How To Choose The Right Shed

10x8ft Premium Shiplap Dutch Barn Shed from Waltons

I've been Mentioned In Dispatches yet again by Waltons in an article they published yesterday on their blog called How to choose the right shed: 5 tips from the experts.

Now I wouldn't claim to be an "expert" I always think that the definition of an "expert" as being  X: is an unknown quantity and Spurt: is a drip under pressure therefore an "expert" is an unknown drip under pressure.

I do however have "tried and tested wisdom gained" from my 65 years on this earth, buying and using various forms of sheds and from 2012 having had three half plot allotments with three different types of sheds on them.

Waltons have asked questions for articles with those of us that are deemed `gardening press' in the past and it's always interesting to see who else gets selected to give them feedback and how many of us have the same or similar opinions. 

The contributing bloggers and social media influencers included in this latest article include the people listed below and it's worth checking out their blogs and social media accounts:-

Blogger Claire Burgess of Claire’s Allotment. 

Instagrammer Greg Holton of @greggrowsuk 

Blogger Alan James Wooldridge of  Alan’s Allotment – ManVslug.uk 

Blogger Adam Leone of Carrot Tops Allotment 

Blogger Cassiefairy, author of the blog My Thrifty Life 

Blogger Alexandra Campbell of The Middlesized Garden 

All my answers to the Waltons questionnaire that they sent out to those of us that are recognised as `gardening press'  can be found in an Article I wrote and published here on the 22nd January called Lets Talk Sheds 

How To Build A Shed

 

Lets Talk Sheds

Waltons have written to me as they would like some of my "tried and tested wisdom gained" from my 65 years on this earth with the last 11 having an allotment on my thoughts about "repurposing an old shed or buying a new one", and have provided a list of questions for me to answer, listed below as they are writing a new article to help potential customers to make the best choices. 

Waltons have done this with myself and other people that are deemed `gardening press' in the past and it's always interesting to see who else gets selected to give them feedback and how many of us have the same or similar opinions. 

When they publish the article on their blog the list of contributors will be provided with links back to their blog, and credit any tips that they use listed.

Before I begin a little explanation about terms used to describe the parts of a shed and the styles and shapes of the roofs 

Shed Terminology 

Image curtesy of Waltons - Use this link for more information re Shed Terminology 

Roof Types

There are many types and shapes of roofs but for the majority of sheds one can broadly categorise them as 3 basic forms Apex & Reverse Apex, Pent and Gambrel. 

The terminology for roofing on buildings is a little different and what one needs to know is that a roof is considered a flat roof if the pitch/ slope is less than 10 degrees. There needs to be a slope or pitch to the roof in order for rain to discharge freely and for the roof not to retain water. In the shed world a flat roof is known as a pent roof

Pent - A pent roof is often made from a single panel and slopes towards down towards the rear of the building. The door is typically located at the front of the building as this offers the most headroom, but can supplied on the sides.

Anything above 10 degrees annotates a pitched or sloping roof and if one single slope can also be referred to as a mono-pitched sloping roof. 

The terminology for roofing on buildings where there are two slopes or duo-pitch normally from the front and back of the building that rise equally such that the ridge or apex is located at the centre of the distance between the walls, and the walls on the sides continue up and form a triangle can be referred to as "traditional eaves / ridge pitched roof with a gable end" Buildings can get roof treatments on the sides to give the roof more character like hips etc.

In the shed word this type of roof is simply known as a traditional Apex roof – The traditional apex roof is where roof boards meet at a point at a central point of the shed to create an equally sloping roof from side to side. 

Reverse Apex – A reverse apex roof is similar to the traditional apex with a central point but slopes from front to back rather than side to side. The door is typically placed on the longer side of the building, creating greater headroom.

Cladding

Now that's understood lets get back to the questions posed by Waltons "We’re looking for your expert opinion on:"

Storage Sheds:

• What’s the best sized shed for garden storage?

Such a how long is a piece of string type question. Depends on a lot of factors, How much do you have to store?, how big is the garden?, are there any size restrictions or factors to take into consideration like a tree you want to retain etc.

Sheds are available in a huge range of sizes, but what one has to remember is that despite metrification in 1974 the UK construction industry has never really embraced the system, and so we end up buying 3 metre length of 6" x 4" (inch) timbers. This is also true with the shed industry, they think in Imperial feet and inches not metric.

