Who knew reclaimed redwood siding, clerestory windows and pegboard walls can look so great? In only two weeks, Joseph Sandy assembled this garden shed from the ground up in the back of his Petaluma, California, house. This 8-by-10 shed’s design packs a punch and provides the essential space for garden accessories and tools — all for under $2,000.

Joseph Sandy

Sandy might have designed a more straightforward shed because of his instruments, but he also wanted to enjoy his garden out of here. So he added clerestory windows in the top along with a large swinging door to let in plenty of light and a clear view of the lawn.

Before Photo

Joseph Sandy

Deck piers created a clean, level foundation off the floor, preventing any rust or water damage. With the shed floor set up, Sandy was able to construct and sheathe the walls himself, using the ground’s surface to hold them straight and true.

Before Photo

Joseph Sandy

Sandy extended the plywood down beyond the wall framing by 6 inches. The additional piece of wood also helped him increase the walls by himself.

Joseph Sandy

Redwood fencing out of a regional reclaimed-materials lawn constitutes the siding. A significant windstorm earlier in the year meant that there was plenty of old redwood available, and it functioned well with the present redwood fence in the yard.

A sloped corrugated metal roof pays tribute to the farming and industrial buildings in Petaluma.

Joseph Sandy

Sandy cut on the salvaged redwood boards down to 2-foot segments so they would align with the clerestory window framing. This size also removed any rotted and cracked pieces while preserving as much of this substance as you can.

Joseph Sandy

To watertight his shed, Sandy put in a vapor barrier of roof felt and furring strips on top of the plywood partitions before attaching the salvaged siding. Rainwater filters through the redwood siding rain display, however, the barrier shields the plywood structure from water damage.

Joseph Sandy

Mixing the boards together randomly during setup produced a subtle pattern of different tones and textures. The redwood is unfinished and will continue to age naturally.

Sandy eliminated one section of the outside siding on this side of the shed, substituting it with tool hangers screwed on a 2-by-6 article of redwood.

Joseph Sandy

A pegboard inside provides boundless organization options for resources which require protection against the elements.

The shed has a pleasant and open feel for 80 square feet. Sandy’s father often uses the little building to watch birds from — over 60 types of birds visit this garden, such as herons, robins, turkey vultures and eagles. The unobtrusive shed is just the right spot for celebrating them.

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