The document provides instructions for installing sheet siding on a shed in 6 steps: 1) Determine siding length, 2) Attach the first piece of siding by nailing the corners and center to square the wall, 3) Attach remaining sheets overlapping the previous sheet, 4) Install siding around doors with a 1-inch reveal, 5) Install Z-metal flashing above the first row and cut and attach siding pieces to match the roof slope, 6) Optional filler pieces may be needed on gable ends before fascia installation. The instructions provide details for properly measuring, cutting, positioning, and nailing each piece to completely cover the shed walls.

1. HOW TO BUILD A SHED?
6. HOW TO INSTALL
SHEET SIDING ON YOUR
SHED

2. Step 1: Determine the siding length
The first step to installing the siding is to determine how tall the sheets
need to be. You will want the top of the sheets to start at one half an
inch below the top of the wall. The bottom edges of the sheets should
extend at least one and one half inches below the bottom plate of the
wall framing.

3. Step 1 (Cont’d)
On this shed we extended the siding to the bottom edge of the floor
framing. Mark the line where the bottom edge of the siding will be and
install at least two 12d nails on the line under each sheet location to
temporarily hold the sheets while you install them.
The half inch at the top keeps the siding out of the way of the rafter seat
and birds mouth.
The bottom overlap keeps water from running down the shed wall and
onto the shed floor.

4. Step 2: Attach the first piece of siding
The second step is to attach the first piece of siding. The first piece of
siding on each of the walls is the most important because it makes the wall
square and locks the wall in place.
Set the sheet on the temporary nails.
Start by making sure that the sheet is oriented so the edge overlaps of each
succesive sheet will be on top of the previous sheet.

5. Step 2 (Cont’d)
Move the siding board until the edge of the siding is flush with the corner
of the shed and install one nail to attach the lower corner edge of the sheet
to the corner wall framing board.

6. Step 2 (Cont’d)
Push or pull the wall until the edge of the siding is flush with the corner
and install a second nail to attach the upper edge of the sheet to the corner
wall framing board.

7. Step 2 (Cont’d)
The third nail will lock the wall in a square position as long as the edges
are parallel to the wall studs behind each respective edge. Before installing
the third nail you must move the wall top plates back and forth until the
top edge of the siding is parallel to the top plates and the unattached
vertical edge is parallel to the wall stud it half overlaps.

8. Step 2 (Cont’d)
Use a tape measure to locate the boards behind the center of the sheet and
mark their locations so you can install the nails without missing the
boards.

9. Step 2 (Cont’d)
After the siding is attached in three points you can install the remaining
nails around the edges at six inches on center. You do not need to nail the
edge that the second sheet will overlap because you will nail on top of the
overlap when the second sheet is installed.
Install the nails on the center of the sheet at 12 inches on center.

10. Step 3: Attach the remaining sheets
The third step is to install the remaining sheets. The second sheet is
installed similar to the first sheet but you will not need to square the wall
because it will no longer move laterally.
Make sure that the second sheet properly overlaps the first sheet on the
wall stud that both sheets share. Nail the second sheet on after checking
that the other three edges are properly aligned.
Continue installing siding sheets around the shed. Make sure that you
start and align each new wall corner like you did the first corner

11. Step 4: Install siding around the shed door
opening
The fourth step is to install siding around the door opening.
The home built door openings on our sheds are designed with a one inch
reveal to allow the door to overlap the opening. If you are installing a pre-
hung door you will install the siding to the edge of the door opening

12. Step 4 (Cont’d)
To install the siding to fit a home built door with three quarter inch
overlaps measure away from the door opening one inch and place a mark
around the opening. Double check that the distance between the marks on
the left and right sides match the dimensions on the door plans.

13. Step 4 (Cont’d)
Cut and install the siding around the door. Make sure the wall is square
using the same three nail technique used to attach the first sheets on the
other walls.
If your siding extends down to the bottom of the floor framing you may
want to add siding below the door opening. First remove the door
bottom plate using a hand saw or reciprocating saw. Then install siding
one inch below the door opening.

14. Step 5: Install Z metal flashing and siding on the
gable ends
The fifth step is to install siding on the gable ends of the shed above the
first row of siding. This should be done AFTER the roof rafters are
installed and the roof is sheeted so that you can match the roof slope on
the top cut.

15. Step 5 (Cont’d)
Before the siding can be installed you must first install a metal flashing in
the joint between the upper siding and lower siding pieces. The metal
flashing is called “Z” metal.
Measure and mark the flashing and then cut the flashing using tin snips.

16. Step 5 (Cont’d)
Set the flashing on the top of the first row of siding and then attach it to
the shed using roofing nails. Make sure to nail above the siding joint so
water will not seep back into the shed through the nail holes.

17. Step 5 (Cont’d)
There are two ways to cut the siding pieces. The siding can be cut on the
ground and then installed on the gable end or it can be installed on the
shed and then cut along the roof slope.

18. Step 5 (Cont’d)
To cut the siding on the ground you will need to measure the height of the
piece and the horizontal length. Put these two dimensions on a piece of
siding making sure that the grooves on the siding will line up with the
lower siding pieces and then draw the diagonal between the two ends of
the height and horizontal dimension lines.

19. Step 5 (Cont’d)
Check the siding pieces for a good fit and then nail them to the shed.

20. Step 5 (Cont’d)
To cut the siding to the roof slope on the shed you will use a straight edge
to mark a cut line that matches the roof slope line.
Set a circular saw to the depth of the siding and then cut along the line.

21. Step 5 (Cont’d)
If your shed has a narrow rake on the gable ends you will need to install
filler pieces on the gable rafter tails to prepare the gable ends for fascia
boards.

22. NEXT STEP: HOW TO BUILD A SHED
ROOF
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