Garden Shed
The thing with gardening is that when the bug bites, it becomes a part of your life. Many gardener’s initially take up gardening with very limited knowledge. Over time they increase their knowledge through experience and gathering information from many available sources. Increased knowledge means more adventurous projects untaken in order to create their “perfect” garden.
As more gardening projects are undertaken, more tools and equipment are acquired. This is inevitable as gardening tools are designed and manufactured to help with any gardening task. In fact many jobs can not be done without these tools. So as time goes own, the tool portfolio grows and grows presenting a problem of where to store all these tools. This is where the garden shed presents itself.
The garden shed is an excellent solution for tool storage for such items as the petrol strimmer and all your small hand tools. They are designed not to be intrusive and if situated correctly they actually blend in and enhance a garden spot. As well as storing your tools they can hold all your chemicals, flower pots and such. And for privacy they also provide the gardener with a pleasant private recluse!
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Garden sheds are easy to set up and very affordable. They come in various materials with the most popular being constructed out of timber. Gaining in popularity are garden sheds constructed out of metal or plastic.
Timber sheds can be purchased from any decent gardening store such as Homebase. These timber sheds will be pre treated in order to be able to withstand the changing weather conditions and will require assembly when you get them back home. The types of timber shed available are Featheredge, Shiplap and Loglap.
Featheredge garden sheds have a design of overlapping boards. This design is to give a rustic appearance and they are affordable and versatile garden sheds.
Shiplap garden sheds have interlocking boards using the tongue and groove method. Interlocking boards like this will give a more sturdy garden shed and the shiplap design is a step up on the Featheredge design. However they do cost more.
The Loglap garden shed also uses a tongue and groove system with round interlocking logs. This is a superior garden shed which proves to be rain and wind resistant, whilst looking good at the same time. These can be expensive, but economically they work well because they will last for many seasons and protect all your gardening tools properly.
Metal garden sheds are usually constructed out of galvanized steel. They are strong and fire resistant. The thing with the metal garden shed is that it is resistant to rodents and damage. On the security front they are a lot more secure than a timber garden shed and provided you buy a quality one, it will be resistant to rust as well.
Assembly Of The Garden Shed
The are several styles you can choose from for your garden shed. These styles are Apex, Pent, Pent solar and extending shed. Each style has it’s own pros and cons, so choose the style which best suits your own requirements.
Style Of Garden Shed
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Types Of Garden Shed
Size Of Garden Shed
The plastic garden shed is ideal for small storage requirements. They are cheap and very versatile. Because they are plastic they are waterproof to the extreme and very tough wearing. They will have an integral floor as well and due to the fact that they are lightweight, you can literally move them and situate them anywhere you like in your garden.
As good and useful as the plastic and metal garden sheds are, in our opinion they just do not have the same authenticity as a timber garden shed. Yes you do have to perform maintenance on a timber garden shed and they can prove to be difficult to set up. But these issues are far outweighed by the authentic garden look and the comforting smell of timber and varnish when you are sitting in the garden shed. Call me old fashioned but the smell of a timber garden shed is a part of the gardening experience, just as is the smell of freshly cut grass clippings.
Apex Shed
The most popular style of shed is the Apex shed. This is where the garden shed has an Apex roof. An apex roof slopes up from both sides of the shed to form a single ridge along the middle of the roof. There is something about the way they look which just appeals. But looks are not everything. The apex style garden shed is very robust because the roof is supported by much shorter timbers than on a slightly less robust pent style.
Pent Shed
With this style of garden shed the roof is single sloped. This is where the front eaves are higher than the back eaves. So any rain will simply run of the back of the garden shed. They are a particular good and efficient style of shed if you want to locate your shed against a wall or fence of some sort. This style of shed also gives the owner great headroom at the front of it and if you are wanting a shed with a workbench inside it, then this is the style you should be looking at.
Pent Solar
This particular style of garden shed also doubles up as a greenhouse. As you can see from the picture it has a single slope pent roof to allow the rain to slip of the back of it. There is also a sloped and glazed front to allow the sun to do it’s stuff. On the storage front though these are not the ideal shed to have. They do not have the capacity to store a lot of tools and machinery and if you are taking tools such as the petrol strimmer out of them, you have to be extremely careful not to break the windows as you turn with the petrol strimmer. As good as they are, these types of garden shed are not high on our wanted list. A shed is for storage. A greenhouse is for growing. A combination of both is like adding salt to a cup of tea if you know what we mean.
