Guide
How much does a shed weigh?
A wood shed weighs about 20 to 52 lb per square foot of floor, empty. A 10x12 gable shed built to our plan comes to about 3,010 to 3,910 lb (1,370 to 1,770 kg), an 8x10 about 2,330 to 3,010 lb and a 12x16 about 4,200 to 5,450 lb.
We worked these out from the pieces in each of our 26 plans: every stud, joist and rafter at its real size and cut length, every sheet of plywood and siding, the roofing and the nails. The low figure is for dry spruce-pine-fir framing; the high one is for heavier southern pine and pressure-treated lumber straight from the lumber yard, when it is still wet.
- 10x12 gable shed
- 3,010 to 3,910 lb (1,370 to 1,770 kg)
- Per square foot of floor
- 20-52 lb (small sheds weigh more per foot)
- Heaviest part
- walls, roof framing, trim and doors, about 41%
- Not counted
- the gravel or blocks under the shed, the anchors, and whatever you store inside
Shed weight by size
Each row is one of our plans, as its size page draws it: a 6/12 roof on the gable sheds, 2/12 or 3/12 on the lean-tos, LP SmartSide siding and asphalt shingles, a door and a window. The smallest, a 4x8 lean-to, weighs 1,290 to 1,660 lb; the largest, a 16x20 gable, 6,330 to 8,240 lb.
| Shed | Floor | Weight (lb) | Weight (kg) | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8x8 gable | 64 sq ft | 1,990 to 2,570 lb | 900 to 1,170 kg | 31-40 lb |
| 8x10 gable | 80 sq ft | 2,330 to 3,010 lb | 1,060 to 1,370 kg | 29-38 lb |
| 8x12 gable | 96 sq ft | 2,620 to 3,390 lb | 1,190 to 1,540 kg | 27-35 lb |
| 10x10 gable | 100 sq ft | 2,690 to 3,490 lb | 1,220 to 1,580 kg | 27-35 lb |
| 10x12 gable | 120 sq ft | 3,010 to 3,910 lb | 1,370 to 1,770 kg | 25-33 lb |
| 10x14 gable | 140 sq ft | 3,410 to 4,430 lb | 1,550 to 2,010 kg | 24-32 lb |
| 10x16 gable | 160 sq ft | 3,750 to 4,860 lb | 1,700 to 2,210 kg | 23-30 lb |
| 12x12 gable | 144 sq ft | 3,380 to 4,390 lb | 1,530 to 1,990 kg | 24-30 lb |
| 8x16 gable | 128 sq ft | 3,250 to 4,220 lb | 1,480 to 1,910 kg | 25-33 lb |
| 12x14 gable | 168 sq ft | 3,830 to 4,970 lb | 1,740 to 2,250 kg | 23-30 lb |
| 12x16 gable | 192 sq ft | 4,200 to 5,450 lb | 1,910 to 2,470 kg | 22-28 lb |
| 12x18 gable | 216 sq ft | 4,660 to 6,050 lb | 2,110 to 2,750 kg | 22-28 lb |
| 10x20 gable | 200 sq ft | 4,490 to 5,830 lb | 2,040 to 2,650 kg | 22-29 lb |
| 12x20 gable | 240 sq ft | 5,020 to 6,520 lb | 2,280 to 2,960 kg | 21-27 lb |
| 14x16 gable | 224 sq ft | 4,830 to 6,290 lb | 2,190 to 2,850 kg | 22-28 lb |
| 16x16 gable | 256 sq ft | 5,290 to 6,880 lb | 2,400 to 3,120 kg | 21-27 lb |
| 16x20 gable | 320 sq ft | 6,330 to 8,240 lb | 2,870 to 3,740 kg | 20-26 lb |
| 4x8 lean-to | 32 sq ft | 1,290 to 1,660 lb | 580 to 750 kg | 40-52 lb |
| 6x8 lean-to | 48 sq ft | 1,610 to 2,080 lb | 730 to 940 kg | 34-43 lb |
| 8x8 lean-to | 64 sq ft | 1,920 to 2,470 lb | 870 to 1,120 kg | 30-39 lb |
| 8x10 lean-to | 80 sq ft | 2,230 to 2,870 lb | 1,010 to 1,300 kg | 28-36 lb |
| 8x12 lean-to | 96 sq ft | 2,480 to 3,190 lb | 1,120 to 1,450 kg | 26-33 lb |
| 10x10 lean-to | 100 sq ft | 2,540 to 3,280 lb | 1,150 to 1,490 kg | 25-33 lb |
| 10x12 lean-to | 120 sq ft | 2,830 to 3,640 lb | 1,280 to 1,650 kg | 24-30 lb |
| 10x14 lean-to | 140 sq ft | 3,190 to 4,110 lb | 1,450 to 1,870 kg | 23-29 lb |
| 12x12 lean-to | 144 sq ft | 3,310 to 4,270 lb | 1,500 to 1,940 kg | 23-30 lb |
Two sheds with the same floor can differ. A 10x12 lean-to (2,830 to 3,640 lb) is lighter than the 10x12 gable because its roof is lower and has no ridge or gable-end framing. Any size between 4 and 20 feet that is not in the table: the free materials calculator lists every piece for it.
