Don't know what to do with garden tools and bicycles, would you like a cozy second patio on a spacious property or a cozy lounge for barbecues? Then a garden shed is ideal that can be individually planned and easily built by yourself with a little manual skill. This is not only a lot of fun, a self-built arbor can also be easily adapted to the size of the garden and personal needs. With our step-by-step instructions, nothing stands in the way of the DIY house.

Building a garden shed is more complex than it first appears

The blueprint

Of course, provided you have a little background knowledge, you can draw the plan for your own construction and thus perfectly implement your wishes. Alternatively, there are cheap blueprints for various houses on the Internet.

Attention:

If the gazebo requires a permit, the building plan must be signed by an architect or civil engineer.

The building permit

Whether you can build a garden house (€24.90) without this or whether you have to obtain a building permit beforehand is determined in the regulations of the respective state building regulations. If you are unsure, it is always advisable to take the construction plan to the responsible authority.

Is the house due to:

  • size or height
  • terrain
  • or facility (sanitary facilities, heating)

subject to approval, the authority must approve the plan drawn up by the architect or civil engineer in any case before construction begins.

Finally it's time to build: the foundation

A framework of threads marks the future location of the little house. You can create the foundation in different ways, below we would like to introduce you to the most common ones.

The slab foundation

This is very easy to produce and is therefore very suitable for your self-construction:

  • Dig a pit about 35 centimeters deep.
  • Board these with stable boards.
  • Fill in about 15 centimeters of gravel and compact it with a vibrating plate (€499.00).
  • This is followed by a layer of concrete, an inserted steel mat and another layer of concrete.
  • Smooth the surface with a squeegee.

The strip foundation

Here, thick concrete is only used under the load-bearing walls; ten centimeters of material thickness are sufficient for the floor slab itself. However, in order to withstand severe frost, the strips must be at least eighty centimeters deep. A mini excavator is very helpful in this work.

The point foundation

The point foundation usually consists of nine concrete individual foundations, whereby the number can vary depending on the size of the self-built garden house.

  • From the scaffold, stretch cords that cross in the middle and thus determine where the pits for the foundation must be dug.
  • Dig square holes, forty centimeters on each side and eighty centimeters deep.
  • Depending on the soil, form and fill with concrete.

Alternatively, you can lay a stable base of concrete slabs or place the house on a wooden substructure.

The wood: The best quality is just good enough

Wood is a living material that can crack and change shape. Therefore, make sure that the material used is of high quality. It is extremely important to thoroughly coat all wooden parts with wood preservative paint before assembly. This protects the self-construction against mold and weathering and is therefore a guarantee for longevity.

erect stand

A look at the construction plan shows: Now it's time to construct the side beams, which are the basis for every wall. Thanks to the stable substructure, you can either screw the posts directly to the U-post supports anchored in the base or first attach a wooden substructure to the foundation.

It is important to carefully install all the center and crossbeams listed in the instructions, as these provide good stability for the DIY garden shed.

The roof construction

If you have opted for a classic roof with two slopes, the ridge beam is attached first. This is where the rafters come from, held in place by special rafter brackets. Screw the cladding boards onto these.

The walls

It's still time to finally put up the walls in our DIY garden house. As with the roof, shuttering boards are used here, which are cut to the length of the side walls and screwed to the beams of the stand construction.

Do not forget the recesses for the windows and doors. You can also build the front door yourself or alternatively use a ready-made model from the trade. Depending on the construction of the house, the windows are set directly during wall mounting or only afterwards.

The floorboards

Whether you put floorboards in the garden shed depends on the substructure and later use. If only garden tools or bicycles are stored in the house, the floor must be robust and easy to care for, concrete or slabs are sufficient here. A wooden floor, on the other hand, looks more comfortable and transforms the garden house into a second living room.

cover the roof

Now it's almost done, only the roof has to be covered. Simple roofing felt offers sufficient protection, but is not as stable as other coverings. Therefore, it often forms only the first layer. You can lay robust bitumen shingles, which are available in many beautiful designs, or roof tiles over these.

tips

You can easily recycle existing materials for the do-it-yourself garden house. A disused front door, still good but already weathered boards or old shingles give the house a very special charm.

Category:

Garden design