What Roof Should You Choose For Your Garden Shed

The roof plays a vital role in your garden shed. Not only does it provide aesthetics for the shed, but it also safeguards the interior from moisture and sunshine that could damage the items inside. There are various styles of shed roofs to choose from on the Australian market.

Whichever style you choose, the roof should be long-lasting, water-resistant, and easy to install. The three major determining factors for your roof style are; the purpose of the shed, allotted site space, and budget. Let’s explore the different roof styles.

Skillion

This roof is otherwise known as mono-pitched, pent, or lean-to because of its flat, single-slope design. The skillion roof is perfect for maximizing space in a small site. If you have limited space but can’t imagine being without a garden shed, choose the skillion. You can position your shed up against your house or an existing wall.

Other Benefits of the Skillion Roof

Its steep pitch allows easy drainage. Water and snow cannot collect on the roof since it doesn’t have ridges and valleys.
It’s cheaper and easier to build and requires fewer materials than other roof styles.
It has a stylish and modern look.
Its steep angle makes it favourable for solar panel installation. Save some money with solar power for your electricity needs.

The only downside of this roof is that one side of the shed is much lower than the other.

Gable

This classic triangular-shaped roof is a popular choice among homeowners. One of the great features on the gable roof is the peak, which allows ventilation inside the shed. Also, its double-slope design allows rain and snow to flow down its sides making maintenance easy.

If the gable style roof is not built at the right angle, it will collapse. A low-pitched angle will not carry the weight of heavy rain or snow. The high and medium pitched roof are more ideal for these weather conditions. If your area is likely to experience extreme conditions like hurricanes, this is not the roof for you. Violent storms can pull off the roof and separate it from the shed walls.

Flat

Contrary to its name, the flat roof is not exactly flat. It has a very low pitch that allows water and snow to slide off it. It’s cheap, plus installation and maintenance is a breeze. No worries if your region is prone to violent winds like hurricanes. The roof will not easily lift off and separate from the walls. Nevertheless, ensure that it is made with heavy waterproof materials like metal sheets, gravel, rubber membranes, and tar.

However, if you experience heavy rainfall and snow, this is not the best roof for you. The flat roof will hold pools of water and snow that will damage the roof and cause heavy leaking. This will cost you a large sum of money for repairs and replacement of damaged materials in the shed. Another downside is that it easily absorbs heat. Not only will this affect the tools and other stored materials in the shed, but anyone accessing the shed on a hot Australian day will feel like they are inside a hot oven.

Conclusion

Aesthetics may be one of the factors you look out for when choosing a roof for your garden shed. However, it should always come in after efficiency and durability. For any structure, the roof is an essential element. You simply can’t have a structure without a roof, so make it a good one.

A good roof should be long-lasting and easy to maintain. Remember to choose the right roof for your region. Different weather conditions will require specific features in your roof.