Building a Garage Door Shed
Many of us are using a shared space, such as a garage as our shop. Inevitably, you’ll need to store some “normal” garage items like outdoor equipment or kid’s toys in the shared space, but you don’t want the storage to get in the way of your shop or your shop to get in the way of the storage. Today we’re going to solve that problem by building a Garage Shed that will face the garage door.
If you want to make this for yourself, checkout the full build plans available here.
Affiliate links are used on this page. See my disclosure page for info on affiliate programs.
Tools Used
Table Saw
Miter Saw
Circular Saw
Jig Saw
Chisel
Mallet
Drill
Counter-sink drill bit
Impact Driver (recommended)
Dado Stack for table saw (optional)
Brad Nailer (optional)
Clamps
Measuring Tape
Speed Square
Straight Edge
Materials
2x4s
3/4” Plywood
3” Exterior Screws
1 1/4” Exterior Screws
1” Brad nails (optional)
Exterior Wood Glue
Steps for Build
Cut 2x4s to Length
Cut Frame Half Laps
Circular Saw Method
Miter Saw Method
Table Saw Method
Assemble Frame Components
Cut Plywood to Size
Assemble Frame
Install Shelf
Complete Frame
Assemble Panels
1 - Cut 2x4s to Length
Let’s start out by cutting all the 2x4s to length. While the frame does have a pretty good number of pieces, we only have to cut a handful of lengths. Set up a stop block at your miter saw and cut starting with the longest pieces first. Cut all the pieces of one dimension before moving to the next. This will help ensure that everything is consistent, even if you’re a little off on the measurement.
Don’t worry if you don’t have a miter saw. You can make the cuts with a circular saw and speed square as well. If you do this, cut one piece, then use it to mark the rest. This will help keep your pieces consistent without a stop block.
I like to label all my pieces with blue tape and sharpie. It will be additionally helpful when we get to cutting the half lap joinery in the next step.
2 - Cut Frame Half Laps
Half laps will add a ton of needed strength to the frame as well as make assembly easier. If you have never cut half laps before, don’t get nervous. We’ll talk about 3 different ways to cut them starting with the circular saw. Regardless of the method, use a scrap piece of 2x4 to help mark the locations. No matter the piece or how many half laps it receives, all cuts should go on the same side of the piece. I found it helpful to always cut on the taped side.
Circular Saw Method
Set the blade so it will cut a little less than half way through the 2x4 thickness (short side). Using a speed square to keep the circular saw square, cut both sides of the joint. Then, make several passes through the area to remove, leaving thin pieces between each cut.
Break out the thin pieces and clean up the cuts with a chisel. With the chisel, we can also remove material down to the half point. Double check the sizing with the 2x4 scrap.
Miter Saw Method
Similar to the circular saw method, enable the stop on your miter saw and adjust it so it is cutting just less than half way through the 2x4. Cut each side of the joint first, then carefully make several passes, leaving thin pieces between each cut.
One thing I didn’t notice was that my miter saw didn’t cut quite low enough due to the curve of the blade and the fence. You can add some scrap to the fence to push the piece out to remedy this issue.
As with the circular saw, clean up the cut and remove material to the half point with your chisel.
Table Saw Method
At the table saw, we’ll use a dado stack. This will require more setup time, but once you have everything dialed in, you can make all your cuts quickly and directly to the half-way line. This method also does not require cleanup with the chisel as the others do.
Regardless of which method you choose, shop projects are a great opportunity to try to learn a new skill or get better at one. I tried to work on making my joints tight, but able to go together without a hammer (some joints were more successful than others).
3 - Assemble Frame Components
Now that we have all our joinery cut, assembly should be pretty easy. Dry fit each sub-frame together. This will be a good time to adjust the fit of any half-laps.
Liberally add glue to each half-lap joint and re-assemble. Tack one corner with a brad nail and check for square by measuring the diagonals. Once you make any adjustments, tack all joints with a couple of brads to keep them secure while you countersink and drive a few exterior screws into each joint as well.
4 - Cut Plywood to Size
To cut the plywood to size in my shop, I needed to use the floor space the garage shed will ultimately go. I took this opportunity to try getting better at using a circular saw without a guide since it would be easier to cut these sheets on the ground than at the table saw.
Start with the largest pieces and cut all plywood components to size. If you have a chalk line, you can mark the dimensions at each end and snap your line. If you don’t, mark the dimension a few times, then connect the measurements with a straight edge, such as a long level.
To notch out the shelves for the 2x4 frame, grab an offcut from the 2x4 frame and use it to make relative marks. Use your jigsaw to cut the notches out. Once everything is cut, put the plywood aside.
5 - Assemble Frame
Starting with one side frame and the back, assemble the frame together with glue and screws. Clamps will be extremely helpful to keep the frame together while predrilling and driving the screws. Once the clamps are tight, make sure the frame components are square to each other and to the ground. My garage floor isn’t level, so try to make everything as square as you can.
Assemble the side frames to the back with several long screws from the back into the sides.
6 - Install Shelf
The shelf rests must be added before we can add the shelves themselves. Pick 2 shelf supports and counter-sink deeper holes in the long side. This will let you secure with 3” exterior screws. You can also use pocket holes if you prefer.
Install 2 shelf supports to the side frames on each side of each shelf with the half-lap facing up with glue and screws. Add the shelf front to each. This will help ensure the frame is square. If you need to make any adjustments, pull the frame into square. Install the middle shelf rest to the shelf front and back. Clamps will be very helpful again here.
Slide in the plywood shelves. Secure with countersunk screws. I opted not to use glue so that I had more options to modify later if needed. Gravity and the frame notches should hold them in place, but the screws will help keep noise down as the shelf gets loaded up.
7 - Complete Frame
The final part of the frame is to add the shelf support to the top now that the shelves are installed. Countersink two shelf supports again for the middle section. Secure the supports the same way as before starting with the sides, then shelf front, and finally the middle shelf support. Use glue and screws again as well.
8 - Assemble Panels
As with the shelves, I opted for more screws and no glue to keep my options open later. Start with the side bottom panels, keeping everything as square as possible. Add the side top panels as well. I used a few brad nails to keep the panels from falling into my face. Put screws every 9-12” directly into the frame after pre-drilling with a counter-sink bit.
Add the back bottom panel followed by the back top panel. My back frame had a slight bow in it, so I used extra brad nails to keep everything tight. Slide the top panel on and secure it as well.
If you want to sand the entire shed and/or add some finish, do that now.
Having a shed behind our garage door will greatly help us to keep our outdoor activity storage fully separate from the workshop while also giving the shop side a ton of options for additional storage in the very near future.
The plywood I used isn’t the best due to some of the price spiking going on right now. I have a few ideas to make the shop side look better, but let me know if you have any ideas!
