Wooden garden shed construction types

Overlap Garden Sheds

Overlap is a traditional method of construction used to build small garden sheds or storage buildings and fencing. Each board overlaps onto the adjacent edge of the next board. Every board used to construct an overlap building/fence has square cut edges. Each overlap board is nailed to vertical bearers, each board needs very little preperation and therefore it is a fairly quick method of construction. This means that Overlap construction is cheaper than Tongue and Groove, however overlap sheds tend to distort over time due to temperature/humidity unlike Tongue and Groove.



Tongue and Groove Garden Sheds

Tongue and Groove (also known as shiplap) is a superior form of shed construction involving joining each piece of board by interlocking a joint made by a tongue (rib on one edge) that fits into a corresponding groove on the edge of another piece of board. This type of construction gives a tight flush joint between each board, therefore each garden building constructed using tongue and groove has a smoother finish and has no gaps between boards which means it is more rigid and weatherproof. Tongue and Groove sheds are slightly more expensive than Overlap, however they do not distort over time, therefore this extra cost is worth it in the long run.