How to Move a Shed

While a shed like this one may weigh 1,000+ lbs., using a little ingenuity will make moving a shed much easier. 

Transporting Your Backyard or Garden Shed is Easy!

Having a backyard shed is great, but what about when you decided to redesign your backyard and find that your shed is in the wrong spot for your newly minted design plans? Moving a shed can be simpler than you might think. Assuming that you don’t have electric or water attached, moving your shed just takes a little organization, planning and elbow grease, along with a few easy to find implements, you can get that shed moved in no time!

Ancient Egyptians taught us that the brain is sometimes the best tool we have.

Steps to Moving a Storage Shed

First things first, clear your shed out, less stuff in there will make it easier to move. Not to mention, you don’t want to damage any of your items inside. Next up, call up some friends, depending on arm strength and fortitude, will depend on how much help you want. Two or three people should do the trick for a small to medium sized backyard shed. If it’s larger, you may need more people and larger tools. Remember this… If ancient Egyptians can build a pyramid without any sort of technology, you can move a shed!

As most Father’s will tell you, the right tool will make all the difference.

Tools For the Job

For this job you’ll only need a few items. Naturally, the easiest way is to use a crane or forklift. But lacking those tools, here’s what you’ll need: an auto jack, at least three metal or PVC pipes that are the width of the shed or a bit wider, and at least two wood tracks. For the jack, a hi-lift jack, a floor jack or any auto jack will work. The bigger, the better.

Clear the Way

Make sure your new site is cleared of debris and leveled properly. Additionally, once you’ve figured out where you want your shed, make sure you clear out a wide enough pathway across the yard for your trip. Clear debris as well, ensuring as flat a surface as possible. Pay attention to any possible overhead obstacles, making sure that electric lines and tree branches are not in the way.

Jack it UP!

Now that you’ve prepped your yard and cleaned out your shed, jack up the back end as high, or slightly higher, than the rolling pipes and wood tracks combined. Insert wood blocks. Then move to the front end and do the same.

Insert Your Rollers and Tracks

Now you’re ready to insert your pipes and tracks. First inserted your wooden tracks, and then on top of them, you’ll insert your pipes, using them like wheels. You’ll want to extend the pipes past the edges of the shed for a little wobble room. Once you’ve insert your tracks and rollers, you’re ready to roll! Slowly push the shed along the pipes, adding more pipe as needed until you get to your destination. You can use the same pipes over and over, as you push, grab the one from the back and put it in front as needed. If you need to change the position of the shed, you can easily do this by having one person on each corner swivel the shed around to the proper position. Once you’ve got your shed in the position you want it, insert the wood blocks again and jack the shed down to the ground on each end.

You’re Done!

And just like that, you’re done!

Hire a Shed Hauler!

If you need to move your shed over a long distance and don’t want to get your fingers dirty, hire a shed hauler. Most are professionally trained at moving buildings. Be sure to check out out the Better Business Bureau as well to make sure they’re a reputable company.

Need More Help? Don’t shed a tear! Videos on How to Move a Shed

Shed Moving Fails: 

Ways NOT to move a shed…

When all else fails, just get a new storage shed.

1. Umm. Really?

2. Just leave it to the professionals. We also do not suggest conducting business meetings over the phone while moving a shed. (Contains audio- Turn up you speakers)

3. Father and son trying to move a shed to the other side of the garden. What could go wrong?