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To camouflage a shed means making it blend in with the rest of the garden. This technique is usually done for privacy, aesthetic reasons, or to encourage wildlife.
If you’re going down this route, there are easy fixes that don’t require a full makeover. This guide covers a few ideas to consider, and we’ve made sure they work whether you have a wooden, metal, or plastic shed.
Painting Tricks to Camouflage a Shed
Ideally, you want the shade of paint on your shed to match your garden’s palette. You can’t go wrong with natural tones, especially with plants, trees, or fixtures like timber fences surrounding your outdoor space.
Colours like green, brown, or grey will do, but a weathered wood look is also nice if you want a neutral touch. Use your garden’s theme as a guide for your tone selection, as it often depends on what’s already there.
Now, regarding the type of paint you use. Metal sheds need paint that sticks to metal surfaces, such as 100% acrylic. For plastic storage, you’ll want specialised paint formulated to adhere to plastic. And wooden ones are best with water-based paint or a stain that’s made for outdoor timber.
Tips: Go for a matt finish, as it won’t reflect sunlight and draw attention. You might also want to check these shed paint colours for more ideas.
Train Climbing Plants (on Trellises)
Climbers have that magic to soften the hard edges of your shed. With time, they can make it look more natural rather than standing out like a box. Plants like ivy, clematis, or jasmine are lovely choices; they grow fast and cover surfaces nicely.
Though it’s okay to train plants on the walls, it might be better to grow them on trellises. Doing so, you can move them easily if needed, and it’s generally easier to manage them this way.
If your shed has timber cladding or wooden walls, screw or nail the trellis straight on. Use hooks or brackets for metal surfaces to hang the trellis without drilling holes. And if it’s a plastic shed, keeping the trellis freestanding or leaning it against the wall works just fine.
Give the plants some time to grow, and they’ll help break up the shed’s outline and, voila—camouflage!
Surround the Shed with Tall Plants or Shrubs
If the climbing plants don’t quite do the trick, try putting tall plants or shrubs around your shed. Bamboo, laurel, or ornamental grasses are good choices since they grow quite tall and dense, creating a natural screen.
This is a handy trick for metal or plastic sheds, too. Since you’re not fixing anything directly to the shed, there’s no need to drill holes or risk damaging the surface.
Use Fences or Screens as Visual Breaks
Too much camouflaging can hide the shed completely. To avoid this, put up a fence or screen nearby to draw the eye to other parts of your outdoor space. This helps the shed feel like part of the overall setup instead of standing alone.
We recommend lattice panels to let some light through or train climbing plants. Timber fence panels are solid and simple, giving a clean backdrop and doubling as a windbreak.
Have a look at other garden privacy ideas too—they might spark a few more ways to make things work around your shed.
More Tips for Every Shed Material
Let’s go through them, shall we?
Tricks to camouflage a wooden shed
You’ve already got a head start with the natural material, so make the most of it:
- Add texture with timber slats or cladding in different widths. It can give the shed a more modern or rustic look, depending on your style.
- Let it weather naturally if you’re going for a softer, aged appearance. Untreated wood will grey over time and blend in with more mature gardens.
- Match it to your decking or other garden woodwork to prevent it from standing out as a separate feature.
Ways to camouflage a metal shed
Metal sheds can stick out if you’re not careful, but you have options other than the ones above:
- Use magnets or magnetic planters to add light decor or foliage without drilling.
- Position it near a back fence or shaded area to keep it out of full view. Light reflection makes metal more noticeable, and tucking it into a corner helps tone that down.
How to camouflage a plastic shed
These can be tricky because you can’t attach things as easily, but it’s still doable:
- Use adhesive hooks or clips to hang lightweight decor or camouflage netting. Go for mesh that mimics leaves or natural textures to hang over the shed or across a trellis.
- Soften the base with gravel, bark, or low plants to anchor it, so it doesn’t throw off the garden’s look.
And there you have it! We hope these ideas to camouflage a shed help you achieve the level of screening and disguise you’re after. They can also be useful if you’re turning your garden building into a wildlife watching room. Good luck!
