How to Build a She Shed

What Is a She Shed?

First things first, let’s talk about what a she shed is and what makes something a shed a she shed (say that ten times fast)! According to the home decorating site The Spruce, “The concept of a she shed is similar to that of a man cave in that women have realized they deserve a space to call their own, too. A spot to relax and be alone with their thoughts—with no children or spouses or pets, and maybe even no work, if that's the purpose of the she shed.” 

So, it’s a place where someone can go to escape. Maybe the shed is full of your favorite things, hobby items or perhaps it’s a place you use for reflection and meditation. Whatever brings you happiness has a place in a she shed. You’ll want to tailor the shed to fit your needs and looks so it’s the most comfortable place possible for you to spend time.

What Materials Will You Need?

While a she shed is highly customizable, you’ll need a few things for sure—like a shed. Depending on whether you’d rather build your shed from scratch or buy a shed kit, your process of building will vary. You’ll want to start by deciding on a shed material, though. The most popular shed types are wood, metal, and resin. If you’re curious about the pros and cons of each material type, check out our post about shed material types and the pros and cons of each one. 

How Long Will It Take to Build a She Shed?

This varies depending on the type of shed you decide to build, if you have your budget in a lump sum, or if you’ll need to build your she shed with budgeting over time. For example, you might have enough money to buy a shed kit now, but you might not have the budget to furnish and decorate it yet. So, it might take several months. If you have all of your budget available at once and you buy a shed kit, you’ll be able to put everything together so much faster. So, depending on how customized you get and on your budget, it will vary from a few days to a few weeks, to maybe even a few months.

Is It Cheaper to Build a Shed or Buy a She Shed Kit?

This can be a very tricky question to answer since it’s really dependent on the type of shed you’re looking to build. If you want something totally custom, you’ll want to hire someone with a lot of experience or take it on as a project yourself. But, be careful. While building a custom shed can mean getting 100% of what you want and having more control over the price, it’s easy to go over your budget really quickly if you don’t plan and stick to that plan. It can also turn into a big mess if you don’t have a lot of experience building sheds.

If you decide to get a kit, the upfront cost might seem higher. However, you can budget more easily because you know the exact cost of building the shed. Best of all, you don’t have to have much experience. In fact, if you get a Keter resin shed, it can be easily put together with very minimal tools, and it’s a very sturdy option that won’t just fold to the elements.

The other thing to consider with shed building is maintenance. You might love how wooden sheds look but did you know that wood (particularly painted wood) can rot, rust, and peel? That’s why doing your research on what material types have the best track record when it comes to maintenance is important. Resin, for example, has a wood-like appearance, but it won’t crack, rot, rust, or peel. So, there won’t be as much maintenance. 

How Do You Keep the Shed Temperature Controlled?

This is also a bit of a complex question because there are many good options. You’ll probably want to insulate your she shed, and here are the most popular insulation types:

• Foam insulation
• Fiberglass insulation
• Batt insulation
• Roll insulation

Each one has its pros and cons. The most effective will probably be foam, but it’s expensive. Fiberglass is a cheaper option, but it can be messy. Once you have insulation in, you might want to also add something like a space heater to warm things up. However, you’ll need to be careful as you don’t want this to become a fire hazard. You’ll also need electricity if you’re going to run a space heater, lights, etc.

How Do You Get Electricity to the She Shed?

You’ll probably want at least a few items in your shed that run on electricity. The easiest and safest way to do this is to hire an electrician to help you. They’ll know what can and can’t be done as well as what’s safe. You also might need permits. According to MrElectric.com, “Although most areas will allow electricity to be installed in a shed, you will most likely need a permit to do so. Having the necessary permit(s) in place prior to starting the project can save you time and money, as you won’t have to worry about delays or deal with fines once the project is completed.”

If you don’t want to go through the process of adding electricity to your she shed, you can always get battery-operated items. Light bulbs, speakers and so much more can run off batteries these days. Again, you’ll want to make sure everything is safe for use in your shed, but as long as you’ve done your research, this can be a good option, too. You might be wondering, what about Wi-Fi, though? If you don’t have electricity in your shed, or your shed is out of range from your router, you can always get a Wi-Fi extender. There are different ones on the market, but essentially, you plug in a piece that allows you to extend the reach of your router. This might work for getting Wi-Fi into your shed.

Now for the Fun Part, Decorating Your She Garden Shed

One of the best parts of getting a she shed is decorating it! Carefully measure and choose the furniture, rugs, and accessories that you’ll want to use. Also, think about how you want to use the space. Maybe it’s your yoga retreat, a sewing room, an art studio or somewhere just to sit and enjoy your morning coffee. No matter what your she shed will be used for, the possibilities for it are totally endless. It can be exactly what you want—after all, that’s why it’s called a she shed and not a family shed.

When it comes to building a she garden shed, there are so many exciting options. Large sheds are usually the best options since they’ll give you more room. Just make sure you take into account the size of your yard, the shed material that will fit your needs, and the extras you want to add. Make a plan, stick to it and you’ll have your she shed up and standing in no time!