How Tall is Your Shed?

There's a common mistake that many folks make when they choose a storage shed design. It's not that they choose a gable over a hip roof, or a gambrel over a salt box. It's more basic than that. It's not about the style of the shed design. It's about the height.

Now I've touched on this topic on a number of occasions, but it bears repeating. Quite simply, the taller your storage shed, the more stuff you can store. Those added cubic feet come cheap, relatively speaking.

Lets put it in a different light.

Perhaps you decide on a gable shed design. The builder or shed kit manufacturer might offer their gable sheds with either six- or seven-foot sidewalls. While the seven-foot sidewall design will incur a premium, it shouldn't be monumental. (This might even be negotiable with a local shed builder.)

This difference (and advantage) becomes even more apparent if you build that shed yourself.

Building lumber is standardized on eight foot lengths. You start out with a stack of 2x4s and 4x8 sheets of plywood. You'll trim those down, whether you're building six- or seven-foot sidewalls. Once you rip that lumber down, where do the cast-off ends go? Into the trash! Now wouldn't you rather have an extra foot of headroom and storage space?

By building a taller shed, you cut down on waste and get the most out of your investment in lumber. The construction time isn't increased all that much and you end up with a much more livable and functional structure.