Designing Your Own Shed & Shed Options

Explore your options when designing your custom shed.

You Have Lots of Options

First-time shed buyers, and even a few veterans, often underestimate the number of options at their disposal when shed shopping with us.

If you can wait a week or two, consider customizing your shed so you can get exactly what you want.

If you haven’t already, make sure to have read Things To Know Before You Buy Any Storage Structure. If you have that under your belt, understanding the options is much easier.

Exterior Colors

Assuming you know what you’ll be using your shed for, and you know what kind of style you like, you can begin selecting the colors.

We’ve broken down color choices by the two types of sheds we sell — wooden sheds and vinyl sheds.

From the selections below, decide which color you want us to make your shed in.

Wood

Almond

Buckskin

Hunter Green

Ronks Gray

Dark Gray

Barn Red

Chestnut Brown

White

Belmont Blue

Sandstone

Dark Brown

Pequea Green

Clay

We use quality Sherwin-Williams exterior paint.  Repainting is recommended every 5 to 7 years.

Vinyl

White

Almond

Gray

Heritage Gray

Slate

Sand

Prairie Wheat

Khaki

Clay

Classic Linen

Cobblestone

Antique Ivory

Slate Blue

Sage

Sandstone

All vinyl colors are available as paint colors.

Shingle Colors

Select a shingle color that coordinates with your shed’s exterior and your home’s shingles, if you wish.Wood

Dual Black

Weatherwood

Dual Brown

Charcoal Gray

Earthstone Cedar

Dual Gray

Driftwood

Harvard Slate

Atlantic Blue

Emerald Green

Advice on Coordinating Shed Color and Shingles

Expert designer Will Hapeman advises, “You have a couple of ways of selecting a good shingle/color match.  The easiest- surefire way is to match the shingles to your home.  That’s a pretty safe bet because if you can see the shed and home in the same view, you’ll probably want them to match.  But if you have no siding on your house- let’s say your home is brick- the consider matching the shingle of your shed to the trim you used on your home.  Like a black shingle to pick up the black you may have on your house trim.”

We’ve listed in the shingle choices you have in 2 categories:  our standard shingles and our Architectural Shingles.  Standard Shingles have a flat appearance.  Although still sturdy (our Standard Shingles come with a 20 year guarantee) the Architectural Shingles are even more reliable.  Our Architectural Shingles are thicker than the standard shingles providing you even more insurance against roof leaks.  Our Architectural Shingles come with a 30 year guarantee.

Trim Colors

Almond

Blue

Clay

Cream

Pearl

Tan

Red

White

Black

Lite Gray

Dark Gray

Hunter Green

Dark Brown

Decide Which Options Make Sense For You

We’ve tried to incorporate as many options into our standard sheds as we could to please the most people. But because we’ve seen folks use our structures for so many different uses, we’ve come up with a long list of options –some are free- that you should consider for your shed.

Consider these options
Heavy Duty Ramp

Storing riding mowers, heavy snow blowers, push mowers, anything that will roll in and out

Reinforced Floors

Parking a hobby car, medium sized tractor

End Vents/Ridge Vents

Storing flammables either in containers or in tractors. The vents also will keep your shed cooler on hot humid days

Sky Lights

Using your shed as a workbench or work area as it lets in more daylight

Shelving

Storing smaller items like garden tools, pool cleaning supplies, paint cans, or boxes like old tax returns-anything that you want to have easy access to

Porches

If you wanted to add a few square feet of actual living space for a bench or a few chairs, it also is real popular if you’re using your structure as a pool house

Classic Wood Doors
Wood Doors
Double Doors with Transom Windows
Wood Frame Covered with Vinyl Siding
Five Lite Door
Four Lite Door
Nine Lite Door
Eleven Lite Door
Double Steel Doors

If you wanted an upgraded and unique look to your shed, our steel doors let you choose between 9-11 or 15 individual “panes” of glass also in the standard square or with arched windows.

Lofts

Storing items that you won’t need on a regular basis like Holiday decoration, summer patio cushions, or old records you need to hang to

Extra Doors

Storing your lawn mower but you don’t have enough space to move around, an extra door actually lets you store more and get in and out easily

Garage Doors

Storing cars, over sized lawn mowers, motorcycles, boats, go carts, 4 wheelers…anything that you would want easy access to

Door Pins

If you need to keep your shed doors open. A real must, our door pins let you work uninterrupted without the door slamming shut

Electrical Packages

If you wanted to use your shed for a workshop, studio, office, for power tools, our pre-wired packages will save you money if you think you’ll want power to your shed

Arched Doors

If you want a classier look to the front of your shed

Cupola

Is part of your landscape or curb appeal, cupolas dress up a shed to make it look like a real classic outbuilding.

Transom Windows Doors

Popular with upscale homes, the extra windows provide more natural light.

