Everything You Need to Know About Garden Workshops
When buying a garden workshop, the process may seem relatively straightforward – simply search up what you’re looking for, find the size you want and then look for the best price. Whilst this is technically correct, there are a multitude of heavy duty garden workshops available, from the ‘cheap and potentially nasty’ to ones that could easily house a family of four. To ensure that you’re making the right choice, it’s important to do your research to find a shed that suits your needs. Remember: the cheapest option isn’t always the right one! By taking the time to read our guide, you should hopefully walk away feeling more equipped to make an informed decision.
Benefits of a Garden Workshop
Upgraded Storage
In order to be classified as a garden workshop, sheds must be at least 10 x 6 in size, meaning that whichever workshop you choose, it will offer fantastic storage potential regardless. Long gone are the days of having to cram all of your belongings into your garage, loft or spare room. Instead, with a garden workshop, everything could be stored in one easily accessible space.
Strong & Durable
Garden workshops aren’t just some rickety temporary structure, liable to blow down in strong winds, they are robust garden buildings which are made to last. Garden workshops are constructed from premium materials, such as pressure-treated wood. Additionally, when you purchase a garden workshop it is likely to be backed by a 10-year guarantee.
Excellent Workspace
As its name suggests, a garden workshop is the perfect place to practise your trade. A lot of expertise goes into designing a garden workshop, and size, door position, roof orientation, provision of natural light and insulation are all considered by manufacturers. Whether you are a carpenter, metalsmith or even just want to work from home in a wooden garden office, you’ll be able to find a garden workshop that is ideally suited to the requirements of your profession.
Ideal for DIY
If they’re good enough for a skilled tradesperson, then garden workshops are good enough for enthusiastic amateurs, too. Let’s face it: standard garden sheds aren’t really made to suit the needs of a DIY aficionado. And sometimes when you take your creative passions into the house, the abundance of tools, clutter and loud noise aren’t always appreciated by your family. The clear answer here is to invest in a garden workshop, where you’ll have the space, privacy and suitable working environment to get your project done with minimal fuss.
A Haven for Hobbyists
Going to work is a necessity and spending time with family and friends is valuable, but in order to live a well-rounded life, many of us also need some time to ourselves. What we do with this time is completely up to us, but more often than not it revolves around some sort of hobby. Hobbies can be great fun, although even the most fanatical hobbyists will acknowledge that the rest of their family don’t always share their enthusiasm. So, if you want a space to assemble your train set, practise your instrument or play your games console, buying a garden workshop is a no brainer.
What to Consider Before Buying a Garden Workshop
Size
One of the golden rules of designing a structure like a garden workshop is to never underestimate the size needed. Remember that you’ll always be able to make use of extra space, but there’s not much you can do to fix a space that’s not big enough. Most garden workshops will not require planning permission, but there are some restrictions around the maximum size that you can install. This size restriction is relative to the space you have available in your garden. You can read more about planning permission regulations here.
Use
The design of your garden workshop will depend on what you are going to use it for. Windows are a good example: if you intend to use it as a craft or hobby room, windows will yield enough natural light for you to focus properly. On the other hand, if you require a lot of storage space, windows would not be as useful as shelves, for instance. A partition can help to separate a workshop and maximise the space – storage on one side, work space on the other.
Quality
The quality of your garden workshop should be carefully considered. Opting for a budget price may seem like a good idea to begin with, but the likelihood of wear and tear could significantly reduce its lifespan. It is strongly recommended that you invest in quality, which can be determined by features such as:
● Solid Base: An uneven or unsupportive base can lead to severe alignment issues, which will cause issues with the opening and closing of doors and windows. Any additional stress can weigh on joints, leading to cracking or breaking which could even invalidate your guarantee.
● Strong Floor: Frequent use or storage of heavy items may put undue stress on weaker floors, and you might find yourself having to make costly repairs more frequently than anticipated.
● Heavy Duty Cladding: The right cladding will make for a strong and secure building. Not only will it make the space more comfortable during the winter months, but it will also protect your tools and equipment.
● Joinery-Made Doors and Windows: Finding the perfect fit for doors and windows is certainly worth the effort, as it will improve insulation and security.
● Roofing Material: At Timclad (York Timber), our garden workshops roofs are lined with green mineral felt as standard, but you will also have the option to upgrade to heavy duty poly felt. This will make the roof much more waterproof as a result.
Security
If you’re planning on storing tools and equipment of any value in your garden workshop, you should take every precaution necessary to ensure that they are as secure as possible. Security butt hinges can be included as an optional extra with the purchase of your workshop at Timclad (York Timber).
Uses for Your New Garden Workshop
Tool Store
A well-organised set of garden tools will serve you well if you are green-fingered. Having the right tools easily accessible, rather than having to rummage around in the back of the garage, will mean that you always have what you need when you need it most. Using your garden workshop as a dedicated tool store and you’ll thank yourself no end.
Bike Shed
If you love to cycle, then you’ll be grateful to have somewhere to keep your bike where it’s easy to get in and out without too much manoeuvring. A dedicated bike shed is the ideal use for a garden workshop, especially if all of your family members have bikes, and it will free up space in your home or garage too. It will also protect your bike from the elements, as well as keep it safe from potential thieves.
Workshop
If you love making things, or you might even be the family member who’s always tasked with fixing stuff. Chances are that if this is the case, you’ll soon find yourself swiftly moved on if you try and undertake any DIY at the kitchen table. Wouldn’t it be ideal to have a space of your own to get work done? A space where you can hang all of your tools, set out your workbench and use your power tools to your heart’s content without being disruptive. What better use for your new wooden building than a DIY garden workshop.
Home Office
With many of us moving to fully or hybrid remote working since the pandemic, it’s been a scramble to find an appropriate place in our homes to work productively. Using your garden workshop as a wooden garden office means that you can customise it to meet the needs of your profession – from natural light to plug sockets and suitable space for a desk.
Potting Shed
You’ll need a few south facing windows for this one to work, or perhaps even some skylights. As long as you have plenty of light, you’ll be able to turn your garden workshop into a small wooden greenhouse – the perfect place for nurturing young plants and overwintering.
Looking for Quality Wooden Workshops from a Reputable Supplier?
When purchasing a garden workshop, it is essential to choose a retailer that you can trust to deliver a high-quality product. At Timclad (York Timber), we’ve garnered a reputation for excellence thanks to our impeccable end-to-end service and production of exceptional quality wooden buildings. We ensure that all of our timber is imported from reputable forests, and we cut, mould and machine the timber ourselves to create the buildings we supply to our clients. All of our wood is Tanalised Pressure Treated, which means that we can offer a 10-year anti-rot guarantee on all buildings. Whether you’re in the market for a garden shed, wooden garden office, a children’s playhouse, a potting shed or timber workshop – no job is too big or too small for Timclad (York Timber). Browse our online catalogue, or for more information, please get in touch.