Choose from 107 shed plans that are easy to use and designed to fit any storage need. If you can measure accurately and use basic, essential tools, you can build your shed. Every plan comes with a materials list and a printable PDF.
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A storage shed is a wood-framed outbuilding on a pressure-treated floor with standard 2×4 walls, built to take the overflow a garage can no longer hold. It keeps mowers, snow blowers, bikes and seasonal gear dry, locked and off the lawn, with wall height to hang long-handled tools clear of the floor. These designs run from 24 to 288 sq ft in both gable and lean-to styles, and suit any homeowner who has simply run out of room indoors.
Fuel cans and fertilizer store better with air moving over them, hence the louvered gable vent. Deep enough inside for the mower, a wheelbarrow and a wall of hand tools.
One slope, no ridge, no valley and a short materials list. The usual first weekend build, with room inside for the mower and the trimmer.
The peaked gable buys standing headroom and the option of a loft, so tools live at floor level and the seasonal boxes go overhead where they belong.
The everyday backyard workhorse, sized for the mower and trimmer, with a louvered gable vent that dries out the cans and bags cluttering up a garage.
Doors on the long wall, so the full twenty-foot floor stays clear end to end for lumber, ladders, kayaks and anything else that will not turn a corner.
Seasonal storage that swaps over twice a year: snow blower and shovels through winter, patio furniture and the mower the rest. Blueprints and materials list included.
The overflow shed most people build first: a square gable store with double doors, room for the mower and wheelbarrow, and wall space for long-handled garden tools.
Square, tall-walled and finished more like a cabin than a shed, which is why it works as a pool house or a backyard office as readily as storage.
Narrow but deep, so the mower lives at one end and a workbench at the other and the two never argue. One slope, no ridge to frame.
Double doors in the barn style, on a lean-to that skips the ridge framing a gable would need. Sized for mowers, bikes and garden tools.
Five foot four of clear door opening, enough to walk a workbench or a ride-on mower through without taking the frame apart to do it.
Fewer rafters to cut than a gable and no ridge to frame, which is what makes a lean-to the usual first build. Floor enough for the snow blower and lawn furniture.
Twenty-four feet of storage under a single slope, with a louvered vent pulling damp off the equipment you park inside for the winter.
Barn-style doors and a gable roof, the simple build that finally gets the mower, the fuel cans and the garden equipment out of the garage.
Wooden storage on a shallow pitch, long enough to line a full side with shelving and still park a ride-on mower down the middle.
Deep enough to split three ways: snow blower at one end, workbench at the other, lawn furniture stacked between. One of the larger lean-to plans here.
Overhead framing takes a loft for whatever you reach for twice a year, leaving the floor below clear for the mower, the trailer and the bulk storage.
The single-pitch roof sheds rain to the back, so this small store sits tight against a wall or a fence with no gap behind it to sweep out.
Small enough for a side return, its lean-to slope running straight off the house wall. A home for the bins, the tools or a couple of bikes.
Exposed rafter tails are the only detail, which reads modern or traditional depending on how you finish it. A simple slanted-roof build.
Slim enough for the strip down the side of a house, with a louvered vent up high so the mower and fuel cans never sit in stale air.
Straightforward first build: printable blueprints, a short materials list, and a double door wide enough to walk the mower straight through.
Steep gable pitch, louvered vent, and proof that a tool store does not have to be the ugliest thing in the yard.
Wooden gable store sized for the garden equipment, a few barrows of firewood or the wheelie bins, on a footprint you can tuck beside a path.
Twenty feet of floor built for the ride-on mower and the trailer it tows, with headroom under the peak to frame a loft over the back half.
The gable throws rain and snow clear and leaves the headroom for a loft, so the floor below stays free for the mower and a workbench.
A five-foot-four double door at the centre, and gable framing that repeats the same rafter pair the whole twenty-four feet down.
Sidewalls at seven feet take shelving the whole length, and the gable above has the headroom for a loft. The same footprint, used twice.
Small gable store on a solid platform floor, sized for hand tools and garden equipment, with blueprints and a materials list for a weekend build.
