A garden shed is most commonly a simple, single-storey wooden building placed on an outside, unused lot for storage, gardening, or as a workshop. Commonly, a garden shed is built with a concrete floor and has little or no internal walls to protect the contents from the elements. The use of shed includes a variety of applications including storing garden tools, small equipment, and other personal belongings.
There are many different shapes and styles of sheds ranging from individual buildings with one or two rooms to sprawling industrial sheds with multiple stories and roofs. There are many different sizes of sheds available depending upon your needs. Smaller sheds are suitable for items that are not often used such as lawnmowers and bicycles. Larger sheds are more suitable for items that are needed frequently but do not have a designated room to store them.
In addition, these sheds may also be used as a workshop, and a variety of unique designs are available with various roof styles. Most commonly, garden sheds are built with a single, upright pole called a rafter. This rafter can be made of either wood or metal depending on the structure of the shed and the location in which it is to be built. The apex shed has a sloped roof that extends outward from the main building. It is common for this roof to extend straight up towards the property line or fence. Most apex sheds are one story and are typically large enough to hold medium-sized equipment.
The basic design of a bicycle shed includes three sides with the bottom side known as the “S” shape. A bicycle shed’s roof is typically made of wood and overhangs on each side. Many garden shed designs use the apex shed as the entry point to a backyard by incorporating a gable side, which allows the shed to be accessed from a straight or curved driveway. The metal frame of sheds are generally built from steel tubing or heavy duty plastic. Manufacturers prefer stainless steel because of its durability and resistance to corrosion. Aluminum frames are less expensive but are prone to rusting.
A metal sheathing is installed over the steel frame and on the outside of the shed. Sheathing is available in various thicknesses to meet the varying needs of shed construction. There are several manufacturers of metal sheds who offer a variety of options. Custom designs are also available from metal sheds to create a unique structure that is designed to blend into the surrounding landscape. There are a number of manufacturers who specialize in custom built structures. The Internet is a good source for finding the right metal frame shed for your landscape.