How to Build and Install Shed Doors

How to Build and Install Shed Doors

Follow the steps below to build DIY shed doors. For example purposes, we’ll assume our opening is 48 inches, which will require two doors, each roughly 24 inches wide. Adjust the dimensions and materials according to your shed’s size.

1. Remove Old Shed Doors

   Remove the old shed doors by unscrewing the hinges while the doors are in the closed position, then lower the doors from the door frame.

   Tip

   You can save a lot of money on this project by reusing materials. Look for boards that are reusable before disposing of your old shed doors.

2. Prepare the Door Frame

   Remove and replace any deteriorated or damaged components from the door frame to ensure all the wood responsible for holding the weight of the new shed doors is solid and plumb.

3. Measure the Opening

   Use a measuring tape to measure the height from the top of the door frame to the floor and the width from each side of the door frame. Subtract 1/2 inch from both measurements to determine the necessary width of your shed door’s frame. This will allow the doors to open and close freely without rubbing.

   If your shed requires two doors, subtract an additional 1/4 inch from the width to account for the gap between the doors.

4. Cut Frame Boards

   Cut the 2×4 frame boards to length. The four vertical boards will measure the full height of the door frame opening minus 1/2 inch. To find the length of the six horizontal boards:

   1. Take the full width of the door frame
   2. Subtract the 3/4 inches mentioned in the last step
   3. Then, subtract 14 inches to account for the width of the combined four vertical boards, as the horizontal boards will be sandwiched between the vertical boards.

5. Measure and Cut the Door Siding

   Measure and cut two siding pieces to make up the exterior visual component of the door. To find the dimensions, follow this process:

   1. If your shed is designed for the front of the door to cover the floor system when closed, account for the necessary amount of overlap at the bottom. Then, add this amount to the length of the vertical frame boards to find the height of the siding.
   2. If the shed door isn’t intended to cover the floor system when closed, simply use the exact length of the vertical frame boards for the siding height.
   3. To find the width of each siding piece, use the length of the horizontal boards plus 7 inches to account for the vertical board width.

   Cut the siding to length using a table saw or circular saw and a guide to ensure the cuts are perfectly straight and the pieces are square.

6. Mock Up the Doors

   To mock up the frame boards on the siding, follow these steps:

   1. Lay one piece of door siding upside down on your work surface.
   2. Arrange the door frame pieces on the backside of the siding, using the siding itself as a guide for squaring the pieces. The two vertical pieces will sit against the edge of the long side with one horizontal piece between them on top, one on the bottom, and a third spanning the middle.
   3. If your door features excess siding on the bottom for overlap, space the bottom horizontal board up to account for it.
   4. Clamp each board to the siding piece to ensure the whole frame stays square when fastening the pieces together.
   5. Repeat the process on the second door.

7. Assemble the Doors

   To assemble the doors, follow these steps:

   1. Drive screws through the side of the vertical boards into the ends of the horizontal boards, using two 3-1/2-inch wood screws for each joint.
   2. Since the vertical boards, themselves, are 3-1/2 inches wide, you must drill halfway through the boards with a 1/2-inch drill bit to enable the screws to reach the horizontal boards.
   3. Before driving the screws, drill a small pilot hole inside of each larger hole to prevent splitting.
   4. Drive the screws.
   5. Screw through the front of the siding into the frame around the perimeter using 1-1/2-inch wood screws. Position the screws about 1 inch from the edge of the perimeter to ensure the screw heads are covered by trim later.
   6. If your bottom horizontal board is spaced up to account for siding overlapping the floor system, position your screws accordingly.
   7. Repeat the process on the second door.

8. Cut and Install the Trim

   Cut the trim to match the measurements of the door frame boards, then arrange them on the front of the doors. Lift each piece of trim and apply a few small dabs of construction adhesive, then tack the trim in place using 18-gauge brad nails. Apply exterior caulk along the lines of the trim to keep water out.

   Repeat the same trimming process around the perimeter of the shed’s door opening.

   Tip

   Shed door trim is a great opportunity to add personality to you shed. Keep it simple or opt for ornate designs with angles to give your door a classic barn-door look. You can also skip trim altogether which will yield a more modern look.

9. Install the Doors

   To hold the doors in the proper position within the shed’s door opening, place them in the opening with 1/4-inch shims on the bottom and sides, then use clamps to hold them on the inside. Adjust the shims as needed to get the proper alignment. Once you’re satisfied, remove one door to allow you to exit the shed.

   To install the door, follow this process:

   1. Screw three equally spaced hinges through the face of the trim using 2-1/2-inch wood screws to allow the screws to penetrate the frame components for added strength.
   2. Place the second door in place using clamps once more, then remove the clamps from the mounted door and exit the shed.
   3. Mount the second door using hinges. Measure the hinges’ position to ensure each side matches.
   4. Remove the clamps and open and close the doors to ensure everything is lined up properly. Adjust if necessary.

10. Paint the Doors and Trim

    Paint the doors with exterior paint to match the look of your shed.

11. Mount a Sliding Lock

    Mount a sliding floor lock on one door by drilling a hole in the shed’s floor while the door is closed, then mount the sliding lock and plate in place using the provided hardware and mounting instructions.

12. Mount a Locking Handle

    On the other door, drill through the hole at a height that is comfortable for a handle and mount a locking shed door T-handle. When paired with the sliding lock, the T-handle will offer a decent amount of security to your shed.

13. Mount Turnbuckle Braces

    Shed doors, especially larger ones, tend to sag over time. To keep the door square, install turnbuckle braces on the frame. To do so, follow these steps:

    1. Attach both sides of the brace by threading each side into the turnbuckle slightly.
    2. Use 1-1/2-inch wood screws to mount one side of the brace toward the top corner of the vertical frame board on the hinge side. Then, mount the other side of the brace lower on the handle side, with the braces positioned at approximately a 45-degree angle.
    3. As the door sags, tighten the turnbuckle to pull it square. Turnbuckle braces are handy for fixing a variety of items, such as saggy gates and screen doors.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When building your shed doors, avoid these common mistakes to ensure they last and function properly for years to come:

Don’t Skimp on the Hardware and Hinges

Don’t buy undersized hinges and hardware for shed doors. A shed door is much heavier than a standard door, which is often hollow. To account for this weight, heavy-duty shed hinges are a must.

Use Long Screws When Mounting the Hinges

A heavy-duty hinge is only as strong as the material it’s mounted to. To ensure your hinges are as strong as possible, use long screws that penetrate the wood frame rather than just the trim and siding.

Don’t Skip the Bracing

Wooden shed doors sag over time—it’s inevitable. To help keep the door square, bracing is important. We chose turnbuckle bracing over a standard wood brace because it can easily be adjustable as the door sags. Wood bracing requires the door to be removed and the wood brace removed and reattached, whereas turnbuckles can just be tightened with the door in place.

How to Maintain Shed Doors

To keep your DIY shed doors looking as good as the day they’re installed, regularly inspect them to ensure they aren’t sagging or pulling at the hinges. If they are, tighten the turnbuckle to account for the sag. Apply new caulk and repaint the doors and trim as needed to protect the materials from the elements.