How to Turn Your Shed Into a Garden Office

If you work from home, you will know that it can be hard to find a good work life balance.

You might be thinking about how you can escape the house and still be able to work efficiently. Working remotely definitely has its perks, but we know it’s great to have your own workspace whether that be in the spare room or at the dining table! Turning your garden shed or summerhouse into a garden home office can be the perfect way to work from home but still have your own office space to really concentrate and escape the distractions that can occur at home.

We are full of ideas on how you can turn your shed into a garden office so you have come to the right place! Discover how you can turn your garden shed or summer house into a calming garden office with our step-by-step blog to inspire you!  So, let’s get started.

#1 Do All of the Admin First 

Before you dive in and get started with moving your desk and chair, it’s important that you plan your renovation. 
It’s important that you ask yourself questions like:

  • What do I need from an office space?
  • How do I imagine myself using a garden office?
  • What do I want the layout to look like in order to work efficiently?
  • What do I need to purchase my office to be fit for purpose?

By asking these questions, you’re reducing the likelihood that you’ll buy things you don’t need/won’t use and save yourself some money and hassle when it comes to converting your shed or summer house into your new garden office!

Additionally, there are some more crucial questions you need to ask:

  • Do you already have a shed? If not, read our buying guide here.
  • Is there already electricity access? If not, is it achievable to install it?
  • Are there any issues that could impact my work? (E.g., a leak in the roof)
  • How will I ensure my office will stay secure when I’m not using it?

After asking all of these questions, you should be able to make a jobs list ​​of specific things you need to do before you can use your shed or summer house as an office, but keep reading for our guidance!

#2 Ensure your garden shed is waterproof and damp-proof 

It’s important to start with damp-proofing and waterproofing in your garden office simply because the last thing you want is for your interior work to be ruined by damp or a sudden downpour whilst working!

We recommend adding damp-proof sheeting to the underside of your shed’s roof panels to help combat any damp atmosphere and prevent mold from building up inside your shed. Doing this can also help to protect garden buildings from frost. 

We would also recommend sealing any holes (whether natural holes in the wood, or screw holes from construction) with a waterproof silicone sealant. This adds another level of protection against water, damp and frost damage. 
And of course to prevent rot in all weathers, please ensure you purchase a shed that is pressure treated.

#3 Consider Insulation

Although we’ve made some recommendations on combating frost, these don’t help to keep you protected from the cold in your garden office building. Only insulating your roof, walls and floors can do this. 

Raising the topic of insulation might have made you concerned about breaking your budget, but there are many ways to easily insulate your garden shed that can appeal to budgets of all sizes.

For those with smaller budgets: bubble wrap is a budget-friendly way to insulate your garden office building. An alternative to this is foil-backed bubble wrap which provides an extra layer of insulation than bubble wrap alone. 

For those with bigger budgets: It’s worth your while replacing single-glazed windows with double-glazed ones if you have the budget. Additionally, Rockwool or Polyisocyanurate (PIR) boards - also known as Celotex - can be used on floors, roofs, and walls to easily add a layer of insulation. Although this is not its primary purpose, Rockwool can also be a good option for sound insulation in comparison to PIR boards. 

#4 Ensure the Electricity and WiFi is Strong Enough 

The last thing you want to happen is for your internet connection or electricity to drop out in the middle of a meeting. To stop this happening, you can buy WiFi boosters that increase the stretch of your home WiFi to make sure your connection is reliable. 

For the purposes of this blog we’re going to assume that your shed doesn’t already have electrical power. Regardless of your budget, we recommend that you hire a professional electrician to set up your garden shed with power to avoid any damages to you, your electrical supply, or your garden workshop. 

Additionally, it’s worth considering whether you want your garden office building to be powered by your home’s supply or something else like solar panels. If your shed is south-facing, then solar panels could be a good idea to save you some money on energy bills because buildings in a south-facing position get the most sunlight. 

By having electricity installed, it also means that you can have heaters during the colder months or fans during the warmer months to ensure that your garden office or summer house office is full usable all year round.

#5 Consider Lighting Options

If you have a shed with windows then making the most of natural light is a good energy saving option. However, if not, or if you just want more light, LED lighting strips are a good source of light that don’t require lots of electricity. You can buy these off of Amazon and there are battery powered options, or ones that you plug into the mains. Alternatively, you can find lighting fixtures in DIY shops. 

If you’re interested in increasing natural light into your home garden office, we offer a range of Apex Summer Houses which have plenty of windows so that you don’t have to rely on artificial lighting. 

#6 Furnish and Decorate!

Now that you’re all set up with internet, electricity and lighting, and protected against damp, rain, and the cold, you can begin to move your office furniture and supplies into your garden office. 

You can also add carpet, wall fixtures, your calendar, or whatever else you need to make it feel like a work from home office space. If you’re after some shed or summer house office ideas, take a look at our other blog posts or check out Pinterest for inspiration!

We would recommend adding a calming vibe to your new garden office by keeping it fresh and bright with sufficient lighting, lots of white and green - bring the outdoors in and let the garden flow into your office space with fresh or fake green plants.

Add personal touches with pictures, decor and homely vibes such as a sofa with cushions for a cup of tea break away from the laptop and desk! 

And it is always a good idea to have music installed for wherever your mood takes you from Monday through to Friday!

Remember to maintain your garden office all year round to keep your new work space in top condition through all weathers.

Looking to turn your shed or summer house into a garden office?

Are you looking for a new garden office work space or an office summer house? 
Ace Sheds provide a great range of sheds that are great for creating a work space in the garden! Get in touch with us to find out how you can make the perfect garden home office for you. You can call us on 01233 822042 or contact us online.