Garden Sheds How 2 and Top Tips

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Guides and information on garden sheds and timber products.

Garden Shed base preparations.

How would I build a suitable base for my new garden shed? With any structure that is going to be erected it is essential to have a solid, level base, without this the garden building will be unstable and the lifespan will rapidly decrease.

Useful guides

Concrete Base - The best method if constructed correctly.
Paving Slabs / Block Paving - The simple way to get a good base.
Timber Bearers - A simple solution that can be built onto the earth.

After choosing a base to use it is very important that the end result is level, firm, solid, square and clear therefore ready for us to construct the garden building. To view a guide on how to prepare the ground please choose from the above options.


Five tips to choose a garden shed.

While planning to purchase you're garden shed, you first need to decide how large it can be when placed within your garden, as well as, the type or shape. There are many different shed designs to choose from such as, a workshop, rectangle and large, a square type with gable roof, a diamond shape to fit into a corner or a lean to shape.

Here are five tips to help you make the correct decision.

1. The amount of shed space needed; The shed should be large enough to house all your garden tools and equipment, as well as, provide workshop space to do small jobs indoors like building, repairing or painting small projects and therefore, keep paint odors and dust out of the house. The extra space you free up in the garage can then provide room for the car. Remember also, that the size of the shed must conform to local building regulation set by the local authorities.

2. The size of your land or yard; In a small yard there may be only enough room for a small shed, but in a large area the maximum shed size would be determined by building codes. In the country, this may not be a problem. A larger shed can provide more room for shelving, work space and additional equipment.

3. Blend in with other buildings and landscape; The appearance of the garden shed, it's shape, size and color should blend in with other buildings on your property and perhaps those of the neighborhood so it will not stick out like a sore thumb. The landscape including trees, lawn and slopes can also influence your decision.

4. The size of your budget; If you don't have enough money to purchase the garden shed you really want, consider two smaller garden sheds purchased at different intervals then join them together. Start with a basic shed and design it so that windows, sides, trim and electrical wiring can be added later as your budget allows.

5. Weather conditions in your area; To build an attractive and long lasting shed, the kind of weather, heavy rainfall, depth of frost or snowfall and high winds, must be considered. In a generally wet area, sloping ground, deep frost, high wind zone you should consider a concrete foundation with the remainder of the shed well anchored to it. On level ground and moderate weather, a foundation of tanalised treated timber on a gravel base may be satisfactory. This may also lower the cost.

Further tips on how to construct a solid garden shed base, please read our tutorial guides.

With the large number of shapes and designs of garden sheds and building plans to choose from, you should be able to select one that fits perfectly into your Garden; One that is both practical and attractive. Therefore, planning a garden shed should bring you much enjoyment and satisfaction years to come.

How to treat our garden shed.

One of the most frequently asked questions is “how and with what should I treat my Garden Shed?”

Well there are lots of products that you can use ranging widely in price and effectiveness.

One of the best products is Creosote substitute. This is often branded under different names such as Creotech or Creotreat. In my experience mixing 5 parts Creosote substitute with 1 part clean engine oil, makes an excellent preservative. The oil helps stop the wood from becoming brittle and cracking and imparts waterproofing qualities to the timber. This is also very easy to apply via a sprayer. It may require a little thinning with turpentine or the like to make it pass through the sprayer readily. Avoid getting the mix onto your roofing felt. This is probably one of the cheapest and effective methods around. The only downside is colour choice is limited brown, brown or brown!

If you are going to paint your garden shed you should treat it first with a clear preservative, personally I would go for a spirit based preservative as these seem to soak into the timber much better than the water based preservatives. Make sure that the product is over-paintable if not when you come to apply the paint it will simply slide off onto the floor. You can use the preservative on all surfaces of the shed, however don’t paint the inside of the shed as this will trap moisture in the wood and it will cause it to rot from the inside out.

You may prefer to go for an all in one treatment that combines preservative, colour and water proofer, again I would go for a spirit based product. If you have to go for a water based treatment try going for the best you can afford, some of the cheaper products really aren’t worth the time and effort of applying. Check if you are using on planed timber that the product is suitable, a lot of the poorer quality treatments are designed for rough sawn timber. If you apply it to a planed timber surface it will tend to peel off in no time at all.

You should apply whatever product you choose on a regular basis. If you choose to use the creosote/oil mix or one of the spirit based product you will find they will generally go through a garden sprayer. This makes a laborious task quick and simple. It’s quite easy this way to apply a couple of coats to an 8x6 shed in not much more than 15 minutes.

As with all treatments you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions safety precautions






Guide Information:
This is a guide only, if there are any parts that you do not understand then Sheds Direct would recommend you contact a local builder for advice.

Sheds Direct takes no responsibility if injuries are caused using any of the guides, these are guides only and for information purposes.