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Shed Mistakes Nobody Warns You About

What Did Mike Do Now

18,091 views

I spent months researching how to build a shed. I watched countless YouTube videos, read articles, and planned every detail.

I still made a LOT of mistakes.

I could only do 5 cards, here are the links to all the videos referenced:
Sketchup: Learn SketchUp in One Video (Zero to Hero)
Shed Base: 3 Shed Base Options — Plus the One I Actua...
Shed Frame: 7 Framing Mistakes That Will Ruin Your Shed
Rafters: The Easiest Way to Cut Rafters (No Math Re...
Rafter Ties: Don't Waste This Space!
Birdsmouths: I Accidentally Weakened My Shed Roof
Roof Frame: Installing Rafters ALONE (Here's the Trick)
Screws: Stop Using These Screws!
Siding Fasteners: STOP Nailing Siding Like This!
Roof Shingles: Stop Using 3-Tab Shingles (Here's Why)
Shed Door: Shed Doors are TOO HEAVY!
Windows: Don't Waste Money on Shed Windows!!
Trim: The Last 5% of Your Shed Takes FOREVER

Tools used for this shed build are linked below (Amazon affiliate links help support the channel).

🛠️Milwaukee 12V Impact Driver https://amzn.to/4rxKGuJ
🛠️Milwaukee 12V 3/8-Inch Drill Driver https://amzn.to/3Zhqstc
🛠️Milwaukee 12V Extended Batteries https://amzn.to/4qZStlb
🛠️Milwaukee 12V Battery Charger https://amzn.to/4a8DY7f
🛠️Deck Screws 3 Inch https://amzn.to/45NKTlb
🛠️Deck Screws 4 Inch https://amzn.to/49WrYqG
🛠️Metabo HPT Framing Nailer https://amzn.to/3Zlzllo
🛠️Flexzilla Air Hose, 3/8 in. x 50 ft https://amzn.to/3M6hw6U
🛠️7 Inch Speed Square https://amzn.to/3ZQJXsC
🛠️WORKPRO 6" Clamps https://amzn.to/3Zjzl5r
🛠️WORKPRO 12" Clamps https://amzn.to/4avyXXL
🛠️WORKPRO 12-Inch Steel Bar Clamps https://amzn.to/4kn89fU
🛠️MILWAUKEE 25Ft Tape Measure https://amzn.to/4bx8rOR
🛠️Milwaukee 12V Sawzall https://amzn.to/4qWgU2G

Some cost me money. Some wasted time. Some made the build harder than it needed to be. And many of them were things that nobody ever mentioned in the tutorials I watched.
In this video, I look back at my entire DIY shed build—from the initial design to the foundation, framing, roof, siding, windows, trim, and door—and explain what I got wrong, why it happened, and what I would do differently if I built another shed today.
If you're planning your first shed, building from plans, or considering a shed kit, hopefully my hindsight becomes your foresight.
This DIY shed build covers many of the most common shed building mistakes, including framing mistakes, roof framing, birdsmouth cuts, rafter ties, shed foundation design, LP SmartSide installation, roofing installation, window installation, headers, king studs, jack studs, trim details, and material choices. If you're wondering how to build a shed, avoid common DIY shed mistakes, or decide between building a custom shed or buying a shed kit, this video is packed with the lessons I wish someone had told me before I started.
Chapters:00:00 The Perfect Shed... Yeah, Right

01:40 Design Regrets
03:13 Foundation Lessons
04:33 Framing Hindsight
08:25 Roof Frame Reality Check
09:37 Siding Surprises
10:31 Roofing: What Nobody Told Me
13:32 The Heavy Door Problem
13:03 Window Disaster
13:42 Where I Wasted Money
14:38 One Final Thought

If this video saves you from even one expensive mistake, then making all of mine was almost worth it.

Many images used from: https://www.magnific.com
I get most of my sound effects from https://pixabay.com/

Disclaimer! Mike does stuff to entertain you, not for you to try some of the stupid things he does and get you hurt.

Affiliated with Mike the Backyard Mechanic.

#diy #shed

20 Comments

@SlabsMt 1 month ago

Sir. I don't think I'll ever build a shed, but I watched the entire video because I was blown away by how much effort was put into it. I can't believe your channel is only at 5k. This is peak content. Wishing all the best.

@sch1191 2 months ago

True fan here! I'll be reviewing the series as my shed project progresses.

@YTubeSDD 2 months ago

First time watching, and already a fan!

