DIY Toy Storage Shed

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When we first moved into our house, we were completely overwhelmed.  In addition to the gutted foreclosure we bought, we had this junky, but huge, back yard that desperately needed a ton of work. Luckily, over the last few years, we’ve managed to slowly (let me repeat slowly) get it up to par. Since having our second child almost 2 years ago, we’ve really been trying to focus on beautifying the kids’ play area. One thing I’ve been constantly annoyed about is that every time it rains, their toys get soaked. Also, if it’s a hard rain, dirt splashes all over their toys.  It’s so annoying.  There’s also no storage for their toys so they just end up everywhere.

I needed a solution to this problem ASAP.  Insert: DIY Toy Storage Shed.

I found a couple of ideas on Pinterest for outdoor toy storage ideas, but nothing that I was completely in love with or that I thought would last the test of time. Ones made with PVC pipes or pallets. It just wouldn’t work for us.  One of the biggest reasons is because living in a HOA everything has to look great. There’s really no way around it. We couldn’t just throw something together and pray. We knew if we did that, within 2 weeks we’d have a letter threatening a fine if we didn’t immediately remove it. Who wants to spend time building something just to have to take it down? NOT US!

So, Andrew set out to create something amazing.

We had 3 simple goals:

• It had to have a roof with shingles
• Must be multi-purpose and grow with the girls as they aged
• It had to be small enough our HOA wouldn’t freak out

Andrew took a ton of measurements for our ideal project and we set out to go to Lowe’s.  I don’t know about your kiddos, but our littles adore shopping at Lowe’s.

Tip: When buying lumber, check all sides to make sure wood is even and no large defects are present in each piece. 

We found the GAF Timberline® roofing materials very easily. These shingles look amazing and are extremely durable. While many think these are professional-use only, we’re here to say even the average DIYer can use these! The end cap provided us with the tools and information we needed to make sure we were getting everything we needed to make sure this project would last. The one reason I wanted a roof on this DIY Toy Storage Shed is because I knew that it would prolong the life of our project. GAF completely stands behind their products. When you purchase GAF Lifetime Shingles, like the Timberline® line, and 3 qualifying GAF accessories, you automatically get a lifetime limited warranty on your shingles and qualifying accessories. Learn more about GAF’s warranty policy on their site.

Tip: Have everything measured out beforehand and allow Lowe’s to cut the wood for you.  This saves you so much time in the long run. And it’s FREE! 

We got everything home and were ready to start our DIY Toy Storage Shed. 

Andrew likes to cut so he made a few additional cuts once we were home that he didn’t ask to be done at Lowe’s.  He also remeasured all his pieces before starting his project to make sure it was all correct.

Here’s what you’ll need: 

Roof:

• Plywood: 2′ x 67″
• 2×4: 2 pieces at 63″
• 2×4: 2 pieces at 2 ft.
• FeltBuster® High Traction Synthetic Roofing Felt
• GAF Timberline® shingles (we used Timberline® Natural Shadow® color)
• Nails: 1 ¼” galvanized steel roofing nails
• Nails: 1” – 1 ¼” round plastic cap roofing nail
• Optional: Starter Strip: Pro-Start™ Starter Strip Shingles
  • This helps to start your first layer of shingles, but we opted not to use it for such a small project

Sides:

• 2×4: 4 pieces at 13 3/4″
• 2×4: 4 pieces at 50″

Back:

• 2×4: 2 pieces at 60 1/4″

Lattice:

• 48″ x8ft Cedar Lattice panel cut into the following sizes
  • 1 piece that is 6″ by 4ft
  • 2 pieces that are 18″ by 4ft
  • 2 pieces that are 2ft by 4ft

Additional Products:

• Wood Glue
• 1 1/2″ – 2″ Pocket Screws
• 1- 2″ wood screws
• Hammer
• Tape Measure
• Safety Goggles
• Gloves
• Drill

Getting started.  We created pocket holes to screw 2×4’s together using a Kreg Jig. This ensures perfect holes and also helps to keep wood from splitting. No worries if you don’t have that, just drill the screws in at an angle to create the same concept.  Once we had that done we could get started on the rest. On the ends of each board we used wood glue first, then screwed. For this part of the roof you want to create a rectangular box with the 63″ and 2′ pieces of 2×4 and using the pocket screws.

Once you have a rectangle, lay your plywood on top and use 1- 2″ screws to hold in place.

Set this part aside for now.

For the sides:

Next, create 2 additional rectangles using the side pieces. Each rectangle will use 2 50″ pieces and 2 13 3/4″ pieces and additional pocket screws.

In the end, you should have two additional rectangles that resembles this below.

For the back:

Now attach the side pieces to the 60 1/4″ back pieces at the top and bottom using more pocket screws. After this you will have a 3 sided open box.

For the lattice:

Depending on your Lowe’s, they may or may not cut this so you will need a saw to cut the sizes above. Using the screws, vertically screw the 18″ pieces on the inside of the sides and the remain 3 pieces to the inside of the back side.

*Take a break to play with your kids.*

For the roofing:

Now the real fun begins.

Unroll the FeltBuster® and cut to desired size.  Roll unused portion up and set aside. You won’t need a lot for this project, so start thinking about what you can roof next!

Open your packaging of shingles (kids love helping!)

Using the Griprite 1” round plastic cap roofing nail, secure the FeltBuster® in place.

Now, lay your GAF Timberline® shingles down one at a time, lining up with the edge. Using 1 1/4″ Griprite galvanized steel roofing nails, secure one shingle at a time in place. Continue one at a time for four additional rows.  Cut off an excess in the back once completed.

Carefully, set your lid on top of the body of your DIY Toy Storage Shed.

Place your new storage area whenever you would like it.  Feel free to stain if desired.  We used bungee cords around the lattice to hang up their tools. I can’t believe how beautiful their space looks now just because of this simple change. 

We have the perfect DIY Toy Storage Shed for our family now!  

***BONUS ALERT!***

Did you forget at the beginning of the post where I shared that I needed this to be multi-functional?  I didn’t want something that we weren’t going to be able to use in the future. This toy storage shed can transform from a small child toy shed to a large area to hold bicycles and other large sports equipment. It can also be used for trash can storage.  A great way to have your trash can area beautified. Lastly, we chose lattice because it could also serve a purpose down the road in our garden or even have ivy grow up depending on your needs. It’s truly multifunctional and I love that.

We hope you enjoyed this DIY Toy Storage Post. Check out some other fantastic work done by other bloggers by checking out #RoofedItMyself on social media as well as inspiration on the GAF Facebook Page.  Ready to create your own roofing project?  Leave a comment and let me know what you’d build!