Seven-foot sidewalls and a gable above turn a small footprint into vertical storage: tools hung high, mower below, nothing stacked in front of anything.
Narrow gable store for hand tools, potting supplies and the bins, small enough to sit against a boundary wall and still open properly.
A lean-to shed carries a single sloped roof that pitches away in one direction, so it sits flush against a wall, a fence, or a property line. That single pitch sheds rain and snow, uses fewer rafters and less material than a peaked roof, and keeps the framing simple enough for a first build. From 32 to 384 sq ft, these are the pick for narrow lots and side yards where a gable will not fit, and most include a wide double door and a ramp for wheeled equipment. See the full lean-to lineup with buying guidance on its own page.
Sixty-four inches of double opening onto a flat concrete pad, so landscaping equipment and the mower roll in without a step or a lip to lift over.
Twenty feet deep under one slope, which swallows the long-handled tools, a couple of bikes and the tiller that never fits anywhere else.
No windows and no trim, which is the point. Every foot of wall goes to shelving, garden tools or bikes hung off the studs, and the floor stays clear.
Compact storage with a sixty-four-inch double door and the steepest pitch of the small lean-tos, so snow slides off rather than sitting on it.
The single slope needs fewer rafters than a gable and no ridge at all, which is why this is where a lot of first-time builders start.
Pressure-treated floor framing on a level platform, square plan, single slope. A straightforward build that gives back a full room of storage.
Slim enough for a side return, sized for rakes, spades and watering cans rather than anything on wheels. A short materials list and a quick build.
The biggest of the lean-to storage plans. A blank twenty-four-foot wall inside means the whole run takes garden tools, outdoor furniture and bikes.
Thirty-inch door and a wide roof overhang over the threshold. Printable blueprints and a materials list, simple enough for a couple of weekends.
An exposed corner post and a low pitch, deep enough for the mower, the firewood barrow and the bulky garden kit stacked behind them.
Framed in pressure-treated lumber on a concrete foundation, tall enough for shelving down both sides and still a clear aisle up the middle.
A garden shed is a small, standalone structure that sits in the yard and keeps tools, the lawnmower, bikes, and seasonal gear in one place. Usually built from wood, metal, or tough plastic, it cuts down on outdoor clutter and gives you a working spot for gardening and DIY projects, or doubles as a summerhouse or potting shed.
Built for people who actually garden: room for a potting bench, a rototiller, bagged compost and the long-handled tools, all under a gable roof.
Serious garden storage: a potting bench under the end wall, a workbench opposite, and floor enough between them for the tiller and the bagged goods.
Large enough to stop being a garden shed. It works as a pool house, a workshop or a summer studio, on a lean-to roof that keeps the build simple.
Tall walls take the ladders, shovels and rakes off the floor, on a garden building large enough for a workshop bench at the far end.
The largest garden plan here: garden tools down one wall, pool supplies at the back, and a DIY woodworking shop in the space between them.
Tall enough at the peak to frame a loft over the whole footprint, which turns a garden shed into storage plus an attic for the seasonal overflow.
Garden tools down one wall, lawn furniture along the other, a workbench in between, and still a clear path to walk the mower through the middle.
Long enough to run a potting bench down one wall and still park the mower at the end, without either getting in the way of the other.
The gable peak leaves headroom for overhead storage, so the bulky seasonal kit goes up top and the floor stays clear for a wheelbarrow.
Garden storage on a square plan: potting bench along one wall, wheelbarrow parked opposite, spades and rakes hung on the studs between them.
Eighty square feet under a low single slope, the size people line and insulate into a tiny garden office, a studio or a quiet workshop.
True mono-pitch, shedding to the back, so it tucks against a fence or a boundary wall and takes the garden tools out of the house.
Wide eave overhang, which keeps rain off the threshold and the wall below it dry. Compact gable shed sized for hand tools and a wheelbarrow.
Square and gable-roofed, the shape that wastes least off the materials list. Deep enough for a potting bench, a wheelbarrow and bagged compost behind it.
Modern, boxy and shallow-pitched, long enough to split into a garden workroom at one end and a home office or studio at the other.
