61 cheap sheds from trusted UK retailers
Apex sheds have the classic pitched roof that rises to a ridge in the middle, so you get proper headroom down the centre and rain runs off both sides. We list pressure treated wooden apex sheds from Forest Garden in overlap and shiplap, plus galvanised steel ones from Yardmaster, all sold by Shedstore. Sizes run from a 4ft x 3ft tool store up to a 10ft x 10ft metal storage shed. Want something lower that sits against a fence? Compare our pent sheds. Tight on budget? Our cheap small sheds start lower still.
An apex shed has two roof slopes that meet at a ridge along the top, like a little house. It's the traditional garden building shape, and apex garden sheds are what most people picture when they think of a shed. The highest point is the ridge, and the lowest is the eaves, where each slope meets the walls. On a standard apex the door sits in the gable end, right under the ridge, so you walk in where the roof is tallest.
Most of the wooden apex sheds here have an eaves height of about 1.86m and a ridge of 2.12m to 2.30m. The Yardmaster metal ones are a little lower at the eaves, at about 1.63m on most models.
Headroom. The pitched roof gives you the most height down the middle. That's where you'll stand at a potting bench, hang long tools or stack shelving.
Rain runs off both sides. Two slopes clear water and leaves faster than a single shallow one, so less sits on the felt.
A familiar look. The pitched outline suits a traditional or cottage-style garden and looks like a proper garden building rather than a box.
The catch is height. An apex roof stands taller overall than a single-slope roof on the same footprint, so it can look bulky under a low tree or a window. For those spots a single-slope roof is usually better.
Choosing between apex or pent comes down to where it goes and what you'll store.
Here's how the ranges we list compare, from Shedstore's own specs. Prices change daily, so check the cards above for today's figure.
| Range | Walls | Sizes | Eaves / ridge height | Floor | Guarantee | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Garden 4Life | 7mm overlap, pressure treated | 4x3, 5x3, 6x4, 7x5, 7x7, 8x6 | 1.83-1.86m / 2.09-2.30m | 12mm solid timber | 25 years anti-rot | about £250 to £505 |
| Forest Garden Beckwood | 12mm shiplap tongue and groove, pressure treated | 4x3, 5x3, 6x4 | 1.83-1.86m / 2.09-2.25m | 12mm tongue and groove | 25 years anti-rot | about £375 to £465 |
| Forest bike and mower storage | 7mm overlap, pressure treated | 6x3 | 1.28m / 1.52m | 8mm OSB | 15 years anti-rot | about £270 |
| Yardmaster metal | Hot-dipped galvanised steel | 6x4 to 10x10 | 1.63-1.73m / 1.89-2.02m | Not included | 10 or 15 years anti-rust | about £235 to £470 |
| Yardmaster Glencoe and Balmoral | Steel, wood-effect finish | 8x6, 10x8 | 1.82m / 2.15-2.24m | Not included | 15 years anti-rust | about £390 to £450 |
Most of the apex wooden sheds here are Forest Garden, made from FSC certified UK timber. Every one is pressure treated, so the preservative goes deep into the wood rather than sitting on the surface. Forest backs them with a 25 year anti-rot guarantee and says they never need re-treating. See the whole timber range in our wooden sheds.
The 4Life range uses 7mm overlap cladding on a 28mm x 28mm frame with a 12mm solid floor. It's the cheapest way into pressure treated timber, starting with a 4ft x 3ft storage shed for brooms and a strimmer. The bigger 7x5 and 8x6 models give enough floor for a mower, bikes and shelving.
Beckwood uses 12mm shiplap cladding, boards that lock together edge to edge with a tongue and groove joint. It keeps rain out better than overlap and sits on a heavier 28mm x 56mm frame. The 6x4 with four windows makes a bright shed to work in. Our shiplap sheds list the pent versions too.
Yardmaster's metal apex sheds are made in the UK from hot-dipped galvanised steel with a seven-layer baked-on finish. They come in green, silver, anthracite, stone grey and a wood-effect brown. They never need painting and won't rot, and the anti-rust guarantee runs to 10 years on the silver models and 15 years on the rest.
They're also where the storage space is, and the heavy duty steel shell suits bulky kit. For roughly the price of a wooden 6x4 you can get a metal 8x6, and the 10x8 and 10x10 models have sliding doors up to 1.25m wide. They don't include a floor, so they need a flat concrete or paved base, and most come with an anchor kit to fix them down. See every model in our metal sheds.
A reverse apex shed has its door on the long side, under the eaves, instead of in the gable end. That's handy when the shed runs along a fence or path and you can only get to the front. The door is a little lower (around 1.65m high on the Beckwood 6x4), but the ridge still gives headroom once you're inside.
A single door on the Forest wooden sheds is 590mm wide, fine for hand tools and a strimmer. Models with two doors open to 1,090mm, so a lawnmower, wheelbarrow or bike rolls straight in. The Yardmaster sliding doors run from 800mm on the smaller sheds to 1.2m on the 10ft ones. More in our double door sheds.
Windowless sheds keep what's inside out of sight, which is why so many of the Forest models skip the glass. If you want daylight, pick a model with shatterproof PET or acrylic windows. Every door here takes a padlock, but you'll need to supply your own on most.
Shed sizes are nominal, so measure your space against the base size and leave room for the roof overhang. A Forest 6x4 is 1,826mm x 1,180mm at the base and 1,882mm x 1,341mm with the overhang.
Every shed needs a firm, level base. Paving slabs, a concrete pad or a timber shed base work for the wooden ones. The metal sheds need concrete or paving so the anchor kit has something solid to fix into. If the base isn't level, the doors won't line up.
The Forest apex sheds come as modular panels that screw together, and the roof is 8mm OSB with green mineral felt. Yardmaster puts its larger metal sheds at about four to six hours for two people. Leave a small gap behind the shed so air can move and the cladding can dry.
Usually not. In England a shed is permitted development if it's single storey, isn't in front of the house and doesn't cover more than half the garden. Within 2m of a boundary it must be no more than 2.5m tall. Further from the boundary, a dual-pitched roof like an apex can go up to 4m, with eaves no higher than 2.5m (Planning Portal outbuildings rules).
The tallest one here has a ridge of 2.30m, so every one can sit close to a fence. Listed buildings, conservation areas, National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty have tighter limits. The government's permitted development guidance has the detail. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ a little, so check with your council if you're unsure.
Pressure treated timber is low maintenance, and the cladding needs nothing more than a look over now and then. You don't need to paint it, though you can for a colour. Check the felt each spring, clear leaves from the roof and keep soil and plants off the walls. Forest Garden's own site covers its timber treatment, and the Forest Stewardship Council explains the FSC mark. Metal sheds just need a wipe down and the door runners kept clear.
An apex shed has two roof slopes meeting at a central ridge. A pent shed has one slope falling from front to back. Apex gives more headroom in the middle, while the single slope sits lower and fits against a fence.
The wooden ones here have a ridge between 2.09m and 2.30m and eaves at about 1.86m. The Yardmaster metal ones have a ridge from 1.89m to 2.24m.
The Forest wooden apex sheds include a 12mm floor and the bike store has an 8mm OSB one. The Yardmaster metal sheds don't, so they need a solid base.
Like for like, metal is usually cheaper. A Yardmaster 8x6 often costs less than a Forest 6x4, while the cheapest wooden one here is the 4ft x 3ft 4Life at around £250.
Yes. Every one here is under 2.5m tall, so it can go within 2m of the boundary under permitted development. Leave a small gap so you can reach the walls and air can flow.
