For every house owner, a shed plays an important role as a safe, secret place to store his/her favorite things. Bearing that in mind, have you ever considered that you should upgrade the shed by building a simple shed door?
Trust me, a shed door can make the whole place much more beautiful and convenient for a normal entrance. So how to build a shed door? Keep scrolling, as I will show you the ultimate guide to building the best shed door.
Things You Need For Building A Shed Door
First, you will need to measure your current door and get the width and length number so that you know what is the size of the boards to purchase. Choose the materials you want to use, it’s usually wood and I suggest you choose T1-11 plywood siding panel or exterior-grade plywood.
After that, please prepare the things mentioned below. Remember that the size number is calculated in the right ratio for easy illustration, so you must adapt it to your door size.
- 3 boards (2.5 cm x 10 cm) working as vertical frames
- 2 boards (2.5 cm x 20 cm) work as the horizontal frames on top and bottom of the door
- 2 boards longer than the door’s height work as diagonal frames to reinforce
- A saw
- Screws and drill
- Glue
- Tape measure
- Hinge
5 Steps To Build A Shed Door
Step 1: Cut the boards to the required size
If the boards you buy are not in the required size yet, start cutting them with the saw. Draw the lines that you are going to cut through, then try to cut in a straight direction, and keep the boards’ surface even.
Step 2: Install the frame boards on the left and right sides of the door
Apply the glue on the 2.5 x 10 boards so that they can stick to both sides of the door (the top and bottom areas). Next, put those boards vertically on the glued areas and screw them to the door.
You need to make sure the boards are firmly attached to the door to move on to the next steps.
Step 3: Install the frame boards at the top and bottom sides of the door
Apply the glue on the 2.5 X 20 boards, then put them respectively on the top and bottom of the door, and press them to fit between 2 frame boards on the sides. Then screw the boards into the door, starting at 4 corners of the boards and more along with the board’s length.
Step 4: Install the diagonal frame boards
This may be a little tougher. You need to cut the 2 remaining boards so that they fit with the 4-side frame boards. Apply them onto the door and cut them till they fit into the rectangle frame. Then stick them to the door and screw them.
Step 5: Attach hinges
If your door does not have hinges yet, then you must finish this step. This step requires you to install 2 hinges so that they attach to both the door and the shed door frame (the area running around the door’s edges).
First, mark the areas where hinges will stay on your shed wall, and screw the hinges into them with lag screws. Then keep the door open straight and open the hinges to stay on the door surface.
While installing hinges, make sure there is a 0.5 cm space between the door and the frame, so that you can open the door normally.
Finally, screw the hinges into the door. You can install 2-3 hinges on the door and repeat the step.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much gap should be around a shed door?
Before you attach the hinges to the door, make sure you can open the door normally and that the outer panel fit in the siding’s outer surface.
- Put a 1 cm shim in the doorway and put it under the door
- Check the edge of the door on 4 sides. Make sure there is 0.5 cm space on all sides between the shed door frame and the door (let the door open and stay inside the shed for exact calculation)
- Examine the recently installed boards on the outside of the door. There must be a 0.5 cm space between the door and the sidings of the shed.
How expensive is it to build your shed?
Normally, to have your shed, you need to pay around $2,500. But you can always manage to have it at a suitable price, ranging from $200 to $30,000.
You’ll pay $15 to $150 per square foot, which includes $5 to $75 per square foot for materials and $10 to $75 per square foot for installation. Brick is the material with the highest cost, while vinyl is the most cost-effective choice.
For a clearer explanation, if you need to build a small shed, the material cost you need to pay when choosing brick is $3200, while vinyl only costs $200.
I still suggest that building your shed be a good investment. You can always make use of it: a place where you keep your favourite things, collections, a workshop, and even a garage.
Does a shed add value to a home?
In most situations, sheds do not add to the house’s value, considering you want to sell them to the new owner. Many of the sheds purchased today are delivered as one piece and placed in a backyard or side of a house. The sheds can be considered personal property as they can be moved and taken with the owners.
