A shed in your garden is a great way to keep your yard organised, have everything you need for your garden within reach or create a small workshop for your hobbies. They provide shelter for important things, but they can also be a nice addition to your garden.
In Australia garden sheds are a common sight in many backyards, but they are also used for farms or for businesses. For your house, they're a useful addition, not only if you like gardening, but also as a storage space for your gardening equipment, pet toys, children's outdoor toys, tools... or for anything that requires a well-protected space outside of your house.
Being so high in demand, manufacturers offer many options for garden sheds. They can be built from different materials, and they come in different sizes and styles. But, when you are installing a shed in your garden, there are two most important traits to focus on: durability, and appearance. Select a garden shed made of materials that will last you for a long time, having in mind long term maintenance. And, of course, when you are installing a structure that you'll always see in your yard, you'll want it to bland in nicely with your house and to look good.
The Exterior: Longevity and Appearance
Sheds are exposed to all kinds of weather, so it's important that the materials used for building them are strong and can withstand a lot. Due to Australia's harsh weather conditions, and very high UV levels, garden shed construction materials have to be tested specifically for our climate.
Colorbond Garden Shed
If you are looking for a reliable material that will look good for a long time, without the need to repaint, Colorbond garden shed is a great option for you.
Colorbond is a strong and durable steel cladding, designed to resist damages, such as corrosion, scratching, peeling, cracking or blistering. It's one of the most durable materials, very suitable for such structure as a garden shed, that will be exposed to different weather conditions. With their proved structural integrity and the quality materials, Colorbond garden sheds don't require constant maintenance and repairments.
Apart from their durability, Colorbond sheds are one of the most popular choices because they come in a variety of sizes, styles, and on top of that, colours. The colour is baked on the surface layer, so the colour won't fade or chip off easily. This makes it even more attractive, since repainting won't be necessary. Besides, they are manufactured for easy and fast on-site instalment. All of this makes them very time and cost efficient.
Zincalume Garden Shed
Another great option regarding durability, are Zincalume garden sheds. The most appealing thing about them is that they are the cheaper option, on top of being reliable.
Zincalume is a material made of a combination of zinc, aluminum and silicon. Like Colorbond, Zincalume is resistant to scratches and corrosion. It's made to withstand typical Australian weather conditions and it's thermally efficient. Since it's mostly maintenance-free, it's also time and cost effective. Zincalume garden sheds don't need painting or coating, because they are finished smoothly. However, their aesthetics can be considered as their main disadvantage when you compare them to Colorbond garden sheds. The shiny aluminium appearance can also make them unsuitable for your house, and even incompatible with some properties, such as properties in a vicinity of an airport.
Both types of sheds use the same steel base, and both have very durable structures. They are 100% Australian made, which means you can be sure to have an almost maintenance-free garden shed that will last you for a long time.
Whichever you decide to add to your garden, keep in mind that you can prettify the appearance by yourself with some creative work. If you find the pre-made shed boring, you can adorn the structure by adding decorative elements like trellises, building a path towards it, or by placing pots or planting vine plants or other beautiful plants around it.
The Interior: Practicality and Compactness
Regardless of the size of the garden shed, the inside is as important as the outside. Once you've chosen the right colour and material for your new shed, the next step is to choose the right, quality accessories. For the floor you may opt for a concrete slab, but if you think you might want to change its spot down the line, or if you are renting and have to move to another house, wooden or timber flooring are excellent options.
With all the different purposes you can assign to your shed, whether you use it as storage or as a workshop, lightening plays a crucial part in its usefulness. Besides installing proper electricity and enough lights, you can also let some natural brightness in your garden shed, by adding shed windows or skylight roof sheets. Besides making your garden shed brighter, this will make the structure look even better.
Since the main purpose of installing a garden shed in your backyard is space saving, it's prudent to have it well organised. Although it's extremely useful, taking care of it implies a lot of work. Fortunately, there are very efficient ways to organise a shed.
To make the most of it, first you should instal shelves, and even add plastic or metal bins, to keep the shelves themselves organised. Hooks and hangers will keep your tools easily reachable and keep your shed tidy. You can also add a table for your pots, or to use it as a workshop desk.
