With the purchase of a new timber shed representing quite an investment, it’s important to choose wisely, making sure that your new shed will be the right size for your needs. But how do you decide what size shed you need? And what type of shed will suit you best? Careful thought should be given to the following so that you can budget appropriately.
What will you use the shed for?
Think about how you will use your shed. Will it be used as a garden storage shed for gardening tools and equipment? Or will you use it as a workspace, or just somewhere quiet to escape to? All of these things will impact on the size of shed you really need.
How much space do you have for a shed?
Unless you are fortunate enough to have a large outdoor area, the size of shed you buy could be determined by your available space. A shed should not take over or dominate the garden, after all it’s a shed and not a summerhouse, but it should still offer the storage you need. Ideally, there should be 1-2ft of space around the shed to allow you to carry out general maintenance, as well as sufficient room to open doors and windows. Don’t forget to check the space above the shed too as this will determine the type of roof you pick – a pent roof shed will fit neatly under low hanging branches where an apex roof could be too tall. Don’t leave it to guesswork, and always measure out your allocated space accurately before making your purchase.
Shed sizes
Timber garden sheds are available in a variety of sizes, from a standard 6x4 upwards. As a broad guide to sizes, a 6x4 shed is an ideal size for use as a tool shed and can be used as an overspill area to your garage. An 8x6 shed used for storage will give enough room for gardening tools and equipment such as lawnmowers plus bicycles, while it would also serve well as a home office or small workshop. For anyone who wants to work freely, perhaps servicing or renovating machinery, a 10x8 shed is the perfect size.
Timber cladding for sheds
Timber cladding is the timber boards that make up the shed walls which play a huge part in the strength of the shed and its weather resistance. There are three profiles of cladding boards – tongue and groove cladding, shiplap cladding, and loglap cladding. Our article How to choose the perfect wooden garden cladding has lots of information on each. Shiplap cladding is the most popular profile used for timber garden sheds and our complete guide explains everything.
Roof styles
The three most popular styles of shed roof in the UK are apex, reverse apex and pent roof designs. Apex rooves have a peak that runs from one gable end to the other with the entrance in a gable end, while a reverse apex roof has the door and window if there is one, on the longer side, rather than the gable end. A shed with an apex roof gives greater height inside the shed and a reverse apex shed can give more room for a bench or work surface to be installed. A pent roof slopes from front to back but remember to check the height of the shed at its lowest point before buying.
Timber shed treatment
Timber garden sheds are either dip treated or pressure treated. Dip treated sheds are constructed from timber that has been dipped in a wood preservative. It is a quick way to apply preservative and dip treated sheds will have an orange-y toned colour. As the name suggests, pressure treated timber is treated with preservatives under pressurised conditions for maximum penetration; pressure treated timber can be identified by its slightly green colour.
Witham Timber sheds
At Witham Timber, our best-selling timber garden shed is the Norfolk T&G Apex Shed. Supplied dipped or untreated, the Norfolk shed is available as a 6x4, 7x5, 8x6 or 10x8. Made to order, the Norfolk has a 4-week lead time. To store tools and equipment securely, our Security Shed is ideal. Supplied dipped, the shed is comes in three sizes – 6x4, 7x5 or 8x6 – and features security door hinges, a padlock protector and a small, single apex window. For anyone wanting to design their own bespoke garden shed, we are also able to offer the Albany Sheds 3D Shed Designer.
If you have any questions for our sales team about any aspect of our range of timber garden sheds, please contact us by telephone on 01205 359188 or by email at sales@withamtimber.co.uk