Garden Sheds | Answering Your (un)Common Questions

that because you desired spending hours of time in your garden shed working on hobbies… or simply getting organized. Whether it’s for projects you actually need to do or to hide out from doing other chores that you don’t want to do is your secret and we won’t judge you! Here are some answers to common and some not-so-common questions about garden sheds.

What is a garden shed?

A garden shed is a small structure in the backyard or garden separate from the house that can be used for anything from simple garden tool storage, to a backyard man cave or even a home office!When we build a garden shed we want to help you build the idea of what YOU think it should be. That’s why we believe any shed that is built by a dedicated builder, like Northland Sheds, can be the ideal garden shed. A place for storing your garden tools surrounded by the beauty you have created. Since we are constructing you a garden shed that serves you and your needs, let’s look more into a few of the common and maybe some uncommon questions about garden sheds.

Can I live in my Garden Shed?

While most people don’t want to live in their garden shed full time, it is actually possible to live in a garden shed with a few modifications to the building. Many of our customers have chosen to use their garden shed as a cabin on remote land, a spare bedroom, or a temporary tiny house while they build themselves a larger house. We truly believe that when a garden shed is built with robust quality, integrity and design that you could live in if you so choose. Some of our garden sheds are even built with porches which add a nice homey feel. So yes you can live in a garden shed. However, we think living in a shed that is in your garden is much different than living in what is known as a garden shed. Some of our garden sheds are so large that living in them can be easily done! We have also written about one of our customers who used a large garden shed as a portable cabin.  Additionally, it is best that you check with your municipality to make sure that you can legally do so.

How are Garden Sheds measured?

Whether you want to know if you will have enough space inside the garden shed, or if you want to know if there will be enough space to place the garden shed on your property, its important to understand how the dimensions of a garden shed work.

Exterior Measurement:

The exterior measurement is the most common way that garden sheds are measured and that by the length and width of the exterior. This is also known as the building’s size. Garden sheds are measured in feet so if you find a garden shed that you like and it measures 10 x 12. That means the total foot print that the garden shed will take up is 10 feet by 12 feet.

Interior Measurements

Generally speaking, the inside of a garden shed’s dimensions will be roughly 1 foot less than the exterior dimensions both ways. This means if you find a garden shed that has a total measurement of 10×12, its total footprint will be 120 square feet, but the interior usable area will be more like 99 (9×11) square feet.

 If you want to know how we get that rough guesstimate of interior space with out actually measuring it, here is how you figure it out. Each wall is made up of 4″ studs, about an 1″ of siding material, and potentially a 1″ interior wall covering choose to have one. Add those up and each wall takes up 5-6″ of space.  Since you have two walls on every side, you are losing about 10-12″ of space on your exterior wall dimension measurements.

Keep in mind that these interior garden shed measurements might be different for other companies who choose to go with cheaper and thinner materials.  At Northland Sheds, we recommend only purchasing a shed that has solid walls built to residential standards so that you can have peace of mind for the security of your belongings.

How to keep garden sheds cool in the summer?

A garden shed is a wonderful place to store your gardening tools. Imagine having everything organized and where you want it before getting into your flower beds or vegetable garden! Sometimes you notice that it can become quite warm in the space and make it so uncomfortable in the summertime when you use your shed the most. You want to be able to keep your garden shed cool when you are in and out of it constantly and for that we have a few options to make sure that it is comfortable.

Ventilation

A simple vent is the most cost-effective way to keep your garden shed cooler in the summer. This allows you to have a constant airflow while also ensuring that you don’t end up with bugs inside of your building. (We offer 2 vents that are standard in all of our garden sheds).

Windows

Maybe you are planning on using your garden shed as a place to relax and store your gardening equipment. Adding windows to your garden shed will allow you to have natural light as well as having more airflow in your building. Check out this beautiful she shed that a customer of ours finished out for more inspiration.