Where the weight is in a 10x12 shed
Most of a shed's weight is wood. The framing (studs, plates, rafters, ties, trim and the doors' frames) is the biggest share; the treated floor frame that sits on the skids, the plywood floor and roof deck, and the siding come next, each 13-17% of the total.
| Part | Light | Heavy | Share (heavy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skids and floor frame (pressure-treated) | 480 lb | 650 lb | 17% |
| Walls, roof framing, trim and doors | 1,130 lb | 1,600 lb | 41% |
| Floor and roof sheathing | 490 lb | 580 lb | 15% |
| Siding panels | 520 lb | 520 lb | 13% |
| Roofing | 330 lb | 490 lb | 13% |
| Nails and screws (full boxes) | 70 lb | 70 lb | 2% |
| Whole shed | 3,010 lb | 3,910 lb | 100% |
The treated parts swing the most. Pressure-treated southern pine is usually dried to about 19% moisture before it is treated, and comes out of the treating cylinder at 75% or more. As it dries in the shed, the 10x12 floor frame and skids shed about 170 lb of water, which is why a shed moved the month it was built is heavier than the same shed a summer later.
What makes one shed heavier than another
- Size. Weight grows with the floor, the walls and the roof, but not as fast as the floor area: the 4x8 weighs 40-52 lb per square foot, the 16x20 20-26 lb, because a small shed has a lot of wall and door for its floor.
- Roofing. 29-gauge steel panels weigh about a quarter of what asphalt shingles do. On the 10x12 gable, a metal roof saves 240 to 380 lb.
- Siding. T1-11 is 5/8-inch plywood, heavier than 3/8-inch LP SmartSide panels: 210 to 330 lb more on the 10x12.
- Lumber species and moisture. Dry southern pine is about 42% heavier than dry spruce-pine-fir by our figures, and wet treated wood is heavier still: that is most of the gap between our light and heavy figures.
- What is inside. Mowers, tools and shelves are not in our figures. Weigh or look up anything big you plan to move with the shed.
| Siding | Asphalt shingles | Metal panels |
|---|---|---|
| LP SmartSide | 3,010 to 3,910 lb | 2,770 to 3,520 lb |
| T1-11 | 3,220 to 4,240 lb | 2,980 to 3,850 lb |
| Board and batten | 3,110 to 4,040 lb | 2,870 to 3,660 lb |
How we calculated it
The plans engine that draws our cut lists knows every piece of each shed: its stock (a 2x4 is really 1-1/2 by 3-1/2 inches), its cut length and how many there are, plus the net area of every plywood and siding piece after the door and window openings are cut out. We multiply those by these weights:
- Lumber: weight = 62.4 lb (a cubic foot of water) x specific gravity x (1 + moisture content). Spruce-pine-fir at specific gravity 0.40 and 15% moisture is 28.7 lb per cubic foot; southern pine at 0.55 and 19% is 40.8 lb per cubic foot; treated southern pine fresh from treatment (green specific gravity 0.505, 75% moisture) is 55.1 lb per cubic foot.
