Garden Sheds Southampton

A shed is many things to many people, from a sanctuary from the wife and kids to simply a space to store that spare half a bag of compost and a few tools. However you plan you use a shed, choosing the right one for your needs is important, and because sheds vary greatly in size, quality and price this decision may not be as simple as it could at first seem.

Material

Most people's idea of a shed would be the traditional wooden construction, probably with feather edge style walls, and a felt roof. Whilst this is still by far the most popular style of shed available, there are numerous other options available to you.

Wood

Wooden sheds are popular because they blend into most gardens better than sheds made of other materials. Even a simple wooden shed, which is probably going to be the cheapest option, can last for years with a bit of planning and some regular care and attention. It is more important that wooden sheds are raised off of the ground than it is for metal sheds, as this will help to prevent damp and rot taking hold. Standard wooden sheds range in price from under £150 for a simple 6x4ft larchlap shed , to well over £1500 for a 20ft long workshop . High-end, pressure-treated wooden sheds can cost more than £4000 (for those who want to really splash out!)

Metal

Metal sheds, whilst not as nice to look at, offer several advantages over a wooden shed. Firstly they will require little or no maintenance for years at a time and even then perhaps only a small amount of rust prevention and the occasional coat of paint. Metal sheds are also generally more secure than a wooden shed and so are ideal if you plan to use them to store expensive tools or bicycles. Metal sheds range in price from under £130 for a small 5x4ft storage shed to over £1000 for a shed large enough to store ride-on mowers and motor bikes .

Plastic

Plastic sheds offer an even better option for those wanting a low maintenance garden as they won't rot, they won't rust and they require no painting. Modern plastic sheds are also often designed to look like they are made from wood, so they can even suit cottage-style gardens. Plastic sheds, more so than wooden or metal, require a solid and level base to sit on because the structure is generally not as rigid. Possibly due to the lack of maintenance required, plastic sheds are usually more expensive then both wooden and metal sheds of similar size. Plastic sheds range in price from about £200 for a Small Store to over £2500 for a shed almost the size of a garage .

Style

Sheds are available in a massive range of designs to suit all tastes, but most fall into the two main style categories: Apex style or Pent Style. Apex or Pent refer to the type of roof a shed has and each style has its own advantages.

Apex

This style of shed has a roof made of two sloping sections which meet at a high point in the middle (just like the roof of most houses). It is thought by most that the apex style looks more pleasing and...

How to make your timber garden shed last forever (or nearly)
“All a shed needs is a good hat and a good pair of boots”

To this slightly modified version of a saying from the county of Devon, in the UK, it could also be added a good rain mac as well.

What is all this talk of wet weather gear in an article about sheds?

Water is one of the biggest enemies of any building, it makes it uncomfortable for the inhabitants and it rots the fabric of the building. There are three main routes to keep the fabric of your shed dry;

1.Maintain the roof well to stop water from above
2.Add a secret ingredient to the foundations to keep the timber as dry as possible
3.Keep the outside of the shed waterproof through using appropriate paints or stains

Maintaining the roof would seem to be a simple matter

Keep a look out for leaks on the inside of the shed roof and when you spot one fix it. However often leaks start well before they are apparent and by the time they have been spotted the damage has been done and a structural piece of timber or a whole section of the shed needs to be replaced.

It is important to know roughly how long your roofing system will last so that you can plan to replace it. The typical roofing felt system that is supplied as standard with many sheds only has a projected life of 5 years, felt shingles have a life of about 20 years and a rubber roofing system can last 40 years or more.

Another way to help your shed roof is to install guttering around the perimeter so that rainwater flowing off the roof is taken away from the shed rather than just falling to the ground and soaking the timber at the base of the shed.

The base of the shed is very vulnerable to water from above and below

Water coming off the roof can make the bottom couple of feet of the shed very wet in a rain storm. Installing guttering to the edge of the roof can reduce this significantly. However if the timbers that form the shed floor are in contact with the ground they can be damp almost permanently.

To limit this dampness through contact with the ground then installing a separating membrane from some strips of PVC Damp Proofing Course (DPC) material will provide a physical barrier to stop migration of dampness. If the shed is built off timber runners then the damp-proofing should be on top of these. The runners should be built of a durable timber such as oak or from softwood that has been pressure treated with preservative. If the shed has been built on a patio or other hard surface it should have a fall so that water will drain away and the DPC will be placed in strips below each of the floor members.

The DPC is only good for protecting the bottom of the shed from moisture in the ground, for protecting the sides of the shed against wind driven rain then we need to look at some paint systems.

The paint system that you use will act like a coat to help the wall shrug off the rain

The best rain coats stop the rain getting in but also allo...