Expand Shed Space Inexpensively & Easily

Learn Some Great Tips for Expanding Shed Space

Once you have built a shed in your backyard many people try to think of ways to expand their shed space inexpensively and easily. Many of us have built sheds in counties where you don’t need a permit if your square footage is under 120 square feet. 120 square feet can seem small after building your shed, even using creative space utilization and effectively storing space creatively. How do you stay within the 120-square-foot permitted structure rule and gain space? We give you some ideas below that are easy and inexpensive ways to expand your shed space as a DIY project.

Add a Porch to Expand Shed Space

Adding a porch to your shed is one of the easiest ways to expand your shed space living area. Your porch can be as simple or as elegant as you wish depending on the structure space you are extending. A simple porch makes sense for a workshop, but for a guest shed, choosing a more designer look for your attached porch might be a good fit.

First, decide what size of porch you want. Once that is decided, figure out how many pier posts supports you need to make for a sturdy porch, usually, you want to figure out no more than an 8-foot expanse in any direction without underlaying support. If you have a 12-foot by 6-foot porch you would want to buy at least 4 possibly 6 pier posts for porch support.

We usually suggest using pressure-treated wood for any wood that will be close to dirt. Next, you want to figure out how far off the ground your porch will be constructed It will give you how much board length of pressured-treated wood you need for blocks on the pier posts and your connecting porch underlayment.

Lastly, you need to figure out whether you will do a simple random plank build for your porch or if you want something a little more complicated, such as the diagonal placement of boards. Adding seating space on the sides of your porch gives you even more ways to increase the functionality of your shed porch.

Add an Arbor to Expand Your Living Space

Adding an arbor to the front or the back of your shed is a pretty way to filter light and expand your shed space. There are so many different arbor designs to choose from. It’s finding an arbor that fits your needs, budget, and building capabilities. Lattice tops are easy and lattice comes pre-made so it’s a simple roof for your arbor once the supports and framing are built.

A very inexpensive way to roof your arbor is with a sailcloth. You can choose a full-coverage sailcloth tarp made to size with grommets for attaching to the wood or you can choose triangle tarps to be made which give you both shaded and sunny space under your arbor extension for your shed.

Covered Decks Help to Expand Shed Space

A covered deck greatly expands your living space for a shed. Think of installing a hanging porch swing to your deck or adding built-in seating. Consider adding a bar-level table at one end and you have the beginnings of a great place to cook and eat outdoors. If foul weather is a challenge, you could add plexiglass to a couple of sides of your covered deck to make it during more weather conditions and seasons.

Add a Patio to Your Shed

A patio is a simple method of adding space to your shed. A patio can be as simple as digging out the space about 4 inches deep and however wide and long you want your patio. Buy some bags of sand, some landscape ground cloth, and either bricks, pavers, or cobblestones to lay your patio.

You can add a border, to begin with, or add after the fact with a poly bender board and 12-inch pieces of 1/2 rebar to secure the bender board in place. First, lay down your landscape cloth and cut to size, then lay your bricks, pavers, or cobblestones in a pattern to your liking, add the sand and smooth in between the cracks, add the bender board, and finish by securing with your rebar.

Build Another Shed & Connect with Breezeway

If you need a lot more space and you have the space to spare on your property you can add another 120 square-foot shed as a guest shed, office shed, or workshop with a breezeway between. Your breezeway, if totally enclosed should stay under 120 square feet and allow a space between the breezeway and the two sheds so they aren’t considered connected living space. Be sure to check with your county planning office before building an additional shed. Some city ordinances only allow one ADU or shed per property.

If you live outside the city limits and have more land you have a few more options when it comes to building sheds on your property. It’s a good rule of thumb to check with a contractor friend or call the county permit office before building.

Add a Patio with Gazebo

Another way to gain expanded space with your shed, especially if it is a guest shed, ADU, or office shed is to build a patio as described above and then add a gazebo. The wonderful thing about gazebos is they can be as simple or intricate as you want to make them. Once again be sure to stay under the 120 square foot limit especially if your gazebo is enclosed.

You can make a gazebo pretty weather-proof with a traditional roof, and using glass or plexiglass for your open window areas. We made sure our openings were standard window sizes so we could buy window screens to pop in the openings in the summer. For colder regions adding an opening where you could switch out screens for plexiglass would extend the seasons your gazebo could be used. Adding flower boxes or a cupola to your gazebo can give it some additional style.

The team at Shed Windows and More has a lot of combined building experience. Be sure to give us a call if you have any questions before purchasing or about installation. We are here to make your DIY project enjoyable and successful.