- Panels: 23/32-inch plywood floor 2.2-2.5 lb per square foot, 15/32-inch roof sheathing 1.4-1.7 lb, T1-11 (5/8 inch) 1.8-2.1 lb, and LP SmartSide 3/8-inch panels about 41 lb per 4x8 sheet (1.28 lb per square foot).
- Roofing: asphalt shingles 2-3 lb per square foot of roof, 29-gauge steel panels 0.57-0.7 lb.
- Nails and screws: the full boxes on the plan's shopping list (you will have some left over, so this is a little high).
We leave out the window, hinges, hurricane ties, paint, caulk, house wrap and underlayment, which add a little more, and the foundation: the gravel pad, concrete blocks and ground anchors stay behind when a shed is moved.
Moving a shed: what the weight means
At 3,010 to 3,910 lb, a 10x12 shed is far beyond what a few people can carry. Sheds built on skids, like ours, can be moved whole: they are lifted a few inches with jacks and then rolled on pipes, winched onto a tilt-bed trailer, or carried by a shed-moving machine. Whoever moves it, plan around the heavy figure if the shed is new, and check that the trailer's payload rating and the tow vehicle can take it.
Empty the shed first, take off the ground anchors, and look at the route: soft lawn, slopes and gates are usually the hard part. If you are building a shed you may want to move later, keep the skids running the way it will travel and leave room around it for the jacks.
Questions people ask
How much does a 10x12 shed weigh?
About 3,010 to 3,910 lb (1,370 to 1,770 kg) for a 10x12 wood gable shed built to our plan, empty. The low figure is for dry spruce-pine-fir framing, the high one for southern pine and freshly treated lumber.
How much does an 8x10 wood shed weigh?
About 2,330 to 3,010 lb (1,060 to 1,370 kg) for an 8x10 gable shed, and 2,230 to 2,870 lb for an 8x10 lean-to, empty.
How much does a 12x16 shed weigh?
About 4,200 to 5,450 lb (1,910 to 2,470 kg) for a 12x16 gable shed. A 12x20 comes to about 5,020 to 6,520 lb.
Does a new shed get lighter?
Yes, as its treated lumber dries. Treated southern pine can hold 75% moisture or more when it is new; by the time it dries to about 19%, the floor frame and skids of a 10x12 shed lose roughly 170 lb.
What weighs the most in a shed?
The framing lumber: in the 10x12 plan the walls, rafters, ties, trim and door frames are about 41% of the weight. The treated floor frame, the plywood floor and roof deck and the siding are each 13-17%.
Does a metal roof make a shed lighter?
Yes. 29-gauge steel panels weigh about 0.57-0.7 lb per square foot against 2-3 lb for asphalt shingles, which takes 240 to 380 lb off a 10x12 gable shed.
Weigh your own design
Change the size, siding or roofing in the free materials calculator to see every piece that goes into it, or open the 10x12 Gable Shed plans for the full cut list and drawings.
Sources
- USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook, Chapter 5 (FPL-GTR-190), Table 5-3a: specific gravity of each lumber species, green and at 12% moisture
- Penn State Extension, Calculating the Green Weight of Wood Species: weight from specific gravity and moisture content
- JLC, Q&A: Treated Lumber's Moisture Content: southern pine at about 19% before treatment and 75% or more after
- Boise Cascade, Tech Note GE-1: Weights of Building Materials: plywood and OSB by thickness, asphalt and fiberglass shingles
- LP SmartSide 38 Series 4 ft x 8 ft panel (retail listing): about 41 lb per panel
- Union Corrugating Master Rib 29-gauge panel (retail listing): 17.76 lb for 25.36 sq ft, about 0.70 lb per sq ft
- Western States Metal Roofing, AG panel load chart: 29-gauge panel at 0.57 lb per sq ft
Our plans and these guides follow common light-frame building practice and are a guide, not drawings stamped for your site: check your local codes, permit rules and HOA before you build.