How much does it cost to build a 8x12 shed?

Roughly $1,980–$2,650 in materials at typical 2026 US home-center prices: 96 boards, 19 sheets, 4 bundles of shingles, 12 blocks and 1.9 cu yd of gravel.

Do I need a permit for a 8x12 shed?

At 96 sq ft, a 8 x 12 ft shed is under both the 100 and 120 sq ft limits that many towns use for permit-free sheds, and the 200 sq ft limit in the current IRC. Setback rules still apply.

Why build an 8x12 instead of a 10x10?

The 8x12 is 4 sq ft smaller than a 10x10 but 2 ft narrower, so it fits along a fence or in a side yard, and it gives you two 12 ft walls for shelving. The trade-off is a 4 ft door instead of 5 ft.

How tall is an 8x12 shed, and what roof pitch does it have?

10'-2.25" to the top of the ridge at a 5 in 12 pitch, exactly the same as the 8x8 and 8x10: the roof depends only on the 8 ft width. The 12 ft depth just adds rafter pairs, 7 of them, each rafter 5'-0.75" long.

How many sheets of plywood and siding does a 8x12 shed take?

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

What foundation does the 8x12 shed sit on?

3 pressure-treated 4x6 skids, 12' long, on 12 solid concrete blocks over a 1.9 cu yd gravel pad.

8x12 shed plans (free PDF)

8 ft across the door end, 12 ft deep, 96 sq ft: a gable-roof storage shed on skids with a 4 ft double door and T1-11 siding, built from about 96 boards and 19 sheets.

3-D view of the 8x12 shed: gable roof, double doors in the 8 ft front wall, T1-11 siding and corner boards, on skids — Rendered from the plan model for the 8x12 size.

Floor: 8 × 12 ft (96 sq ft), inside 7'-5" x 11'-5"
Overall: 9' wide x 12'-2.75" deep x 10'-2.25" high
Headroom: 6'-9" at the walls, 8'-8" at the ridge
Door: double, 48" × 75.5" opening
Roof: gable, 5 in 12, 7 pairs of 2x6 rafters, 118 sq ft
Lumber: about 96 boards (13 × 1x4, 52 × 2x4, 28 × 2x6, 3 × 4x6)
Sheets (4×8): 3 floor plywood, 5 roof plywood, 11 T1-11 siding
Roofing: 4 bundles of shingles
Materials: roughly $1,980–$2,650 (2026 US prices, varies by region)

Download the free 8x12 shed planPDF, 19 pages · no email needed

Or get the premium 8x12 plan with the shopping list.

About the 8x12 size

The 8x12 is the long, narrow option: 8 ft wide at the door and 12 ft deep. It fits along a fence or a side yard where a square shed will not, and gives two full 12 ft walls for shelves and hooks.

Each 12 ft side wall is exactly three full-width T1-11 panels, and its plates are single 12 ft boards. The floor is two full sheets with a third cut in half for the last 4 ft. Seven rafter pairs carry the roof, with the deck joint on the pair 72-3/4" from the front.

Against the 8x10 (80 sq ft), the 8x12 adds 16 sq ft for about 6 more boards, 2 more sheets and roughly $200 more in materials. Going up to the 10x10 (100 sq ft) adds 4 sq ft, 1 boards and roughly $130, and a 60" door instead of 48".

What fits inside

Inside: 7'-5" x 11'-5" between the studs, 48" door. Fits a two-stage snow blower. A riding mower with a 42" deck does not. (Typical footprints; measure yours.)

Treat it as a corridor: shelves down both 12 ft walls hold a lot of boxed storage, and ladders, lumber or a kayak lie along one side wall. Keep the first 2 ft inside the door clear so the mower can turn in.

Shelving idea: 16" deep shelves down both 12 ft side walls give 22 ft of shelf per level and keep a 4' 9" aisle, wide enough for a 4' 3" workbench across the back.

Where it goes

Its 8 ft width suits a side yard: run the 12 ft length along the house or the fence and open the doors toward the front or back of the lot, never into the narrow gap.

Drawings

Front elevation of the 8x12 shed with the framing width, door size, wall height and ridge height dimensioned — Front: double door, 10'-2.25" to the ridge.

Right side elevation of the 8x12 shed showing the 12 ft side wall, floor height and roof — Side: 12 ft wall, gable roof at 5 in 12.

Floor framing plan of the 8x12 shed: 3 skids, rim joists and 10 floor joists — Floor: 3 skids, 10 joists 7'-9" long at 16" centres.

Front wall and gable framing of the 8x12 shed with the door header, king and jack studs and gable studs — Front wall: 48" door opening, doubled 2x6 header.

The 8x12 build at a glance

Base: 1.9 cu yd of gravel, 12 concrete blocks, 3 skids 12' long.
Floor: 10 joists cut to 7'-9" between two rim joists, then 3 sheets of 3/4" plywood.
Walls: 35 studs, two 12 ft side walls and two 8 ft gable walls; a 4'-3" doubled 2x6 header over the door.
Roof: 14 rafters at 5'-0.75", 5 rafter ties, 8 gable studs, 5 sheets of roof deck and 4 bundles of shingles.
Skin and doors: 11 sheets of T1-11; the two 23-3/4" wide door leaves come out of the front panels.

Buying the materials

On the 8x12 the long runs jump to 12 ft: skids, rim joists and the six side-wall plates. A 12 ft board rides in most full-size pickup beds with the tailgate down but hangs further out than the 10 ft boards of the 8x10, so flag the overhang. The roof deck takes five sheets of 1/2" plywood for 118 sq ft and still four bundles of shingles, and the extra depth adds one rafter pair and one rafter tie over the 8x10.

The 12 ft runs (skids, rim joists, side wall plates) set the longest board at 12 ft; most of the rest is 8 ft stock. A pickup with the tailgate down carries 12 ft lumber.

Premium 8x12 plan — $19.99

Adds the cut list, a cutting diagram for all 96 boards, layouts for all 19 sheets and the full shopping list.

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

8x12 shed questions

How much does it cost to build a 8x12 shed?: Roughly $1,980–$2,650 in materials at typical 2026 US home-center prices: 96 boards, 19 sheets, 4 bundles of shingles, 12 blocks and 1.9 cu yd of gravel.
Do I need a permit for a 8x12 shed?: At 96 sq ft, a 8 x 12 ft shed is under both the 100 and 120 sq ft limits that many towns use for permit-free sheds, and the 200 sq ft limit in the current IRC. Setback rules still apply.
Why build an 8x12 instead of a 10x10?: The 8x12 is 4 sq ft smaller than a 10x10 but 2 ft narrower, so it fits along a fence or in a side yard, and it gives you two 12 ft walls for shelving. The trade-off is a 4 ft door instead of 5 ft.
How tall is an 8x12 shed, and what roof pitch does it have?: 10'-2.25" to the top of the ridge at a 5 in 12 pitch, exactly the same as the 8x8 and 8x10: the roof depends only on the 8 ft width. The 12 ft depth just adds rafter pairs, 7 of them, each rafter 5'-0.75" long.
How many sheets of plywood and siding does a 8x12 shed take?: 3 of 3/4" plywood (floor), 5 of 1/2" plywood (roof deck) and 11 of 5/8" T1-11 (siding and doors), all 4×8.
What foundation does the 8x12 shed sit on?: 3 pressure-treated 4x6 skids, 12' long, on 12 solid concrete blocks over a 1.9 cu yd gravel pad.

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