Small Barn Plans for Owner-Builders Review

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(More customer reviews)Only basic info on planning a project and included plans are just a teaser to get you to purchase complete plans. There are much better general barn/shed books.

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SMALL BARN PLANS FOR OWNER-BUILDERS is a both a book of barn plans and an owner-builder guide to managing your own barn building project in just four easy steps. First step...learn how to design your own barn or adapt one of the 12 barn plans in the book. Step 2...Estimate the cost of your barn and get competitive bids and save thousands of dollars. Step 3...Learn how to manage your building project like a pro to save time and money. The book includes checklists and schedules to make it easy. Last step...learn how to successfully work with subcontractors and suppliers to save up to 20%!SMALL BARN PLANS FOR OWNER-BUILDERS includes professional construction plans, including floor plans, elevations, cross-sections, floor framing plans, roof framing plans,structural details and a cupola plan for 12 popular barn plans. There are six gable-roofed barn plans, ranging from a 300 square foot "backyard barn" to a 1500 square foot six stall horse barn. Most have full lofts. The book also includes 4 gambrel-roofed barns, from 384 to 864 square feet, with multi-purpose floor plans and full second-story lofts. Two monitor-roofed barns are also included. The smaller is 864 square feet, plus a 400 square foot loft. The larger has 1296 square feet, plus a 600 square foot loft for storage or living space. Many of these barns have been built as affordable "barnhouses".

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Building a Shed: Siting and Planning a Shed, Building Shed Foundations, Adding Custom Details (Build Like a Pro Series) Review

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I've looked at several books on sheds and this is the best one I've found!
The author is a real craftsman. His background in cabinetmaking shines through in his attention to detail. He doesn't take shortcuts, as a matter of fact he takes the extra minute or two to do it right. Little tips like painting T 1-11 before installing it is helpful, but pointing out the value of painting the edges too, (to help preserve the wood over time), is the difference between a shed and a quality shed.
There are several step by step sheds to build, and each one offers numerous photos and tips. I would suggest reading the entire book and then building your shed. You will find different tips in each plan and can use them in building your shed.
Some of the outstanding features of this book:
ProTip - On nearly every other page the author offers a ProTip. They are not brain surgery, but if are new to construction you will find them helpful.
Trade Secret - Also on nearly every other page there is a Trade Secret. Here are the kind of tips that the old-timers offered. It's like having a master carpenter give you all the advise you'll ever needed.
Photos - Lots of them, but most importantly, they are from the part of the project the author is explaining. It's like being on the job site and seeing the project in action.
Details - The author is very good at describing the process of building a shed.
Disadvantage to this book:
The plans for the sheds are not included. You must purchase them from other sources listed in the back. It is possible to figure it out by combining different descriptions and sketches together, but if your are new to construction you may be better off ordering the plans.
After reading this book you will never buy one of those superstore sheds. You'll want the very best, and if you build it yourself you can get it for less than the superstore! Enjoy!

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This well-illustrated guide offers a range of building options, with complete instructions and plans for four popular projects: saltbox potting shed, garden storage shed, storage barn, and lean-to tool locker. Author Joe Truini walks the reader through each step, from evaluating storage needs to basic construction to putting the finishing touches on the roof. Over 350 color photos and black-and-white illustrations are included.

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Measuring, Marking, and Layout: A Builder's Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're planning on building any of the hard parts of a house like footings, foundation, floors, walls, ceilings, roofs, stairs, masonry or shingles, you will want this book so you can figure out how to make them plumb, square, level, and evenly distributed. (I think that covers most of the carpentry sections)
He shows a few options for arriving at each layout, typically mathematically, from charts, and from pictures, so if you have trouble with one of them you can try another.
Octagons aren't very popular in my neighborhood, but if those (or other polygons) appear in yours, you'll find he has good information on them too.
I'd recommend a read through the book for suggestions when you first get it, (I did that in a long evening) and if you're a really good student you can follow along with all the examples. (I wasn't). But keep it by your side and read the chapter you need as you build. It will pay for itself in saved time and straigher work on the first job.

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-- Provides simple techniques for accurate measuring using a number of basic tools

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Practical Pole Building Construction: With Plans for Barns, Cabins, & Outbuildings Review

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(More customer reviews)Of all the pole building books I have seen, this is the best. Seddon covers the logic of pole building and then gives straightforward instruction on how to do it, with lots of clear drawings and photographs. Included are design, materials, calculating loads, foundations, framing and jointry, roofing and siding, windows and doors, building plans, and an appendix that shows how to calculate sun angles, snow loads, compares insulations, gives recommended nailing schedules, and several other useful items. Plans include a lake house, hillside house, cabin, garage, horse stable, and lean-to animal shelter. If you have never built anything before, it is likely that you will be able to build any or all of these with no more instruction than this book, plus plumbing and electrical help.

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Seddon has given his book the extra dimension of original plans for a lean-to barn, horse barn, hillside house, garage/wood shed, mountain pole cabin, and a coastal house. Pole building construction saves money, time, labour, and materials because it involves limited grading, no excavation, flexibility on site, and few materials.

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