storage). Mine has been up for a couple of years now and I'm really happy with it.

[pfred2]

The whole time I was helping my friend I was thinking of the clamping and rigging up I'd have to do in order to do it myself. I concluded it'd take one person at least 4 times as long as it takes 2. Always one guy had to hold something up while the other one attached it.

That is exactly it too, until the whole thing is together it is like a house of wet noodles, I can't even say house of cards, because it isn't that rigid. A marvel of engineering they are! It should still say in big bold letters on the box don't even dream about doing this by yourself.

[scouttster]

Good idea.  I would have went steel to the ground and framed out the top part of the shed using 2" x 2"'s and then bolted the roof to that.. Maybe some small circular plexi windows here and there too... Going high with the wood will prevent water from rotting out the wood being so close to the ground.  Also, paint the wood white - blend it all together for a nice clean look.  Good Job!

[markbyounger]

 I would have done that too except that my shed had no frame (the sheet metal sides held everything up) therefore I'd have to frame the whole thing so the wood part at the top would be supported. Of course I could have expended the posts up... also I needed to retain a  bit of backfill on two sides and I'm not sure the metal would have been stiff enough.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

where can u get the empty giant spools for free ,,like with nothing on them,,

[markbyounger]

 Just because you asked I can't remember where I got that one... I imagine you could ask an electrician, or a hardware store that sells wire by the foot.

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

ok i want to make a giant hampster wheel thing ant that would be cool it would hav 2 be giant tho

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

[l8nite]

This is a realy good idea !  We've been talking about another shed because our halloween  collection has outgrown the one we have and the christmas shed is almost as bad. With an additional 2' of height we can add 240sq' of storage area !  Now to start scrounging materials........