Follow my guide to buying, and building, a shed that suits your needs
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| Wickes Economy Workshop with double doors, priced £549
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'Most sheds are made from softwoods – usually pine (also called redwood or red deal) or spruce (white deal), so they need some form of treatment against rot.'
'Cheap roofing felt needs replacing after only three or four years, but decent quality felt can last more than a decade.'
Sheds vary from being widely available, cheap-and-cheerful structures for around £100 or so – to custom-built outdoor rooms costing several thousands of pounds that could be the focal point of a garden. In between these two extremes are basic durable ones for around £200-£300.
Where to look
Dozens of companies make sheds, so it pays to visit several different outlets to see a selection of makes and styles available in your area. You can also do a lot of preliminary research on the web, finding out the styles you like and comparing basic prices – but once you have narrowed down what you want, it is worth seeing the quality of workmanship for real before buying.
DIY superstores usually have plenty available to order via leaflets or on-line but only a few models on show. Then, there are more regional or local outlets specialising in sheds and summerhouses. Timber and builders' merchants that do fencing are worth a try too. Check the small ads of your local paper and look in
Yellow Pages under Buildings – Sectional under Sheds and Garden Buildings to find a range of suppliers with assembled models on show. Many of these are attached to larger garden centres.
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| Forest Shiplap shed, priced £209
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Which wood?
Most sheds are made from softwoods – usually pine (also called redwood or red deal) or spruce (white deal), so they need some form of treatment against rot. Check for information on whether and how the timber has been preserved. It is possible to buy sheds made from a naturally durable timber such as western red cedar sheds, but be prepared to pay almost double for these.
Cheapest models
The cheapest models usually have overlap- or feather-edge walls, meaning they're made from overlapping boards nailed together. Thin boards cut from unseasoned timber that haven't been kiln-dried can soon warp and split, making gaps appear. This is less likely to happen if you spend a little more and buy a shed with interlocking tongue-and-groove boards.
Size & styles
If you want to actually work in your shed, rather than simply store items, opt for one at least (1.8 x 2.4m) 6 x 8ft so you can get a potting bench or work station along one side. Also check you can stand in it comfortably if you plan to work standing up.
Make sure you or whoever will be using the shed can get in easily. Is the doorway wide enough? Is there a trip hazard at the base? Will you bang your head? Single doors range from about 90cm (3ft) wide to only 66cm (2ft 2in). Think about what items you want to bring in, e.g. mowers, power tools, woodworking equipment etc. If you have a shed in mind, but it has poor access or feels cramped, ask whether the supplier can provide one with higher eaves, or a wider door as an optional extra.
The sizes quoted by the supplier are often approximate or perhaps may or may not include the roof overhang. So if space is tight, get the precise dimensions before committing yourself.
Most sheds will have an apex roof and be free-standing. If you have a suitable wall or fence, a model with a pent roof, which is a single slope, would be a suitable space-saving solution.
How durable?
This is a combination of the timber used, the design and the workmanship of putting it together. The door is often the first to go, getting stuck in the frame; the roof can sag in the middle and the sides can twist and distort. The shed should feel sturdy when pushed - flexing in a new shed is a bad sign. Timber with large knots in it will be less durable, as the knots can fall out – a problem if the timber is used for supports. When inside a closed shed, the only place you should see daylight is through windows.
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| Finnforest Jarvi chalet-type shed, priced £1,099
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Customised models
Suppliers will often customise a shed to suit you. For example, whether the door is hung on the right side of the doorway. With pent-roofed sheds and high-eaved apex types you may also have the choice of the door being at the side or front. A well-made stable type door is a worthwhile extra if you have young children and pets.
Basic sheds usually come with one fixed window as standard, but for an extra £20-£30 you may be able to opt for a hinged opening one instead, which is essential if you intend to grow plants in the sheds. Additional windows may also be a possibility. If you want to raise plants, look for a potting shed type with sloping windows to let in more light.
Comparing costs
Try to find at least three models that you like – preferably from different outlets. Then, work out the total price to include VAT, delivery and extras, such as an opening window and assembly. To compare the price of similar models that differ in size, work out the cost per square foot of floor area.
Planning permission
Sheds don't usually need planning permission unless you live in a listed building or a conservation area. If you do – or are in any doubt – check with your local authority's planning office, as there may be restrictions on shed size and how closely one can be positioned to the house and boundaries.
Stopping leaks and rot
Rain running down the walls will cause leaks and eventually rot. Fill any other gaps in the fame with frame sealant (mastic) to stop leaks.
