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12×16 Shed DIY Plans | Free Woodworking Guide
Material and Cut List
FLOOR
10 – 2×6 Pressure Treated Lumber: 15′-9″
2 – 2×6 Pressure Treated Lumber: 12′-0″
5 – 4×4 Pressure Treated Lumber: 12′-0″
6 – 23/32″ Tongue and Groove Plywood 4′ x 8′ Sheet (cut to size)
WALLS
51 – 2×4 Lumber: 7′-5 3/4″
2 – 2×4 Lumber: 11′-5 ”
4 – 2×4 Lumber: 12′
2 – 2×4 Lumber: 16′
4 – 2×4 Lumber: 15′-5″
SIDINGS
16 – 4′ x 8′ Plywood Siding Panel T1-11 (496SF)
TRUSS
20 – 2×4 Lumber: 8′-0″
10 – 2×4 Lumber: 12′
10 – 2×4 Lumber: 3′-2 1/2″
4 – 2×4 Lumber: 2′-8 7/8″
40 – Tie Plates: 7″ or various
Metal Gusset (reference detail for sizing)
PURLIN & ROOF
12 – 2×4 Lumber: 17′-8″
10 – 4′ x 8′ 3/4″ Plywood Sheet (295SF)
Roof Underlayment (295SF)
3-Tab Roof Shingles (295SF)
TRIM
8 – 1×4 Lumber: 7′-11″
HARDWARE
3 1/2″ Galvanized Steel Nails
2″ Deck Screws
2″ Galvanized Finishing Nails
1 1/2″ Drilling Roofing Screws
*Full materials list included in PDF version
Step 1 – Foundation and Floor
Start with selecting a proper site for the shed foundation, ideally a flat solid surface away from any large trees.
The first step is cut ten 2×6 lumbers to 15’-9” length, and two 2×6 lumbers to 12’-0. Next, place the five 10’ 4×4 lumbers parallel to each other at 48” apart. Then, assemble the 2×6 perimeter frames on top, this will outline the overall floor frame. Drill pilot holes through the joists and secure with 3 ½” screws. Finally, install the eight 2×6 floor joists at 16” O.C. to complete the foundation.
After the floor frame is secured, cut the tongue and groove 23/32″ plywood to size and attach to the frame. You’ll need 6 full sheets to cover the 192SF floor area. These sheets usually come in standard sizes of 48” x 96”. Insert 2” deck screws every 8” along the joint, don’t leave any gaps between the sheets. Refer to the cut pattern below:
Step 2 – Walls
Start with the front wall frame first, all frames used here are 2 x 4’s (except the door and window header which are 2 x 6’s).
Cut two 2 x 4’s to 12’-0” in length, these will be used for the top and bottom plates. Then, cut eight 2 x 4’s to 7’-5 3/4” for wall studs, these will be placed per spacing
illustrated below. You’ll also need to cut out a 11’-5” 2 x 4 for the double top plate. Drill pilot holes through the plates and insert the 3 ½” screws into the studs to secure in place. Align the frame edges and make sure all corners are flush for a professional result.
See detailed Door and Window framing instructions here:
Shed Double Door Plan
Shed Single Door Plan
Shed Window Plan
The 2×4 studs holding up the door header need to be cut at 6′-3 1/2″.
Next up is the building up the shed’s back wall. Cut two 2 x 4’s to 12’ length, and 12 more 2 x 4’s to 7’-5 3/4” length. Then cut out a 11’-5” 2 x 4 as the double top plate. Follow the framing plan below.
Space the wall studs to 16” O.C. matching the width of the front wall frame. Drill pilot holes through the plate and insert 3 ½” screws to secure the studs.
Continue the build by assembling the 2 side wall frames. Cut two 2 x 4’s lumber to 15’-5” as top and bottom plate, then a full 16’ 2 x 4 as the double top plate. then cut 12 2 x 4’s to 7’-5 3/4” for the wall studs. The single door studs are 6’-3 ½” in length.
See door and window detail for detailed build dimensions.
Step 3 – Roof & Truss
The roof will require a total of 10 identical gable kingpost style trusses, installed 20” O.C. There are also two cross bracing placed on both ends for added stability. The trusses are designed to have an overhang of 10” on both sides. Refer to the truss detail page for dimensions and assembly instructions.
Tip: make 1 truss first and make sure everything fits in place.
Refer to the full gable truss dimensions and assembly below, use wooden gussets to joint all the truss members together. Construct a single truss first, in order to test out the overall fit.
The next step is to add purlins on top of the trusses. Measure and cut out 12 2 x 4’s to approximately 17’-8” in length. Center the purlins to leave about 10” of overhang, secure to the trusses with 3 ½” nails.
After all the purlins are secured in place, measure and cut the 3/4” plywood panels to size. These sheets usually come in standard 96” x 48” size, you’ll need about 295SF to cover the entire roof area. Insert 2 ½” nails into the purlins at about every 10” to lock the plywood sheets in place.
Next up is installing the exterior shed sidings, it’s easier to do this first before adding in the roof trims. Full exterior panel cut and assembly plans available in the full PDF version.
Measure and cut 16 T1-11 plywood siding panels to size. These shed panels are designed to interlock, so plan them out accordingly. These siding panels also come in
standard sizes of 96” x 48”, you’ll need about 496SF to cover the entire shed.
For the front wall siding, measure and cut out the door and window openings before installing. The rough double door opening is 72” x 77”, rough opening for single door is 36” x 77”, and the optional window opening is 2’-11 ¼” x 2’-11 ⅜”. 
Cover the entire roofing area with roof underlayment or tar paper, this is a waterresistant barrier material to keep the wood structures dry. You’ll need about 296SF to cover the roof.
You can also add a ridge cap on top of the gable roof, this strengthens the ridge of the roof and prevents potential leakage.
Finally, we need to lay out the roof shingles (295SF of 3-tab roof shingles). Start at the bottom of the roof, measure and mark every increment height all the way to top of the roof. Use glue or glue strip along the rake edge and drip edge. Then, insert 2 ½” nails to secure in place.
Tip: You can select the roof shingle material to match the roofing material of the main house, for a unified look! Get samples from your local hardware or home renovation store to get a close match.
Step 4 – Trims, Door, and Window
For the wall trims, measure and cut eight 1 x 4 lumbers to 7’-11”, trim the top angle as needed. Align and secure these trims with 2 ½” nails into the wall frames.
As for the double door trim: use a 6’-7” long 2 x 6 as the header trim, and two 6’-5” long 2 x 4’s as frame trims. The single door trim will need two 6’-5” 2×4’s and a single 3;-7” 2×6 header trim. The window will require a 42 ⅜” 2 x 6 header, and 35 ¼” side trims. Secure all trims to the studs with 2 ½” nails.
Add in the shed door and optional window. Refer to double door and window plans for build details.
Step 5 – Paint
You’ve completed your very own 12×16 Garden Shed! Now it’s time to paint the masterpiece.
First, wipe off any dirt or dust off the T1-11 siding surface. Prime the siding with a heavy acrylic primer, a single thorough coat will do the job. It’s best to use a small
brush to fill in the grooves and corners first, and then use a larger roller to cover up the flat areas. Let it sit and dry. Then apply two coats of exterior grade acrylic paint, allow enough time between coats to completely dry.
