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Wooden Sheds
- What different kinds of wooden shed cladding are available?
- What is tongue and groove cladding?
- What is overlap cladding?
- How do you keep the bottom of a wooden shed from rotting?
- How do you keep a wooden shed dry?
- How high off the ground should my shed be?
- Do wooden sheds need planning permission?
- What’s the best base for a shed?
- Is it better to paint or stain a shed?
At Garden Buildings Direct, we offer two different types of cladding in our wooden shed range. Cladding is the covering on your shed, and is what stops the weather damaging the shed interior, as well as any valuables stored inside.
Our tongue and groove wooden sheds represent a premium option, providing interlocking timber which creates a strong and durable panel to ensure longevity and excellent weather resistance.
Meanwhile, as the name suggests, overlap boards are placed on top of one another to create a rustic, overlapping effect. While being a cheaper alternative to tongue and groove, overlap cladding is still excellent in allowing rainwater to easily run-off the side of your shed.
With tongue and groove cladding, panels are designed to interlock. The result of this are smooth panels which comfortably join together, providing a clean finish.
Tongue and groove cladding provides a huge amount of strength and durability to any wooden shed, thanks to its interlocking system. Because of this, the longevity of your shed will be increased, and more than enough protection will be provided against the harshest weather Britain is capable of throwing at it.
With overlap cladding, wooden boards are placed on top of each other. This provides a traditional and rustic aesthetic, as each board overlaps the previous one to create a panel effect.
Overlap cladding is a brilliant option for a starter shed. This cladding is much cheaper than its counterparts, while still providing plenty of weather protection, as it causes rainwater to run off the sides.
If you want your wooden shed to last, then proper care and maintenance is a must, with rotting wood being one of the most common problems to deal with.
There are several ways to prevent your shed from rotting:
- Keep your wooden shed off the ground. Place it on a sturdy foundation with pavers if possible.
- Place your shed in a sunny location, so heat can dry up moisture after periods of rainfall. Use treated wood.
- Spray water-repellent sealers onto the wood. This is something which is most effective when done frequently.
You can keep a wooden shed dry by venting it as much as possible during coldest months of the year. This will allow fresh air to circulate through your shed, preventing a build-up of moisture.
Heating your shed is also an effective means of keeping damp under control. If your shed has mains power, then a tubular or electric heater is definitely worth considering, in order to keep the internal temperature above the point where moisture can cause damp and mould.
If you intend to have your shed placed on a foundation or base, then we would recommend having the bottom of your wooden shed a minimum of four inches off the ground. This will allow sufficient air circulation underneath the shed, which is essential in stopping the underside of your shed from becoming damp, and rotting as a result.
Generally, due to their relatively small size, no. If they’re not likely to infringe on anyone else’s property and will go unnoticed, chances are you won’t need planning permission. Always check with your local authority however, if you’re not sure. There are a few minor regulations you should be aware of, so check these to make doubly sure you won’t get into trouble:
- The building shouldn’t be more than 2.5m high at the eaves, and 3m high at the ridge (4m if a double pitched roof).
- The building shouldn’t be at the front of the house.
- The building should be single storey.
Concrete, wood and plastic can all act as suitable materials for garden shed bases. We offer the Eze base, a wooden perimeter base fixed into the ground with plinths, and the EcoBase, a base in the form of plastic blocks that are fixed together and filled with pea gravel.
It is entirely personal preference as to whether you paint or stain your shed. Both have their advantages - they both protect and preserve the wood in their own individual ways; in the same vein, there are cons to both to consider as well.
Paint will add a much thicker, bolder finish to your wood as it sits on the surface and means that the grain of the wood, as well as any imperfections, will be rendered invisible. Stain soaks into the wood, meaning that the final tone of your wood will be influenced by it’s original shade.
Paint will last longer without needing to be re-coated, but once it does peel and chip, you’ll have to strip it off in order to paint again if you want a pristine finish. Stain wears away quicker naturally, but you can apply more on top of what you’ve already done.
Stain is generally cheaper than paint.
