The Pros and Cons of Timber Garden Sheds

Last Updated on December 16, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford

Garden sheds are a useful addition to any garden. You can use a garden shed to store items that don’t fit easily in a house, such as a lawnmower, outdoor toys, or bikes. If you don’t have a garage – which is the case with many smaller homes – a shed or some kind of garden storage is essential.

Timber sheds are the most common variety of sheds. They are often the cheapest sheds on the markets, but it is important to be aware of the pros and cons of timber before you splash out on a new garden shed.

Read on for a rundown of the advantages and disadvantages of timber as a material for garden sheds.

Timber Sheds are Usually Cheaper

The main advantage of a timber garden shed is that they are usually the cheapest option. If you are looking for a budget shed for the garden, go for a timber one.

Wood is a Natural Material

Wood is a natural, sustainable, and environmentally friendly material. The fact that timber is so readily available is the main reason why wooden garden sheds are more common than sheds made from metal or plastic. If you buy a timber garden shed, you can rest assured that the production of the shed won’t have harmed the environment and when the time comes for that shed to be retired from use, it can be chopped into pieces and recycled.

Wood Looks Attractive

Most people would agree that timber is attractive. Because it has knots and a natural grain, no two pieces are the same. A timber garden shed will blend into the garden seamlessly because it’s made from a natural material, whereas a plastic shed will stick out like a sore thumb.

Wood Can be Stained and Painted

The beauty of a timber garden shed is that you can easily change its appearance if you choose. While natural wood always looks attractive, nothing is stopping you from staining or painting the timber in a different colour. For example, if you have plans for a she-shed, why not paint your shed in pretty shades of pink and lilac? Or, if you want your shed to blend in with the surrounding garden, use a green wood stain.

Timber Sheds Come in Many Sizes and Styles

Because timber garden sheds are so ubiquitous, it is very easy to find a shed in the exact size and design you need. For example, lean-to sheds are ideal for placing next to an existing building.

Timber Sheds are Strong

Wood is a strong material, and a well-constructed shed will have no problem withstanding bad weather, although you will need to treat the timber to ensure it continues to weather well.

Wood has Good Insulation Properties

Unlike metal, wood has natural insulation properties. In cold weather, it retains the heat and in warm weather, it keeps the heat out. This makes timber an excellent material for any garden building, including sheds. If you need extra insulation, this is available. For a garden office, extra insulation is essential, unless you don’t mind alternately sweating or freezing.

Now we have looked at the main pros of timber garden sheds, let’s review the disadvantages of buying a wooden garden shed.

Wood is High Maintenance

While wood is durable and strong, it does need regular maintenance if you want your shed to go the distance. Typically, the wood used in timber buildings comes pre-treated to give it extra durability, but over time, this treatment will wear off. After a couple of years, it is a good idea to apply a wood preservative to your timber garden shed, to protect the wood against moisture. This treatment will need to be repeated every year or so, otherwise, the shed will eventually rot.

Wood is Susceptible to Rot

As we just mentioned, wood is prone to rot under the right conditions. When wood is repeatedly exposed to moisture, fungi will break down the fibres and your nice shed will rot. This will happen if soil or garden waste is piled up against the side of a shed, or the shed is placed directly on to soil rather than a concrete base.

A metal or plastic shed, on the other hand, is completely impervious to rot.

Wood is Naturally Imperfect

Wood is full of natural imperfections, which is part of its charm. However, not everyone likes this property. If you want a perfect shed with no knots, whorls, splinters, or cracks, choose a metal or plastic shed instead.

Timber garden sheds are usually the best option because they are cheap and available in many different sizes and shapes, but if you want a shed that’s more enduring, consider a metal one.