Have you thought about heating your garden shed?
We all use our sheds for different reasons. While your garden shed is a safe place to store tools and holiday decorations, it can also be utilised for a wide variety of uses. If you plan to use your shed as an office, classroom, home gym, or recreation room, there are plenty of small hacks and changes you can put into effect. Before you know it, you’ll have an extra ‘room’ in which you can work, train, learn, or just relax.
However, the first thing you need to think about is heating. Without heat, you won’t be able to enjoy your extra space in the cooler months. Thankfully, it’s relatively easy and affordable to heat your shed with low-cost, DIY options.
Why would you need to heat a shed?
- It’s a home office – In some cases, your shed isn’t solely for storage or gardening purposes. With more people working from home, it’s becoming more popular to convert your garden shed to a home office.[1] While you might not need any extra heat in the summer, you’ll to think about heating your shed in winter, late autumn, and early spring.
- It’s your child’s playroom – Don’t have enough room for your children to play in your home? Or perhaps their joyful screams and giggles are a little too loud while you’re trying work? A shed can be converted into a brilliant playroom.
- You’re starting seedlings inside – If you want to get a head start on your spring growing season, you can start your seedlings in a heated shed.[2]
- You want a den or TV room – Have you ever dreamt of having your own private cinema screening room? Or maybe you’re keen to set up a ‘man cave’ or ‘she shed’ where you can relax in peace? Your shed could become your personal den.
- You plan to do a lot of woodworking in the winter – When you’re working on detailed woodworking projects, you can’t have your fingers getting numb from the cold. If you plan to work on any crafts or woodwork in the winter months, heating your shed makes good sense.
- You need a guest room – We’ve all seen ‘tiny houses’ on TV and online, so why not create your own ‘tiny guest room’ by repurposing your shed? Of course, if you want someone to sleep in the shed in the winter, you’ll need to ensure that it is extremely well-insulated.
What is the best way to heat a shed?
There are plenty of different ways that you can heat your shed. Here are the most popular, affordable, and practical options.[3]
- Electric radiators – Do you have a power source accessible in your shed? If so, you could use an electric radiator, particularly if you only plan to use it for short periods. They’re ready to use and require no assembly or installation and are relatively affordable to run (but can get expensive if left on for a long time). With that said, they only heat the immediate area, and won’t heat the entire space evenly.
- Radiators – Radiators are a good choice in dusty sheds, as they are unlikely to spark and start a fire. Invest in a radiator with a 24-hour timer and thermostat and your shed will be warm and toasty whenever you need it. You’ll need to hire a professional to ensure that your radiator is installed safely and correctly. This will usually cost around £600 in labour, in addition to your parts.[4]
- Underfloor heating – Underfloor heating is the most effective option on this list, but it does require a substantial investment into installation and electric underfloor heating supplies. This is an exceptionally smart choice if you don’t have a lot of room in your shed. While water-based underfloor heating systems are available, electric underfloor heating systems are often better for sheds.
- Halogen heaters – An energy-efficient option, halogen heaters use halogen elements instead of electrical coils. They require a bigger initial outlay, but over time they are very affordable to run. Just make sure you buy an anti-tip model to prevent accidents while you’re working in your shed.
- Electric fan heaters – Here’s another ‘straight out of the box’ solution – an electric fan heater. They’re affordable and easy to use, but you will need an electrical source. They use a lot of electricity and are notoriously expensive to run, so make sure to keep an eye on the metre. Unlike an electric radiator, the fan helps circulate the heat throughout your entire space.
- Solar heaters – Once you’ve installed your solar panels, this is a nearly free form of heating – you only have to pay for upkeep. Add solar panels to the roof of your shed and use them to run a solar heater. You can also use the energy generated to power any of the heating options above. You’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re using the most environmentally-sound option on the market.
- Log burner – A log burner is by far the cosiest option for heating your shed, giving it a rustic log cabin appeal. The set-up costs can be quite high, but once it’s installed the running costs are low. All you have to pay for is your wood! If you decide to go this route, you must have a HETAS professional install it correctly, as well as add a carbon monoxide alarm.