Shutters

The “Z-Pattern” shutters are wider and give your structure a more traditional look

Octagon Windows

If you want to add a detailed touch to either the ends of your shed or to the gable

Oversized Windows

If you want even more light. On anything over 10 x 16 the oversized windows are much more to scale and looks sharper

Architectural Shingles

If you want to match your house shingles- nearly all homes come with the sturdier architectural shingles

3 Tab Shingles
Spouting and Down spouts
Workbench
Poly Flower Box
Wired for Electricity
Decorative Lamp

Shed Specs

Foundation: ACQ Pressure-Treated 4×4 Runners
Floor Joists: 2×4 – 16″ on center
Sub Floor: 5⁄8″ Exterior Grade Plywood
Wall Framing: 2×4 – 16″ on center

Siding

Wood Sheds: Exterior Wood Siding
Vinyl Sheds: 1⁄2″ Sheathing covered with Dutch lap vinyl siding
Roof Framing: 2×4 Rafters 16″ on center
Roof Sheathing: 1⁄2″ Sheathing
Shingles: 25 year fiberglass shingles
Windows: 18″x27″ vertical slider

Doors

Wood Sheds: Reinforced 2×3 framing inside
Vinyl Sheds: Reinforced 2×3 framing inside with aluminum coil and vinyl siding on exterior

Skid Placement

How to Organize Your Garage

The majority of American homeowners live with a landfill attached to their homes.  Lucky to nudge a car into the garage and luckier still to emerge from the car once it is parked; homeowners wrestle through the jungle of disorganization on a daily basis. 

By far, the most effective solution that lasts the longest would be to create additional storage; however it is critical to asses what storage challenges you have.  We actually offer a free, no obligation storage consultation, that finds out what your specific needs are and make tailor made recommendations from them.

To get even more storage space, think “cubically.”
Add shelving units to at least one of your walls and use that space to get items off the ground. Our sturdy shelves can easily hold those boxes of old records or you can set paint cans, lawn and garden supplies, or smaller knick knacks. The ultimate in “cubic” storage space is opting for a loft. Depending on the structure you go with and it’s roof design, you can easily add another 8 foot by 2 foot loft and get another 16 square surface space. Now you’re talking space for patio cushions, grilling supplies and anything else that you want to store but won’t need to get to on a regular basis.

But once you have your new storage space, and you HAVE reclaimed your garage, make sure you don’t fall back to your old ways.  Clutter rules in the garage, and now it is time to rule out clutter. 

Consider some basic objectives, and create a vision beyond the clutter that has littered garages during the last 100 years:

When in doubt, throw it out-  Eliminate clutter-buildup that has overtaken the garage.  Have a garage sale, give to charity, take a trip to the real landfill, and take a deep breath and get rid of all the excess that not only blocks entry into the home but the clutter that blocks energy too.

If it’s on the floor, it’s time to store-  A basic premise in garage
organizing is to free up floor space.  But how does one deal with the lawn mower, wheel barrow, snow blower, bicycles, and other large items?  That’s where nearly all home organization experts suggest a storage shed. 

Organize to visualize.  If you can see it, you can find it-  The easiest
method is to create a wall storage solution.  Many solutions exist such a hooks, racks, custom-made cabinets, and yes, the lowly nail is a solution, but none offer a flexible solution.  Visit a retail store that displays merchandise on the wall, and these same grooved panels offer the most flexible storage solution for the garage that is available today.

Storage requirements change over time.  Having the flexibility of lifting a hook from the grooved panel, enables one to change or add items stored on the wall for maximum vertical storage(tm).  And once a folding chair or lawn implement can be seen, it is very easy to find.  
Plan to simplify, and simplify the plan- Once storage needs have been
identified, one can create the required shelving, cabinet, and wall-storage system.

Consider the height of your structure…
If you plan on storing taller lawn and garden equipment like rakes, hoes and shovels, check to make sure you’ll have enough wall height. And if you don’t find out how the price changes for your dream shed to have it constructed with 6’ high walls.

Shed OptionsGuide to Square Footage

4′ ramp
5′ ramp
6′ ramp
8′ ramp

Door Pins

4″x16″ & 8″x16′ for Painted sheds
8″x8″ for Vinyl Siding sheds
12″x12″ for Vinyl Siding sheds

per 5′ section of roll vent
per 10′ section of roll vent

3′ single Door
4′ Painted Doors
5′ Painted Doors
6′ Painted Doors
7′ Painted Doors
8′ Painted Doors
12″ Higher Doors
3′ single (arch) Door

3′ single Door
4′ Double Doors
5′ Double Doors
6′ Double Doors
7′ Double Doors
8′ Double Doors
12″ Higher Doors

3′ Single Door…(solid)
4′ Double Doors….(solid)
5′ Double Doors….(solid)
6′ Double Doors….(solid)
Add 9 Lite window to any steel door
Add 11 Lite window to any steel door
Painted Steel doors……(per set)
36′ Steel House Doorw/vinyl Brick Molding (solid no glass)

10 wides….(4′ deep)
12 wides….(4′ deep)

16″ deep
24″ deep

18″x24″ high cupola
22″x30″ high cupola
Weathervain

Architectural shingles
Install Customer shingles
30″x30″ skylight

18″x 27″ Slider window w/shutters
24″x 27″ Slider window w/shutters
24″x 36″ Slider window w/shutters
Picture Frame Trim around windows

Solar Light
Installed in shed

Vinyl…(Regular 18″)
Vinyl…(Regular 24″)
Vinyl…(Regular 30″)

2 outlets, 2 lights, 1 light switch, 50′ of cord

9’x7′ Standard (solid)
9’x7′ Standard (glass)
8’x6’6” Standard (solid)
8’x6’6″ Standard (glass)

Upgrade to 12′ reg floor joist
Upgrade from 12′ reg to 12″ Pt joist
Upgrade to 16″ PT joist
Upgrade to 5/8″ PT plywood
1″ Insulation in floor
Center 4×4 in 8 wide sheds