Silvertech Sheathing

Silvertech sheathing is a special upgrade that we offer to our customers as a replacement for traditional OSB board on the inside of the shed. The best part of Silvertech is not its stunning good looks, the best part is that it is durable and is super heat reflective… meaning that your shed will not get nearly as hot as normal sheds! Thats right. Say goodbye to sweltering heat inside your shed! Ok, so it won’t be the same as insulation and air conditioning… but it will be significantly better than normal sheds for sure.

Just note that this is a feature that must be determined before you start building a garden shed.  You can’t add this feature after the shed is already in place.

Fan or AC Unit

Something you may want to consider doing is adding in an electrical connection to your garden shed. By installing an electrical system, you can easily install a fan to provide even more cooling for your garden shed. 

AC units are also a really nice thing to have depending on what you are doing with your garden shed. Just note that it is important to also have your shed insulated if you plan on running an AC unit in it. Check out this story about one of our customers who turned their garden shed into the ultimate craft shed space.  This space is fully climate controlled with both heat and ac. We loved it so much we took some video!

How to keep spiders out of my garden shed?

When you are looking at constructing a garden shed you know that some bugs are your friends and other times bugs are just a nuisance. However, a nasty spider can really put a damper on using your garden shed. To help you keep out the nasty critters here are 3 tips that you can keep spiders out of your garden shed.

1. Have a screen that is placed on the interior of your vent system. This will not only inhibit spiders from crawling into your garden shed but keep out dreaded yellow jackets, ants or other critters from taking up residence. At Northland Sheds, all our buildings come standard with a screen on the vent. 
2. Keep your windows closed. Like we said earlier, adding windows can ensure that you get the chance to enjoy added coolness in your garden shed. However, when you are not using the shed it is best to put your windows down so that spiders are not able to get into the shed and building their webs.
3. Fragrance. The final way that has been found to keep spiders out of a garden shed is by using some smells that they may not like. Research has shown that many bugs do not like the smell of peppermint or citrus oil.  The smell of these oils keeps many insects away. This may help to decrease the amount of nasty spiders from around your shed, and hopefully remove them completely.

How long does it take to put up a garden shed?

A garden shed is a wonderful addition to any home. We know you want to have your garden shed put up quickly so that you can start using it soon. How long it takes for your garden shed to be put up is dependent on couple of major factors.

The first factor is, how are you intending to build the shed. If you hire a builder or attempt the project yourself it may take several months or much longer. Getting a prefab garden shed from a shed builder will make the process go much faster.

Supposing you have decided that you want a prefab garden shed, you will then have to decide what style you want.  The fastest way to get a prefab garden shed is to simply to buy one that is already built (like the ones available on our display lots)  But since the shed is already built, you will not have a lot of control over its style, but you will be able to put it on your property in under a week in a lot of cases.

If you would like a prefab garden but need it to be a very specific style, you can custom design your own using our 3D builder. Typically, a shed ordered this way can be delivered to your property within 6-10 weeks.  Lead times do vary from time to time though, so it is a good idea to check about current lead times before finalizing the order if time is a significant concern.

No matter how you order your garden shed, site preparation before the shed arrives is an important step. To understand site preparation, a great place to get started is in this video. Delivery an installation of the shed itself often takes less than 2 hours.  You can see how this process works here on our shed delivery video. 

No matter what option you choose, once your shed is delivered there is no additional waiting time to start using your shed. Once it is put into place, on your prepared site,  you are able to begin using your garden shed immediately! 

So what kind of garden shed do you want?

As you can see so many things go into purchasing a garden shed.  We hope we have been able to answer all these questions for you in this article.  At Northland sheds, we want to provide you with the greatest experience of selecting a garden shed for your property. So try to design a garden shed in our 3-D builder, stop by a display lot to see what is readily available or contact us to help you get the process going. We promise to stand by our mission of providing you a shed that is built with: Quality, Integrity, and Beauty.