My buddy called my DIY shed 'overengineered' and now I'm second guessing everything

So I spent like 3 weekends building this storage shed in my backyard using plans I found online. My friend Mike comes over, looks at it for 2 minutes, and says 'dude you put way too many cross beams in there, it's not holding up a house.' He's got a point actually - I used 2x4s every 12 inches when 24 would've been fine. That extra lumber cost me about $150 more than it needed to. Now I'm wondering if I'm just bad at figuring out how strong stuff actually needs to be. Has anyone else overbuilt something and felt dumb about it after?

3 comments

3 Comments

sean485d ago

$150 extra ain't bad for peace of mind knowing that shed wont budge in a storm. Ive seen people cheap out on crossbeams and then end up with a twisted roof a year later. You just built it like you actually care about the thing holding up. Mike probably builds his stuff with hopes and prayers.

perry.jesse5d ago

Isn't it funny how the same mindset plays out everywhere, like people skipping the one extra step that actually keeps things from falling apart? It's the same reason some folks never tighten the last lug nut on a tire or trim the wick on a candle, just hoping the cheap shortcut holds.

vera_green695d ago

Mike probably builds his birdhouses with twigs and pure confidence.