 Popular shed sizes in Feet are  6 x 4, 7 x 5, 7 x 7, 8 x 6, 8 x 8, 10 x 6, 10 x 8, 10 x 10, 12 x 8, 10 x 10, 12 x 8, 12 x 10, 14 x 10 and 20 x 10.  

Whatever size you think you are going to need increase it by about 20% and personally I think and 2.4m x 1.8m (8ft x 6ft) is ideal. I started off with one this size as my man-cave shed when I first got married, and then got a 1.8m x 1.2m (6ft x 4ft) shed for kids toys once we had children, and really I should have bought another 2.4m x 1.8m (8ft x 6ft) because kids garden toys take up a lot of room. especially when the second one comes along.   

• What’s the best configuration for doors and windows? 

Depends on the location and where the access is coming from, what you are doing in the shed and if you want some natural light getting in the shed and how much light. Most shed companies offer a selection of option and additional extras and different styles and configurations for windows. 

 

Personally if it's just being used for storage you have to ask the question do you actually need any windows? You may want larger or double doors to get stuff in and out easier. Or perhaps just a window or two to let in light.

• Which roof style is best?

Having had both apex and pent sheds I would always recommend going for a pent shed.  

• Do you have other tips to help people choose a storage shed for their garden?

Make sure when selecting a location and size to allow for access all around the structure so you can maintain it, don't place it too near to boundary fencing. 

Select a material timber, metal or plastic based on how much maintenance and life expectancy against cost and budget.  

Allotment Sheds:

• What’s the best sized shed for an allotment?

Depends on the rules and size restrictions that apply to your allotment by the council or other owner that runs it. There are some allotments where sheds are not allowed or only sheds without doors are allowed or only timber stores up to a certain height are allowed, so before you make any decision check the rules.

On my first allotment I went for a 6 x 4  (1.8m x 1.2m) Apex shed and soon found that I filled it very quickly and was left with no where to shelter or sit if it started raining. 

I could have gone up to an 8 x 6 which would have been better, but it was my first allotment and I was not sure if I was going to last at the new hobby and money was tight so that's why I went for as cheap a chips in terms of the size and cladding. 

The door on the 6 ft (1.8m) gable was still low and I had to get used to ducking to get in and out of the shed. Being an Apex shed the eaves restricted the amount of storage shelving one could have. I also ended up building an extension on the side for more storage and as a onion drying rack. 

8 x 6 is the maximum allowed size of shed on my allotment and I should have taken it to the max.    

• Does a particular configuration work better?

I need to clarify what Waltons mean by this question and then edit. 

• Which roof style would you choose, and why?

This is my second shed on another plot, again with an onion drying rack extension, and having had both apex and pent sheds I would always recommend going for a pent shed. These days the pent sheds appear to have a greater slope that those of a few years ago. Pent sheds have higher doors and are more spacious inside and there is more storage area to use. 

• What are your best tips for choosing an allotment shed?

• Check the max allowable size you are allowed.
• Buy the max allowable size you are allowed
• Chose a material timber, metal or plastic that will give you the best life expectancy .
• Plan what you are going to store where and how.
• Allow an area for making tea and coffee and sitting out of the rain.
• Up North in the UK many allotment sheds have wood burners in. 
• Don't even consider an Apex type go Pent.
• Make sure you don't skimp of getting a decent level base of paving slabs in for the shed, again insitu concrete is not normally allowed.   
• Although sheds come treated, take the time to treat the floors and all panels yourself inside and out before you erect it.
• make sure you have access all around so you can treat and maintain it on a regular basis.
• make sure your shed is not going to cast shadow on your neighbour plot.
• Buy what you can afford.  

Workshops:

• What is the best sized shed for a workshop?

The largest you are allowed check planning restrictions in your area, and then working out how much workspace you need and how much access and working room you need.  

• What’s the best configuration for doors and windows?

Personal choice depends on access and how much natural light you need to make using it comfortable and functional. 

• What solutions have you used for storing tools and materials (shelves, boxes under desks, etc)?

 

Work bench is a must and shelving for tools and equipment also hanging tools on walls for ease of access. Storage racks and stacking boxes with lids etc. I've also use old chest of draws for storage in a shed. 

• Do you have other helpful tips for choosing a workshop shed?

• Check planning the max allowable size (plan area and height) you are allowed.
• Buy the max allowable size you are allowed and can afford.
• Plan what you are going to store where and how .