Extending Shed
Now we do like this style of garden shed. As more tools are acquired, you will need more storage space. And by having a garden shed that extends is a perfect solution. What we also like about this style is that the roof is very shallow which means there is extra storage space for larger gardening tools and machinery such as the petrol strimmer. These types of garden shed are also like a Lego set. When you need more space you can simply purchase an add on pack to further extend shed space. The only downside is that this style of garden shed is plastic and is not as authentic looking as a timber shed.
When it comes to choosing the size of garden shed you want, you should really opt for the largest model that you can afford and fit in your garden. The last thing you want is a garden shed where you can not store all of your equipment and items. Also a garden shed stacked to the top with stuff can prove to be a real irritation when you can not find what you are looking for.
For a garden shed that is to be located in a tight position ensure that you have the correct and precise measurements of the space. Also remember to allow a little extra for overhanging roofs and any protruding parts of the shed.
Inside the garden shed you want enough space to be able to stand up properly and the door of the shed needs to be wide enough to allow bulky items to be taken in to the shed. There are garden sheds available with double doors if his is what you need. And remember to ensure that the doorway frame is high enough. You don’t want to be banging and cutting you head every time you go in or out of the shed.
Finally consider the floor space of your shed. If you are planning on having a workbench and shelving then you need a lot of floor space to accommodate this. The larger the floor space the better in our opinion. Such items as a lawn mower, rotavator and lawn scarifier do require a lot of space.
When you buy a new garden shed it is very likely to be in pieces and you will have to assemble it. Fortunately garden sheds come with very clear instruction manuals which are very easy to follow. However you need to be aware that the assembly of a garden shed is a 2 person job. If you think that the assembly of a shed is beyond you or you can nt get any help then it is advisable to hire yourself a handyman to do it for you.
A garden shed requires a level flooring for it to stand on. You can set it up on a patio or build your own shed foundation using paving slabs. For those of you who are physically fit you can even build yourself a concrete foundation for the shed. The foundation needs to be larger than the shed base and it’s advisable to have the edges of the foundation facing downwards so that any water will drain away from the shed walls.
When you set up your garden shed it is a good idea to install a power supply. You will want a light and maybe use electrical tools. If you know about electricity and things then you can do it yourself. However it is always recommended to use a qualified electrician in such matters.
Lastly, when setting up your garden shed always think about a walk way or path to it. Remember, gardens can be wet and muddy places at times. Keep your shed clean by eliminating walking in and out with dirty muddy boots.. Bricks or slabs or good items to use for making a path to your shed. But if you want something more decorative you could use cobbles and gravel.
Maintenance Of The Garden Shed
Being a natural material, timber is susceptible to change. It can warp, split and shrink because of temperature changes and moisture conditions. So if you have a timber garden shed you need to maintain and protect it.
Every year you should treat your shed with a wood preserver of some sort. This is particularly so if you have a shed that has tongue and groove floor. Every moving part on your garden shed such as locks and hinges need to be oiled regularly. Keep the shed roof clear at all times. In particular remove any leaves from the roof before they cause damp to your shed.
Positioning Of The Garden Shed
When deciding on where to locate your garden shed in your garden, try to position it as close to your home as possible. This is particularly important if you want to have an electrical mains in the shed.
During summer the garden shed can get very hot inside. So try to find a place that offers some sort of shade. Avoid overhanging trees and tall hedges though. Any debris left on a shed roof will cause damp and result in sagging timbers. High winds could also bring down branches which could damage your shed. You should never situate your garden shed in a position where water could collect after heavy rain.
When it comes to buying a new garden shed, the place to go is a well known and reputable gardening superstore.
HomeBase is as good as any in our opinion and they do stock a vast range of garden sheds. Whether you want one in timber, metal or plastic, Homebase will have an option for you.
Add to these all the usual guarantees and you will end up with a good quality garden shed that is covered by warranties.
You can check out all the garden sheds available at Homebase by visiting their official website at Homebase homepage.