Ideas on the garden shed

[Michbau]

Hi to everyone! Now I'm looking for a garden shed for my garden. I want it to look modern (not a big fan of vintage style) and have enough space. I need it to store all the garden instruments, containers and bicycles. My garden is approximately 400 sq meters, so don't want to be a garden shed very big. I'm still deciding if I should do it myself or buy one. The question is, if the costs for self-made garden shed are really smaller than for one from the store?
And if you have any good suggestions of the suitable garden sheds, please share your ideas.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have no idea what timber prices are like in your part of the world, or shed prices. I have built a number in my time and always toyed with the buying the timber and building it myself, then thought about the labour involved. An afternoon of putting together a floor, four walls, two roof pieces, and hanging a door versus a major project, no contest.
One of the nicest sheds I have seen was a bog standard vintage one, painted in various colors that blended it in really artistically, a sort of artistic camouflage. I have two sheds at present, one by the house has morning glory growing up it, the one down by the vegetable patch has climbing French beans and runner beans growing up it. It is quite easy to blend them in.
My other experience is that you get what you pay for, with the cheapest model you will spend a lot of time getting parts to fit together and stay square. Well worth going up in price and quality a little bit, ship lap rather than feather edge and a better floor, that sort of thing.

 

[Sean Regan]

Store bought sheds are often made down to a price. Sometimes with timber "which has the same density as forced rhubarb."

If you can find the materials at a reasonable price, it's better to make your own.
It'll last far longer.
We've only a small garden, just 85ft long and only 30ft wide for a third of it, the rest is only 18ft wide.
It's 8ft X 8ft and made from re-claimed roofing ply and 3 X 2 timber, plus three re-claimed windows.
It's best to keep a shed off the ground. Mine sits on small brick piers.
I give it a coat of Dulux woodsheen every few years and the roof is non-tear polymer roofing felt.

If you can build your own, you only need simple tools, plus an electric drill and possibly a jigsaw, planer and sander.
Ours backs onto the garage end wall so only has three sides. The roof easily takes my weight, (it would support several people), if I need to stand on it to prune next door's overhanging trees. (try that with some store bought sheds). This is a recent photo, I built it in 1976.

If you can build your own, you can choose your own design. This is our other shed.. well summerhouse.. at the bottom of the garden, I built with the same tools in 1987, (recent photo).

 

[Michbau]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience! That helped a lot.
I decided on building it myself, although I have no idea where to start yet. I did some research on garden sheds designs and so far this is close to what I want.
Do you know any good resources with DIY guides for similar project?

 

[Sean Regan]

Thanks for your kind words.

With all my constructions I tend to "wing it." The "plan" is usually just in my head.

Here's the video I made of the tea-house construction. It's just photos and a write up.
But it's had 87,000 hits.

It might give you some ideas.

I

 

[Mr_Yan]

@Michbau I too wing it when I build most things. As you work on the design stick with the materials and techniques you're most comfortable with. I found several sites with free or low cost plans on the internet. I also know most lumberyards and large hardware stores around here sell kits for a build it yourself shed. The local store's customer service desk may be able to help you on that one.

Another question to ask yourself is how is the neighborhood you live in. I have lived in very good / safe / stable neighborhoods where I could leave the garage door open all day with bikes and tools in full view and I have lived in places where tools and bikes were stolen out of my garage in minutes.

 

[The Shed Warehouse]

A shed is a single-story structure located in the back of a garden that is used for storage and workshops. It can be placed either on the patio or next to the house. Garden sheds come in a variety of styles, from corrugated metal tin-roofed sheds to luxurious and stylish wood shed kits. The type of material you choose for your garden shed should be determined by the amount of time and energy you have to devote to its upkeep.

 

[Marck]

Incorporate a living roof on your shed. Its an attractive, space-efficient way to cultivate succulents and other rock garden plants.
It also visually connects your shed to the garden by literlly making it part of the garden. A good way to go is shallow flats anchored on a gently sloping roof. Ideally it should be visible seen from vantage points in the garden and easily accessed for occasional maintenance, perhaps with a step ladder.