Selling shed building kits is the bread and butter of Domenic Mangano’s existence. That’s because as president and senior designer of Vermont-based Jamaica Cottage Shop, Mangano sells 1,500 buildings annually, with 80 percent in kit form. To what does Mangano attribute those transactions? “When you look on the internet for[Read More…]
Building and Construction
Sturdy Flooring
As a shed builder, you know how important it is to ensure each part of a structure is built with precision and quality. But have you considered how vital it is for a shed floor to be built properly and sturdily? If the floor isn’t built right, the quality of[Read More…]
Training the Trainers
As much as we’d all like to keep a successful shed-building team together forever, it’s just not possible. One builder might be ready to retire. Another may find a new job. Or, most desirable, your business grows and you need to hire new builders. That means you have to train[Read More…]
Sheds in a 3D World
Russ Whitney was never involved in 3D technology before he founded a company in 2012 specializing in just that, but the world of 3D design has always fascinated him. So, after a lengthy career in the computer software industry, he decided to fill what he saw as a niche in[Read More…]
The Backyard Greenhouse
Raymond Anderson retired from the military with disabilities and in October 2018 started Big Red Shed in Hayesville, North Carolina. Anderson doesn’t manufacture sheds; he’s a retailer for others like Old Hickory, Eagle Carports, and Clarks Woodwork. As we’ve seen in the business of superstores (think WalMart, Target, and even[Read More…]
Expanding Beyond the Shed
If a 2017 report in Report Buyer is to be believed, the residential outdoor storage product industry is enjoying a nearly 4 percent uptick through at least 2021. Such an increase is welcome news to Jon Bartolotta, manager of New England Outdoor Sheds & Gazebos, a third-generation construction company whose[Read More…]
Shop Automation: Another Take on Wall Framing
If you have followed my previous articles on shop automation you might be thinking, “Here he goes again with some out-of-reach, expensive equipment for shed building.” Well, that’s not the case with what I’m about to describe. What if you could build a jig for framing a wall panel out[Read More…]
Shop Automation: The Framing Table
There are many benefits of building wall panels on a framing table. Now, framing tables aren’t exactly new technology. They’ve existed for many years and are popular with manufactured and multi-family housing and home builders. But, what exactly is a framing table? A basic framing table is a mechanical fixture[Read More…]
Shop Automation: An Overview
Does shop automation make sense for the shed building industry? Delivery trailers and installation equipment like The Mule have made the delivery process quicker and safer. Online shed visualizers are improving the customer experience and speeding up the sales process. Why not utilize production machinery to improve the building process?[Read More…]
Shop Talk
If you’re building sheds or shed components in a manufacturing facility and pay attention to your bottom line, then you’ve certainly asked at some point, “How can I build this better?” Having set processes in place to get repeatable levels of productivity and limit waste and inactivity can go a[Read More…]
