Sheds: The Do-It-Yourself Guide for Backyard Builders

Shed the illusion that the building in you're your in which tools and backyard equipment are stored must be, by definition, a boring and ugly necessity. The revised and expanded edition of Sheds contains absolutely everything you need to know to design, build and enjoy the ultimate backyard shed.

Award-winning designer David Stiles helps you think through the issues involved in shed design, such as use, cost, placement and "degree of difficulty." Following a chapter on construction basics, he guides you through each step of building a simple 8 x 10-foot shed -- from foundation to cupola and everything in between. This core chapter includes a material list, step-by-step illustrated instructions and a daily labor schedule, as well as new information on timber framing and moving your shed to a different location.

The book then presents several basic sheds, along with a number of more complex special-use sheds, including a pool shed, an Irish garden shed, even a Japanese boat shed. The all-new storage shed on posts allows you to situate your building of a slope.

Packed with detailed illustrations, plans, commonsense advice and an inspiring selection of color photographs, Sheds is like having a consultant at your side as you work. Whether you are an average amateur builder or an ambitious expert, this book has something for you.

The use of the term sheds in this book's title is a misnomer, given that a dictionary defines sheds as small, rough shacks for storage. Except for a lean-to type wet/dry garbage shed and a firewood shed, the construction plans, directions, and many illustrations in this guide are for attractive and even fancy units ranging from 80 to over 350 square feet. The purposes range from storage, work, and gardening to poolside, boat storage, and pavilion entertaining. After introductory information on designing and building techniques, fairly detailed directions are given for building a basic 8 10 shed. From there on directions are less complete, on the assumption that the builder is experienced or will contract the more difficult work. Suggested only for collections with subject demand.
- W.T. Johnston, formerly with Coastal Plain Regional Lib., Tifton, Ga.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.