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How to Build a Shed Door (Including a Plywood or Sliding Barn-Style Door)
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Option 1: Prehung door
Home Depot's shed guide frames the opening with king and jack studs and a header, then installs a prehung, exterior-grade door that includes a threshold:
- Center the door in the opening. If it has brick molding, plumb the hinge side first and nail the molding to the sheathing.
- Shim behind the hinges to keep the door plumb. Replace the screw nearest the stop with one long enough to go at least 1 inch into the framing.
- Shim behind the latch and drive a screw about 1 inch into the framing.
- Add shims along the latch-side jamb so the gap is even when closed, then nail through the jamb and shims.
- Add exterior trim and paint or stain with weather-resistant finish.
Option 2: Plywood-faced double door you build
The Fix This Build That 10x12 shed has a double door built from:
- 2x4 frames joined with pocket holes, sheathed with OSB backing and a plywood front.
- A 1x4 door jamb with 1/16-inch spacing for the door thickness.
- Matching trim to coordinate with the siding, installed as double doors with an overlap.
- Six hinges (three per door), a locking handle with keyway, spring latches for the stationary door and an aluminum threshold to protect the bottom edge.
Family Handyman's cheap storage shed does something similar: it cuts 4x8 grooved plywood to fit the lower recess, plus a 1/4-inch acrylic panel in the upper recess, held with 1/2-inch molding.
Option 3: Sliding (barn-style) door
Family Handyman's shed designer likes sliding doors for wide openings. The system is heavy-duty bypass hardware: an aluminum track and ball-bearing hangers that, in the model he used, support doors up to 150 lbs. The top track mounts to a ripped 2x4 lagged to the wall so it has strong anchoring. He notes that sliding doors are harder to lock (a hasp and padlock or lockable gate latch) and trickier to seal.
Door tips from Family Handyman
- If you add an overhead door, leave at least 16 inches of ceiling above the opening.
- Add a window and lights. Without them a shed is "a dark cave."
- Build overhangs to protect doors and siding.
What will your shed cost?
Our free calculator compares building it yourself, buying a kit and hiring a builder for your exact size.
Open the shed cost calculatorCommon questions
Should I build my own shed door or buy one?
Family Handyman's editors say unless you really know what you're doing, you're better off buying a prehung steel door than constructing your own, because poorly built doors warp and sag over time. If you do build, use a stiff frame and good hinges, as in the examples below.
What is the best door for a wide opening?
Family Handyman's shed designer settled on sliding doors for wide openings: there's practically no limit to the size, they hang from the top, and they don't need room to swing. The downsides are that they're harder to lock and trickier to seal against bugs and small animals.
How many hinges does a double door need?
The Fix This Build That 10x12 shed uses six hinges in total, three per door.
Can I use a prehung door?
Yes. Home Depot's shed guide installs a prehung exterior-grade door with a threshold, shimmed behind the hinges and latch so it is plumb and the reveal is even.
Don't design it from scratch
A good set of plans gives you a cut list, a materials list and drawings for every step, which saves money on wasted lumber and time on head-scratching. See our guide to choosing shed plans, free and paid.
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