5 steps to installing a metal garden shed

Metal sheds are a useful addition to your property, whether you want to store patio furniture, create a workshop, or even add a garden room for relaxing indoors, while still out in nature.

Under British planning laws, most sheds don’t need planning permission and it’s cheaper than building an extra room onto the house. They’re also easy to install yourself if you buy a DIY kit taking roughly four hours for a square garden shed measuring 4m2.  Read on to learn more.

How to install a metal shed

1. Gather equipment

First, open the shed kit to check that all the parts have been included and are undamaged. It’s unlikely that anything would be missing or broken, but you won’t want to find out otherwise after starting the job.

Then, gather the following tools:

• Pencil
• Thick protective gloves  
• Sweeping brush
• Tape measure
• Square
• Spirit level  
• Drill
• Screwdriver
• Pliers 
• Wooden planks
• Cement mixture
• Smoother
• Hardcore

Some of these are typical toolbox finds but if you’re missing anything, save money by borrowing or buying used.

2. Choose location and pour concrete base

Where you build the shed is up to you, but you will need a flat and stable surface. To prevent damp, all metal sheds need a concrete base, so it’s easy to correct any uneven ground. Here’s how you build the concrete base:

1. Measure the base out by adding at least 40 mm per side to the size of your shed
2. Make a wooden frame the size of your base
3. Secure the wooden frame with steel rebars
4. Lay the hardcore inside the frame, packing it in tight
5. Pour the concrete and smooth it out level

3. Build wall frames and attach to base

1. Line three long and three short side wall steel struts on the ground to form a grid and bolt together. Repeat for the second side.
2. Stand one frame in position on the base, using a steel beam to hold it steady, and bolt it into place. Repeat for the other wall.
3. Bolt two long back wall steel beams (purlins) to the bottom and middle beams of the side walls. Then, bolt the short steel beam in the centre of the purlins.
4. Build roof

Bolt the haunch brackets to the top of all the vertical steel beams, except for the back one. Next, attach two roof beams to each apex bracket. Then, bolt the roof beams to the haunch brackets and affix the four roof purlins

5. Put up sheeting and install door

First, attach the drip rail and side walls to the frame. Then, do the same for the back wall. It’s okay that it looks slightly different at the top because this allows for a ventilation gap.

Next, cut down any wall sheeting that comes above the roof frame, before attaching the roof sheeting. Then, put up the front wall and bolt it to each side of the frame. Finally, install the door, screwing the hinge to the doorframe.

These are the basic steps to building a metal shed, but please consult your kit instructions for more specific advice.