The Garden Shed Guide - Help with Choosing The Best Shed Style And Material of Construction

A Garden shed can have so many different uses that it can be difficult to decide what kind you need.

Are you going to keep tools in it...or use it for a private office getaway?

It's amazing how versatile these small buildings - an extension of your home you could say - really are. They come in so many sizes, shapes, colors and styles, that choosing the right one for you is almost as daunting as choosing the home you want to buy.

Your garden shed can be used for just about anything. Only your imagination can limit what you do with your shed. And considering that you can build them out of just about any material, their versatility is beyond compare.

What is the best material to construct your shed with?

This question comes down to personal preference really. You can decide to build your shed from scratch or even use a pre-fabricated shed kit. No matter what you decide to use, you should be happy with your shed no matter what. Here are a few suggestions for building your shed.

Timber

Wooden tool shed - Wood is the traditional building material for a garden shed, and if you construct it from the right wood your shed will last a long time. Your shed can also be any size and any style when you construct it with timber.

Eco-shed - With the environment a concern many people are concerned with minimising their carbon footprint an creating eco friendly garden buildings. However what is and is not friendly to the environment is still a matter for some debate.

Post and beam shed - These sheds are very traditional in their style and can be used for anything under the sun. These sheds look like miniature Tudor style homes and the way they are constructed you can have more than one storey. You can have your own mini house in your garden.

Metal

For everything you need to know about metal sheds go to the metal shed section

A garden shed can also be classified by its use or style of construction

Sheds classified by style

Lean to shed - If you are short on space constructing a shed connected to your house or an existing outbuilding can save on both time and cost. Lean to sheds only require three walls rather than four for the non-lean to variety.

Tool Sheds - Like the storage shed, a tool shed is a great way to keep all of your gardening and household tools neat, tidy and easy to get to whenever you need them. With a few shelves on the wall, you can keep your nails, screws, and other small tool items organized. If you use pegboard on the walls, you can hang your tools up for easy handling and organization and they will not get in the road of your lawn mowers or riding tractor. If you plan on storing something that large in the shed, make sure you use a double door shed for easy access.

Corner shed - If you are pressed for room in your garden but still want a place to keep all of your tools, you could use a small corner shed. A corner shed usually is no bigger than 6'x6' or 8'x8' and while they limit you on how you can renovate the interior, you still have plenty of room to add some pegboard and hang up your tools neatly.

Japanese style shed - For those who are looking for a small touch of the Orient, a Japanese style shed looks like a miniature pagoda and can be used for a place to relax and simply unwind from the pressure of the day. They can be made with the traditional rice paper windows or with glass if you prefer.

Sheds classified by use

Garden office - If your house does not have enough room for an office, then consider a bespoke shed out in the garden. Not only do you get a nice change of scenery and privacy to paint, write, or run you home business, you can enjoy the flowers and trees of your garden through any window you add to the shed. Add a few rose bushes near your shed and you'll be able to enjoy their wondrous scent whenever you are in your shed working.

Firewood storage shed - these sheds can be built as a standalone shed or as a lean to shed up against an existing wall. They are designed to provide shelter for your firewood and keep it dry from rain and snow. It also allows air to flow in and around the wood to make sure it properly dries out so you can use it.

Sometimes you just need a little bit of space to store items that you use seasonally or simply should not be stored in the house. It is a functional building that c an be located anywhere in your garden with easy access. Store you garden tools, lawn furniture and even your boxes of Christmas decorations in your shed's loft to free up space in the house. A small storage shed is probably the easiest place to start.

So how many different ways can you use your garden shed? The limit of uses is only as limited as your imagination.

National Shed Week

You have spent days, weeks, months building your shed. Are you going to limit the number of people who can enjoy it to a few friends, relatives and neighbours? Why not share your shed on the readersheds.co.uk website and you could be a winner in the annual Shed of the year competition?