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Storage building guide and selection.
There are several things to consider when building or buying a storage building.
Start with considering what you will use your
building for. This will help you select the Roof style, Door requirements
and Options needed. Other important items are Construction
details, Quality of materials, Warranties, Payment requirements and
Building price.
Look at some storage building pictures built from our plans.
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Barn roof
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What will you use your building for?
Storage only,
Workshop or maybe a combination! Consider the different roof
styles.
A Gable roof
Has no loft since it is not as tall as a barn
style. Costs less than a barn with the same wall ht. May fit the aesthetics of your location best.
A Barn roof
Typically has a loft for above floor storage. Costs
more than a gable with the same wall ht. Ground
to the peak height is greater than a gable style.
A Shed roof
May have a loft depending on building ht.
Usually costs less than a Barn. Often built with the back wall attached to
another structure.
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Gable roof
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Standard Double Door
Rollup Door
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What type of Door do you
need?
Double shed door -
4' x 6' - standard on most buildings least expensive
and gives 4' wide access to your building. Can be wider for additional
cost.
Personnel door - 32" or 36" wide x 80" ht - Same type of door on your house
with keyed lock. Very sturdy and weather tite. Many sit-down mowers will not
fit through doorway.
Rollup Door - 4' to 12' wide by 7' to 10' tall - Metal door that provides excellent access and security for large items. Requires building with adequate wall height. Most
expensive type door.
Sliding barn door - can be any size - A face door that hangs on a metal track and slides to provide excellent building access. Blocks rain from inside building but seals least effectively of all doors
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Personnel Door
Sliding Door
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Single Hung
window
Standard Vent
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What are the most common
Options?
Windows - Sliding
and Single hung with screens are the most common. Typical sizes are
24" wd x 24" ht, 24"x36", 28"x36", 32x36". Sliding
windows are usually slightly cheaper than single hung. Single hung are
best for air conditioning units or window fans.
Vents - Peak wall vents, Roof turbines, Ridge vents. Good Ventilation is
important in Texas. Heat buildup is high in a building that is not
insulated! Most buildings come standard with two peak wall vents. A turbine with gable
vents improves ventilation greatly at reasonable cost. A ridge vent runs
the length of the peak and further improves ventilation at some additional
cost.
Ramps- Storage
building are usually sitting on runners, concrete blocks or both. You will
have a 6" to 12" step-up from the ground to the building floor depending
on slope of the ground. Consider a ramp for easy access of sit-down or push
mowers.Ramps should be a minimum size of 4'x4' treated lumber or
metal.
Other Options - to consider -
Shelves, Workbenches, special shingles, painting, roofing felt, tie-downs,
skirting, type of siding
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Turbine Vent
Ramp 4'x4'
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Grade stamps on
lumber
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What determines the quality of a building?
The first factor effecting quality is the grade of
materials used and construction details. Some of the details you should consider and
ask about when shopping for materials or a quality building are outlined
below.
Your floor frame should be constructed of pressure treated lumber with 3/4" nominal CDX
(exterior grade) plywood flooring.
Floor framing should be pressure treated. The flooring should
not be nailed directly to runners without a floor frame!
Adequate wall stud spacing is needed to properly support the siding. Generally a
building with 6' side walls and up should have wall studs spaced 16" on center for
a strong building. A spacing of 24" centers may be used for small 4' side
wall buildings.
What are the standard grades of
the construction materials used for storage buildings?
Lumber should be at least housing grade, which means #2
or standard and better for 2x4's, 2x6's and other framing lumber.
Plywood should be exterior CDX grade.
Shingles and siding #1 grade.
Most construction lumber and plywoood should have
the grade stamped directly on the wood.
Lesser quality materials will not save you
money in the long run and will lower the quality of your building
investment
We do not recommend sub-grade, economy grade, rejects or
#3 grade materials.
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Top 1/2" ply
Bot 3/4" ply
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What kind of warranty can you expect?
Manufactured materials such as siding and roofing of #1 grade often has a
manufacturers limited warranty, typically 15 to 30 years, with 40 and 50 year available.
Framing lumber is a natural material that normally does not have a warranty.
Site built buildings have various warranties typically 1 year on workmasnship and longer on siding and roofing.
The most important warranty is the integrity of the company your dealing with and their responsiveness to
resolving any problems. Ask how they handle problems. Do they answer your questions
directly and with knowledge?
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