How much does it cost to build a 10x16 shed?

Roughly $2,780–$3,710 in materials at typical 2026 US home-center prices: 118 boards, 28 sheets, 7 bundles of shingles, 15 blocks and 2.9 cu yd of gravel.

Do I need a permit for a 10x16 shed?

At 160 sq ft, a 10 x 16 ft shed is under the 200 sq ft permit exemption in the current IRC, but over the 120 sq ft limit some towns still use. Call your building department before you buy lumber.

Should I build a 10x16 or a 12x12?

They are close in floor area (160 vs 144 sq ft). The 10x16 is 2 ft narrower with a 60" door, so it suits a long, narrow lot and things that go in lengthwise, like ladders, lumber or a kayak. The 12x12 has a 72" door and a square floor that takes a workbench beside a lawn tractor.

Do I need 16 ft lumber for a 10x16 shed?

Yes, for eleven boards: the three 4x6 skids, the two 2x6 rim joists and the six 2x4 side-wall plates. Everything else is 8 or 10 ft. Most lumber yards deliver 16 ft boards; in a pickup they hang several feet past the tailgate.

How many sheets of plywood and siding does a 10x16 shed take?

5 of 3/4" plywood (floor), 8 of 1/2" plywood (roof deck) and 15 of 5/8" T1-11 (siding and doors), all 4×8.

What foundation does the 10x16 shed sit on?

3 pressure-treated 4x6 skids, 16' long, on 15 solid concrete blocks over a 2.9 cu yd gravel pad.

10x16 shed plans (free PDF)

10 ft across the door end, 16 ft deep, 160 sq ft: a gable-roof storage shed on skids with a 5 ft double door and T1-11 siding, built from about 118 boards and 28 sheets.

3-D view of the 10x16 shed: gable roof, double doors in the 10 ft front wall, T1-11 siding and corner boards, on skids — Rendered from the plan model for the 10x16 size.

Floor: 10 × 16 ft (160 sq ft), inside 9'-5" x 15'-5"
Overall: 11' wide x 16'-2.75" deep x 10'-7.25" high
Headroom: 6'-9" at the walls, 9'-1" at the ridge
Door: double, 60" × 75.5" opening
Roof: gable, 5 in 12, 9 pairs of 2x6 rafters, 191.9 sq ft
Lumber: about 118 boards (14 × 1x4, 66 × 2x4, 35 × 2x6, 3 × 4x6)
Sheets (4×8): 5 floor plywood, 8 roof plywood, 15 T1-11 siding
Roofing: 7 bundles of shingles
Materials: roughly $2,780–$3,710 (2026 US prices, varies by region)

Download the free 10x16 shed planPDF, 19 pages · no email needed

Or get the premium 10x16 plan with the shopping list.

About the 10x16 size

The 10x16 is the long 10 ft shed: 160 sq ft with the same 5 ft double door, 5 in 12 roof and 10 ft gable end as the 10x10 and 10x12, and 4 ft more depth than the 10x12. It fits a long, narrow side yard where a 12 ft wide shed will not, and gives two 16 ft walls for shelving.

The floor is four full sheets of 3/4" plywood plus one sheet ripped into two 2 ft strips along one side, with the end joints on the joist centred 96" from the front. Each side wall has single 16 ft bottom and top plates and four full-width T1-11 panels; its upper top plate is 185" long so the gable plates lap over it. Nine rafter pairs and seven rafter ties carry the roof.

Against the 12x12 (144 sq ft), the 10x16 adds 16 sq ft for about 10 more boards, 1 more sheets and roughly $240 more in materials. Going up to the 12x16 (192 sq ft) adds 32 sq ft, 5 boards and roughly $350, and a 72" door instead of 60".

What fits inside

Inside: 9'-5" x 15'-5" between the studs, 60" door. Fits a riding mower with a 42" deck. (Typical footprints; measure yours.)

At 15'-5" deep inside, split the floor: the front 8 ft for a mower and wheelbarrow rolled in through the 5 ft door, and the back 7 ft for a workbench across the 9'-5" back wall with shelves above it. Long items such as ladders and lumber lie along one 16 ft side wall without crossing the walkway.

