GuideGarden Sheds
Build a Small Lean-To Tool Shed for Garden Tools
Long-handled garden tools never fit anywhere. A narrow lean-to shed stands against a wall or fence and holds rakes, spades, a hose reel and a few bags on a shelf, without taking up half the garden. It is a good first shed project because everything is small enough to lift alone.
What you will build
You will build a freestanding timber frame about 4 ft wide, 2 ft deep and 6 ft high (1.2 × 0.6 × 1.8 m), clad with boards, with a roof that slopes down toward the front so rain runs away from the wall. The floor sits on a frame raised off the ground on paving slabs or blocks, so it stays dry.
The shed stands next to the wall but is not fixed to the house, which avoids damaging the wall and keeps damp away from it. A couple of brackets into a fence post or masonry stop it tipping in the wind. Check your local rules: even small sheds sometimes need permission depending on size, height and how close they are to a boundary.
Materials
- 2 × 3 in or 2 × 4 in (45 × 70 or 45 × 95 mm) framing lumber for the floor frame, walls and roof
- Exterior plywood or tongue-and-groove boards for the floor
- Cladding boards (shiplap or tongue-and-groove) for the walls
- Exterior plywood or boards for the roof deck, plus roofing felt or a sheet roofing product, with the fixings it requires
- 2 or 3 paving slabs or concrete blocks per side as a level base
- Door: boards, two horizontal ledges and a diagonal brace, 2 or 3 strap hinges, a latch or hasp
- Exterior screws and galvanised nails
- Wood preservative or exterior paint, if the wood is not already treated
Tools
- Tape measure, square and pencil
- Circular saw or mitre saw
- Drill/driver
- Spirit level
- Spade and rubber mallet for the base
- Hammer
- Utility knife for the roofing
- Stepladder
- Safety glasses and gloves
Step by step
1Lay a level base
Clear the ground and set paving slabs or blocks where the corners and middle of the floor frame will sit. Bed them on a little sand and tap them down until they are level with each other. A level base now saves a lot of trouble with doors that will not close later.
2Build the floor
Make a rectangular frame from the framing lumber with a cross piece every 16 in (40 cm) or so, screw the floor boards or plywood on top and set it on the base. Leave a small gap between the floor and the wall behind it so air can move.
3Frame the walls
Build the back and front wall frames on the ground, then the two sides. The back wall is taller than the front, so the side frames have a sloping top: mark the back and front heights and cut the top plate at the angle. Leave an opening in the front frame for the door, with a header above it.
4Stand up and join the frames
Screw the wall frames to the floor and to each other at the corners, checking each one with the level so it is plumb. Measure the diagonals of the front opening to make sure it is square, or the door will not fit.
5Add the roof
Fix two or three rafters from the back wall to the front, overhanging the front and sides by a few inches so rain drips clear. Screw the roof deck to the rafters and cover it with roofing felt or your chosen roofing, following the maker's instructions for overlaps and fixings.
6Clad the walls
Nail or screw the cladding boards to the frame, starting at the bottom so each board overlaps the one below and sheds water. Keep the bottom board a little above the base so it does not wick up water.
7Make and hang the door
Lay the door boards side by side, screw two horizontal ledges across them and a diagonal brace between the ledges, running up from the bottom on the hinge side. Hang the door on strap hinges and fit a latch or hasp.
8Fit out and secure
Fix a shelf and hooks inside for small tools and the hose, then fix the shed to a fence post or wall with brackets so wind cannot tip it. Treat or paint any untreated wood.
Tips for a better result
- Before you start, lay your tools on the ground and measure them; make the inside height a little taller than your longest handle.
- A clear plastic panel in the door or roof gives you light without a window.
- Put the heaviest things low and hang long tools on the back wall in a row of hooks.
- Raising the floor off the ground on slabs is the single best thing you can do against rot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Sloping the roof toward the wall, so rain pours down between the shed and the house.
- Fixing the shed tightly to the house wall, trapping damp against it.
- Building on an unlevel base, then fighting a door that will not close.
- Hanging the door with the diagonal brace the wrong way round, so it sags.
Safety
- Use a stable stepladder for the roof, and have someone hold it.
- Wear safety glasses when cutting and nailing, and gloves for handling roofing felt.
- Fix the shed against tipping; a tall, narrow box full of tools can fall over in strong wind.
General guidance only. Follow the instructions for your tools and materials and your local rules, and use a qualified professional for electrical, gas and structural work.
Finishing up
With every tool on its own hook, a lean-to shed makes the garden tidier and the tools last longer because they stay dry. Check the roofing each autumn and touch up paint or preservative every few years, and it will serve for a very long time.
About this guide: written by the DIY Outdoor Builds editors from general, widely used building and gardening practice. Text and illustration © DIY Outdoor Builds. Found an error? Let us know.
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