Backyard Shed Makeover

Check out this before and after shed makeover, and find inspiration to give any backyard shed a facelift this summer.  

The once utilitarian backyard shed has become a multifunctional structure that serves as everything from bikes, landscaping, gardening, sports, toys, and equipment storage to a feminine escape for the busy mom seeking a quiet retreat from the chaos of motherhood.  

The most common materials used to construct sheds today include metal, plastic, wood, aluminum, and vinyl.  

Regardless of the materials used in construction, over the course of time, the structure becomes outdated, worn out, and in need of refinishing.  

Find inspiration from our before and after shed makeover, and add this idea to your project list this summer!

Materials List:

• Wood putty
• Sandpaper
• Crowbar
• Power drill
• Wire brush
• Primer and paint according to shed material (aluminum, wood, vinyl, steel etc)
• Paintbrush
• Paint roller or paint sprayer
• New hardware or spray paint

Est Cost: $100-$250

For more outdoor living inspiration be sure to check out:

Backyard Shed Makeover

Before

This shed is made from wood sheathing over a wood frame.  

Prior to refinishing any shed be sure to evaluate the inside of the shed along the roof line and the walls to inspect for any signs of water damage or potential roof leakage and then inspect the roof accordingly. 

Backyard Shed Makeover

1. Remove rotting wood

Often there is wooden trim incorporated onto a shed design.  If the trim is rotting consider removing the trim and filling in the holes in the wood doors with wood putty.  Sand the wood putty afterward for a smooth, even finish.  

The trim can be left off or replaced with new trim as desired.  

Backyard Shed Makeover

2. Refinish or replace hardware.

Remove any hardware and refinish the existing hardware or replace it with new hardware such as hinges and the door handle.

Lay out the hardware such as the hinges and the handle.  

Go over all of the metal hardware with a wire brush to chip off loose paint and create a smooth surface.  

Here the metal hardware is smooth without the chipped finish as seen before.

This hardware was sprayed with Rustoleum’s indoor/outdoor copper finish spray paint.

Allow to dry thoroughly before re-attaching.  

Backyard Shed Makeover

3. Prime and paint the shed.

In this case, the trim was left off of the door, and after the putty that had been used to fill in the holes of the door was sanded the doors were then primed and painted. 

Little hands and little helpers are always welcome.  

Painting is a great way to get kids involved and active in projects.  Consider age appropriate ways to involve them in projects this summer.

When first priming use a paint brush to cover the cracks and to cut the edges of the structure.  

Then use a roller to coat the rest of the shed with the primer.

Repeat this same process with the paint after the primer has dried according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

We used the same colors on our shed as the exterior of our home – Benjamin Moore’s Simply White and the shutters are Hale Navy also by Benjamin Moore.

Backyard Shed Makeover

Before and After

Voila.  

This shed was painted with Simply White by Benjamin Moore.  The shutters are Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore.  The hardware is Copper by Rustoleum. 

For more outdoor living inspiration be sure to check out:

Pin any of the images below for later.