Other types of shed (e.g. potting sheds, man caves, hobby rooms)

• Do you use your shed for a specific purpose like a man cave or a hobby room? If so, why did you choose the shed you have, and what advice would you give to others?

I was very fortunate to be gifted a 8 x 6 (2.4m x 1.8m) potting shed for my allotment by a friend, and it's been a real game changer for me. It's an ideal size and it has three staging's two along the window face and one along the narrow gable end wall opposite the entrance. 

 

The potting shed has been a real game changer for me on the allotment, I love it. I do however wonder if the type with the pent roof and the sloping windows would let more light in.

 Looking at the Waltons web site I found that they do a range of Combi Greenhouse / Sheds which I didn't know existed until today. Take a look at their web site as they sell a huge range of sheds and structures made of timber, steel and plastic.     

A question hinted at in the email but not directly asked was "Thoughts about repurposing an old shed or buying a new one"

If I had inherited a shed like the one shown above on my first allotment what would I have done?  

If it was was not structurally sound I would have made it so and I may have ensured it was water proof, but once I knew that having an allotment plot was more than a five minute wonder I would have replaced it with a nice new shed. 

My Apex shed on plot 1A is now 11 years old and doing well, and my Pent shed on Plot 1 has been with me for 8 years and has been on two different allotment sites Mill Green and Spencer Road, and now I also have the potting shed which will have it's first birthday in a couple of months 

I really hope that if you managed to get to the end of this post that you have found it useful and time will tell what Waltons think of my contribution to their questionnaire. 

Sheds Belly

 

Since the apple trees have been pollarded right back the Keter Shed in the back garden has been developing a belly. What was stored in there was exerting some pressure on the wall and in the heat from the sun the plastic decided the relax a little and with temperature predicted at 28+ coming this week, I decided I better to something about the belly before the middle panel popped out!

Saturday I noticed that I could see the edge of the middle panel with the window in. So Sunday as there was no allotment visit as I was looking after my wife and my daughter was out with her sister and friends. I hit the shed and sorted it out.

Now there is nothing bearing on the wall so I'm straightening the panel by placing the grandad posts on the side to push the belly back in. My cunning plan is for the sun to do it's magic and if I see the wall curving inwards I will remove the weight.

Re-Purpose Chest of Drawers

My youngest daughter Kelly has moved out of the box room and into the second bedroom and the master bedroom is having a major re-vamp. We had a three draw chest of drawers that's no longer needed in the house, so Kelly and I dropped it off at the allotment and made room for it in the shed to better organise all the weed membrane and planting membrane that so far has been in fold up crates. 

  

Shed Questions & Advice

Email from Waltons Blog to bloggers they follow

As you know, maintaining your shed makes it look great and last longer. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t feel quietly content at the sight of a beautifully painted shed containing neatly organised tools and tidily stored equipment?

My Allotment Shed on plot 1 which is not what you would expect from me if you saw the photograph of my Messy Shed at home in the back garden that won me a 1.2m x 0.9m  Pressure Treated Shiplap Wooden Garden Chest from Waltons in their recent competition 

We’re looking for further advice on things like:

• How to keep damp at bay?

When placing my first allotment shed that was a 1.2 x 1.8m apex feather edge I used 400mm square paving slabs over a dpm visqueen the width was 1.8m the slabs covered 4x400mm = 1600mm thus 1800-1600=200mm  there were 3 gaps between the slabs = 200/3= 66mm each for air flow under the floor. 

In the past I have used 75mm fence posts between the floor and the slabs to increase the amount of air flow and prevent damp from the slabs getting into the battens on the floor boarding.     

• How do you keep the floor in its best condition? Do you use carpet, lino, or bare flooring?

On my first shed I used lino, on the second I bought a sheet or correx, but have now some lino for it as although the correx is black and appears in good condition after a couple of years, the lino will last for a long time.  

• Do you have a regular maintenance routine (even if that's annual) for your shed?

I try to give my timber sheds a coat of paint annually.

2013

2014

2015 Extension Added 

2018 

The trees branches started to wear the felt away and a temporary fix was in order. however the wall behind had moved so much that the council was again put on notice that it was dangerous and I was requested to stop using the shed and going into that area, until they had resolved the problem. 

The colour got deeper and deeper with each passing year. 

• Any other advice that we might usefully include?

