LEAN TO SHED GENERAL INFORMATION
So you've decided to either build or buy a lean to shed...I've built two different types of lean to sheds and we've really grown to love them. We have really benefited from the added storage they've provided which we simply did'nt have before. I've decided to share some of my insights with you in the hopes that you'll be armed with more information as to what type of lean to shed to build, and if you'll do the work yourself or hire it out.
After researching how to build a lean to, I've accumulated a list of links on how to build a lean to shed. I also compiled a list of reputable companies that sell lean to sheds or lean to shed kits - the links are posted on the left side of the page. "Amazon" is also included - it has a huge selection of affordable books on the subject. I'll keep updating the list of links as I find more.
I also found some great video footage about building lean to sheds from "YouTube." These are also included to the left. I was only able to download a few "YouTube" videos, but there are dozens more about lean to shed construction on their website.
Pictured above is our attached lean to - built against the side of an outbuilding. For this shed, I used as much free or recycled lumber as I could find, but a fair amount of it is new wood. More construction pictures and details are further down the page.
IDEAS FOR BUILDING A LEAN TO SHED
This picture (left) is of our free standing lean to wood shed. More pictures of the lean to (ie. sides, floor etc.) are a bit further down in the page. If you're looking to save money on building costs, you may need to get creative and try to make use of used wood and other supplies (nails, screws, roofing etc.)
I was able to find a fair amount of free lumber from "Craigslist" (http://www.craigslist.com). I also used some left over lumber I had from a previous project. We have a local business in our area (Portland, OR) called "The Rebuilding Center," which sells used/recycled lumber and other building materials - I was also able to get a lot of wood here. I even managed to find some new roll roofing at this store, along with a bucket of tar for securing it onto the roof. Whatever else I needed, I purchased at Home Depot or Lowes.
Because the free standing lean to will be used for storing firewood, I placed pallets on the ground since they keep the wood off the ground and allow for great air movement to aid in drying out or seasoning the firewood. I got all of the pallets for free from "Craigslist." There are usually plenty of businesses wanting to get rid of them, so I'm sure you'll have no problems finding any if you decide you'd like to get some. I found listings for free pallets nearly every day.
SHED BUILDING SUPPLIES
The shed building supplies you use will depend on what the shed will be used for. For example - I used corrugated metal for the sides and roofing on my attached lean to since it is located in our pasture and used for livestock.
Had I wanted to build a similar lean to structure against our house, I would have been more particular about the building materials chosen. I would have opted for asphalt shingles which matched the shingles on our home. The sides would have been constructed of wood and finished with trim etc.
For my lean to wood storage shed, I was also able to use a mix of new and "used" building materials. The rebuilding store had used nails, screws, siding, flashing, roofing tar, and some 2x4's. It also had unused roll roofing - a definite bonus! Although these supplies were used, they worked nicely for this shed.
For the supports, I had to buy new 4"x4"x8' pressure treated posts - if you happen to find these at a recycled wood business, you're definitely in luck! I buried the posts around 2 feet deep, and used a level to make sure they were straight. I bought 6 sheets of plywood, 4 for the roof, and 1 for each side. This was the extent of my "new" lumber.
It takes creativity to use second hand building materials at times - the wood can be cut in odd lenghts, full of nails etc. But in the end, the amount of money saved can make it all worthwhile! I found that I could build a bigger lean to shed by building with used materials since they didn't cost as much. The same lean to wood storage shed would have easily doubled in price had I used all new materials. You'll have to decide for yourself what size shed will suit your needs, and how much you can budget for it.
LEAN TO SHED PLANS
When researching the project, I discovered that were a lot of plans available online. However, I also found there were very few FREE plans available. But I managed to find a couple of plans with some good photos and basic dimensions for me to follow - and then I was off to work. If you check out the link for the FREE lean to shed, you'll see some resemblance to my free standing lean to.
I found a bunch of plans available to buy online and found them to be quite reasonable - generally ranging from around $5.00 to $50.00, depending on how elaborate a lean to you're planning to build. With the money you'll save by not paying a contractor to do the work, it may be well worth it!
LIVESTOCK LEAN TO SHED
Livestock lean to sheds provide a more cost effective means of housing for horses, cattle, goats, sheep etc. The animals won't be particularly picky about what it looks like and would certainly appreciate being out of the rain, snow, and intense summer sun - and because it is open on one side, it always has plenty of air circulating through it. Animals confined to enclosed barns or sheds may not have adequate ventilation, which can lead to various illnesses. A great example of a shed for livestock is a Loafing shed.
Loafing sheds are suited for livestock, usually horses or cattle. But smaller loafing sheds are built for housing smaller animals such as Llamas, goats, sheep etc. For a link to a great loafing shed Click Here! Just click on the "barns" icon, and then look for the loafing shed. This plan looks like it would be great for a horse shed, and something not overly complicated to build! If I had located this plan before I built my attached lean to - I may have opted for this design instead.
