Tiger Shiplap Apex Windowless Shed – Expert Review

The Tiger Shiplap Apex Windowless Shed is very much Tiger’s bread-and-butter building — the classic, traditional apex shed most people picture when they think of a proper garden structure. I’ve inspected several windowed versions of this shed at different Tiger show sites, and because the windowless variant uses the same materials, framing, floor, roof, and construction principles, I know exactly what you’re getting here.

And what you’re getting is a remarkably solid, traditional, dependable garden shed.

First impressions – “this is what a shed should look and feel like”

When I first walk up to it, the shed looks exactly like a garden shed is supposed to look.
Simple. Clean. Traditional.
An apex silhouette that wouldn’t look out of place in any British garden.

But the real difference appears the moment you open the door and step inside.

I’ve been inside plenty of sheds from big-box DIY chains. Many of them look fine from a distance, but once you’re inside everything changes:

• the cladding feels rough or splintery
• the floors are OSB and already flexing
• the roof bows when you press against it
• and the whole structure feels like it was designed to hit a price point, not last a decade

Some OSB floors I’ve tested have literally caved in under moderate pressure — and these sheds are often sold only slightly cheaper than Tiger’s.

The Tiger Shiplap Apex is the opposite experience.

Build quality – rock solid, no compromise

Everything about this shed feels tight, dense, and well machined.
No OSB. No flimsy chipboard. No rough timber.
Just proper tongue-and-groove construction throughout — roof, walls, floor, everything.

When I pressed down on the floorboards during inspection, there was remarkably little movement. The bearers are spaced sensibly close together, so the floor feels firm underfoot — almost like standing on interior flooring rather than a garden shed platform.

The cladding boards are smooth to the touch, with no splinter points. You can run your hand across the timber without worrying about catching a shard — something you absolutely cannot say for many sheds at this price point.

The door is well braced, properly hung, and fitted with a decent lock. Tiger could have saved money here — most manufacturers do — but they haven’t. You feel the difference the moment you pull the door closed: it gives a confident, tight click that tells you the frame is square and properly made.

Everything feels purposeful. Everything feels like it was built to last.

Windowless design – stronger, quieter, more secure

The windowless configuration gives this shed an extra level of structural rigidity and privacy. There are no cut-outs in the framing, no glazing points that introduce flex, and no visibility into the building.

From experience, windowless sheds nearly always feel stiffer — and this one does. The walls feel more solid when pressed, and there are fewer long-term maintenance points to worry about.

For anyone storing:

• tools
• lawn equipment
• bikes
• general household items

…the windowless design is a genuine advantage. It feels more secure, more contained, and more predictable long-term.

Door dimensions & real-world practicality

This is one of the most important practical details — and one that most reviews gloss over.

The single door offers a clear opening of approximately:

• 785 mm wide
• 1692 mm high

From hands-on experience, that means:

• push lawnmowers go straight in
• adult bicycles fit comfortably
• wheelbarrows pass through without lifting
• pressure washers and tool chests are no issue

Larger items — ride-on mowers, mobility scooters, wide pre-assembled benches — won’t pass through easily, but that’s exactly what you’d expect from a traditional single-door apex shed.

The door height means taller items like strimmers, ladders, or fence panels may need to be angled slightly on entry. Once inside, though, the apex roof gives far more usable headroom than the door height alone suggests. The door is the choke point — not the internal space.

Craftsmanship & materials – where Tiger really pulls ahead

If a company like VW were asked to design a traditional British garden shed, this is exactly how I imagine they’d do it — slightly overbuilt, slightly heavier than expected, and designed to quietly outlast its competition.

The tongue-and-groove machining is clean.
The framing is thick and evenly spaced.
The side walls feel tight when pushed.
The roof refuses to flex.

Place this next to a typical DIY-store apex shed and the difference is immediate. The Tiger feels premium. The competitor often feels disposable — even when it costs similar money.

Sizes & layout – traditional by design

Unlike the TigerFlex range, which offers modular reconfiguration, this shed sticks to a fixed-panel, traditional design. The size options are limited compared to TigerFlex, but they’re sensible and cover the vast majority of real-world garden needs.

You lose layout flexibility, but you gain:

• longer continuous panels
• fewer joints
• a more classic aesthetic
• slightly greater inherent rigidity

For buyers who value tradition over configurability, this is often the better choice.

Tiger Shiplap Apex vs TigerFlex Apex – why choose this one?

This is an important distinction.

From inspecting both ranges, neither is “better built” — they use the same quality timber, thickness, and overall standards. The difference is philosophy.

I’d choose the Tiger Shiplap Apex Windowless Shed if:

• I want a traditional, fixed-panel shed
• I value maximum rigidity and fewer joints
• I don’t need to reposition the door
• I prefer a classic shed look that won’t date
• I want something that feels bombproof

I’d choose the TigerFlex Apex if:

• I need wider access (especially double doors)
• I’m storing bulky equipment
• My garden layout is awkward
• I want door placement flexibility

If you want something that feels like it could have been built 20 years ago — and will still be standing 20 years from now — this standard Tiger Shiplap Apex is the purist’s choice.

Longevity – buy once, forget about it

Assuming you:

• place it on a proper, level base
• treat it sensibly every couple of years
• avoid obvious water traps

you’ll get significantly more years out of this shed than cheaper OSB-based alternatives.

This is the kind of shed you buy once, assemble properly, and then largely forget about. It just gets on with the job.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 12 mm tongue-and-groove throughout
• No OSB anywhere
• Very solid floor and roof
• Traditional apex design
• Windowless = stronger and more secure
• Excellent machining quality

Cons

• Single-door access limits very large items
• Door height requires tall items to be angled
• No modular door repositioning

Final verdict

The Tiger Shiplap Apex Windowless Shed is, in my view, one of the strongest traditional apex sheds available without stepping into premium pressure-treated ranges.

It’s:

• beautifully machined
• reliably solid
• zero-OSB
• secure
• traditional
• long-lasting

This is the shed people think they’re buying when they pick up a cheap apex from a DIY store — except this one actually delivers.

Tiger have nailed the fundamentals here.
If you want a proper garden shed, this is one of the safest, most confidence-inspiring choices you can make.