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Prebuilt Shed - can I modify it?

1,689 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 3 yr ago by ABATTBQ11
'03ag
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I have this shed in my backyard.

Would like to mount some shelving and/or storage hooks to the sides. Maybe even the roof support/arch.

Can this be done or is this structure not sound enough for that? I'd like to get spare lumber stored up high and out of the way. Going to make this a bit of a workspace.



TexAg2001
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AG
Not an engineer, but the answer really depends on what you plan on storing on the shelving. You mention storing lumber. That can get very heavy real quick.

I may be comfortable adding some shelving on the walls to store misc items, but your roof structure doesn't seem strong enough to hold much additional weight.
'03ag
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That's kinda what I'm thinking. I will probably have to build shelves more or less freestanding, and just anchor them into the wall
TexAg1987
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A tie beam will strengthen the roof structure considerably. So will adding additional bracing at the joints.

Depends on how much you load it, but if done responsibly, it can be done safely.

'03ag
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Yeah thought of that but wasn't sure how much was needed, and If I'd end up sacrificing too much head room.
agnerd
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AG
DO NOT hang anything from those ribs. They can support the roof, but not much else. You would have to reinforce all the joints, and tie all those ribs together to even begin to think about hanging anything from them.
'03ag
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agnerd said:

DO NOT hang anything from those ribs. They can support the roof, but not much else. You would have to reinforce all the joints, and tie all those ribs together to even begin to think about hanging anything from them.
The question is then, what constitutes adequate reinforcement? A simple 2x4 sandwich across each rib?

And even then I wonder about there being no top plate between the wall studs and the roof support. No lateral bracing at all. Sounds like it may not be worth the effort.
Builder93
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AG
Note to anyone thinking about buying this kind of shed in the future.....don't do it. This is the minimum structure required to hold up a roof. It is not meant for anything other than keeping things dry. It will not hold up anything else.
'03ag
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yeah came with the house
agnerd
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AG
Joints need to be reinforced like this:

Easiest way is to cut plywood triangles for each joint and nail (not screw) them to each side of each joint. They also need to be connected better at the ends to the vertical walls. Weight will be trying to push the rafters out and the walls out, so they need a bracket to resist that instead of the metal plates. Something like this:

Walls are probably ok, but make sure that the front, back, and side walls are all screwed into each other so that they can't separate easily. This would be another place to find a bracket that you can use to attach the 4 sides together better. Metal panels should have enough rigidity to resist twisting and "parallellogramming" of the structure. Like how a book case is very unstable until you nail the back panel on. But I would also nail a 2x4 to the bottom of the top ridge to tie all the rafters together.

Edit: Are the vertical pieces in the picture all that there is for the side walls of the shed, or is there a horizontal top plate below the sheet we can't see? If those vertical pieces go all the way to the floor and that's all there is, ignore the part about the bracket, continue the triangles down to those joints, and then run a 2x4 all the way around the inside at the top and bottom of the vertical pieces to tie them all together. You're trying to get as close to the picture above as you can.
'03ag
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No top plate at all.

Curious, why nails and not screws?
agnerd
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AG
Screws keep things from pulling apart. Nails are much better at keeping two pieces from sliding past each other (shear). When you ignore the screw threads, there isn't all that much metal in a screw, and it's much easier to shear off than a nail is. For the reinforcement pieces at the joints that will be trying to shear off the fasteners, use nails and triple the strength of the joint.

Anything that will be trying to pull two pieces apart, like if you're trying to hang something from the rafters, use screws.
AgCWby90CS
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AG
collar ties and a couple rat runs will allow you to store Christmass decorations but won't ever be enough for lumber in that type shed.
CWby '90
ABATTBQ11
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AG
'03ag said:

No top plate at all.

Curious, why nails and not screws?


What agnerd said.

The threads on screws prevent them from backing out, unlike nails which have smooth sides and rely on friction to not pull out. Screws hold things together. Nails (generally) have a larger cross section though. They can support more weight and keep things from twisting.

In your situation, screws might not be a bad choice though. Hammering in nails take a lot of force, and you're essentially hammering against the connection between those supports and the roof. Probably not a good idea. You can also get "construction" screws that will be plenty strong and are made for this sort of thing, unlike traditional wood screws or drywall screws. I recommend the home depot ones with the torx head (Spax).
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