Garden Shed Security

A garden shed can store thousands of pounds worth of tools. Those same tools in the hands of a deterrent thief could even be used to break into your home. Securing your belongings stored in a garden shed is paramount.

Follow these easy steps to lock your shed up securely and keep your belongings safe

Build on a Secure Location

Don’t make your garden shed attractive to potential burglars by choosing a location that’s viewable from the street, such as the end of your driveway. It’s preferable to build in a spot that’s covered by a security light. If someone does try to break into your garden shed, you want to have maximum visibility so you can see anyone roaming around where they shouldn’t be. Some people tend to keep the light off their shed thinking it’s only going to give thieves the light they need to make it easier to break into. This isn’t always the case because they’d just bring a torch. With a security light, it’d be like breaking into your shed in broad daylight. Most burglaries happen after dark so the security light can lessen the likelihood of your shed being targeted.

Use Closed Shackle Padlocks

A lot of timber garden sheds will come with a standard padlock that’s best to be upgraded as they can be easily picked or broken. The most secure padlocks to use on outbuildings are closed shackle padlocks because bolt cutters can’t be slipped in to break the shackle.

Upgrade Your Hinges

The hinges on standard garden sheds are only held in place with small screws. These can be forced off or the shed door prised off. You can enhance the security of your shed door by swapping screws for nuts and bolts with the bolt on the inside of the shed and glued in place to stop it from being turned with force.

Window Security

Shed windows are the weakest point in your garden shed. If you don’t need sunlight and only use your shed for storage, consider sealing it off. If you’d rather keep the window, use curtains so nobody can see through the window to see what’s stored. You can also buy film to put over your windows such as opaque film or a mirror acrylic to turn your window into a mirror but still allowing a decent amount of sunlight into the shed.

Alarm Systems

Garden sheds without electricity wired up will need to use a battery-operated alarm system. These are inexpensive to buy and straightforward to fit as there’s only a few components to install. Motion sensors in a corner of your shed to cover the door and any windows and the operating panel that houses the batteries and where you’d activate and deactivate the alarm using the keypad and usually a four-digit code. Be sure to change the code from the default 1234 or 0000 as those will be first pins entered to disable the alarm, defeating its purpose.

Bike Locks for Your Large Expensive Items

If you’re going to be leaving your home for a while such as when you go on holiday and don’t have anyone keeping an eye on your place, it can make your property attractive to burglars. To make things more difficult for anyone who does get into your shed, you can attach larger more expensive items together making them bulkier to carry away or longer to break more locks. Bikes chained to lawnmowers and petrol strimmer will be harder to steal together than if they were stored in the shed with no additional security.

About Shedman

Shedman custom design timber outhouses and build garden sheds delivered and installed in Glasgow.

 

If you’re using your shed for anything other than storage, such as converting it into a games room or using it as a workshop, it’ll be far more comfortable with a little boost to the temperature letting you use the shed any time of the year. It can also be cheaper to insulate your shed than to wire it up with electrics to run a small halogen heater, which would cost a lost to run because without insulation, heat would be lost.

It’s estimated that up to 40% of heat in a shed is lost through the floor alone. For that reason, it’s worth considering underfloor insulation which will need installed when you’re laying your garden shed base. The easiest to install is damp-proof membrane and a layer of carpet over the top of it. However, if you are using carpet, be cautious as they can become damp if the membrane fails so it’s a good idea to use quality membrane that’s thick and perhaps double layer it for added protection.

Insulating the Walls of Garden Sheds

The cheapest insulation for the walls on garden sheds in Glasgow is bubble wrap. Plain, simple and cost-effective. The bubble wrap will need cut to size to fit over each post on the shed’s framework. Do not staple or tack the bubble wrap directly to the cladding because there needs to be an air gap to prevent damp problems. Using a stapler, attach the bubble wrap to the framing.

Once it’s installed, it won’t look pretty but it will do the job of keeping more heat in your shed. To improve the appearance, you can panel off the walls using MDF to cover the bubble wrap. Like before, the MDF needs cut to size and attached to the framework.

A higher quality material is foil-based bubble wrap. This takes advantage of bubble wrap and tin foil so you could DIY this if you wanted as it’s essentially two sheets of tin foil with bubble wrap sandwiched between them. Unlike traditional bubble wrap that needs an air gap between the cladding, foil-based bubble wrap can be cut to size and fitted directly onto the cladding with no air gap.

Another insulation option that’s a little more expensive but more effective is to use Celotex insulation wall lining for timber building. Different Celotex insulation panels are suited to different parts of your shed. Some can be installed on the floors (under or over slabs) in the panels between the shed’s framework, including for lining the ceiling.

