Let me tell you about the time I thought I was going to have to convince Zach to let me build a garden shed, and how spectacularly that didn’t go the way I expected.
The Setup
I had my whole strategy worked out. I was going to tell Zach that we needed a garden shed. I’d explain how if we could put all the gardening equipment and my planting bench in the shed, then he could convert the entire garage into his workout and project space. I was ready to lay out all the benefits, address any concerns, and gradually win him over to the idea.
I had talking points prepared, y’all. Cost comparisons. Space calculations. The whole nine yards. Here’s how the actual conversation went:
Me: [starts to lay out benefits of a shed]
Zach: I think we should buy plans and build one ourselves rather than buy one already assembled.
Me: …
Zach: Plus it would be an excuse for you to get a real full-sized chop saw.
Me: …
Zach: What?
Me: I thought that was going to be a much harder sell.
Zach: No, I knew the minute you saw the house you’d want a shed. I just had to wait for you to get there on my terms!
Damnit! He knows me too well!
The Plan
So we did what any reasonable couple would do when faced with a major building project and zero professional construction experience: we bought plans from Etsy for about $60.
Specifically, we found 8’x12′ storage shed plans for a deluxe modern shed design. It looked achievable. It looked like something we could actually build. It fit with the zoning requirements for our neighborhood. And most importantly, it would give us the storage space we desperately needed while looking good in our wooded backyard.
Zach immediately christened it “the Barn,” and the name stuck.
The Build
We started in June 2021, which meant we were building in the middle of COVID supply chain chaos and Georgia summer heat.
- The Foundation: We leveled the site and set it on concrete blocks. This sounds simple. It was not simple. Getting everything level and square was an exercise in patience and geometry I didn’t know I’d signed up for. Look, y’all, I majored in History for a reason. No math. Thank goodness Zach could handle this part.
- The Floor & Walls: Building the floor joists felt like a major accomplishment—Look! It’s flat! It’s level! Framing the walls and getting them plumb was where having two people became essential. There’s no way to do this solo without injury or profanity. Probably both. (Narrator voice: There was profanity, even with two people!)
- The Siding: We went with T1-11 siding for that classic barn look. Measuring, cutting, fitting, nailing. Repeat approximately one million times.
- The Roof: This deserves its own section.
The Roof (AKA Two Days I’ll Never Get Back)
I told Zach it made sense for me to do the roof since I was smaller and lighter, and he’d done the bulk of the heavy lifting for framing and construction. I’m not sure what I was thinking.
I spent two entire days on that roof in the Georgia July-summer-sun. First the sheathing, then the underlayment, then hundreds of shingles—each needing to be positioned correctly, nailed down properly, overlapped just right.
And then there was the FlexSeal.
Have you ever worked with FlexSeal? Let me tell you something they don’t mention in the commercials: IT DOES NOT COME OFF WITH SOAP AND WATER. Or regular hand cleaner. Or much of anything, really.
I spent those two days covered in FlexSeal, sweating, nailing shingles, and questioning my life choices. My hands were black. My clothes were ruined. I’m pretty sure I had FlexSeal in my hair.
But that roof? That roof is SOLID. It’s waterproof. It’s properly sealed. And I’m irrationally proud of it.
The Finishing Touches
We installed windows with white trim—suddenly it wasn’t just a wooden box, it was a BUILDING. The double doors we built ourselves with decorative X-bracing and barn-style hinges. They swing open beautifully, and I may have stood there opening and closing them like a weirdo for several minutes.
We added a green stain, painted the trim, a small flower bed along the front with mulch and stone edging, and interior organization with shelving, hooks, and a planting bench area.
What It Cost (In More Ways Than One)
The plans: $60 on Etsy.
The materials: Around $3,700, which was more than expected thanks to COVID price increases. But I did upgrade some finishes, we added a second window for cross breeze, and that included pegboard hangers for tools and a set of shelves for seed starting.
The sweat equity: Significant. There were moments of frustration when measurements didn’t match. There were discussions about whether we’d done something in the correct order (we hadn’t, several times). There were sore muscles, FlexSeal-stained hands, mild heat exhaustion, and one heart attack. (For real.)
But we built something. With our own hands. From plans and lumber and determination. And our relationship survived.
The Bottom Line
The Barn has been worth every sore muscle, every moment of frustration, and every FlexSeal-covered finger. There’s something deeply satisfying about looking at a building in your backyard and thinking “I made that.”
Would I do it again? Ask me on a day when I’m not remembering the FlexSeal incident.
But honestly? Yeah. Plus, I got that full-sized chop saw out of the deal.
Well played, Zach. Well played.
Have you built any major DIY projects? How did it go? Were you also betrayed by industrial sealants? Share your war stories in the comments!