Potting bench under the end wall, wheelbarrow parked beside it, and a paved apron outside the doors that keeps the mud off the floor.
Long and shallow, a lean-to that gives pots, soil bags and hand tools a proper home along one wall without eating half the garden to do it.
Sloped one way only, so it sits low against a boundary fence. Deep enough inside for a potting bench and the long-handled garden tools.
Cross ventilation front and back keeps stored seed, bulbs and fertilizer dry through winter, and the gable above leaves headroom for overhead storage.
Modern, square and set on a visible concrete footing, with a sloped roof that keeps the framing straightforward for a first-time builder.
Potting bench down one wall, tool rack opposite, bagged compost stacked behind the doors. A long lean-to that stays working rather than decorative.
Simple enough for a first build and square enough to work as a garden office or a small woodworking shop later, once you line and insulate it.
Five foot four of opening, and a sloped approach that takes a ride-on mower in without a fight. The largest lean-to in the garden range.
Rakes, hoes and hand tools on the wall, a louvered vent in the peak. The classic small garden shed, and a straightforward first build.
Tall sidewalls keep the garden tools off the floor, and the depth below takes bagged compost, the wheelbarrow and the spreader. One slope, no ridge.
Square, modern and big enough to split down the middle: a woodworking workshop at one end, a potting bench at the other, neither of them cramped.
Wall space for a potting bench down the long side, and depth behind the doors to park a tiller. Slanted roof, so there is no ridge to frame.
Blank long wall inside, which is exactly what you want for a full tool rack, a workbench and the mower parked underneath. One of the bigger lean-to plans.
Exposed rafter tails and a shallow pitch, with floor enough to pot up, store the garden tools and still park the tiller out of the weather.
Sixty-four inches of opening takes an ATV or a garden tractor straight in, which is more than most garden sheds this size will manage.
Beginner-friendly at this size because the gable framing just repeats: the same rafter pair, twenty-four feet down. Room inside for a tiller, mower and tool rack.
Level deck at the doors instead of a step, so the wheelbarrow and the mower roll straight in off the path. Square plan, one slope.
Door width for a ride-on mower, wall run for a full garden tool rack, and gable headroom above both to hang the awkward things out of the way.
Small and narrow enough for a side yard, with the depth for garden tools, fertilizer and potting supplies rather than anything with an engine.
Sized for a working kitchen garden rather than a tidy one: the run for a potting bench, the height for long-handled tools, all under one pitch.
Bike storage for a whole household: roll three or four in at ground level and hang two more on wall hooks under the gable.
Tall enough to stand two bikes upright rather than lie them down, with a louvered gable vent to dry off wet frames between rides.
Garage sheds are stud-framed buildings big enough to drive into. They take cars, ATVs, jet skis and riding mowers, and give a workshop the door width and clear span a standard shed cannot. From 192 to 1,200 sq ft, these suit anyone whose project has outgrown storage. See the full garage and barn catalog on its own page.
Workshop-sized garage bay with side-hinged doors rather than a roll-up: one leaf for a quick pass, both to walk a mower through. Separate service door.
Doors wide enough for ATVs and riding mowers, a service door on the long wall, and floor enough left over for a bench and the tall equipment.
Sectional overhead garage door in the gable end, and a Z-braced barn door on the side wall, so the car stays put while you fetch a rake.
Two bays of side-hinged barn doors, and the height inside for ATVs, riding mowers, jet skis or a golf simulator along the back wall.
Garage doors wide enough for two cars, or one car and a workshop bench along the back wall, with a separate side entry for everyday trips.
Garage floor for ATVs, jet skis and a riding mower, with a separate entry door on the long wall so the main leaves stay shut most of the time.
Two sectional overhead garage doors front a full two-car workshop, tall enough inside for the big equipment and long enough for a row of benches down one side.
Carriage doors with heavy X-bracing front a double garage under a single slope, with a side pedestrian door so the main leaves stay shut.
Two cars behind plain plank doors, with a narrower third bay for the mower, the bikes or a corner of workshop, all under one deep-overhanging slope.
