Planning to build a shed? First things first: Know the different types of wood for sheds. This will help you determine whether the wood you intend to use is durable or not. Don’t waste money and time. Here are 7 types of wood for building sheds:
1. Cedar – Durable and wood-eating insect resistant
Though more expensive, cedar is often viewed as one of the very best woods for garden sheds because the untreated wood is extremely tough and durable. It has very high resistance to rot and decay. For this reason it is great for something that is left out in all weathers.
2. Cypress – Old-growth cypress is durable and rot resistant
Wood from old-growth cypress is said to be extremely durable and rot resistant. But wood from younger trees is only moderately durable. Cypress can be used, treated, for sheds and has good gluing, nailing, finishing and paint-holding properties.
3. Larch – Characterful with high resin content
Larch can be a beautiful and characterful wood to use outside on a shed. When left untreated it will weather beautifully, its orangey timber mellowing to a lovely silvery grey. It has a high resin content and does not usually need to be treated against decay.
4. Douglas Fir – Excellent dimensional stability
Douglas Fir yields more timber than any other tree in North America. Dougla Fir may be a popular Christmas tree but it also has a number of internal and external uses around the home. It is fairly regularly used to clad sheds and make fences. However, wood used outside must be protected in some way.
5. Redwood – Durable and slow to burn
Easy to work and pretty durable, redwood timber is often used in outdoor decking. However, redwood may be vulnerable because its population has reduced by approximately 40% in the last three generations. So be sure that timber came from a renewable and ethically sustainable source.
6. Pine – Cheapest timber for building
One of the cheapest timber options is always pine. Pine sheds can be affordable thought tend not to be as durable as some of the other sustainable softwoods on offer.
7. Plywood – Affordable and easy to assemble
T1-11 is a go-to plywood to use for sheds. It is plywood siding that’s an all-wood exterior-grade panel.
Cedar and redwood make exceptional high-end building materials. However, if you’re building your shed on a budget, you can make use of dimensional lumber treated with weather proofing, combined with plywood. As a shed isn’t generally intended for human occupation for more than a few hours at a time, you can use plywood, without layers of insulation, as a siding material.
So which wood type would you prefer? If you’re on a budget, select a timber that is affordable. But if you can pay for the expensive type, which is more durable of course, then why not?
Happy shed building!
via diy-plans.com
