About Shed Cut List

Shed Cut List is built and run by WEABLE SAS. The site exists because most free shed plans online are drawn once, at one size, with a materials list that says "lumber as needed" and leaves the cutting math to you at the lumber yard.

Every plan here comes from a framing engine built specifically for this site: it takes the footprint, roof style and door you pick, builds the floor, wall and roof framing for that exact shed on 16 in stud centers, splices any board that would otherwise run longer than a 12 ft stock length, then packs the resulting lumber and panels onto real 8, 10 and 12 ft boards and 4x8 ft sheets before generating your cut list, panel layout and assembly order.

What the engine checks before it draws a plan: every framing span is bounded to line up with the published span tables (IRC, AWC) named on the plan's start-here page, headers are sized against the opening they carry, and the cut list is measured off the drawing rather than typed in by hand. A span that falls outside those tables is refused rather than drawn. One check is worth doing yourself before you order timber: your town's permit threshold and setback distances, which decide whether the size you picked needs paperwork at all.

Questions or a plan that does not look right? Use the contact page.

How a plan is generated

You choose a footprint, a roof style and a door. The framing engine lays out the floor on pressure treated skids with joists on 16 in centers, frames the walls on 16 in stud centers with a doubled header over the opening, cuts the roof for the style chosen, then measures every member off the resulting geometry. Boards that would exceed a stock length are spliced in the plan, at a location the plan names, rather than left as a surprise.

What the engine checks before it draws

Framing spans are bounded to line up with the published span tables named on each plan's start-here page, headers are sized against the opening they carry, and the cut list is measured off the drawing rather than typed in by hand. A span that falls outside those tables is refused rather than drawn, which is why the size range stops where it does.

What stays your call

Two decisions belong to your location rather than to any plan: the permit threshold and setback distances in your jurisdiction, and the foundation appropriate for your ground and frost depth. The plans frame for skids on a gravel pad, which suits most garden sites. Soft ground, a steep slope or a deep frost line are worth a conversation with someone local before the first delivery.

Practical procedure before you cut

Start by measuring the usable site, not the fence line. Leave at least 24 in of working space on the door side and 12 in on the other sides so you can set panels, fasten siding, and trim corners without leaning into a wall or hedge. Check the diagonal of the intended rectangle with a tape. If the two diagonals differ by more than 1/2 in on a small shed, correct the layout before you order material.

Read the start page of the selected plan, then print the cut list and mark each stock board with a pencil code before cutting. A simple code such as F1 for floor, W1 for wall, and R1 for roof prevents common mixups between pieces that are close in length. Cut the longest parts first, then use offcuts for blocking, cripples, and short plates where the list allows it. This reduces waste because a wrong cut on a 12 ft board can usually still become an 8 ft or shorter member, but the reverse is not true.

Stack lumber by use, floor, wall, roof, and trim, with stickers between wet boards if the build will take more than one day. Keep sheet goods flat on at least three supports. A 4x8 ft panel stored on edge for several days can bow enough to make layout harder, especially in damp weather. If you change footprint, roof style, or door width, regenerate the plan from the plans page rather than adjusting only one line of the list.

Tools, working tolerances, and field figures

A shed can be framed with ordinary carpentry tools, but the work goes faster when the measuring tools are treated as part of the structure. Use one tape measure for all layout marks if possible. Two tapes that differ by 1/16 in over 8 ft can create panel joints that miss their backing at the far corner.

Item	Useful figure	Why it matters
Clear work area	At least 4 ft by 8 ft beside the shed	Gives room to sort full sheets and preassemble wall sections.
Level tolerance for pad	Within 1/2 in across the short side	Reduces twist in the floor frame before walls go up.
Square check	Diagonals within 1/2 in	Keeps wall corners and roof planes from drifting out of line.
Stud mark accuracy	Within 1/8 in at each layout mark	Keeps sheet edges landing on framing members.
Temporary bracing	One diagonal brace per loose wall panel	Prevents a wall from racking before it is tied to the next wall.
Weather window	One dry day for floor and walls, another for roof sheathing	Limits swelling in exposed boards and panels.

The minimum equipment is a circular saw, drill or driver, framing square, speed square, chalk line, hammer, level, clamps, pencils, hearing protection, eye protection, and sawhorses. A miter saw is useful for repeated studs and rafters, but it is not required if the cut line is marked squarely and supported. For roof work, plan for safe access before lifting panels. A 4x8 ft roof sheet is awkward in wind even when the weight is manageable.

Frequent mistakes and how to recover

The first common error is building the floor slightly out of square, then trying to force the walls to correct it. Recover by loosening fasteners at the corners if possible, pulling the long diagonal shorter with a ratchet strap, and fixing the frame only after both diagonals match within tolerance. Do this before sheathing, because panels lock the error in place.

The second error is cutting several boards from memory after the first one looks right. Recover by stopping the batch, labeling the correct piece, and checking the remaining stock against the printed list. If one piece is too short, do not move it to a structural location unless the plan already names that length for another member. Use it only where a matching short part exists on the cut list.

The third error is reversing a wall panel so the door or window opening lands on the wrong side. Recover while the wall is still flat if you can. If the wall is already standing, compare the plate lengths and stud layout before removing fasteners. Sometimes the correct repair is to rotate the whole panel, not to cut a new opening. If a drawing appears unclear, check the FAQ before changing framing.

The fourth error is fastening roof sheathing before checking overhang and rafter alignment. Recover by snapping a chalk line along the rafter tails and confirming that both eaves are parallel. If one rafter crown or seat cut pushes the sheet out, fix the rafter position before trimming panel edges.

Special cases to decide before ordering

On a sloped site, decide whether the shed will sit on a built up gravel pad or on individual supports before buying lumber. A difference of 4 in across the footprint is already enough to affect access, skirting, and ramp length. For a riding mower, a ramp that rises 12 in should be much longer than a short step ramp, or the deck can scrape at the threshold.

In wet ground, keep the floor system away from standing water and vegetation. Gravel should extend past the shed footprint so roof runoff does not fall directly against the skids. In windy areas, plan hold downs or anchors according to local practice before the floor is closed in, because retrofitting them after walls are sheathed is slower.

For narrow access paths, check delivery sizes. Full 4x8 ft sheets need a route wider than the sheet thickness suggests because they must turn at gates and corners. If access is tight, stage material outside the work area and carry only the current bundle to the pad. This prevents damage to edges that later need to meet cleanly on framing.