Think about the biggest thing you will store. Hand tools and a strimmer fit in a small shed. A walk-behind mower needs a floor of about 4ft x 2ft 6in. An adult bike is about 5ft 9in long, so bikes need 6ft x 3ft or more. For bikes, a mower and garden furniture, 8x6 is a popular size. Leave room to walk in and reach the back.
A good plastic shed is strong, dry and needs very little upkeep. Resin and polypropylene do not rot or rust, the colour runs through the panels so there is nothing to paint, and most makers use UV-protected panels. Heavier sheds with a steel-reinforced roof and a floor feel the most solid. Each product page lists what the shed is made from.
Some do and some do not. Some sheds include a floor, some have a floor kit sold separately and some are made to sit on a base. Check the Floor row on each product page, or see the plastic sheds with floors collection.
Yes. Every shed needs firm, level ground or the doors will not line up. Options are a concrete slab, paving slabs, or a plastic grid base kit filled with gravel. A grid kit such as ProBASE is quick to lay, and adjustable kits such as QuickJACK can level a shed on uneven ground.
Every product is sold by Shedstore, a UK online garden building retailer. When you click a buy button you go to Shedstore's website, you pay Shedstore and they handle your order, delivery and any returns. We do not sell anything ourselves.
Shedstore says standard delivery is free on most items to mainland UK, generally on weekdays. Some remote postcodes pay a surcharge, and a paid Pick-A-Day service is offered on some products. The delivery section of Shedstore's product page shows the details for your postcode.
Sheds are sent by the maker, so many have a lead time, for example a few weeks. During that time the maker contacts you to arrange a delivery date. Delivery is to the kerbside or your driveway. Shedstore's postcode checker shows the lead time for your area.
Under Shedstore's terms you have 14 days from delivery to change your mind. Return collection is charged by the maker and taken from your refund. For example Shedstore lists £50 for Keter, £30 for Shire and up to 10% of the order for Palram Canopia. Call Shedstore before you do anything.
Most plastic sheds are built by two people. A small shed can take a few hours and a large one most of a day. Lay the base first, have a drill and a step ladder ready, and follow the maker's instructions in order.
Most garden sheds in England do not need planning permission as long as they are behind the house, no more than 2.5m high within 2m of a boundary and do not cover more than half the garden. Rules differ for listed buildings, flats, protected areas and in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so check with your council if you are not sure.
Our value score is our own sum from the listed specs and Shedstore's price. For a shed, 45% is price per square foot against other sheds, 25% is guarantee length, 20% is features such as a floor, windows, a lock or double doors, and 10% is any saving off the RRP. It is not a customer review and we have not tested the sheds.
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