Shed Insulation Tips
You need to think carefully about insulation. Most sheds aren’t built with the same kind of insulation and infrastructure as houses, and they can leak heat. You could end up spending a fortune as you pay to heat the garden, not the shed! Insulation will also prevent damp, cold, mould, and leaks.[5]
Here are some tips to help you keep your shed well-insulated, saving you money and keeping it toasty warm inside. For effective insulation, you’ll need to think about the windows, walls, doors, and floor.
- Insulate the floorboards with foam insulation boards – Ideally, you’ll insulate your shed’s floor before you complete the build. It adds unbeatable insulation and helps reduce more than 40% of your heat loss. First lay down a breathable membrane, which allows vapour to permeate but prevents water from seeping through.[6] If you skip this step, you run the risk of rising damp. Next, lay down foam insulation boards, and cover with your floorboards.
- Insulate your walls with bubble wrap – Bubble wrap[7] is the most cost-effective insulation material for your walls. Sure, you can use fibreglass or wool materials, but bubble wrap does the job for much less. Simply tack or staple the wrap to the framing of the shed.
- Insulate your windows and doors with hardening foam filler or liquid wool – Your shed windows and doors won’t just let cold air in and hot air out, they’re also a common way for water to get inside. If you plan to spend a lot of time inside, nothing is worse than leaks or damp in your shed! Apply liquid wool or hardening foam filler along the window edges and door frame gaps to prevent leaks and drafts.
So, how will you keep your shed warm this winter?
Of course, the right heating option for your shed will depend on your intended use, your power sources, the size of the structure, and your budget. You can take your cosy warm shed to the next level by adding rugs and curtains to further protect from drafts and keep the cold air outside where it belongs. Remember, there’s not much point in heating your shed if you don’t ensure that it is properly insulated first.
As you can see, there are plenty of different methods for keeping your shed warm this winter. Which will you choose?
Reference list
Alistair (n.d.). Is Foil Backed Bubble Wrap Good To Insulate A Shed? [online] www.secrets-of-shed-building.com. Available at: https://www.secrets-of-shed-building.com/is-foil-backed-bubble-wrap-good-to-insulate-a-shed.html [Accessed 10 Oct. 2020].
Designing Buildings Wiki (2015). Breather membranes for buildings. [online] Designingbuildings.co.uk. Available at: https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Breather_membranes_for_buildings [Accessed 16 Oct. 2020].
Easy Shed (n.d.). Grow Seedlings in Your Shed for Spring – Blog. [online] www.easyshed.com.au. Available at: https://www.easyshed.com.au/blog/grow-seedlinds-in-your-shed-for-spring [Accessed 10 Oct. 2020].
Garden Affairs (n.d.). Top 10 Tips: Heating a Garden Office. [online] Garden Affairs. Available at: https://www.gardenaffairs.co.uk/blog-offering-inspiration-expert-advice/top-10-tips-heating-a-garden-room [Accessed 10 Oct. 2020].
Middleton, K. (2020). How to Insulate a Shed | Shed Blog | Garden Buildings Direct. [online] Blog – Garden Buildings Direct. Available at: https://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/blog/how-to-insulate-a-shed/ [Accessed 10 Oct. 2020].
Milligan, R. (2020). Installing utilities into your shed, garage or outhouse: what you need to know. [online] trustedtraders.which.co.uk. Available at: https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/articles/installing-utilities-into-your-shed-garage-or-outhouse-what-you-need-to-know [Accessed 16 Oct. 2020].
Waltons Garden Buildings (2016). How to heat a garden building in the winter. [online] Waltons Garden Buildings. Available at: https://www.waltons.co.uk/blog/how-to-heat-a-garden-building-in-the-winter [Accessed 10 Oct. 2020].
Sources
[1] https://www.gardenaffairs.co.uk/blog-offering-inspiration-expert-advice/top-10-tips-heating-a-garden-room
[2] https://www.easyshed.com.au/blog/grow-seedlinds-in-your-shed-for-spring
[3] https://www.waltons.co.uk/blog/how-to-heat-a-garden-building-in-the-winter
[4] https://trustedtraders.which.co.uk/articles/installing-utilities-into-your-shed-garage-or-outhouse-what-you-need-to-know
[5] https://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/blog/how-to-insulate-a-shed/
[6] https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Breather_membranes_for_buildings
[7] https://www.secrets-of-shed-building.com/is-foil-backed-bubble-wrap-good-to-insulate-a-shed.html