For more Information on Celotex products, you can download the guide at: https://www.celotex.co.uk/assets/handy-guide_nov18.pdf

Fiberglass Wool Insulation for Timber Garden Sheds

Fiberglass has the added advantage of keeping humidity levels lower in timber sheds, which can be helpful for storing more delicate items that could be affected by high humidity levels. You will need to wear protective gear when working with this as it is made of tiny bits of glass. If you touch it with your bare hands, the itchiness is torcher. Cover your hair face and hands if you’re going to install fiberglass panels or glass wool as it’s sometimes called.

Treat Your Interior Wood Before Insulating the Walls of Garden Sheds

This is important because once your insulation is fitted, you won’t be able to get to the cladding without ripping out the insulation. Before you apply any insulation, treat the walls with an anti-fungal treatment or pesticide to prevent any damage. The higher quality the better because you don’t want to be taking your insulation out regularly to treat your timber. Some products are wash on treatments, others are paints and lacquers.

Shedman.co.uk are experts in workshops and garden sheds, Glasgow-based and handmake all our timber outbuildings with the highest-grade timber imported all the way from Sweden.
View our garden shed ranges here.

Garden Shed Base: Why You Need One and How to Build It

 

A garden shed base serves a few purposes. Without one, the shed won’t last. The base is needed to support the weight of the shed, to level the ground and to allow for air circulation. You also need to work out where you are going to build your base in the garden.

You won’t achieve all three objectives by laying down some planks of wood to erect a shed on as that won’t give it nearly enough support. In addition, while the ground needs to be prepared for a base, it also needs to be elevated slightly above ground level to allow for rainwater runoff, otherwise, water damage could become problematic. Sheds will shift when they’re sitting too close or directly on the surface of soil or grass because as the ground gets wet, the shed will slope and slant. The purpose of the base is to provide a consistent level base that doesn’t change with ground conditions because the base keeps it off the ground surface.

Types of Bases

There are three materials you can use to build a garden shed base. Wood, concrete and plastic.

Concrete Garden Shed Bases

Concrete includes using paving slabs to cover an area for the shed to be built on. Laying these takes the longest but it does provide the most stable and longest lasting secure base for your shed.

To build a garden shed base using concrete or paving slabs, you’re going to need sand and aggregate to lay on the ground first. If you’re using paving slabs, you’ll need to account for the depth of the slabs and adjust the depth the ground is prepared for. Most will need the turf removed to a depth of 100mm, then a layer of aggregate spread and levelled, then another layer of sand around 30mm thick spread and levelled before laying the slabs.

Using concrete or paving slabs as the base for garden sheds is time-consuming and messy. If you aren’t a DIYer or aren’t comfortable working with construction materials, it’s probably best to hire out the laying of a concrete shed base to a local contractor, either a handyman service or a local landscaping company.

Wooden Shed Bases

A wooden shed base is easier to install but it’s only suitable for smaller sized sheds. A kit will include pressure treated timber strips and galvanised steel brackets. It’s best to put the components together where you’ll be building your shed because it’s heavy once constructed due to the number of timber planks used. A rectangle is formed around the outer of the base, then the inside fitted with bearers to provide additional support. If you are using a wooden shed base, you are going to need level ground. This can require additional prep work before you can install the wooden base. If your garden is unlevel, it may be easier to install a concrete base as that’s easier to level rather than having to make alterations to the ground to make your wood base sit level.

Once the framework is ready, steel ground pegs/spikes are then used at each corner of the shed base to secure it into the ground.

Plastic Garden Shed Bases

Plastic garden shed base kits are made of tiles of interlocking grids that secure together but require a pre-base of builder’s sand and pea gravel to level the ground first and fill the spaces within the grid once laid. These are the easiest to install as it’s only joining tiles together, locking them in place with pegs supplied then filling the spaces with pea gravel for added strength. The trickier part is getting the ground level.

The strongest and longest lasting is to use a concrete base or a base built with paving slabs. However, that’s only if you know you want a permanent garden shed installation. If you think you’ll move home and want to take the shed with you, then a wood or plastic garden shed base are options that let you take your shed down, pack the base up and move it to your new home.

You’d be forgiven for thinking the garden shed is only for gardeners. Truth is, it’s far from it. For those with the garden space, the shed becomes an extension to the living space. A place where odds and ends around the home can be put for safe storage; where mandatory gardening tools are stored, and somewhere for the kids bikes, summer garden accessories such as trampolines to be stored during the rough windy winter and given the right conditions, the shed can be used as living space for small animals like rabbits in hutches, or if you’re feeling generous, the entire shed can be converted into one monstrous size rabbit hutch.

The possibilities of the shed are endless. And get this, with the right type of garden features, according to propertywire.com, Brits can boost their property value by a whopping 20%. Why? Because the garden space is living space. It’s where we spend our summers, host barbeques, spend quality time as a family and the vast majority of home buyers see the garden as an extension to the home. The shed is an even bigger extension as it becomes an extra room…

An extra room that can be converted into any type of room.

