Storage building style selection.

There are several things to consider when building or buying a storage building. Start with considering what you will use your building for. Storage only? A workshop? Maybe you need a combination of these.

Deciding this will help you select the roof style, door requirements, windows, and other options you may need.  Other important considerations are the quality of building materials, cost, and don't forget to check building codes in your area.

Some of these items are discussed below. For more detailed and in depth how-to information please consider our Storage Buildings Made Easy ebook to the right.

Roof Styles

Gable Roof storage building - The gable roof typically has no overhead loft storage and limited overhead space. This is because the roof rafter height is shallow on the gable and taller on a barn style roof. A gable roof will cost less than a barn roof with the same side wall height. The gable roof may fit the aesthetics of your location better than a barn roof.

Barn Roof storage building also know as a gambrel roof - This style roof can accommodate a loft for overhead storage. Head room in the loft area is primarily a function of the barn width and to a lesser degree the roof slope. Our plans have loft headroom heights from about 32" for an 8' wide to 72" for a 16' wide barn. With a full size loft you can just about double your storage space. This is a great plus for the barn style roof. The overall height of a barn, however, is greater than the gable style.

Shed Roof storage building - Shed style roof buildings are generally the least expensive to build and have a flat single slope roof. The single slope roof, as a practical matter, limits the size of the shed style storage building. For your money the shed style is least practical storage building style.

Door Types

Double shed door - Double doors, made from lumber and siding that matches the storage building, are the standard found on most buildings. They are generally the least expensive and very functional. The most common size gives you 4' wide access to your building with 6' height. You may need a wider set for a riding mower or other wide item. The double door options on our plans can easily be adjusted up to 6' wide and 7'tall.

Personnel door - A standard house door 32" or 36" wide x 80" height will give you a very sturdy and weather tight door. You can buy them with a single bore for a locking handle only or double bore for locking handle and a dead bolt lock. A pre-hung door, which is one that has the door mounted in a frame when you buy it, is definitely the easiest to install. They are very sturdy and weather tight. Most riding mowers will not fit through the doorway of a 36" wide door opening so be sure and measure your mower.

Roll up Door - For storage buildings practical roll up door sizes are 4',6',8',10'or 12' wide by 7' to 10' tall. The most common type and easiest to install is the metal "barrel type" door. This door rolls up directly above the door and takes up very little ceiling space. It provides excellent access and security for large items. Your building sidewalls must be tall enough to accommodate the door opening height with about 18" to 24" more for the door storage above the opening. Roll up doors are very likely the most expensive type of door.

Sliding barn door - One great advantage with this style is that they can be made just about any size and are very durable. They are a "face mount" door that hangs on a metal track and slides open to one side or are split and open from the middle. "Face mount" means that they mount to the outside wall surface of the building as opposed to mounting inside the wall framing. Sliding doors block the rain from inside building but seals the least effectively of all the door types.

Roll up door

Shipping and Returns    Privacy Policy    Conditions of Use