Shelving idea: 16" deep shelves down both 16 ft side walls give 30 ft of shelf per level and keep a 6' 9" aisle, wide enough for a 6' 3" workbench across the back.

Where it goes

It needs a long, straight spot: the strip beside or behind a garage often takes a 10 ft wide shed when a 12 ft one will not. Put the door at the end you reach from the lawn, because the back wall is 16 ft from it.

Drawings

Front elevation of the 10x16 shed with the framing width, door size, wall height and ridge height dimensioned — Front: double door, 10'-7.25" to the ridge.

Right side elevation of the 10x16 shed showing the 16 ft side wall, floor height and roof — Side: 16 ft wall, gable roof at 5 in 12.

Floor framing plan of the 10x16 shed: 3 skids, rim joists and 13 floor joists — Floor: 3 skids, 13 joists 9'-9" long at 16" centres.

Front wall and gable framing of the 10x16 shed with the door header, king and jack studs and gable studs — Front wall: 60" door opening, doubled 2x6 header.

The 10x16 build at a glance

Base: 2.9 cu yd of gravel, 15 concrete blocks, 3 skids 16' long.
Floor: 13 joists cut to 9'-9" between two rim joists, then 5 sheets of 3/4" plywood.
Walls: 45 studs, two 16 ft side walls and two 10 ft gable walls; a 5'-3" doubled 2x6 header over the door.
Roof: 18 rafters at 6'-1.75", 7 rafter ties, 12 gable studs, 8 sheets of roof deck and 7 bundles of shingles.
Skin and doors: 15 sheets of T1-11; the two 29-3/4" wide door leaves come out of the front panels.

Buying the materials

At 10x16 the skids, rim joists and side-wall plates are single 16 ft boards: no splices, but 16 ft lumber usually means store delivery or a trailer. Thirteen 9'-9" floor joists come from 10 ft 2x6s, and the roof is 192 sq ft, eight sheets of deck and seven bundles of shingles. The roof deck has two end joints, on the rafter pairs 72-3/4" and 168-3/4" from the front, and fifteen blocks carry the skids in three rows of five.

The skids, rim joists and side wall plates are 16 ft boards. Plan on store delivery or a trailer for those; the rest of the framing is 8 to 12 ft.

Premium 10x16 plan — $19.99

Adds the cut list, a cutting diagram for all 118 boards, layouts for all 28 sheets and the full shopping list.

35 pages, 21 steps. One-time, instant download, emailed to you. 30-day money-back guarantee (terms).

10x16 shed questions

How much does it cost to build a 10x16 shed?: Roughly $2,780–$3,710 in materials at typical 2026 US home-center prices: 118 boards, 28 sheets, 7 bundles of shingles, 15 blocks and 2.9 cu yd of gravel.
Do I need a permit for a 10x16 shed?: At 160 sq ft, a 10 x 16 ft shed is under the 200 sq ft permit exemption in the current IRC, but over the 120 sq ft limit some towns still use. Call your building department before you buy lumber.
Should I build a 10x16 or a 12x12?: They are close in floor area (160 vs 144 sq ft). The 10x16 is 2 ft narrower with a 60" door, so it suits a long, narrow lot and things that go in lengthwise, like ladders, lumber or a kayak. The 12x12 has a 72" door and a square floor that takes a workbench beside a lawn tractor.
Do I need 16 ft lumber for a 10x16 shed?: Yes, for eleven boards: the three 4x6 skids, the two 2x6 rim joists and the six 2x4 side-wall plates. Everything else is 8 or 10 ft. Most lumber yards deliver 16 ft boards; in a pickup they hang several feet past the tailgate.
How many sheets of plywood and siding does a 10x16 shed take?: 5 of 3/4" plywood (floor), 8 of 1/2" plywood (roof deck) and 15 of 5/8" T1-11 (siding and doors), all 4×8.
What foundation does the 10x16 shed sit on?: 3 pressure-treated 4x6 skids, 16' long, on 15 solid concrete blocks over a 2.9 cu yd gravel pad.

Not engineered. Check local codes, permits and loads. Build at your own risk. Full disclaimer.