The Garden Shed Guide - Help with Choosing The Best Shed Style And Material of Construction

A Garden shed can have so many different uses that it can be difficult to decide what kind you need.

Are you going to keep tools in it…..or use it for a private office getaway?

It’s amazing how versatile these small buildings – an extension of your home you could say – really are. They come in so many sizes, shapes, colors and styles, that choosing the right one for you is almost as daunting as choosing the home you want to buy.

Your garden shed can be used for just about anything. Only your imagination can limit what you do with your shed. And considering that you can build them out of just about any material, their versatility is beyond compare.

What is the best material to construct your shed with?

Wooden tool shed – Wood is the traditional building material for a garden shed, and if you construct it from the right wood your shed will last a long time. Your shed can also be any size and any style when you construct it with timber.

Metal tool shed – Pent and gable are the typical types of metal sheds that you can purchase or construct. Like timber sheds, they can be of just about any shape or style, from small shed to large garage like structures.

Plastic tool shed – These types of sheds are usually good for small storage items and they are more like garden cupboards than a true shed. These are great places to store bicycles and similar items.

Eco-shed – With the environment a concern many people are concerned with minimising their carbon footprint an creating eco friendly garden buildings. However what is and is not friendly to the environment is still a matter for some debate.

This example of a DIY garden shed has photographs showing a clear construction sequence and uses none of the materials discussed above! I forgot to say that using bricks or blocks is also a good material consider if you have the skills and materials available.

A garden shed can also be classified by its use or style of construction

Chicken Sheds - A friend of mine raised chickens when I was young. Keeping chickens is becoming increasingly popular for health and environmental reasons. Building your own chicken coop is great way of getting started on this fascinating hobby.

Tool Sheds – Like the storage shed, a tool shed is a great way to keep all of your gardening and household tools neat, tidy and easy to get to whenever you need them. With a few shelves on the wall, you can keep your nails, screws, and other small tool items organized. If you use pegboard on the walls, you can hang your tools up for easy handling and organization and they will not get in the road of your lawn mowers or riding tractor. If you plan on storing something that large in the shed, make sure you use a double door shed for easy access.

Corner shed – If you are pressed for room in your garden but still want a place to keep all of your tools, you could use a small corner shed. A corner shed usually is no bigger than 6’x6’ or 8’x8’ and while they limit you on how you can renovate the interior, you still have plenty of room to add some pegboard and hang up your tools neatly.

Firewood storage shed – these sheds can be built as a standalone shed or as a lean to shed up against an existing wall. They are designed to provide shelter for your firewood and keep it dry from rain and snow. It also allows air to flow in and around the wood to make sure it properly dries out so you can use it.

Post and beam shed – These sheds are very traditional in their style and can be used for anything under the sun. These sheds look like miniature Tudor style homes and the way they are constructed you can have more than one storey. You can have your own mini house in your garden.

Japanese style shed – For those who are looking for a small touch of the Orient, a Japanese style shed looks like a miniature pagoda and can be used for a place to relax and simply unwind from the pressure of the day. They can be made with the traditional rice paper windows or with glass if you prefer.

Outdoor garden room – This, like the Japanese style garden shed, can be your extra home away from home. They are great places to sit and relax in the summer with a cool drink and summer breeze keeping you refreshed.

Garden office – If your house does not have enough room for an office, then consider a bespoke garden shed out in the garden. Not only do you get a nice change of scenery and privacy to paint, write, or run you home business, you can enjoy the flowers and trees of your garden through any window you add to the shed. Add a few rose bushes near your shed and you’ll be able to enjoy their wondrous scent whenever you are in your shed working.

Storage shed – Probably the most common use of a garden shed is for extra storage. Sometimes you just need a little bit of space to store items that you use seasonally or simply should not be stored in the house. It is a functional building that can be located anywhere in your garden with easy access. Store you garden tools, lawn furniture and even your boxes of Christmas decorations in your shed’s loft to free up space in the house. A small storage shed is probably the easiest place to start.

National Shed Week – You have spent days, weeks, months building your shed. Are you going to limit the number of people who can enjoy it to a few friends, relatives and neighbours? Why not share your shed on the readersheds.co.uk website and you could be a winner in the annual Shed of the year competition?

Click Here to return to Shed Building Home