In previous videos in this series, we chose a site for my new garden shed, then did some work to level and ready the land for the outbuilding. Then we built the building’s foundation, installing joists and securing a plywood floor. Next, it’s time to build the frame for the garden shed.
Building a frame is a simple and common practice used by framers across the country. If done right, it’s also a pretty quick part of the building process.
Start at the Top
A wall frame starts with the top plate. This component is just two 2x4s stacked. When I lay them out, I look for how they crown (as we did with the floor joists), making sure I put the boards’ crowning directions opposite one another.
With the boards laying next to each other, I quickly make marks to indicate where the studs will be set. (Check the video to see how I measure and mark these.) I also take special consideration of where the doors and windows will be.
Then, I’m able to simply set the studs and attach them with a nail gun.
A Few Extras
You’ll see in the video that, once the wall frames are built, the building frame goes up pretty easily. One note, though, is that the next step is not to put the rafters up as you may assume. Why? Because putting the square siding sheets on first helps to further plumb the building, ensuring the structure is as square as possible.
In the video, I show you a few extra steps that I took in the framing process, too, which typically don’t show up in framing jobs. This includes attaching small strips of wood, called dead wood, in the corners for ease in attaching the plywood siding. I also checked the structure for square along the way as I installed each wall frame.
I also put some 6-inch lag screws in the base of the walls to secure the frame of my garden shed to the joists. This extra effort will hopefully create a structure that can withstand all but the most catastrophic winds.
