When inconspicuous, functional storage is all you're looking for, the lean-to is the practical solution. Per its name, the structure simply leans against the house or garage for additional support and provides a water-safe haven for gardening tools, sports equipment, compact outdoor furniture, or anything else you want to shield from the elements. For even moderate do-it-yourselfers, it is nothing more than a weekend project.

Design
Because the shed is designed to attach to another structure, the foundation need only be pressure-treated skids, the roof pitched in only one direction to shed water, and the back wall sheathed with 1/2-inch CDX plywood, which withstands indirect exposure to moisture.

However, if this will be a freestanding shed, the foundation should be concrete piers or poured footings and the back wall should be sheathed just as the other three walls, with exterior-rated T1-11 siding.

Build
The shed shown here is 6 feet long by 4 feet wide, making a change in its dimensions— longer or wider—a matter of easy arithmetic.

1 To construct the framing for the floor, cut two pressure-treated 2 by 4s to a length of 6 feet for the rim joists. Then position six 45-inch-long floor joists between the rim joists 16 inches on center (with the exception of the last one, as shown in the floor joist detail below). Attach them with 16d nails.

Cut two pressure-treated 4 by 4s to a length of 6 feet for the skids. Position the frame on the skids, and when square, toenail all of the floor joists to the skids.

Attach 3/4-inch tongue-and-groove plywood flooring onto the frame.

2 The walls for the shed are constructed separately and then raised onto the frame.

Start with the back wall, which is 8 feet high, with 6-foot-long top and bottom plates and four studs placed 18 inches on center. The tops of the wall studs are mitered at 18 degrees. Attach the wall to the floor frame and temporarily brace it.

The front wall has a 6-foot-long top plate and two 1-foot-long bottom plates, leaving space for a 4-foot-wide door. The four wall studs are 81 1/4 inches long; install as shown in the front framing detail below. Next, install the 73-inch-long jack studs and then attach the 51-inch-long doubled header. Finally, attach the 6 1/4-inch-long cripple studs.

Raise the front wall, attach it to the floor, and temporarily brace it.

The side walls have top and bottom plates 41 inches long and studs 81 1/4 inches tall. Raise them, attach to the floor and temporarily brace if needed. When all wall sections are square, attach them at the corners with screws.

3 The frame of the roof consists of four 2-by-4 rafters cut so that they rest on the front- and rear- wall top plates, as shown in the rafter detail above. Install a gable stud directly over the center studs on both side walls to fit between the end rafter and the top plate. Install the sub-fascia and then the fascia to the front ends of the rafters.

4. Enclose the Walls
Cut pieces of T1-11 to cover the front and the sides. Position the siding flush with the bottom of the rim joists, and attach it with 8d galvanized nails every 8 inches or so. Cut 1/2-inch CDX plywood to cover the rear wall; make sure it extends up to cover the rafters.

5. Sheath the Rafters
Use 1/2-inch CDX plywood to sheath the rafters. Stagger the plywood joints so they don't end up on the same rafter. Before nailing in place with 6d nails, verify that the rafters are 24 inches on center. Cut the rake trim to cover the exposed edges of the roof sheathing, and attach. Install drip edge, add 15-pound roofing felt, and apply the shingles. (For more on roofing materials and techniques, see the FREE HomeTips roofing materials buying guide.)

6. Build a Door
Using the T1-11 cutout left over from cutting the door opening, build a door, trimming it out with 1 x 3 (see door detail). Attach the doors with strap hinges and add a door latch. Cut and install corner and perimeter door trim.

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