An office shed, or she shed, is a backyard room finished to be worked in rather than stored in, with windows, full-glass doors and a modern roofline. It puts a door you can close ten steps from the house, trading a spare bedroom for daylight and a view. Between 64 and 200 sq ft, these are for remote workers, studio users and anyone who wants the commute to end at the back fence. See the full office lineup on its own page.
Wrap-around corner glazing and a sheltered porch entry, the closest thing here to a proper garden room. A she shed, a studio or a home office you can shut.
Modern saltbox roofline over floor enough for a desk, a chair and a wall of shelves. Works as a home office, a craftsman studio or a garden bar.
Home office or she shed ten steps from the back door, glazed across the front, on a slanted roof that keeps the build simple enough to do yourself.
The one office plan with a solid door instead of glass, so the inside stays private. Works as a studio, a treatment room or a quiet home office.
Low lean-to roof, glazed front. Fit it out as a home office, a woodworking studio or a backyard gym, depending on what the house is short of.
The smallest she shed in the range: a genuine pair of full-glass doors and a modern profile, enough for a garden studio or a one-desk home office.
Really a garden office rather than a shed: glazed across the front, with a deep porch overhang on exposed rafters. A narrow she shed for a small yard.
The porch overhang runs out on heavy rafters like a pergola, sheltering the deck outside while the glazed front turns it into a she shed or garden studio.
Roofed porch on three posts runs off one end over a concrete floor, so there is somewhere to sit and pot up out of the rain beside the storage.
A firewood shed is an open-front rack with slatted sides and a generous roof overhang, sized by the cord rather than the square foot. The open face and slats keep air moving so green wood seasons instead of rotting, while the overhang keeps rain and snow off the stack. Capacity runs from a 0.15 cord porch rack to a 10 cord store, all beginner builds and most up in a day, for anyone burning wood and tired of fighting a tarp. See every firewood shed plan on its own page.
Ten cords in two bays between four timber posts, open at the front and slatted at the sides, which is what keeps a firewood stack drying rather than sweating.
Firewood store for a cord and a half in three slatted bays, its slope tucking against a wall or fence where the space goes to waste anyway.
Two-tier firewood rack holding about a sixth of a cord, light enough to move on your own and slim enough to stand against a wall by the back door.
Under a cord of firewood, a winter’s worth for a stove rather than a whole house. Open front, slatted sides, exposed rafters and a very short materials list.
Four cords of firewood behind vertical slat screens that let wind straight through, with an open gap under the roof line so the stack dries from every side.
Five cords of firewood under a wide canopy roof, with an open gap between the wall tops and the roof so air crosses the stack and green wood seasons dry.
Barns are the biggest builds here: gambrel-roofed and pole-frame buildings sized for lofts, livestock, tractors and full workshops. A gambrel roof buys headroom for a hayloft, while post-frame construction holds wide clear spans without interior walls. From 336 to 2,400 sq ft, these are the largest plans in the collection. See the full garage and barn catalog for the complete set.
Gambrel barn with a full second storey: two vehicles on the ground floor, and a loft above the shoulder line tall enough to stand up in.
Two storeys of gambrel barn under a metal roof: a workshop or golf simulator bay on the ground floor, standing headroom in the loft above.
Post-frame pole barn with an open lean-to canopy down one flank: tractor, trailer and hay under cover without losing enclosed floor. The canopy works as a run-in shelter for horses or goats.
Sliding door across the whole front, so a truck or a sawmill rig drives straight in. At this size the pole barn takes a workshop, an equipment store and stalls for horses or goats.
The gable, gambrel and lean-to plans in the cards above are the common builds. The three styles below show up less often and are usually chosen for their looks or a specific use rather than for everyday storage.
The same plan gets a different name depending on what goes inside it. These terms are used interchangeably, and most of them describe the use rather than the construction.
