Our Top Five Shed Buying Tips
It has been a long winter, but summer is finally here and many of us will now be thinking about how we can bring our gardens back to life after the drearier months. A garden shed is a great way to spruce up your garden and give yourself some extra storage space at the same time. However, there are so many sheds out there to pick and choose from that it can sometimes be hard to know where to start when it comes to choosing the perfect shed for you!
Don’t worry, if you are feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of shed types to choose from there is no need to panic as we are taking you through our top five shed buying tips that you should take into consideration when making your next shed.
What Shed Material Should You Buy?
The first thing that you will want to decide on when you are buying a new shed is what material you should go for. Wooden, metal and plastic sheds all have their pros and cons, so it is important that your properly research this and decide on a material that will be best suited to your garden and the climate that you live in as this will help with the longevity of your purchase.
The most popular type of shed is the wooden shed as shown at the UK’s leading supplier ShedStore whose most popular sheds are all wooden with the exception of one. These are typically made from a softwood such as fir, redwood or pine. The shed that is least likely to get rot is cedar, however, these come with a much bigger price tag and you will be looking at spending roughly twice the price when comparing it to a pine shed. While wooden sheds are definitely the most commonly bought, you do have some other options available to you.
Metal sheds are another good option and are quite popular. Metal sheds have their positives in that they are less resistant to damage including rot and they won’t burn down. However, if you are looking for a shed that is also aesthetically pleasing in your garden then a metal shed is probably not the best option for you. Condensation can also tend to drip down from metal sheds and this can limit what you can store inside them. Another positive of metal sheds is that you can also purchase ones with sliding doors which is handy when you are trying to bring in and out bulky items in the windy weather!
Finally, the third option that you have available to you when buying a shed is to get a plastic shed. These are great in that they require little to no maintenance and you can fit them together very easily. What’s more, if you decide to move home then it is straightforward also to take it apart. Again, these sheds do not look as nice as wooden sheds tend to be preferred over them.
What Size of Shed Should I Buy?
The size of shed that you should purchase really comes down to personal preference. If you have enough room, we would recommend going for a shed that is at least 6ft by 8ft as this has twice the available space that a 6ft by 4ft shed and so you can get a work bench should you so desire. On the other hand, if you have limited space, make sure you know exactly what the dimensions are of this space otherwise you could end up with a shed that doesn’t fit!
Check A Shed’s Sturdiness
When you are buying a new shed, there are ways that you can check its sturdiness. This includes jumping in its centre and also pushing against the centre of its sides and its roof panels. It should feel firm and should not flex at all. Sheds will large dark edged knots also have a tendency to fall out and so these should be avoided.
Buy A Shed That Can Withstand the Rain
Sheds, especially wooden sheds, do not fare well in the rainy weather and this can cause them to leak or rot. If you want to try and minimise shed problems caused by rain, we would recommend getting a roof that overhands by at least 5 to 8 cm as this will make it less likely for the rain to run side the top or bottom of the door. It should have a weather back along the top and ideally on the bottom also.
Accessing the Shed
When you are buying a new shed, it is important that you make sure the people who will be using it most often will be able to access it easily. This means that they won’t trip over the doorway or bang their head on the ceiling.
