Buying a Garden Shed
Thursday, May 8th, 2008
Another question I gat asked is “what points should I consider when buying a Garden Shed?”Firstly I would say, think about your intended purpose for your garden shed and also consider how long you would like it to last.
People ask me whether they should go for Metal garden sheds. These are worth considering as they are quite durable, but on the downside they often come in kit form with hundreds of parts. Unless you fancy spending your valuable weekend putting the thing together I would go for something else. Also they tend to drip with condensation so be careful what you put in there when you eventually get the thing erected.
It is important to look at the basic construction of your intended purchase. Unless you have a short term use in mind I would say avoid sheds with an overlap construction. These are the type of Garden sheds that look as if the four sides are made from the cheaper style Fence Panels. The material used to produce these tends to be very poor and have little strength. They also often use Oriented Strand Board also known as OSB, Waferboard or Sterling Board (a chipboard like material) in the roofs and floors. Although this has some water resistant properties it does not wear well and with use, particularly in wetter months soon start to fall apart. Typically I would not expect to get much more than two or three years use out of a garden shed like this.If you are looking for a more durable product, look for something with a tongue and groove or T&G construction. These are far superior to the overlap option. Initially they are more expensive to purchase but you can expect a far longer lifespan and you won’t have the expense of disposing of the garden shed after only a couple of years. Again try to avoid shed that use OSB. Most standard construction Garden Sheds use an ex 16 mm T&G (12mm finished after the planning and moulding process) and a 50mmx25mm framework (20mmx45mm after planning).
You can often upgrade to a more heavy duty construction with thicker T&G and heavier framework. Generally you will get a longer lifespan from a thicker T&G. However the life of the shed will depend on how and what you treat it with. See my previous article on “14″>Treating Garden Sheds”.You will also need to think about the style of your shed (Pent or Apex). Apex garden sheds generally have the doors in one of the gable ends although some manufacturers can position the door in any of the side panels to your requirements (see our Excel Apex for example). Pent sheds can usually have the door in any of the four sides to you liking (see our Excel Pent and Premium Pent garden shed). However the style of pent sheds may not suit everyone’s taste.Finally it may well be worth looking at pressure treated sheds. These are undoubtedly more expensive. However they will with minimal maintenance and careful positioning (as with any shed) outlast most of the other options. Look for products treated with E or Wolmanit.
Guide Information:
This is a guide only, if there is any part that you do not understand then sheds direct would recommend seek further advice.Sheds Direct takes no responsibility if injuries are caused using any of the guides, these are guides only and for information purposes only.