Shed sizes fall into three groups. Small sheds run from 4×8 to 8×12 and hold garden tools, bikes and a push mower. Medium sheds run 10×10 to 12×16, the range that takes a riding mower and still leaves a work corner. Large sheds start at 12×20, where a full workshop, a home gym or vehicle storage becomes realistic. 10×12 is the single most popular size. The table adds build time and the permit threshold, which is the part most people miss.
| Size | Floor area | Best for | Build time | Est. materials cost | Permit typically needed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4×8 shed plans | 32 sq ft | Garden tools, bikes, firewood | 1–2 days | $1,400 | Usually exempt |
| 6×8 shed plans | 48 sq ft | Garden tools, small storage | 1–2 days | $1,800 | Usually exempt |
| 8×10 shed plans | 80 sq ft | Mower plus everyday storage | 1–2 days | $2,500 | Usually exempt |
| 8×12 shed plans | 96 sq ft | Bikes, mower, tools | 2–4 days | $2,900 | Usually exempt |
| 10×10 shed plans | 100 sq ft | Storage plus a work corner | 2–4 days | $3,000 | Usually exempt |
| 10×12 shed plans | 120 sq ft | The most popular all-round size | 2–4 days | $3,500 | At the 120 sq ft line |
| 12×16 shed plans | 192 sq ft | Workshop or large storage | 2–4 days | $5,200 | Usually required |
| 12×20 shed plans | 240 sq ft | Full workshop, garage-style storage | Several weekends | $6,400 | Usually required |
| 12×24 shed plans | 288 sq ft | Workshop plus vehicle storage | Several weekends | $7,500 | Usually required |
| 16×24 shed plans | 384 sq ft | Large workshop or hobby space | Several weekends | $9,800 | Usually required |
| 24×24 shed plans | 576 sq ft | Two-car garage or full shop | Several weekends | $14,400 | Usually required |
Your costs are estimations of rough materials using pressure-treated skids and joists, 2×4 wall framing, T1-11 siding, and asphalt shingles. Small sheds cost more per square foot than larger ones because the door and roof are fixed costs spread over less floor area. Your cost estimation range runs from about $25 per sq ft on the biggest plans to over $40 on the smallest. The permit thresholds shown are the most frequently used by the building codes in the United States. Your city or county sets its own rules, so be sure to check with them before you start to build. Setbacks, foundation type, or utilities can require a permit at any size. See the full cost to build a shed and shed permit guides.
In most of the United States a shed under 120 square feet does not need a building permit, but that threshold is set locally and several things trigger a permit regardless of floor area.
You will see the same rules called zoning codes, building codes, accessory structure requirements or land use ordinances. Building without the right permit can mean a fine, a stop-work order, or being told to take the shed down. Our shed permit guide covers the site plan, the paperwork and the inspections.
A successful do-it-yourself shed starts with you choosing the right shed plans. First, work out how much space you can give an outbuilding, and then you need to check local codes and permits for setbacks as you decide where to put it.
Consider what you will store or how you will use your shed. Your hand tools can hang on walls, but mowers and snow blowers need floor area. Then, pick a foundation type that suits your site, skids for a movable shed, concrete piers or blocks for a permanent one, and decide between a peaked gable roof and a slanted lean-to roof. Our step-by-step shed building guide walks you through wall framing and roof framing before you commit to actually build it.
It is cheaper to build your own shed than to hire a builder, because you pay for materials and tools but not for labor. On our estimates a 10×10 shed runs about $3,000 in materials, a 10×12 about $3,500, a 12×12 about $4,100 and a 12×20 about $6,400. That works out from roughly $25 per square foot on the largest plans to over $40 on the smallest, where the door and the roof are fixed costs spread over less floor. The table above lists every size, and the cost guide breaks down lumber, roofing and hardware line by line.
Both come with colored diagrams and the instructions you need to build. The free plans are a full working preview. Experienced builders can finish a shed from them alone. Our premium plans (at only $19.99) add in-depth step-by-step directions. Every piece you need is named. There is a complete materials and cut list, and the tool list, which is what most first-time builders need to be successful. Still have questions? Read the FAQ.
About the authorJoseph TruiniAuthor & DIY building expertJoseph Truini is a host on the Today’s Homeowner TV show and co-hosts the weekly Today’s Homeowner Radio Show. He has written three best-selling shed-building books and lives in Roxbury, Connecticut.Connect on LinkedIn