Small Outdoor Shed or Closet Converted into Smokehouse

Difficulty
Intermediate
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DIY outdoor shed or closet converted to a smokehouse.  Free plans by ANA-WHITE.com

Hi everyone!  Happy weekend!  Hope you are sawdust deep into an awesome project this weekend!

So I'll make a long story very short today (as I'm itching to get back to the garage myself!) -

We live in Alaska.

We catch and eat alot of salmon.

Store bought electric smokehouses are too small and won't dry the fish enough.

So the hubs has been bugging me for a couple of years now to build a smokehouse.  

So we finally did!!!

It's really just a shed with a wood stove piped into the back. Unless you have my problems, it would be a great spot for rakes and shovels, gardening supplies - anything you could fit in there!

This was Jacob's baby, so he did the video this time (sweet, more building, less hair primping for me!), and all the steps are laid out in it -

A few notes on the video -

- We had a ton of scrap 2x6 tongue and groove left over from our cabin build (all the warped and twisted stuff, how fun, right?) so we used that.  The plans that follow call for plywood and are optimized for full sheets of plywood.  If you want to use tongue and groove like we did, you can use 1x6 (there's a full frame) or 2x6, but will need to do some adjusting to the plans.

- If you wanted to get a similar look but simplify by using plywood (as shown in the plans) just make the doors out of tongue and groove.  The front is what you end up seeing.

- We had a pile of 2x3s that are just taking up space in the garage, so we used them in the video instead of 2x4s (as called for in the plans and more common).  

- We are having a terrible bee year (that's what you see in the video) and use the smoke to keep the bees off the salmon but they hoover as close to the fish as they can get.

- The salmon is delicious.

Well, I'll let you get back to it - same here! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

XO Ana + Family

Dimensions
Dimensions shown above - optimized for 4x8 foot sheets of plywood

Preparation

Shopping List

2 - sheets of 1/2" plywood (does NOT include material for doors)

12 - 2x4 @ 8 feet long

6 - Gate style hinges

2 handles and latch

Galvanized nails for attaching plywood or exterior screws

Roofing for 48" x 26-1/2" roof

Additional material needed for doors and shelving

Cut List

SIDE PANELS

2 - 2x4 @ 70-3/8" longest point measurement, one end cut at 15 degrees off square

2 - 2x4 @ 75-7/8" longest point measurement, one end cut at 15 degrees off square

2 - 2x4 @ 17-5/8" long point to short point measurement, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square

6 - 2x4 @ 17"

 

FRAME PIECES

6 - 2x4 @ 44"

2 - 2x4 @ 21-3/4" long point to short point measurement, both ends cut at 15 degrees off square (rafters)

3 - 2x4 @ 75" (door supports)

 

PLYWOOD

2 - 1/2" plywood @ 24" x 75-7/8" (cut down on one end to 69-1/2")*

1 - 1/2" plywood @ 48" x 69-1/2"

1- 1/2" plywood @ 48" 26-1/2" (use scrap from back)

 

DOORS - ~21-1/2" x ~68" - Make 1-1/2" thick overall where hinges are placed.  Should be cut to fit.

 

*Cut full sheet of plywood in half the lengthwise, than cut the two side panels from those pieces.  Pieces should be cut in mirror for finished side out.

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Kreg Jig
Drill
Circular Saw
Miter Saw
Brad Nailer
General Instructions

Please read through the entire plan and all comments before beginning this project. It is also advisable to review the Getting Started Section. Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a clean level surface, free of imperfections or debris. Always use straight boards. Check for square after each step. Always predrill holes before attaching with screws. Use glue with finish nails for a stronger hold. Wipe excess glue off bare wood for stained projects, as dried glue will not take stain. Be safe, have fun, and ask for help if you need it. Good luck!

Instructions

Step 1

Build two of the side panels with 1-1/2" pocket holes and 2-1/2" pocket hole screws.  Place pocket holes on outsides.  Build in mirror so that the pocket holes are on outsides on both frame pieces.  Additional supports can be added for more shelving.

Step 2

Attach the two frame pieces together with the 2x4s @ 44" long.  Can be attached with pocket holes or screws from outsides.  Note that the top frame boards should never extend above the side frame pieces.  Otherwise outside edges are all flush.

Step 3

Add rafters, either with pocket holes or wood screws.  Rafters should run at the same height as the side pieces.

Step 4

The boards will be used to support the doors.  A center board is not required, but it does give the doors something to shut against (this could also be achieved by a board at the top and bottom or shelving.  

Step 5

Step 6

Add plywood to the back, covering the sides.  Nail on.

Step 7

Use the scrap from the back of the project to cover the top of the project.  For added durability, roofing is recommended.

Step 8

Doors should be built to fit openings, and should be 1-1/2" thick where hinges are placed.  Use three hinges per door for hanging.

Finishing Instructions
Preparation Instructions
Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed. When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth.

It is always recommended to apply a test coat on a hidden area or scrap piece to ensure color evenness and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed.

Comments

MoFord

Thu, 04/30/2020 - 09:37

Oh my gosh!!! I am going to doctor this up a bit and make a tack locker for my saddles and other horse stuff!!! I can't wait. I will be sure to post pics!

aceecee

Tue, 09/22/2020 - 13:00

My husband and I built a garden tool shed using these plans. (We needed exactly this size for our available space...THANK YOU!) We are not handy at ALL, but when the person who was supposed to build it was delayed, we thought we could try it, or at least start. We bought a lower-end Kreg pocket jig and a secondhand mitre saw, and set to work, using T1-11 siding. We ended up building the entire shed ourselves! I'm not sure how to post a photo here (I just registered and this is my first comment), but we are very proud of the end result. The hardest part was building the doors, since we weren't really sure how to construct them. We also couldn't figure out how to get the double doors to stay tightly shut, but ended up using a rotating block at the bottom and it works great.