To minimise such problems, look for a roof that overhangs the sides by at least 5cm (2in) and the front and back by at least 8cm (3in). Measure from the inside edge of the roof, not the outside. Often overhangs are less than this, but the following features can help to compensate:
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Guttering – less water will run down the sides if you fit guttering and a downpipe into a water butt and or soak away.
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Weather bars – rain is less likely to run inside the top and bottom of a door if it has a strip of wood over it to deflect the water. Ideally, there should be a weather bar at the bottom of the door too.
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Sloping windowsills – these help prevent rotting window frames, they should have a drip groove beneath.
Roofing felt
Most sheds will be covered with roofing felt and the quality varies. For example, cheap roofing felt needs replacing after only three or four years, but decent quality felt can last more than a decade. When buying a shed, ensure the felt supplied has a specification of at least 20kg per 10m roll and has mineral chips on its upper surface. If it doesn't, you can buy your own from a builders' merchant. You can get 38kg felt but it is heavier to handle. If re-covering a roof, remove or drive in any protruding nails, but don't bother taking off the old felt.
DIY tip
Make your own windowsills and door weather bars 'charmed architrave' (available from superstores and builder's merchants). Use a router to cut a groove along the underside to stop water running back. Your diy sills can be nailed in place but the weather bars need to be screwed from the inside of the shed.
Security
If buying a shed with security in mind, look for closely spaced uprights, around 30cm (1ft) apart and a well-braced door to resist hammer attack. If there's a window, make sure that it is boarded up, covered with a grille, or not big enough for someone to crawl through.
Max headroom
If you plan to spend much time inside the shed, check it has plenty of headroom - otherwise you could feel claustrophobic. It will need big windows too if you want to raise plants in it. Potting sheds like this have angled glass, which lets in more light. Its stable door allows plenty of ventilation while keeping pets and small children out. This type of door is an optional extra on many standard sheds, costing around £50.
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| Weatherboard is cheap but can warp
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Build your own
While some shed suppliers will erect the structure for you, they are unlikely to prepare the site. So either you or a landscaper will have to clear the ground, level it and prepare the base. Measure the length and width of the shed floor – don't assume they are as per the specified shed size.
Lay a base of these dimensions using paving slabs on soft sand (for levelling purposes). Try to avoid making the base larger than the floor, or it could get wet when it rains. The idea of making a base is to protect the shed bottom from damp. Instead of laying paving, you could stand the shed on pressure-treated bearers or fence posts laid at right angles to the floor joists.
If the timber has not been treated with preservative, then apply some before the shed is erected. Treat the floor joists with wood preservative. Leave overnight and treat again the next day. Ensure you use a preservative that specifies it protects against rot, as water-based treatments often don't.
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| Shiplap is pricey but waterproof
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Put the
floor into position and, with a helper, lift the back and one side wall into place, aligning the corner carefully. To ensure the shed is sturdy, fix the two panels together using screws rather than nails – ideally, use two 75mm 10-14 gauge coach screws with washers. Work the screws in from inside the shed - otherwise, at a later date, a burglar could easily unscrew them. Attach the other side and then the front panels likewise.
Cover the roof panels lengthwise with roofing felt, allowing an overhang at each end – this will be held down by barge boards. First, fix a length of felt to the top edge of the panel using large-headed, rust-proof clout nails spaced 10-15cm (4-6in) apart to protect against wind damage (you may need extra nails).
Press the nails into the felt with your thumb before hammering them on. Put a row of nails along the middle of this strip too - otherwise the sun tends to make the felt bubble up. Nail the bottom lengths of the felt so that it covers the edge of the roof at the eaves and tucks under the top strip by at least 5cm (2in). Cut out a 'V' at the corners so it can be folded neatly around the eaves.
Put the roof in place and nail the bottom rail of the wall panels to the floor joists. Working form the outside, attach the roof to each wall with rust-proof spring nails driven into uprights. Then, attach a narrow strip of roofing felt along the ridge, allowing an overhang at each end.
Nail on the barge boards, cutting and folding the overhanging felt as necessary. Attach the all-important finials. Lastly, nail on the strips of wood (fillets) that protect the corners from damp. Roofing felt is functional but not that attractive. If your shed is meant to be a focal point, consider replacing the felt with cedar shingles.
Look further – more on building your own
The February 2007 issue of
Gardens Monthly magazine is published with a
Shed Special that will take you, step by step, through the process of building your own shed in a 28-page guide with explanatory photographs and diagrams. Steps include preparing the base, the main framework, raising the roof, cladding, flooring and doors and windows.
Call 01689 899200 or email customer.services@magicalia.com for a back issue.
denotes Subscriber-only content | Thursday 20 November 2008 | Help | Glossary 
