You will build all the walls directly on the empty floor.
- Read this post first if you want to build your shed with 8ft wall height.
- If you’re going to build your shed on a concrete slab read this post to learn about anchor bolt placement and to find out how to make your shed 3 inches taller.
You’ll want to build the shorter walls first so you can move them aside and use the floor space to build the longer and heavier walls in place. Here I’m assuming the gable end walls are the shorter and therefore lighter walls.
If not go to Step 4b and build the sidewalls first, move them aside, then come back here to build the gable end walls in place.
4a: Gable end walls
See Figure 4a and Table 2:
Measure and cut the wall studs and plates for the gable end walls. Layout the top and bottom plates at 24” O.C. and drill two 1/8 inch pilot holes for each stud.
Frame The Gable End Walls:
Lay the wall studs on the floor spaced 24 inches apart and attach each stud to the top and bottom plates with two 3 inch screws or 16d nails.
Place Spacer Under Truss: Lay a truss on the floor touching the top plate with the collar beam facing down and slide a 1/2 inch spacer underneath the collar beam.
This will bring the truss up level with the top edge of the top plate.
Attach Truss: Drill 1/8 inch pilot holes through the outer ends of the top plate and secure the tips of a truss to the top plate with 3 inch screws.
The truss and top plate should be flush at the top edge of the top plate.
This screw is not for strength, it’s just to keep the truss in position until it’s nailed to the siding.
Check for square by comparing the diagonal measurements.
Sheet The Walls: Make sure the siding is square to the frame with 4 inches overhanging below the bottom plate.
Nail with 8d galvanized nails every 8 inches.
Snap a chalk line along the center of the top and bottom plates to identify those nail lines, and snap another line across the top of the truss and trim the excess siding.
Also trim the ¾ inch lip overhanging one edge.
Attach Handles: Attach scrap pieces of 2×4’s to the wall about knee high with 3 inch screws to make the walls easier to move.
This way you can stand the wall up vertically and have more control when you are ready to attach it to the floor and to the other walls.
For 10 & 12 wides only: If you’re building 10 or 12 wide gable end walls you’ll need to splice a three to six inch scrap of siding to the top of the truss.
This is because the 10 and 12 wide sheds are also a little bit taller.
Line the grooves on the scrap up with the grooves on the end wall and nail it in place.
Build The Second Gable End Wall:
If you’re going to put a door in this wall then proceed to Step 5 for instructions on how to frame a door into this wall.
Set this wall aside to make room to build the sidewalls.
4b: Side (or eave) walls
See Table 2 and Figures 4b, 4c, and 4d:
The side walls have different measurements than the gable end walls. Measure and cut the wall studs and plates per Table 2 and Figures 4b, 4c, and 4d. The studs on these sidewalls are cut with an angle on the top end and the length measurement is at the short side of the angle.
Important:
Make sure you build the sidewalls with the short side of the stud on the outside of the wall where the siding will be nailed. You do this by laying the studs down on the floor with the short side up in all cases.
Installing a door in a sidewall
If you are going to put a door in one of the side walls then proceed to Step 5 for instructions on how to frame a door into this wall. Build the blank wall first then build the door wall on top of it.
See Figure 6: Layout and drill pilot holes:
Layout the top and bottom plates at 24” O.C. and drill two 1/8 inch pilot holes for each stud. These plates are 7 inches shorter than the overall wall length because they will sit inside the gable end walls. So when you lay these side walls out, the end studs will be 3 1/2 inches closer to the next stud than with the gable end walls as per Figure 6.
Attach the bottom plate: Lay the wall studs on the floor (with the short side up) spaced about 24 inches apart.
Attach each stud to the bottom plate with two 3” screws or 16d nails.
See Figure 4c, Spacer detail: Before you attach each stud to the top plate put a 1/4 inch spacer below the end of the stud to raise it up so that the the stud will be in proper alignment with the corner of the top plate so that the siding will lay flat.
Lay a scrap of wood along the stud extending past the top plate to double check that this spacing is correct.
Sheet walls: Make sure the siding is square to the frame with a 4 inch overhang at the bottom plate.
Snap a chalk line along the center of the top and bottom plates and along the outermost two studs to identify those nail lines.
Nail with 8d galvanized nails every 8 inches.
Snap a chalk line, then trim the ¾ inch lip overhanging the ends. There will be no overhang on 10 wide ends.
Top Cut Line: Measure and mark from the bottom of the siding and snap a chalk line to mark the top cut line.
Cut this excess siding off which will leave a 3 1/2 inch overhang at the top plate.
Build the second sidewall: Leave this finished wall in place and build the next wall directly on top of it.
Paint Now?
Now that all the walls are complete you might want to paint the walls and trim while you can work on them laying horizontally. They will be much easier to paint this way.