Laying the Foundation

• 1). Mark the location of the shed by driving stakes into the ground around the perimeter. For a 6-by-6-foot shed, use a perimeter of 7 feet by 7 feet.
  
  
• 2). Excavate the area inside the stakes, going beneath the frost line. Your local zoning board can provide you with this information.
  
  
• 3). Construct a frame for the concrete foundation by driving wooden stakes into the ground and nailing 2-by-4 boards to them.
  
  
• 4). Cover the dirt inside the hole with a vapor barrier. This is a plastic sheet that prevents moisture from seeping up to the foundation.
  
  
• 5). Pour a layer of sand or gravel on top of the vapor barrier. Follow your local building codes regarding which material to use and how deep the layer needs to be.
  
  
• 6). Lay rebar or wire mesh on top of the sand or gravel, again following local building codes.
  
  
• 7). Mix a batch of concrete, following the instructions on the packaging.
  
  
• 8). Pour the concrete into the hole, filling it until you reach the top of the wooden frame.
  
  
• 9). Screed the concrete by dragging a 2-by-4 across the top of the frame in a side-by-side motion. Screeding removes excess concrete from the pour, smooths out the surface and exposes low spots in the pour. Fill in any low spots with more concrete and screed the surface again.
  
  
• 10
  
  Allow the concrete to cure for at least four days.
  
  

Building the Shed

• 1). Mark the locations on the concrete where you will attach the sill plates, and drill pilot holes with a masonry bit. The sill plates are pressure-treated 2-by-4 boards that connect the wooden frame of the shed to the concrete foundation.
  
  
• 2). Measure and cut the sill plates. Attach them to the foundation with masonry screws.
  
  
• 3). Nail a 2-by-4 standard lumber board into another 2-by-4 to create an L-shape. The bottom board is the bottom plate, and will be nailed into the sill plates when the wall frame is complete. The other board is one of the end studs.
  
  
• 4). Nail the other end stud to the bottom plate.
  
  
• 5). Nail 2-by-4 boards into the bottom plate between the two end studs. Follow local building codes regarding spacing of the studs and framing for the door.
  
  
• 6). Nail a 2-by-4 into the studs across the top of the frame. This is the top plate.
  
  
• 7). Lift the frame into position on top of the sill plate (you will want someone to help you with this). Check the frame for plumb (vertically straight) and level (horizontally straight), and nail the frame to the sill plate.
  
  
• 8). Construct and raise the frames for the other three walls by following Steps 3 through 7.
  
  
• 9). Nail prefabricated roof trusses into the top plates of the wall frame, following local building codes.
  
  
• 10
  
  Cover the roof and walls of the shed (except where the door frame is) with plywood sheathing. Set a plywood board against the outside of the frame so that it covers one of the end studs. Go to the last stud that the board covers, and mark the midpoint of the stud on the plywood board. Cut the board at this spot and nail it to the studs. Cover the outside of the frame using this method, staggering the boards (similar to how bricks are laid) to strengthen the walls.
  
  
• 11
  
  Cover the sheathing with roofing paper. Lay the paper flat against the sheathing and overlap the edges by about an inch. Nail the paper to the sheathing every 6 to 8 inches with a hammer stapler.
  
  
• 12
  
  Cover the walls of the shed with the material of your choice (brick, siding or shingles).
  
  
• 13
  
  Lay shingles on the roof.
  
  
• 14
  
  Install the hinges for the door on the door frame, then install the door.