• A home gym
• Equip the shed with electrics and you have the makings for a games room for teens
• Provided the size is right, it’s possible to fit a pool table in some sheds
• For most though, it’s a workshop – of sorts. With the added advantage of extra storage for things you really don’t want being brought in and out of the home.
  • Gardening tools
  • Fertilisers
  • Kids bikes when the wheels are all muddy from riding over grass, through puddles and picking all sorts of grit in the tyres.

The shed is the place to store anything and everything. Provided, that is, you have it organised in a way you can actually fit everything you need to store in your secure wooden outhouse.

How to organise your shed for maximum storage space

Install a worktop

You don’t need to be using your shed for a workshop to benefit from a worktop. Secured to the studs of solid wood sheds, you can make the most of wooden countertops by installing some simple to DIY wood runners under the worktop to store plastic bins – drawer style.

Don’t like the look of everything stored under there? …

To the front of the countertop, you can seal it off with a single piece of curtain wire and some fabric.

Concealing storage with colourful fabrics

Remember back in the day when sink-skirts were used instead of cabinets? You can fit the same skirt system under your worktops to hide all the items stored under there, helping to keep your items out of sight, making your shed look much more presentable.

Adding vinyl to your floors

Adding vinyl to your shed floors makes keeping it clean much easier. Clean it like you would your kitchen floor. This is an ideal floor covering for sheds used for storing bicycles and for kids playhouses because of the cleaning simplicity.

Pegboards

A single sheet of MDF with some pegboard stapled over it gives you tremendous storage capabilities because you can hang much of your smaller equipment up so they’re easy to find when you need them, rather than having to fumble through tool boxes and storage containers to find the small pair of gardening sheers or a trowel every time you need it.

Shelving

Shelves can be used for storage, but they can also be used to add a touch of personalisation. For the avid gardener or wood worker who spends a lot of time in the shed, photo frames or artwork could be put on display, or to display something like a Corgi collection of Stobart trucks. Whether practical or personal, shelving systems are always a welcome addition to the garden shed.

Hooks and twine

To make better use of the storage space, while keeping your gardening tools organised, give your walls purpose. Hooks can be inserted into the wall studs, then some wire or twine strung between them and all of your tall upright tools will stay upright, out the way until you need them. It’s the simplest storage system for keeping your spades, hoes, and garden rakes organised.

With a little creative thinking and a little DIY, sheds can become that extra storage room many an average-sized family home needs.

 

It’s easy to decide to put a new shed in your back garden. Everyone could do with a little more space, whether it’s for a wood working hobby, or just for extra storage. The next issue becomes where you’re going to put it.

It should be noted that a shed is considered just a shed when it doesn’t take up more than half of your back garden. For those with a tiny backdoor, you may be best to check with your local council to make sure you don’t need planning consent first. For the purposes of installing a wood shed, it’s considered permitted development (meaning you don’t need planning permission) when it meets the following criteria:

• The shed is at the back of your house and not your front garden
• Nobody is going to live in it
• It doesn’t take up more than half the garden space
• Isn’t higher than 4 meters with the eaves (where the top of the shed’s walls end and the roof starts) no higher than 3 metres.

…And, you aren’t building the shed in a conservation area. If that is the case, check with your local council before starting. It’d be a nightmare to have a shed built only to be told it needs to come down.

Once you know you can go ahead and put a shed in your back garden, the next thing is figuring out where.

Sheds should be positioned at least 2.5 metres away from your home to allow for plenty of space to walk around the shed, make any repairs to the wood panels and be able to coat it with a preventative sealant each year, unless the wood used is cedar or higher quality letting you get away with longer durations between coatings. Nevertheless, leaving 2.5 metres gives you plenty of space to access all parts of the shed and has sufficient for air flow.

Where to Install a Foundation for a Garden Shed

When considering where you’re going to put your shed foundations, think things through carefully before committing and go through some prep work to minimise hassles later on.

Things to consider for positioning your shed…

• The purpose of a new wood shed

For those building a wood shed for storage, the main aspects to consider are security and access. Light isn’t really too big a deal when you’re only using the shed to store things. If you plan to store valuables in your shed, it’s a good idea to have the shed within reach of a motion sensor security light.

For sheds being used as workshops, you’ll want a spot in your garden that captures the most sunlight. That is, unless you’re going to be working from the shed a fair bit, in which case, direct sunlight could make it stifling hot throughout the summer. Keep in mind that most sheds do not have opening windows or vents. The only vent you have in a wood shed is the door, plus the gaps between wood panels. Not enough to provide a decent breeze.

• What’s around your back garden?

Look around to see what’s in your back garden that could potentially damage your garen shed. If you have trees with overhanging branches, this could cause the sap and excess moisture to build up on the roof felt, (and could cause falling branches to damage the shed) meaning you’ll have more maintenance to do for the roof.

