DIY Storage Shed
I am an avid creator, but not so great at drawing things out. Ideas come to me, and are created right out of my mind. I measure and tweak as I go.
I had some old doors that I’d collected and had been saving for just the right project(s). When we needed a storage area for my husband’s extensive Dutch oven collection, I looked over at the doors, which were propped up against my workshop, and the Dutch oven shed idea was born.
Knowing I needed a solid, water-resistant foundation, I started by building a tall form, and pouring a concrete slab equal to the finished perimeter of the structure, which I figured by measuring each door and adding a little space to each side. I didn’t want the doors to be attached to each other, but rather to be framed, with the frames attached at the corners. And I wanted a solid roof.
I love building with reclaimed materials, and mixing old and new, but you have to be flexible when you do this. It’s hard to work from a set of plans.
Once the four doors were framed, the frames were connected to form the building, and then the roof was added. The door that opens and closes had a broken window, so I replaced it with plexiglass. Then I added window decals, and drew lines connecting them, to make it look like leaded glass. Next, I frosted the entire thing – and you can’t tell that it’s not leaded glass.
Juneanne Gergen
Boise, Idaho
Thanks for sharing this awesome project with us, Juneanne. We love DIY projects, especially when they’re made out of old recycled materials. – Editors
Oops …
In the Fall 2015 issue, in the third paragraph of the sidebar “Water Bath Canning” on Page 43, it says to “bring the lids to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes to sterilize them.” This is incorrect. You never boil lids, as it can destroy the compound that makes the seal.
Erin Sheehan
via email
You are absolutely correct, Erin. According to the Ball website, you should never boil (212 F.) the lids, only simmer (180 F) them. – Editors
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