@GeoffJRC 2 months ago

Oh, mistakes you want? I planned out and staked my shed in the sloped side yard, dug 3' down through the rocky dirt 4 times to insert 4 sonotubes, poured the concrete and let it set. Then I double checked the property line and it turns out that I'd put two of them on my neighbour's property.
Had to spend the next weekend winching all four, 300+lb concrete tubes out of the ground an re-planning the entire shed layout and positioning.
Instead of an 8 x 12 I'm building a 6 x 12.

@jakemelinko 2 months ago

No one has a camera pointed at one😂
You're a king stud with balls of steel nice.🎉

@dadmezz4024 2 months ago

DIY doesn't ever mean perfect.
It is mostly practical, Affordable, and good enough.
Also includes skill learning, fun, tool collection and material collection.
Have some pride, DIY, include the buddy system and double all that benefit.

@christhurstone6139 3 weeks ago

I can use the fan! Also a fan of your work!

@mae2759 2 months ago

Honestly, the way you did your jack/cripple studs is fine. It's a different way of doing it and, for a shed, it'll work.

@tomschmidt381 2 months ago (edited)

As a DIYer I always remember something my long ago roommate said: poems are never finished just abandoned in discust. When a project is over there are always thoughts about how you could have done it better.

I built a 12x16 foot shed shortly after we built our house in the early 1980s. The intent was to use the rear half (8x12) as an outdoor workshop and the front for cordwood storage for our wood stove. I built a perimeter cement block foundation with extra blocks under the cordwood storage section for support. Over time there are holes under the blocks where small critters have burrowed. My worst mistake was even though I used pressure treated lumber for the floor frame used regular plywood for the floor. Several years ago had to add another layer of pressure treated plywood to cover holes in the original floor.

As for shingling the roof since it was pretty small was able to lay up an extension ladder at the same pitch making it easy to shingle. I'm not a fan of making any more holes in a roof then necessary. I didn't understand your comment about which side to start the shingle run. I had to cut shingles on both sides.

Don't obsess about the extra cost of the wider overhand. It is cheap rain protection of doors and windows.

Just added another: estimate of how long a project will take, especially now as a geezer

@lazycat7409 2 months ago

First timer great video! I like Columbo too!

@Crabbingwithsidandjohn 2 months ago

Ok … ready for this?…. I got a “Lifetime” plastic shed. I’m in swFL. (Mistake one)

I threw down a few cinder blocks. Threw some pallets on them.

Now that I had a “base”, thankfully it was (foreshadowing) extremely out of level. And also not anchored down.

We had a really out of the norm thunder storm, that had 60 mph gusts.. and the shed founds its way into the neighbors yard. Thankfully I hadn’t put anything more than a couple garden shears in there…

But anyway .. now it’s completely disassembled, and awaiting either an actual slab, or a real wooden base with proper anchoring…

But it was good to have a gust blow it into the neighbors yard , than to have a hurricane leave a shed full of stuff in the neighbors yard… while the rest of the shed ends up in a different zip code…

@DagmarDoesLego 2 months ago

Biggest mistake was thinking I wouldn't make a few dozen mistakes. Either that or needing 12 pallets of concrete to be hauled 50 feet up a hill.

@coppermutant 2 months ago

Might be good to get ahead of any sagging door issue in the future. Even the lightweight doors have the sagging issue

@lucie-p9n 2 months ago

:glasses-purple-yellow-diamond::body-blue-raised-arms:Bonjour ;Il est jolie petit abris de jardin .

@judih.8754 2 months ago (edited)

You did good on the trim. Going the cheap route would only cause pain years later when those pine pieces you mentioned started to rot. (Don't ask me how I know.)
PS: your cat looks like mine!

@papatutti59 2 months ago

Definitely a joker stud.

@ronlaverdiere 2 months ago (edited)

You wanted the solar panel facing east, but ended up south. That's fine, south facing is better for solar panels anyway. You can still run solar - one small panel and a cheaper power station will do the job. Then you can just unplug it and take it with you if you want to do something like a camping trip.

@ryanwolfenberger 2 months ago

Where have you been? Your videos haven't been showing up. How are you fan?

@xisotopex 2 months ago

I subscribed, but do you have a video that shows the real critical things like, putting the roof on? framing and such seems pretty straightforward, as well as building the roof, but what gets me is the siding and trim as it relates to the interface between the frame of the roof and the walls...