Consider putting a few paving slabs inside a newly erected shed especially when a storm is coming as it's not just temporary lightweight green houses that can turn into kites or get blown over!  This was my brother in laws shed on his second allotment, two plots down from mine. 

My shed which was exactly the same type but didn't move because in his words "I had too much crap in it" As I said to him I like to think of it more like ballast in a ship to keep in from turning over!     

Fitting a bench/ shelf in to timbers along the walls at the door frame mid height level makes it more resistant to vandalism as it stiffens up the timbers forming the door frame. 

Having had an Apex and a Pent shed on allotments I have to say that Pent style is so much better it gives you so much more room to play with and is worth every extra penny 

On this shed I also fitted the same internal lock along the top of the door so that it was a tight seal and vandals could not prize the door off from the side and the top. 

Replacing two of the screws with dome headed blots either side of the hinges means the little darlings can't just unscrew your door and get into your shed that way.

Don't use nails to fix the walls to the floor use screws and then when you decide after 3 years to move allotment site and take on a half plot next to your original plot you can easily take it apart move it to its new home, give it a coat of paint and you are good to go. It cost me £25 for a man with a van to move the shed, much cheaper than buying a new one.  

If you have even limited skills a small extension to be used for semi dry storage or an onion drying rack can be added. 

Having extended the side then you start to think about doing the same at the rear, and it still looks better than the shed on the next plot. 

In 2019 with the 34degree heat and very dry hot summer the Tongue and Grooved cladding started to come apart as the timber shrunk and in hindsight I perhaps should have hosed the shed down to keep it's moisture content in the timber stable. 

I did attempt to seal gaps that are now like upside down featheredge and will promote the rain running down the face to go into the shed. These were mastic/ frame filler from the inside but continued to curl and become unconnected and required re filling before Winter.

The rain staining can be seen on the bench timber and a shaft of daylight can be seen on the back wall in the left photo. 

I know no other way to make the shed walls once again water proof because of the open joints and would be interested in any other suggestions of improvements on what I have already done. This filling now appears to be an annual routine maintenance job. 

The Plot 1 shed is not as congested as the one at home, but I really do need to make it so that I can at least stand in there if it starts raining. 

Now the tree they dropped on the shed roof on Plot 1A and the dangerous leaning wall has been removed and the wall replaced with a fence, I can re attached the side extension, fence and water butt and finally get around to re-felting the roof without the fear of getting flattened by the leaning wall.

The old girl who is eight this year has had a coat of paint and is just awaiting a couple of dry days to get her new roof covering.

How To Build A Garden Shed

Rain stopped play this Sunday so I thought I would post this little video about how to Build A garden shed as I was inspired by Sean James Cameron - Diary of a UK Gardener videos of his grand erections of his two sheds First Shed & Second Shed 

If you want to see more sheds then take a look at Garden Sheds UK on Facebook

Clearing Tomatoes and Plot 1

The cunning plan was to harvest as much as possible and do some clearing up, the tomato plants were beginning to look a little ragged and weedy and I thought it would be good to harvest all the tomatoes and clear the bed ready for winter, so that's what I did. 

What I was not expecting was to obtain a full mushroom tray full of red and green Rapunzel tomatoes, I love these small tomatoes, the wife and I tend to have 5 or 6 each lunch time with our sandwich which is one reason I grow as many tomatoes as I do each year. 

I ended up with a further two mushroom trays of Crimson Crush tomatoes at about 60:40 Green:Red to be added to the others in the Space Saver Greenhouse in the back garden.

I harvest a whole bucket of cucumber and gave a couple to my Brother & Sister in law who popped down to the allotment to harvest some carrots as they have not had much luck with cucumbers this year. 

I made another two Bread Tray Saw Horses and had a tidy up on Plot 1 in preparation of cutting up more timber joists to be used as raised beds. 

When I made coffee and having the drill I put up the hooks along the back of the shed and behind the stove for the hand tools. It's amazing what you can do when your waiting for a kettle to boil.  

Rear Extension

Today I fixed the sides to the rear extension to the back of the shed supporting them off upturned flower buckets and offcuts of timber to get the top of the extension nicely tucked over the shed roof overhang. Two timber roofing battens were then fixed between the cheeks at the front and back and the polycarbonate sheeting was screwed in place. 

