What to consider before building a lean to shed

When choosing the style and location of a lean to shed several considerations must be met. If one is attaching a lean to shed to an existing building, such as was the case on so many farms where the lean to was affixed to the side of a barn, the location is pretty well determined by the larger existing building. This also the case when a locker type lean to shed is attached to the side of a house.

Lean to sheds constructed in a free-standing fashion pose more challenges however. These types of lean to’s are often made for bus stops or road-side stands. For smaller lean to sheds of this type you want to minimize the work. Do you really want to have to excavate earth etc before building your lean to? Lean to shed plans often neglect to take these things into consideration when touching on location. Don’t make your lean to shed building project more difficult than you need to. Choose a location that will require little ground preparation.

Lean to sheds are often built on low ground, on the ground itself. For that reason you should put some thought into how to handle rain water. Depending on the location you may or man not want to install a simple rain gutter to keep H2O away from your shed.

There are additional things to consider when choosing your shed location. Don’t overlook using shade to your advantage especially in warmer climates. A nice tree can provide wonderful shade for your lean to shed. A lean to is after-all not built with insulation or Air conditioning. You want to take full advantage of whatever trees which might help you. But avoid evergreen trees because in the winter that same tree that gave you wanted shade in the summer will not be your enemy blocking your sun. Trees that lose their leaves during winter are what you want protecting your lean to shed.

When determining the orientation of lean to sheds, that is choosing the direction in which the open side faces, considerations concerning heat and wind again apply. Local climate conditions and the choice of the specific site will influence the builder/handyman as to which direction the lean to shed should face. Does one want morning sun or evening sun entering the open side? The same choices apply to the prevailing winds of the area. Does one want the open end to be open prevailing winds or sheltered from them?

One additional consideration: The former instructions do not address lean to sheds with doors or windows. When deciding on how to build a lean to shed one does not have to exclude the option of having a completely enclosed building. The instructions in lean to shed plans will help the home handyman be able to adapt many designs to his own needs.

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What to consider before building a lean to shed