These plans are drawn from nine years of experience, building and using bow-roof sheds as boatshops, greenhouses, storage sheds and garages. The low cost of materials, and ease of construction make these the most economical of any shelters we have ever seen. They are also amazingly sturdy. Our sheds have withstood 65 mph winds, and heavy snow piled eight feet high along the sides, without complaint.
The secret is in the arched shape of the bows that form the main frame of the building. The arch is inherently one of the strongest shapes known. These bows are especially strong because they are bent to shape out of straight pieces of wood. This puts tension on the outer surface of the arch, and compression on the inner surface, which helps the bows to resist wind and snow pressure from the outside.
We don't know much about the origins of bow-roof sheds, but an antique platter on our mantle depicting gypsies using just such a structure as a temporary shelter tells us that it is not a new idea. Boat builders have been using these buildings as boat sheds for at least a few decades, perhaps longer. Although we cannot claim to have originated the idea, we have discovered a number of tricks and refinements that make the sheds stronger, longer lasting, and easier to build. We'll pass these along to you as you build your own shed with the help of the manual.
Carpentry experience is certainly helpful, but not essential. The building manual is geared toward the layperson, and we have attempted to explain each step clearly, with the help of photographs where necessary. Before picking up hammer and saw to begin construction, take the time to read through the manual to familiarize yourself with the building sequence. Then you won't have to stop every two minutes to read the manual while you are making and setting up the bows. There is a short summary at the end of each section to help you remember the important points.
These plans will tell you how to build a shelter of any width from 10' to 20'. You can make it any length you want - 20', 100', 1/2 mile - but 20' is the widest that we would recommend for the construction methods used here. This manual will take you step-by-step through the bulding sequence, from ordering the materials to putting the covering on. In the appendix, you will find sources for materials, a metric conversion table, and some tips on using bow-roof sheds as greenhouses.