An outdoor shed is a single floor structure with concrete roofs, walls, and doors made for storage purposes. This facility serves as a warehouse for your paraphernalia. Some people also used it for recreational or relaxation activities. The other terms for shed are shack, outbuilding, or outhouse.
Culturally speaking, outdoor sheds become a tradition for some countries. For instance, these storages are popular among New Zealand, the USA, or Australia. In some events, they even conduct annual contests for the most unique and amazing sheds in town.
In most cases, the sheds are situated in the back yard and distant from the house. If you’re planning to purchase a shack, here is the list to consider as your reference:
Quality and durability
What are the things to check in buying a shed? It’s quality and durability. You also need to check your environment to see whether the shack can survive in the long run.
For instance, if your place is a flood-prone area, you need to buy rust-free storage. If you’re near to a farm field or garden, you need to buy a metal or plastic storage. Well, the quality and durability also depend on several environmental factors and not just the materials used for the shed itself.
Wall structure and Flooring Foundation
Create a blueprint of your outdoor shed. Using your design, you can devise some ideas on what materials to buy. If you prefer the wooden style, you should buy quality plywood and timber. Use varnish and termite solutions on the material for its maintenance.
On the other hand, if you prefer plastic, PVC, or vinyl, there is no need for pest control, but you must clean the storage regularly. The plastic smell is a bit challenging to rid of in the long run because you cannot just wipe the surface to clean it. You must use solutions like soapy water to sanitize the plastic.
Last but not least, if you prefer metal and steel, these materials are also highly durable and long-lasting. However, these items are prone to rust. Hence, you must perform maintenance regularly to prevent any signs of corrosion. To have some idea on which items to buy, you may check on the Steeline site, and choose the best quality material for your shed.
When it comes to flooring, you can use either wood, asphalt, plastic, or metal material. Make sure that the floor can withstand heavy steps and it won’t get crack easily in the long run.
HOA and Zone Laws
Check the requirements first from the HOA rules and zoning laws before buying a shed. In this way, you will know the distance and measurement of the shack to purchase or build.
You can visit your local government to know the different laws related to sheds that you need to follow. Aside from that, you should also check with your HOA regarding the policies for the outdoor sheds.
Roofing Materials
There are four general types of roofing contours for an outdoor shed. You may choose from the pyramid, pent, flat, or gambrel style roofs. Apart from the appearance, you should check whether the roof material is durable, waterproof, and resist natural weather conditions.
For a solid shack foundation, you should consider the sheet metal, concrete shingles, or clay-based tiles or bricks.
Ventilation System
Choose a better ventilation device and system for your shack. For instance, installing windows and attic can help your shack have proper ventilation. You may also install an exhaust fan to diffuse the heat and bad odor.
However, make sure to list down the window screen on your notes as well. These window screens are usually placed to prevent insects from entering the shed. Aside from these ideas, you may also use a wall vent and place it at the bottom of your door.
Lighting Systems
LED bulbs and fluorescent lamps are great lighting devices to brighten up your shed. You should look for a quality brand with a standard watt to light up the area. At least one to two bulbs are recommended to brighten up the area evenly. Aside from installing interior lights, you should also need to put some LED bulbs outside the shed. (https://laserdocmd.com)
If you have enough budget, you can also buy some solar-powered lighting devices. It might be costly at first, but solar-powered bulbs can last longer and help you save up cash in the long run.
Check Your Budget
Outdoor sheds are considered as part of the home investment properties. They serve as storage for tools, excess household appliances, and other personal belongings.
Even if sheds are important for home, you should still need to check your budget. Are you capable of buying the shack? Can you spend cash on maintenance? Is the cost of buying cheaper than building a shed? These are some of the questions that you must consider for your budget.
Decorative materials
Why do you need decorations for your shed? Some might prefer a plain and simple shack. (kaieteurnewsonline.com) However, putting some decoration can reduce stress and relaxes the eyes from tiring work.
If you’re interested to embellish your shed, you should consider buying wallpapers, paintings, or plants. Landscaping and gardening around the shed can also boost its appearance. Just add some creativity to it and for sure, your design will stand out.
Overall measurements
The measurement of the outdoor shed depends on the floor and land area of your home. As a reference to the third bullet, you must check the consequences of buying a shack with the authorities.
By knowing this matter, you will know the distance measurements from your home to the shed. The authorities will also give you an idea about the supposedly standard size of a typical shack at home. In this way, you will know the dos and don’ts in owning an outdoor shed.
Safety Locks
Your tools and other personal belongings should be kept safely in your shack. To make this happen, you should use locks to protect your things from theft.
You may purchase heavy-duty padlocks, chain locks, or key-entry doorknobs. Aside from these devices, you can also place a CCTV camera somewhere on your shed so that you can monitor the surrounding. Before buying a home one should checkout these conditions.
