Shed recommendations

[ehb102]

It's time to get a new shed here. Oh, wise Pigeon Watch shed dwellers, what should our shed be made of? Traditional wood? Modern metal? What would be the most effective choice for keeping out rodents and not requiring attention from its owners? Would a 10'x8' Yardmaster be the bargain it looks? Or will a metal shed just bake everything inside? Are plastic sheds insecure? Will traditional wood outlast all alternatives? 

I await your helpful wisdom. Thank you in advance.

[TIGHTCHOKE]

Madam, if you don't leave anything for the rodents to eat or nest in they will not be much of a problem.

Alternatively traps set will keep them down.

A Shed should be wooden with a felt roof.   

[Centrepin]

My daughter had one of them there metal sheds on her allotment, it attracted more break ins than a dozen less secure wooden sheds.

BTW, a shed should be twice as large as you need, cos you'll fill it twice over. It also needs at least a chair and a kettle😁

[oowee]

Metal will be dripping wet. Plastic will be warm cozy. I would forget brands and look at specification in detail. The last two I bought here in Somerset were made in Dudley. Transported and erected here for less than I can buy locally. 

One thing I am not so keen on is the gaps between eves and roof. It may be good for ventilation but here it let's in criters. 

[Yellow Bear]

31 minutes ago, ehb102 said:

Would a 10'x8' Yardmaster be the bargain it looks

FIL had one - useless after about 8 years, doors jamming and rusting,  whilst his ship lap workshop is still going strong after nearly 60.   IMHO corrugated bitumen sheets are better than felt for roof covering.

[Dougy]

It won't be big enough. 😉

[Remimax]

if you want a 2 day nightmare buy a yardmaster never again, coke can thin and 3 people to put it together.

oh and the sliding doors get blown in with wind total ****.

[Bigbob]

A large wooden shed raise the base a foot off the ground with bricks or slabs to let the air circulate and a terrier under it 

[oldypigeonpopper]

Hello, the shed factory Cambridge ?

[humperdingle]

Check out Tuin - we’ve had two log cabins (3m x 3m) from them - one made with 28mm “logs” and the other was 40mm. Very substantial construction and stay very cosy.

They do more utilitarian buildings, too.

[bodach]

I have two plastic sheds, easy to erect, come with floor require no maintenance just don't build in a wind swept location👍

[amateur]

My neighbour gave me his huge yardmaster.

He had had it 10 years and I have had it two.

It replaced an 8'×6' wooden shed that I had had for 20 years, had rotted and rats had taken up residence.

The yardmaster is bolted to a ratproof concrete base and, despite its flimsy appearance, still looks brand new.

It has swallowed up everything that I had previously kept in two sheds and the garage.

It has the advantage of 3 fully usable walls as there are no windows in the walls, all the lighting coming from the roof.

I'm happy with it.

[ehb102]

17 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

Madam, if you don't leave anything for the rodents to eat or nest in they will not be much of a problem.

Good Sir, That is what I thought. But apparently my shed has become party central for rats who are heading in to feast on stolen eggs and gathered seeds in peace. Admittedly it was a fairly rotten structure anyway. 

So far the recommendations look to be decent wood and a terrier. 👍 

[ehb102]

2 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, the shed factory Cambridge ?

Given they are local to me and provide a full service I'm following them up, thank you. I'd really like one of those ratproof concrete bases. 

[oldypigeonpopper]

6 minutes ago, ehb102 said:

Given they are local to me and provide a full service I'm following them up, thank you. I'd really like one of those ratproof concrete bases. 

Hello, what do they class as a rat proof base ? Rats will chew through just about anything for food, I'm refurbing a old barn where the rats tunneled underneath the solid walls, no foundations, 2 ft deep 🤔, I've fill all the inside holes with concrete and laid a rat proof wire mesh out side, there not likely to dig under a shed base but you could nail some mesh to the underside floor and raise off the base with 6 inch rafters, 

[ehb102]

8 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

Hello, what do they class as a rat proof base ? Rats will chew through just about anything for food, I'm refurbing a old barn where the rats tunneled underneath the solid walls, no foundations, 2 ft deep 🤔, I've fill all the inside holes with concrete and laid a rat proof wire mesh out side, there not likely to dig under a shed base but you could nail some mesh to the underside floor and raise off the base with 6 inch rafters, 

Concrete slab I think. 

[Ratlegs]

My son reckons if we had an aircraft hangar, we would still clutter it up

[oldypigeonpopper]

2 minutes ago, ehb102 said:

Concrete slab I think. 

1 minute ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

5 minutes ago, ehb102 said:

Concrete slab I think. 

That's ok but raise it up  with some rafters and make sure you put plenty of weather proof on them

[Mice!]

2 hours ago, Ratlegs said:

My son reckons if we had an aircraft hangar, we would still clutter it up

100%

I've been looking at sheds, and some of the prices are eye watering, even if they do look really nice. Its only really for bikes, and a few other things, because the 20 odd foot garage is full 😅😅