If I can find some more offcuts to fit I may extend the cheeks down to just off the ground, if not a timber leg will go in once the paving has been laid behind the shed. 3 number 600x600mm slabs will do it. The covered area to the rear will allow me to keep stuff like the Hawthorne that I'm cutting up dry until October when we are once again officially allowed to have fires on the plot.

As you can see the onion rack shelfing has been placed in the upright position as the onions are now dry and have been top and tailed and the dry skins removed.

After six years of sitting in the other shed the gas stove was finally used today for the first time with the camping kettle I bought from Wilko in the sale to make a couple of cups of coffee. 

Much better than taking a flask to the plot, and now finally when my Brother-In-Law and his wife are on the plot I can make them a coffee rather than them always making me one.

Another mushroom tray of large Crimson Crush and Rapunzel tomatoes have come home together with another two cauliflowers. 

I took four food buckets worth of apples to go into the Dalek, but it had not sunk enough to get them into the double width Dalek no 5 so I set a new Dalek up on plot 1 sitting on cardboard on top of the membrane and added a layer of woodchip mulch grade to the bottom, then the four buckets of apples and topped it off with another layer of mulch grade woodchip, then the onion trimmings and the leaf's off the cauliflower, and dampened down each layer as it was added to the Dalek.    

Onion Drying

I was up at silly o'clock this morning so an early morning visit to the allotment to water, erect the onion drying rack extension to the shed, harvested the onions and hung them on said rack. 

All in all a good but very hot couple of hours on the plot this morning, on a day that's so far has been the hottest day of the year at 35C
.

Shed & Joists / Bed Edging

It's another sunny hot sticky 27C day that started off overcast, I watered the crops and then got on with the task of painting the outside of the shed, and fitting in the shelf supports and screwing the shelf on the left hand side into place. There are still wasps going in and out of the crack in the wall despite a number of applications of wasp killer into the entrance, so for the moment the left flank wall of the shed is only half painted. Another application of wasp dust was applied into the crack.  

The wheelie bins that are used for storage of things like the pop bottle slug traps and the wheel barrow have made their way behind the shed which will be their ultimate home. 

My brother-in-Law Keith brought his Ryobi Circular Saw to site and I attacked the pile of timber roof joists and started cutting them to length to form 2.4 x 1.2m beds. 

I managed two cuts with his small battery before it gave up the ghost, being a bit of a Ryobi junkie he had more powerful larger battery that did quite a few cuts before it ran out. So that proved to me that if I want to cut 50mm roof joists then I will need a more powerful battery than the one that came with the kit in a bag with a power supply that he bought. I was suitably impressed with the saw that I will buy one but it has to have the more powerful battery to make it worth while due to cutting 50mm joists with it. 

Gradually things are coming together, the push mower and long handle tools now have a homes and are hanging in the second shed. I need to get the extension to the shed erected so that the onions can be harvested and dried out. So that's my focus for the next visit with an adequate duration of time. 

Timber Joists & Shed Erection

The nice pile of roof joists next to the shed that John kindly helped me to erect this morning came from the building site directly behind my plot and the wall you can see in the background.

I have not sweated so much in my life humping the 4m joist around, but they will be turned into bed edging, now all I need to do is decide if I should buy a Ryobi battery circular saw or not to make my life a little easier ? 

The shed will get painted inside and out when I get time.

There was no rain yesterday and the next rain forecast is the 29th July 

Shed Works

Thursday saw the moving of the shed from Spencer Road to Mill Green it took all of an hour and the walls of the shed was stacked up against the boundary wall, the base placed where it's going to be erected and the roof placed on the ground beside the floor. 

I gave Terry a nice drink plus some courgettes and cucumbers for his time and the use of his flatbed.

Friday Morning I spent painting the base and all of the parts that get covered once it is reassembled. To me it makes sense to do this as it's apart anyway, and we have a 25% change of rain later today starting around 5pm if we are really lucky so it should all be dry by then.

More touching up paintwork on the edges Saturday morning and then if I can find a willing body to assist hopefully it will be erected as well. I have also been offered some more timber from the building site and will collect that in the morning as well. 

Bugger I took my eye off the courgettes and they turned into marrows, but three nice sized cucumbers today. 

Looking at the weather update and additional 1% chance of rain taking it to 26% chance between 9-10 pm but rain starting an hour later now at 6pm  

I will believe it when it happens, so far every time we have received a weather warning re rain from the met office bugger all has happened.