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If you’re thinking of purchasing a timber garden shed, one of the biggest decisions is choosing which style of roof you would like. When deciding between an apex or a pent roof, there are many important factors that you need to consider to make sure that the finished product is a building that you’re going to love and use for years to come.
To help you decide, we’ve put together the main differences and all the things you might want to think about when choosing which roof is right for your garden shed.
What is the main difference?
The main difference between the two roofing options is that an apex roof has two slopes that meet in the middle of a roof at its highest point. The sloped edges on each side make it very easy for water to run straight off, protecting the roof from any water damage. A pent roof has a single slope that creates an incline, with its highest point being the full length of one side.
How are you going to use your garden shed?
When deciding whether you need an apex or a pent roof for your garden building, one of the main things to consider is what are you going to use your garden shed for? Are you using it solely for storage purposes, or are you after a space where you can comfortably work on DIY or gardening projects?
As an apex roof helps to make a building taller, it is ideal for turning your shed into a workshop. It provides more headroom in the centre so you will have plenty of room to walk without hitting your head, making it helpful for tall people.
A pent roofed garden shed is more suited for storage (or for shorter people!).
Where do you plan on putting your garden shed?
Another thing to consider is the space you have available to put your shed. If you are placing your building less than 2.0m away from the boundary of your property, your shed can have a maximum overall height of no more than 2.5m from existing ground level to not need planning permission.
Our pent roof sheds are all under 2.5m in height so they’re suitable if you need to reduce the height of your shed to follow planning regulations. If you’re unsure about whether you need planning permission and would like more information, please read our planning permission article.
A pent roof will also make a garden building much more compact and can be easily placed to sit under trees or against a fence or a wall, which will be ideal if you have a smaller garden.
An apex roof is designed to add height to a building, so you won’t be able to tuck it away as easily. If you have the space to have your garden shed stand proud in the middle of your garden, an apex roof could look better.
What style do you like?
Of course, the last big question is, which style do you prefer? Do you prefer a traditional or a more modern look?
An apex roof is the classic look for a garden shed while the sleek, sharp lines of a pent roof offer a more modern, 21st Century style.
In our vast Garden Shed collection, we have three different ranges that you can choose from, all with pent and apex roof options; our Classic, Superior and our National Trust sheds.
Our Classic Sheds are available in seven different sizes, offering a simple, yet high quality shed.
With our Superior Sheds, you still get a high-quality building, but they are available in over 30 different sizes and you have a choice of lining, insulation, electrics and more!
Our National Trust Sheds are inspired by National Trust estates and have more traditional design elements. There are three to four sizes per style and for every building sold from this range, a contribution goes to the National Trust to help them conserve the special places they look after.
Whatever your style, space or specification, Crane Garden Buildings have garden sheds to suit every taste or requirement in our vast range. As well as choosing what roof you would like, you can customise everything from the number of windows and doors to the type of cladding and colour you would like it painted.
We work with you to create that workshop you’ve been dreaming of or that aesthetically pleasing yet practical storage solution you’ve been wanting for a while. And better still, delivery and installation are included anywhere on mainland UK (and the Isle of Wight)! To find out more about how we can tailor-make a garden shed to fulfill all of your requirements, please give us a call on