Once the clocks go back, garden furniture stops being something you use and starts being something you have to deal with. Frost, driving rain and damp ground do more damage to tables, chairs and cushions in one winter than a whole summer of sun ever could. The trouble is, most sheds are already full before winter storage becomes a problem, and a standard shed off a shelf rarely has room left once the mower, bikes and tools are already in there.
This guide looks at why winter is the real test for garden furniture, how much space different collections need, and why a building made to the exact size of your garden beats a one-size-fits-all shed every time.
Why winter is the hardest season on garden furniture
Leaving furniture out over winter shortens its life fast. The RHS gives clear advice on looking after garden furniture, and it depends on the material. Plastic furniture is best kept under cover for winter, as frost and cold make it brittle and it can crack. Softwood needs a fresh coat of stain or paint most years, and left wet all winter, it starts to rot. Even hardwood, which can stay outside all year, lasts longer if it is washed, kept off wet ground and covered before the cold sets in.
The safest option by far is somewhere dry, out of the wind and off the ground. Getting furniture under cover before the first frost, rather than after, is what actually protects it.
What are you actually trying to fit in before winter?
Before you think about size, think about what needs to go under cover. Winter garden furniture storage needs vary a lot from one household to the next.
- A bistro set and a couple of cushion boxes
- A six-seat dining set with a parasol
- Loungers, a dining set and a barbecue
- All of the above, plus bikes, a mower and garden tools
- Furniture and garden kit alongside a car
Most people underestimate how much room furniture takes up once it is folded, stacked or covered for winter. A dining table alone can eat a third of a small shed.
Sizing guide: how much space to clear before winter
Use this table as a rough starting point. It is only a guide, because gardens and furniture collections are never quite the same shape twice, which is exactly the problem a made-to-measure building solves.
| What you need to store for winter | Rough space needed | Building that fits |
|---|---|---|
| Cushions, a small table and two chairs | Up to 1.5m x 1m | Compact shed or corner building |
| Four to six seat dining set | Around 2m x 1.5m | Made-to-measure shed |
| Large dining set, loungers and a barbecue | 2.5m x 2m or more | Larger shed or corner building |
| Furniture plus bikes, a mower and tools | 3m x 2.5m or more | Larger shed or garage |
| Furniture, garden kit and a car together | Garage sized | Garage |
Why a standard 8×6 shed often isn’t the answer
An 8×6 is the size everyone thinks of first, because it is the size every DIY shop sells. The trouble is, it is built for an average garden, not yours, and it fills up fast once winter furniture goes in alongside everything else already stored. If the space down the side of your house is 7ft wide and 11ft deep, an 8×6 either will not fit or leaves a wasted gap that does nothing for you.
We do not build to a catalogue of standard sizes. Every building starts with the space you actually have, whether that is a neat rectangle at the bottom of the garden or an awkward strip beside the house. That means no wasted gap, and no furniture left out in the frost because the shed you bought was too small to fit it all in.
Sheds built around your garden, not the other way round
Our sheds are made to order in Danbury, Essex, so the size is set by your garden and what you need to store for winter, not by what happens to be in stock. Choose the layout, the cladding colour and the base, and we build it to fit the space you have measured, down to the last inch.
Got an awkward corner instead?
Not every garden has a flat rectangle to spare. If your best space is a tricky corner or a narrow strip that a standard shed would never fit, a corner building is designed for exactly that. It turns wasted space into proper, dry winter storage for furniture, tools and anything else that needs to be out of the weather.
Need to store furniture and a car?
If you are trying to fit winter furniture storage in alongside a car, tools and everything else, a shed may not be enough. Our garages give you vehicle space and extra storage in one building, still made to the size your driveway or garden allows.
Get furniture under cover before the first frost
Measure the space you have, note down what you need to store for winter, and get in touch now, while there is still time before the weather turns. We will tell you honestly what size building fits, what it will cost, and how it compares to squeezing everything into a standard shed. Fill in our enquiry form, and we will get back to you with the next step.
We have been making timber garden buildings in Danbury, Essex since 1951. Made-to-measure is not an upgrade for us. It is how every building leaves the workshop.