Garden Shed Materials

If you are thinking of buying a garden shed, you will need to think carefully about what you want to use it for, how long you expect to keep it, and how much you want to spend. All these elements will help to determine the choice of materials: wood, metal, concrete or glass-fibre.

Wood

Wood is probably the most commonly used material for garden sheds; it is relatively inexpensive and tends to blend in with the garden more sympathetically than other materials. Sheds made from naturally durable materials such as cedar are usually the best choice, although these are much more expensive than softwoods. If using softwood, avoid buying sheds that have been built using wood that has simply been dipped or painted; pressure-treated timber will last much longer. Treat softwood sheds with a preservative when new, and re-apply regularly.

Using a waterproof building paper to line the inside walls of wooden sheds will minimise moisture penetration and prevent tools from rusting.

Metal

Metal Shed You can also buy sheds made from interlocking sheets of aluminium. These are usually fairly small and are mainly designed as simple tool stores. The majority will have a sliding door, and a few will come equipped with an acrylic sheet window.

Steel sheds are also available. However, they can only really be used as tool or equipment stores as they tend to be fairly small and do not have any windows. If they have been treated to resist rust during manufacture they can be very durable. Although they are usually green they may also be painted any colour to match your garden scheme.

Concrete

Concrete Shed This is the most durable and long-lasting material for a shed, and consequently, the most expensive. The shed is usually constructed using pre-cast concrete sections on a firm, concrete base. The roof is almost always flat, although it may also contain plastic sections to let in light. The concrete may be finished with imitation brick or exposed aggregate or simply be painted.