Building Your Own Garden Shed

January 11, 2019
elderly men building a garden shed

Gardening is a fulfilling pastime that has plenty of health benefits. From relieving stress to growing your own herbs, vegetables, and fruits, maintaining a garden is hard but fulfilling work. Creating a space where you can conveniently keep all of your gardening tools will not only help you keep things tidy it also frees up your living space and garage of clutter.

A garden shed is a practical addition to any property because of its perks. While it is mainly used for gardening equipment, it also provides you with extra storage for your other possessions. A shed can also raise your property value which is advantageous for when you decide to sell your property. While there are other alternatives as to how you can add a garden shed on your property, building your own is a fun experience with a great payoff.

Plan It Right

Before you start building your garden shed, make sure to do the proper research first. Generally, it is not required to acquire planning permission for structures like garden sheds and greenhouses for domestic use in the UK; however, there are certain sizing requirements that must be adhered to. There is also the determining factor of where your house is located. If it is located in a World Heritage Site, an area of outstanding natural beauty, or a National Park, the sizing requirements are different. By taking stock of these factors and integrating them into your building plans, you can avoid complications in your project.

garden shed under constructionDecide on a Style

After getting all of the requirements in order, you can move on to deciding which architectural style to use for your garden shed. While most homeowners choose to match their shed with their house’s style, choosing one that is in contrast to your house will allow both structures to stand out on their own.

The important thing to remember in choosing how to design your shed is its purpose. If it will be used solely for storing gardening equipment and other tools used around the house, it is better to pick a style that gives you the most storage space.

Choose the Right Materials

Choosing the right materials will determine the durability of your garden shed. Using concrete for your shed’s foundation will give it the structural soundness it will require to stand the test of time. For the wall, timber is a common choice because it is a highly durable building material that will keep the stored items in your shed safe from the elements. For roofing, corrugated plastic sheets are inexpensive yet durable and sturdy. Using these for your shed’s roof will give it adequate protection from rain, snow, and the stray cat or squirrel.

Start Building

After completing these initial steps, you can now move on to the actual construction of your garden shed. To ease you into the process, begin by marking out the structure’s location and size on your property. Next, clear the space of any debris like stones and level it to keep your shed balanced. Dig out a certain portion of the land for the foundation. After which, you can move on to the framework, then the walls and roofing. Make sure to always double-check your measurements to avoid wasting materials and to keep your shed balanced. While construction will take some time, going through the process step by step will result in a well-built garden shed.

Building a garden shed can be a challenging task with plenty of requirements, but being able to say that you built it on your own will give you a sense of accomplishment and fulfilment that is priceless.

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