The Best Location to Erect Your Storage Shed
Choosing a site for your storage shed will depend upon a number of factors, not the least of which is what you are intending to store inside it. An outdoor shed generally represents a reasonable amount of expenditure so you will want to locate it in such a way as to maximize its life, insofar as it is possible to do so. Another important consideration is the layout of your yard or garden and whether or not you want the shed to be visible or largely invisible, as well as the terrain of any proposed location.
Materials
Starting with the obvious, it’s important to note that storage sheds are generally made of hard plastic resin, although of course wood and metal are also used depending on buyer preference. Now hard plastic resin is strong and designed to withstand most weather conditions, however it is only common sense to ensure you don’t locate the shed directly underneath trees that are likely to drop heavy branches onto it. The same goes for metal and wooden sheds. You will naturally want to avoid this type of location in the interests of prolonging the useful life of your shed.
Size and Shape
The size and shape of your outdoor shed will also be important as to where in your yard you intend to locate it. If you have a very small shed that is designed to hold your trash cans, you will likely want to locate it reasonably close to your house and not at the far end of your yard where it might be inaccessible for its purpose. Some sheds are rectangular in shape while others are square and some will have side, front or top opening doors. You will need to take this into consideration before you purchase the shed so that you don’t have a problem when it is delivered. Are you intending to put in a pool or extend your house in the near future? It’s worth a thought before you settle on a final location for your shed.
Purpose
Outdoor storage sheds are used for a variety of purposes and this can impact your choice of site for locating it. Some folks will want to store pool equipment in the shed, while others might want to store garden tools in there. You might have a separate shed for each or perhaps one, large, multi-purpose storage shed. Alternatively, you might want to use it as a place where you can affect small repairs and use it as a small workshop, for example. Need to store kid’s bikes and/or toys? This too will influence where you decide to locate the shed. It doesn’t hurt to think ahead a little either.
Flat Terrain Always
Regardless of the site you have in mind, the most important criteria for choosing a site to locate your outdoor storage shed, is the terrain. It must be flat and if not, you will need to make it so. Even though most sheds will come with flooring of some description, they need to sit on a perfectly flat surface. This is because the clip lock construction, where pieces literally snap together to create the finished shed, will not work properly if the shed is sitting on uneven ground. Many people find their shed will not clip together and it is generally a problem with the ground not being perfectly flat, rather than an issue with the shed.
Visible or Invisible
Some people are pretty choosy when it comes to how their yard looks and others aren’t. If you fall into the first category you will need to decide if you want your storage shed to be seen or not. These days though, storage sheds are generally neutral in colour with white window trim and some even have a skylight. This being the case, the neutral colors and the overall design of the shed will blend seamlessly into the garden environment. If you don’t want your shed to be visible, you will want to locate it out of your line of sight behind bushes or trees.
Conclusion
You need to think about and decide where you are going to locate your storage shed before you buy it in order to avoid possibly having to return it. An outdoor storage shed is a heavy item and you won’t want to be manhandling it any more than is absolutely necessary. So take heed of the above tips before you buy and you should have no problem with the final location of your shed.
