DIY Wood Shed With Critterproof Foundation

The shed is 16 feet long and 4.5 feet wide.

We had to squeeze in some usable shed space on our narrow side yard. At 4.5 feet wide and snugged up to the property line, it left a scant 4 feet between the face of the shed and our AC unit.

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I didn"t want critters taking up residence in any kind of cavity under the foundation, and we have a few around -- mice, rats, skunks, and raccoons. the answer? A no-space foundation. Pressure-treated 6x6s rated for ground contact embedded directly into the ground.

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We filled the spaces with 3/4-minus gravel with fines -- it compacts like cement but provides drainage. This is the floor of the shed -- no joists. The floor will be flush with the surrounding ground. Metal clips help hold the corners in place.

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Wall framing directly on the 6x6s. The bottom plate is also P-T. We snuck in a few pieces of used wood. The design is a simple shed roof over separate 3 compartments.

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Short overhangs -- keep it compact and not extending into the neighbor"s property. Local codes let us build a shed right on the property line if it will be contiguous with a fence. This one will -- next project!

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Roofing with standard 3-tab asphalt shingles. The hammer

balancing act would be more impressive if I did it on my nose.

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We used T-111 plywood siding. It"s cheap but it looks great and takes stain like a champ.

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The final product. You can see the fence coming in from the right. (BTW, what do fences say about your personality? http://goo.gl/S3IdBZ)

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The west end is a shelter for our bikes. It"s open on two sides for easy access. The roof catches quite a bit of rain so we added a gutter on the low side and channeled the water into a rain barrel.

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The middle compartment is completely closed in and locked. I"d show you what"s inside but right now it"s full of "stuff that doesn"t have any other home." There"s camping gear in there and plastic tarps and an old drain snake. I think.

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The east end is three-sided and houses garden tools, the lawn mower, the gas can, and things like deer repellent. You just grab the mower and go -- the floor is flush with the ground around the shed. Additional weather protection from the 20-inch eave.

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#shed

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/7437101/shed-with-critter-proof-foundation site


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