Post in collaboration with Sheds n Homes
For many people, a shed is just another piece of outdoor equipment. They view it as a small building that serves one purpose: to help them better organise their outdoor supplies. You might have a few shelving units inside that can storage and organise fertilizer, sod, seeds, gardening tools and other small pieces of equipment. While you can certainly use that shed to hold your lawnmower and other tools, you might turn that shed into a functional living space. Steel sheds retain heat and have a number of benefits that make those small buildings the perfect place for a playroom, guest house or even extra bedroom.
Wood Sheds
One eco-friendly option open to those who want to create a home or a guest house from a shed is one made of wood. Wood comes in a number of different choices, and you can use paint or stain to transform the colour of the exterior. Before buying a wood shed though, you’ll want to ensure that it features recycled materials. Buying a shed made from wood cut down specifically for construction projects is not very eco-friendly and will leave behind a negative impact on the environment. Some manufacturers make sheds from sawdust and wood pieces left behind after other projects.
Steel Sheds
The most eco-friendly building material for outdoor sheds is steel. Steel has little impact on the environment and can last for years or even decades. The metal roofs that you see on some homes can last for up to 100 years with few repairs needed. Those worried about the environment often find themselves concerned with the carbon emissions produced by the factories that make construction materials. The factories that make the steel beams and walls used in sheds and builders like Sheds n Homes in Mandurah that supply steel kit sheds now use new methods that reduce the amount of emissions produced.
Fabricated Sheds
A large number of websites offer tips and detailed instructions on building an outdoor shed from scratch, and you’ll even find videos that you walk you through some of the more complicated steps. Before you spend a few weeks fighting with tools outside, consider investing in a fabricated shed. A fabricated shed comes ready to install and use in your yard. You can purchase the shed from a company that produces the pieces in a low emissions factory and does its part to protect the environment. The shed will arrive already put together on a truck, and workers can help you decide where to put it in your yard.
Staying Organised
Whether using your garden shed as a guest house, a spare bedroom or even a playroom for your kids, you need to make sure that it has enough living space. Most of these sheds have just enough space inside for a twin bed and a small nightstand or dresser. You’ll need to find organisational tools that do double duty inside that tiny house. A small dresser can serve as a place to store clothes and extra linens, a display space for some pictures or a television and a bright pop of colour in the room too. You might install a few shelving units along one wall for extra storage too.
Be More Eco-Friendly
Make your tiny house even more eco-friendly with the addition of a greywater system. Greywater refers to the waste water that you typically throw out. When turning a shed into a small home, you’ll need some type of gutter system on the top that collects any rainwater that falls. Instead of using downspouts that direct the water onto the lawn and away from the house, use a greywater system that catches all that water. You can then use that rainwater to provide the flowers and landscaping around your home with extra water.
Benefits of Steel
Though you already know that steel often comes from factories with low emissions standards, you may want to look at some of the other great benefits of steel. Traditional steel has a cooler look, which is why you might think twice before using it on a home. With proper insulation though, steel retains heat and helps those staying or living inside that house feel comfortable. Steel does a good job of blocking out the temperatures outside to make the interior feel as warm or as cool as you want.
Wood sheds have a whimsical look that some like, but those looking for an eco-friendly option will often choose steel. A steel shed will last for decades or more and can withstand all the weather conditions that hit your area every year, including high levels of rain and blowing snow. You can even use a clear coat of sealant on the shed to prevent rusting. A steel shed with storage space inside and a greywater system might be more than just a garden shed because it serves as the perfect house.
