Full Gambrel Shed

[Dragonrider99]

Greetings all. This was my first real major construction project. I have built the typical things like shelves and display cases for various things. But I needed a large shed and all the kits were too expensive and had short walls. The shed is a full 8x10. I minimized scrap by cutting only the boards I really had to. As a result, the walls are a full 8' 4 1/2" high to the top of the double top plate. It is also actually 10' 3' wide. The trusses were made with 2x6 joists and 2x4 framing with double 3/4' wood gussets. Both sections of the roof are exactly the same size. The hardest part was designing the trusses until I figured the "secret" easy way.... no math!!! lol Not trial and error either. Anyway, it is vinyl sided to match the house and has architectural shingles also matching the house. The loft area is fully sheathed with 3/4" plywood and has around 5' of headroom. Access is with pulldown stairs. The ramp disappears into the ground and is all PT 2x6 and 1x6. I am very pleased with it. The shed took me 4 months all by myself. The siding tucks under the trim boards instead of J-channel for a cleaner look. The hardest part was getting the trusses I built on the ground up and in place. Anyway, thats the story. I know it might not seem like much to a lot of builders, but for a guy who never really built anything big before, I am real happy with how it came out.

[Tom R]

Careful, - - to say you're not a builder would make you a 'liar', - - hopefully, - - you take that for the compliment it is, - - Great Build!! :wink:


P.S. You really kind of left us hangin' with the secret roofing method, - - I'm guessing you laid it out flat on the ground??

[dhill]

Great shed! Want to build one for me? I need it about 20 by 40 though. And I'm with Tom, I sure would like to see that secret.

[Cole]

Great Work!!!

[Dragonrider99]

Greetings all. Thanks for the kind words. I didn't mean to leave anyone hanging about my trusses lol. Anyway, this is how I did it. I didn't just lay them out on the ground at all. The best way is if you have any kind of drawing package that will draw to scale like Autosketch or equivalent. If not, it is still very easy. Just pencil, paper, ruler, divider and compass. In my situation, my shed is 10' 3" wide. Add 1/2" plywood to each side and you get 10' 4". I wanted an overhang so I chose 5 1/2" so I would not have to rip any boards. I don't own a table saw lol. That added another 11" so the total was 11' 3" or 135" total width for the truss. So.... draw a line to scale equal to the width of the truss. Measure halfway and descibe a semicircle to form half a circle. From the center of the line, draw a vertical line up through the circle. Where it passes through the top of the circle is the peak of the roof. Next, simply draw lines out from the center of the truss at 45 degrees. Where each line passes through the arc is the breaks of the rrof ( lower and upper section ). You now have the four roof sections. Simply measure and you are done. Each of my cuts was 22.5 degrees for the simple reason that power mitre saws have presets there!!

So basically, a horizontal line for the width of your truss, create and arc from end to end. A vertical line from the center up through the arc, and 2 lines at 45 degrees - one each from the center to each side. Measure and you are done. My soffit and fascia are both 5 1/2" I dropped the fascia board around 3/4" from the roof line so that it would be flush with the suffit and form a tight box. I did that by letting the roof sheathing overhang around 3/4" also. It works out great. Anyway, thats how I did it. If anyone would like some actual figures worked out, I will be happy to do it and supply an electronic copy with the measurements. More details?? just ask... happy to help. And.... thanks again for a great site and the compliments.

[Dragonrider99]

I almost forgot something obvious. After drawing your vertical and 45 degree lines, connect them all together at the intersections with the arc. You now have the outline of your Gambrel Roof. I posted two pictures that show the two stages of the truss drawing. I darkened the initial lines in the Truss Outline drawing. Good luck.