Garden shed articles in 5 topics
From what a shed costs to where the rakes go. Each article answers one question with sizes, prices and a list of what to buy.
Shed costs on a budget
The price on the label is rarely the whole bill. These add up the base, delivery and upkeep too.
- How much does a garden shed cost to put up?The shed, the base, delivery and fixings, priced as one job.
- Where to save on a cheap shed, and where not toCladding thickness and the floor matter more than windows.
- Delivery and assembly: what is usually includedKerbside drop or carried round, and who puts it up.
- Yearly upkeep: treatment, felt and locksWhat a timber shed needs each year to keep going.
Bases and foundations. A shed lasts as long as the ground under it stays flat.
Step-by-step gravel shed foundation
A timber frame, membrane and compacted stone for an 8 x 6 ft shed.
Building a timber frame base on a slope
Posts, joists and a level deck where digging out is not an option.
Paving slab base on a budget
Slabs on a sand and cement bed, levelled with a long spirit level.
Shed materials that last
Timber, metal and plastic each fail in their own way. Know which, and you know what to check.
- Overlap, shiplap or tongue-and-groove?How each cladding sheds rain, and why the board thickness counts.
- Timber or metal: which shed lasts longer?Rot against rust, condensation, and what each costs to keep.
- Plastic sheds: where they make senseNo treatment and light to move, but little will hang on the walls.
- Roof coverings: felt, shingles and steel sheetHow long each lasts and how to replace it on a dry day.
Shed sizes and where they go
Size follows what goes inside, and the space around it matters as much as the floor.
8 x 6 or 10 x 8: picking a shed size
Measure the mower, the bikes and the bench before you look at sheds.
How close to the fence can a shed go?
Leave room to treat and repair the back wall; 600 mm is a good start.
Door widths for mowers and bikes
Single or double doors, and the opening a lawn mower really needs.
Storage ideas for small sheds
Most sheds fill from the floor up. These start from the walls.
- Hanging tools on the wall, not the floorRails and hooks for spades, forks and rakes.
- Shelves that hold paint tins and compostDepth, spacing and fixing into thin cladding.
- Keeping bikes in a shedFloor stands, wall hooks and a ground anchor for the lock.
- Keeping damp away from what you storeAir under the floor, a vent, and what belongs in the house.
