Building a bike shed yourself

Bicycles are becoming increasingly popular and more expensive. If you want to keep your bike—whether it's an all-terrain bike, e-bike, or beloved touring bike—in good condition for a long time, it shouldn't be left out in the rain, and certainly not exposed to ice and snow. Clearly, a bike shed is necessary to protect your valuable bikes. Of course, scooters, strollers, or a lawnmower are also welcome.

Building a functional and durable bike shed yourself is not that difficult, and depending on your needs, it can be quite affordable. Additionally, you can save a significant amount of money and effort by attaching the shed to your house, garage, or garden shed. This way, you can match the style of the existing buildings on your property and also make use of already available building elements.

To build a bike shed, for example, at the back of your existing garage, you only need to plan two side walls since the third wall will be provided by the back exterior wall of your garage. Therefore, you will create the sides and back wall of your bike shed on the extended foundation of your garage. The depth of the shed will match the width of the existing garage. The width of your shed depends on the number of bikes you want to store. For three bikes, you should plan for at least 120-150 cm to ensure they can be easily removed.

If you plan to build the shed yourself, it’s a good idea to assemble it from individual, manageable frames. You can then cover these frames with the wood of your choice and screw them onto the posts of the base structure. Pressure-treated pine or fir boards are ideal for this, and you can later paint them to match the color of the building.

Finally, the roof is mounted, ensuring it is waterproof and securely attached to the building. To do this, mount a beam horizontally at the appropriate height on the wall where the roof will rest. The beam should be firmly screwed into the garage wall, and the roof of the shed will be attached to this beam. Ensure that the roof slopes away from the building so that rainwater can drain properly. Finally, add a layer of roofing bitumen, and if desired, you can install an entrance door. This will also provide extra security against theft.

To ensure everything is in order, it’s recommended to check with your local building authority before starting the construction of the bike shed to get approval for your project.