How to Assemble a Garden Shed

Published: 18/04/2019

To hire installers or not to hire installers? That is the question. Many people don't consider installing their garden building themselves, thinking it is too difficult or time consuming. But building a shed is not as hard as you may think. And you can feel proud that you brought your garden building to life! The following guide is a general overview for installing a traditional apex garden shed - we've based this off a Tiger Shiplap Apex. For more detailed information specific to your garden building, please consult the manufacturer instructions provided.

Tools and Fixings Needed:

• Hammer
• Monkey wrench or adjustable spanner
• Step ladder
• Spirit level
• Tape measure
• Safety gloves
• Coach screws
• 65mm nails
• 38mm nails
• Clout nails
• Panel pins
• Sealant

If you have ordered a Tiger Shed, all necessary fixings (screws, nails and pins) are provided free of charge with your building.

Before You Begin

Make sure you check all the components of your garden shed. If anything is missing, it's best to discover that before you start to build. Generally, your shed will consist of 4 x wall panels, 1 or 2 x floor panels, 2 x roof panels, felt, and fixings. Ensure that you have a firm and level base ready to build on. A solid foundation will give your shed the longest possible life. Check our Build a Base guide for more detailed information. Also, enlist at least one other person to help build your shed - one to hold the panels, and one to secure them with nails.

Step 1: The Floor

Lay the floor panel (or panels) down on your base. Use your spirit level to ensure that the floor is perfectly level. If your floor is not completely level, you can use blocks under the bearers to rectify this.

Check that your floor is square by measuring diagonally from corner to corner. All the measurements should be identical. If not, this can be resolved by tapping the floor at the corners to straighten the panel, as it may have been knocked during transit.

The floor panel with equal measurements

Step 2: Gables and Sides

Place one gable end panel onto one end of the floor panel. Afterwards, position a side wall panel adjacent to the gable. Make sure the person helping you is supporting these panels before you start to nail them. Secure these two panels together using 38mm nails, nailed internally through the side. Using coach screws, secure the gable panel to the side panel from the outside, utilising the pre-drilled holes. Repeat this step with the second gable panel, securing it to the side panel that has been installed using 38mm nails followed by coach screws.  Lastly, repeat this step with the remaining side wall panel, securing once again with nails and coach screws. The steps of assembling the shed walls.

Once all your walls are securely squared in place, use 65mm nails to fix them to the floor panel. Nail through the side and gable panel base rails, through the floorboards and into the floor joists/bearers below

Securing the walls to the floor

Tiger Tip: Use the line of nails securing the floorboards to the bearers as a guide to make sure you effectively secure the base rails to the bearers.

Step 3: The Roof

Carefully place the roof panels in position, pulling them together at the apex if necessary. Use the 65mm nails to securely attach them internally. Next, secure the roof to the gables and side frame using 38mm and 65mm nails. If the roof panels are not aligning correctly or the door is sticking, this could mean your building is not sitting square and has become twisted. To fix this, you may need to slightly lift one or more corners of the shed to straighten the bottom panels. Securing the roof panels

Step 4: The Felt

Depending on the size of your building, you may need to cut the felt. Specific felt information and guidance for the felt of your building will arrive with your shed. Cut the felt, if necessary, and roll it along the lower part of one roof panel. Allow sufficient overhang to fold down onto the roof framing, but not the underside. Tack along the top edge of felt using clout nails. Repeat this step for the other roof panel. If your building is large, repeat this step along the upper sections of the roof, overlapping the felt at the apex. Some buildings may not require a ridge piece and will have sufficient felt without. If yours has a ridge piece, secure this using clout nails. Installing the roofing felt

Step 5: Bargeboards and Finials

Using the 38mm nails, attach the bargeboards to the roof panels, trapping the overhanging edge of the felt between the two components for water-resistance. Secure the diamond-shaped finials to the bargeboards at the apex. You may want to trim the bargeboards to be flush with the roof edges, as they will usually be slightly longer. This is simply an aesthetic preference and does not affect the structure of the building.

Securing the bargeboard and finials

Step 6: The Windows

Use panel pins to temporarily secure the glass or styrene glazing into position. Be careful not to scratch the panes. Seal the windows using a high-quality sealant, mastic or putty. Ensure that the framing is dry, as sealant will not effectively provide water-resistance if installed when wet. You can use beading to reinforce the windows, if you wish. This provides extra strength and support to the windows. For more information, read our guide on How to Fit and Seal Shed Windows.  Fitting the windows

Step 7: The Corner Strips

Finally, use 38mm nails to attach the corner strips to the outside of the shed where the panels meet. You may need to trim these for the perfect fit.

Securing the corner strips[/caption] And there you have it! One perfectly built garden shed to admire for years to come. Make sure you treat your building as soon as possible after installation and then - enjoy! Check out our maintenance blog post here for tips on keeping your shed looking as good as new. Once you've built your shed, you'll also need to organise it - check out our post on shed storage ideas for more information.