Building Type and Measurements
- Ridge height – 6’6”
- Eaves height – 5’1”
- Door height – 5’5”
- Door width – 2’11”
- External depth – 7’9”
- External width – 5’10”
The Windsor double door Shiplap garden shed is a budget building designed with large, lightweight storage in mind. Though the floor joists have been pressure treated for rigidity, the solid sheet floor still isn’t recommended for heavy equipment. The main stand out measurements for this model are its height and door width. Apex sheds are taller than other roof type buildings and they offer a large level of interior height.
However, it is the width of the doors that really shines on this building. Measuring an incredible 2’11”, you are guaranteed more than enough space to carry in even large garden furniture. It has an excellent depth and the width is also wider than average. All in all this is a spacious shed which should fulfil most people’s storage needs.
Roof and Floor
Being a more traditional style shed, this comes with a common apex roof. The shape of the apex roof gives the shed a lot more head room inside the building than a pent style model. It also offers the best level of water resistance. Though a very basic mineral felt is used to cover the roof, it still protects the building from debris and water damage.
Whilst the Shiplap exterior gives the impression that this is a high-end shed, the interior unfortunately doesn’t follow the same standards. The roof and floor are made from solid sheet materials, measuring 8mm and 10mm respectively. Pressure treated floor joists do improve the floor’s strength, but it still isn’t as durable as tongue and groove.
Cladding, Frame and Treatment Requirements
With thick Shiplap clad walls, this shed offers outstanding weather resistance. When you look at the panels, you’ll notice there is an indented channel between each piece of timber. This is more than just a visual design, it also provides a clever natural resistance against heavy rainfall. It ensures rain doesn’t have a chance to absorb into the wood, channelling it away to the floor. It is much more resistant than overlap and will therefore last for a much longer period of time. You should also find it pretty easy to install compared to overlap clad sheds thanks to the tongue and groove installation system. Each panel slots easily and quickly into the next, speeding up assembly time.
The framing used on the inside of the building is a little different compared to most other sheds. It measures 27mm x 32mm, offering a slightly sturdier support. Treatment wise, the shed has been basecoat treated at the factory, but this simply protects it through transit. You do need to apply a top coat treatment after installation and then continue to treat it annually. Do this and you’ll benefit from the shed’s 10 year anti-rot warranty.
Doors and Windows
We love the width of the double doors on this shed. Compared to other 8×6 models, the doors on this one are a lot wider. They come with a button catch which isn’t the strongest, but it will offer some protection from high winds; stopping the doors from blowing open. They aren’t braced, but they do have a very thick design so sagging shouldn’t be an issue.
A couple of styrene glazed fixed windows are situated on the side of the shed. As it comes with interchangeable sides, this means you can alter the position of windows to either side of the building. Styrene has one advantage over glass and that is the fact that it is 100% shatterproof.
Security and Privacy
The Shiplap cladding is the only real security provided on this shed. As it is very thick, it cannot be broken through; even with a crowbar. However, this isn’t going to prove very useful if a thief can literally just walk right on in through the door. Unlike some competitor sheds, this one isn’t supplied with a pad bolt or a hasp and staple. So if you do want to secure the doors, you will need to buy some type of locking system. A pad bolt or hasp and staple with a padlock would be the cheapest option. However, you could also invest in a mortice lock and key if you want to really secure the shed.
Although two windows are added to the building, they could be covered with curtains. This is something you can’t do on overlap sheds as the cladding isn’t thick enough to support nails being hammered into it. Shiplap on the other hand can easily support a curtain pole.
Customisation Options and Extras
In order to make sure this shed is stable and it lasts as long as possible, you will need to erect it onto a solid and very firm base. The ideal base would be concrete. However, if this isn’t an option then Shed Store offer a fantastic quality Portabase DIY Timber Base Kit. This is both fast and simple to use and it is pressure treated to guarantee that it will last at least 10 years. The kit comes with ground spikes to securely fasten the base down, ensuring it will not budge even in the strongest winds. Whilst it is pretty simple to put together, there is also a pretty good installation service you can take advantage of. However, we’d recommend building it yourself and using the money you save to put towards the Garden Building Installation service.
The building installation service is separate to the base installation. It won’t include assembly of the base, but a team will come and take care of the shed’s assembly. Some customers have had issues with the installation so if you can afford this service it could save you a lot of hassle.
Though a free treatment is included with the purchase, we’d recommend buying an additional one due to the size of the building. It is more than likely you will need to use a couple of coats to fully protect it. There are also four different colours on offer and they are 100% environmentally safe. They provide a very tough resistance to all weathers and they can be applied via a standard paint brush or a paint sprayer.
A DIY Assembly Assistance kit is also available as an extra. This could be worth buying, not just for the assembly of this shed, but for any future buildings you purchase. It comes with a pretty varied selection of tools including a hammer, brushes, saw, safety goggles and a safety knife.
Like so many sheds offered in the Windsor collection, this has a mixed quality design. The exterior is superior, whilst the interior could use some improvements. On the whole though, considering its price the quality you get is really good.
Longevity Of materials 8/10
A 10 year anti-rot warranty provides some reassurance that the shed will last, though it does require annual treatments.
This is the most popular size shed available on the market and it offers a lot of space to suit most people’s needs. Shelving could also be added which is another great benefit.
Ease of installation 7/10
The majority of the shed is simple to put together. However, a common problem comes when trying to install the roof. Some customers do find it a little tricky to ensure the roof is attached correctly. Therefore it might be a good option to pay for the professional installation service.
For a Shiplap clad building, this does come at a very reasonable price. However, it could really use a few improvements such as a thicker floor, better quality roofing felt and you will need to add a lock to the doors for security.
Final Thoughts: This superb Windsor double door Shiplap garden shed offers sensational value for money. It is one of the lowest priced Shiplap clad sheds of this size and offers a fantastic amount of storage space. You can store everything from bicycles to large equipment such as light lawnmowers and plastic outdoor furniture. With a 10 year anti-rot warranty you are reassured that the shed will really last the test of time. With fantastic natural water resistance, the building also benefits from an exceptionally tall apex roof, opening up a massive amount of headroom inside the shed. Overall it’s one of the best value sheds of this size available.
Prices around: £394.99
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