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What is a Garage Shed?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

A garage shed is a structure that is large enough to house a vehicle and often other objects as well. It is most often not attached to another structure such as a home, and it can be constructed from a variety of materials including wood and different types of metal. Some garage shed models come with a rolling door, while others may feature more common shed doors. The structures can be built to suit the needs of the owner, and they are often built with a specific budget in mind. A garage shed can be a permanent structure or a temporary structure, and this will often dictate the materials used for construction.

Wooden garage shed varieties can be very simple structures meant to house a vehicle with little or no attention to aesthetics, or it can be a structure built with aesthetics in mind. A gambrel garage shed, for example, is a structure built to house a vehicle safely and securely, but it is also built to mimic the style of a gambrel home or barn. The gambrel barn is defined by its distinctive roof, which features two sets of slopes at different angles. A garage shed built to mimic this style offers aesthetic appeal as well as more storage space directly beneath the roof itself.

Woman holding a book
Woman holding a book

Less expensive garage sheds can be made from metals that are cheaper to buy in bulk than wood. Aluminum and steel are common choices for building a metal garage shed. Steel is a great choice for framing the structure, as it is strong and easy to weld. Aluminum is a lightweight, corrosion-resistant metal that can be used for the siding of the shed. A metal shed will often be far less expensive than a wooden shed but just as stable, though the aluminum siding panels may not be the best choice for strength.

Car awnings are another variety of shed that can be used as a garage. An awning is usually an open-air structure that features a roof and maybe a few walls. Most often, the roof is supported by some type of beams, and all side walls are left open to the air. It is a basic protection from the elements, though rain and snow can still get into the structure since all the walls are open. Other awnings have one or more walls to keep the elements out. Temporary parking structures are also available, such as canvas or vinyl tents that are stretched over a metal frame.

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