LEAN TO SHED BUILDING MATERIALS
For this lean to shed (above), I bought most of the building materials at Lowes and Home Depot and spent about $200. I usually like to look around for used or recycled wood or other building materials to cut costs, and because it's more environmentally friendly. It basically consists of corrugated metal sheets for the roof and sides, along with pressure treated 4x4x10 posts and 2x4's of various lengths. It took me a couple of days to build - and I found the corrugated metal was relatively easy to assemble.
I was able to attach it to the cement wall with long bolts from Home Depot. I had to buy a drill bit made for drilling through concrete too, along with some special glue that adhered to both the metal and concrete. I cannot recall the type or brand of adhesive I purchased, but the folks at the box stores could help you find a suitable product. I secured the long board to the concrete shed first and let the adhesive set overnight before assembling the rest of it. Below are two pictures of the support board bolted into the concrete wall - better demonstrating what I've been talking about.
After the support board was firmly set against the wall, I nailed down the support boards and assembled the rest of it. The dimensions of this shed are 12'x 12' and it's around 7' high. I should have added more slope to the roof to better drain off the rain and snow, but it's working well so far.
OTHER LEAN TO SHED DESIGNS
Lean to sheds can be multipurpose. Other lean to ideas I found were lean to garden shed, lean to storage shed, lean to greenhouse, lean to potting shed, lean to wood shed, lean to tool shed, to name a few. All of these will differ in design, but are effective in providing more storage than you currently have in your garage or attic. You can use it to store your lawnmower, garden tools, shovels, hoses, tools, and the list goes on. It can be a lovely structure if designed right.
IDEAS FOR LEAN TO WOOD SHED
I painted this shed with leftover house paint we had in storage. The shed's dimensions are 8'x16'x7' high - it is sloped about 10 inches from front to back. I built a smaller, separate boxed area inside which will hold kindling.
I spent roughly $125.00 on new and used building materials for this lean to. Like I said earlier - I was able to scrounge and find a lot of used wood left-over from some of my earlier projects, and from the local business selling used/recycled building supplies. Of course, what I could'nt find here I purchased at Lowes and Home Depot.
You can see that some of the wood looks a bit weathered, but it will work nicely for a simple wood shed. I painted it with some left over paint we had used for painting our house - this will protect the old wood just fine. As I also mentioned earlier, I put pallets down for the floor since this will keep the wood off the ground and allow for great air movement under the wood pile. For the back, I used left over siding and cut an old sheet of 1/2" thick plywood into 8" x 8' lengths. I then nailed them all in - leaving about 2 inches of space between boards. Again, the spacing between the boards allows for air movement to help in seasoning and drying out the firewood.
If we ever decide not to burn firewood, we can easily use this shed for storage by making a few simple modifications. It'd work great to store our riding lawn mower, rakes, shovels, tiller...to name a few.
POINTS TO CONSIDER IF BUILDING YOUR OWN LEAN TO SHED...
I love building things and doing the work myself...but I also know my limitations. For those of you, like me, who do not have a lot of construction experience - it is helpful to carefully plan out the job before taking it on. And if you don't think you can pull it off, there are many good contractors out there ready to help you plan for it or do the job for you. After careful research, I found that the lean to was an easier shed to build, so I was up for the task.
One of the lean to sheds I built is for storing wood and the other is just a basic shelter for livestock - so they didn't necessarily have to be perfectly built...I'm not a contractor so I expected a few mistakes here and there. But if I been planning on attaching it to the side of my house, I would have been more particular and considered having it hired out - or, I would have bought a very detailed building plan.
I saw a number of plans on the web that would have suited my needs perfectly, but I didn't need an elaborate lean to for my purposes, and simply wanted to cut costs where possible...and I must confess - my own lean to sheds are not the most attractive buildings on our property. But they work nicely for storing a lot of wood and providing storage we never had before. Had I been wanting a lean to built against our house, I would have been more particular about the color, construction, design, and materials.
BUYING LEAN TO SHED PLANS, LEAN TO SHED KITS, AND LEAN TO SHEDS
There are many websites available which sell lean to sheds and plans. I've provided a list of some of the more popular sites and companies which have good plans and products on the left side of the page. When building my own, I searched for free lean to plans and came up with only a few. I did, however, find a couple of free diagrams with a few photos that provided some rough dimensions - these were useful as a guide or reference during the construction process. The free plans are listed as well.
I found a great site dedicated to a FREE building plan for a Lean To Greenhouse, which is also included in the "FREE Lean To Shed Plans" on the left. It can be found at Hobby-greenhouse.com and it has an excellent diagram and description of how to build it.
Check out all the various links and videos to find the plan that best suits your needs. Many of the plans can be downloaded right away! I'll stop here for now, but will add more links and information as time allows. Best of luck!
