Project tools
Shed & Outbuilding Planner
Step-by-step style shed planner logic ported from the mockup to produce practical framing and cladding quantities.
Quick start
- Type external footprint width × depth plus wall plate height—all millimetres (inside face rough assumption).
- Stud spacing presets common UK multiples (450/600). Tighter spacing stiffer walls & more studs.
- Waste boosts material for cross-cuts—you can zero it pessimistically if machining exact.
- Read materials panel as planning quantities—you still pick lengths at merchant multiples.
What each thing means
- Width / depth
- Outer rectangle plan dimensions; tool assumes orthogonal corners & single-storey loop—no overlaps for partitions.
- Wall height
- Stud height excluding sole plate doubling—assume plates included separately in metre tally logic.
- Stud spacing
- Centres increment stud count perimeter formula—changing spacing adjusts both runs along each wall independently.
- Waste %
- Multiplies studs & cladding area fudge—helps small builds where offcuts spoil efficiency.
Dimensions & structure
External rectangle only—subtract doors/windows from cladding mentally for now.
Material summary
20 studs
19 linear metres of sole/head plates
Estimated cladding coverage
19.40 m²
Get better results
- Add doorway openings later subtractively—currently treat wall as uninterrupted sheet area.
- Check planning portal rules—even small garden buildings may exceed permitted development triggers.
- Consider damp proof course & sole plate sleeper rot detail—counts don't include fasteners/blocks.
- Cladding metres² ignore windows—deduct glazing manually if cladding budget tight.
- Take output to merchants as bill-of-material sanity check, not joinery CNC file.
Reading the numbers
Studs count includes corner doubling assumption from simplified algorithm; sole plates double perimeter per calc function; cladding area is perimeter × wall height including waste—you convert to feather edge packs externally.
Not a substitute for structural sign-off
Toy structural preview—omit wind uplift, diaphragm shear, truss bracing pattern, preservative grading, condensation risk, slab loads. Commission engineer + follow manufacturer details for occupancy or large spans.