Whenever possible, keep debris clear of the shed, especially plants and trees that can cause a moisture problem, leading to damp becoming an issue. This is the same for back gardens with hedges. Not only will you need to have the shed built in a spot where you can easily work around the outside to make any repairs, but you’ll also need plenty of space to perhaps get ladders in to reach the top of the hedge, keeping it trimmed, to prevent overgrown hedges being in constant contact with the shed’s wall panels.

With regards to trees in your back garden, definitely leave plenty of space because as trees age, the roots can wind up growing under your shed, leaving it unstable.

Ground Levelling for Shed Bases

For back gardens with a slope, it’s best to level the ground first. Bases for sheds can be concrete, wood, or slabs. Something to keep in mind about your base material is you want something with good ventilation while preventing water from pooling under the shed. Some options include using a solid concrete slab, paving slabs or pressure treated timber bearers.

The most important aspect of a sheds base is ground levelling, because if you try to erect a shed on a slope, you can find bolts don’t line up correctly for a secure and stable build with minimal risk of the wood warping.

A well-cared for garden shed should stand the wrath of winter with ease. It may get the odd chip here, crack there, and even hairline cracks or complete tears across the roof felt – but it’ll still be standing when Spring rolls around. When the better weather appears, it’s the ideal time to give it some TLC, making sure it’s looking great for the rest of the year and prepped for next winter.

Did you know a quality wood shed can last as long as 30-years? That’s provided you take good care of it.

Here’s our 5 Top Tips for Shed Maintenance

 

1. Always apply a preservative before painting

They say sprucing your shed up is as easy as applying a coat of paint. That’s not exactly true. A water-based paint with no weather resistance is going to look terrible when the first bout of bad weather lands. Exterior paints for sheds need to be weather proof and it’s always better to add a “preservative” before painting. The reason being, paint isn’t only for aesthetics. It’s for protection against the elements. Wood preservatives are sealers and you can apply it to the interior of your shed walls too.

How often should you treat your timber?

It depends on the wood used. Annual treatments are recommended for most woods, unless it’s been pressure-treated or cedar wood, which don’t need treated as frequently.

2. Felt roof lining doesn’t last forever!

The roof on wood sheds should have a felt liner on it. Depending on the quality of the felt, it may need a double layer. Most quality felts only require a single layer, provided it’s applied with care and attention ensuring it fits snug, is airtight and not nailed down with rusty nails.

Provided sheds are located in a reasonably sheltered position, the felt may last as long as 15 years before it needs replacing. For sheds located more in the open where they take a beating from rain and snow every year, the felt can need replacing every two to three years and it’s important that it is.

Inspecting the felt itself doesn’t always make it obvious where there’s damage. The easiest way to tell if your roof felt is holding up is to check the roof from inside the shed, while it’s raining or shortly after. Any weak spots will show a wet patch visible from inside the shed. If the weather’s dry, spray the roof with your garden hose and see if any wet spots appear inside the shed. If it does show a wet patch, it needs the felt renewed.

Another thing to check your roof for is moss. Don’t confuse moss to be added protection. It’s not because it just sits absorbing moisture adding weight and wetness to the roof of your shed, shortening its lifespan. Save yourself some money and clean it off.

3. Sealing cracks and chips

Cracks and chips are common in wood sheds and they’re easily fixed, once you know where they are. That’s the difficult part as some can be so miniscule, they’re barely noticeable, but will still let water into the shed.

The easiest way to see where there are any cracks and chips needing sealed is to look at each panel from the inside during the day. If you can see light, water can get in. The easiest solution is to use a caulking gun with a silicone-based caulk as that’s flexible enough to expand and contract with the wood, which it needs to do to prevent further cracking.

4. Cleaning around the exterior

The exterior of your shed shouldn’t have overgrown plants, soil or weeds too close to it. Those, similar to moss on your roof, absorb moisture, which can lead to damp, mould, and all the conditions needed for fungi growth. Before long, wood rot can set in. If you have a garden planter beside your shed, don’t let them overgrow as it can affect air circulation.

The exterior of your shed should have plenty of air flow and nothing too water absorbent, otherwise there’s a risk of wood rot.

5. Cleaning inside your shed

Garden sheds are prime candidates for insects to set up home. Completely bug proofing is near impossible because you need ventilation. Where air can get in, the smallest creepy-crawly will too.

All you can do is control them by being careful what and how you store things in your shed. The ideal harbouring materials for bugs are cardboard and newspaper. Textiles can be problematic too by encouraging fabric eating insects such as moths and the carpet beetle.

In addition to cleaning, another preventative measure to keep bugs away is to keep your compost away from the shed, and wash all your gardening tools before returning them to the shed.