Painted Sheds at a Glance
Construction: Quality redwood deal timber on strong vertical framing · Sizes: From compact 4x4 sheds to large 28x16 buildings · Glazing: Toughened glass as standard · Floors: Wooden floors and roofs included · Styles: Apex, pent and reverse-apex designs.
Uses: Garden storage, workshop, hobby room, potting shed or garden retreat · Paint finish: Factory-applied colour options available, including premium colour-matched finishes · Insulation: Full insulation available on selected ranges · Installation: Free professional assembly on our painted wooden sheds, subject to delivery area and access · Doors: Double-door options available · Customisation: Bespoke sizes, layouts and options available · See before you buy: Painted sheds on display at our Surrey show site near Guildford and Woking.
Need advice? Our experienced team can help with shed size, colour, construction, insulation, base requirements and installation before you order.
Painted Sheds – Colour and Quality for Your Garden
A painted shed can turn a practical storage building into a more attractive part of your garden. Rather than accepting the look of standard timber, the buildings shown here are available in painted finishes, so you can choose one that complements your house, fencing, planting, or landscaping.
This page is part of our wider garden sheds range but concentrates specifically on painted garden sheds. The actual products currently displayed are Sapphire Swanwick and Cadnam sheds, Diamond Chichester and Woodgate buildings, Platinum Portsmouth and Fareham models and the larger Winchester range.
Which Painted Shed Should I Choose?
If you want practical storage with plenty of flexibility, I would start with the Diamond Chichester Apex, Chichester Pent or Woodgate Reverse Apex. Chichester is available from 4×4 to 24×12 and offers a factory-applied colour option, free fitting, configurable doors and windows and bespoke possibilities.
The Sapphire Swanwick and Cadnam models are available in apex, pent and reverse-apex layouts. The Sapphire Swanwick Apex, for example, runs from 7×5 to 12×10 and combines pressure-treated timber with colour-finish and full-insulation options.
For a larger painted building, compare Portsmouth and the Fareham Apex, Pent and Reverse Apex. The Platinum Fareham Apex is available from 8×6 to 20×16 with professional assembly, colour-finish and full-insulation options.
The Winchester Apex, Pent and Transverse models are the largest products currently shown on this page, extending to 28×16. The Platinum Winchester Apex is worth considering where you want a substantial coloured shed for storage, hobbies or workshop-style use.
Diamond, Sapphire or Platinum Painted Shed?
My advice is to choose the building first and the colour second. Diamond is where I would normally start for everyday storage, broad size choice and bespoke flexibility. Sapphire makes sense if pressure-treated timber and insulation are useful. At the same time, Fareham, Portsmouth and Winchester are worth considering when you need considerably more space or expect to use the building more regularly.
I would not pay for a higher specification simply because it is available. A good painted shed should first be the right size and construction for what you need; the colour should enhance an already suitable building. Our garden shed buying guide explains the main points worth comparing before you decide.
Why Choose a Painted Garden Shed?
Having your shed painted before delivery saves you the initial job of applying an exterior colour after installation and gives the building a finished appearance from the outset. A suitable exterior coating also helps protect exposed timber, although painted timber still needs periodic inspection and maintenance over its lifetime. You can read more about this in our guide to painting and protecting a garden shed.
Coloured sheds also give you far more control over how the building sits within the garden. You might choose a muted green or natural shade to blend with planting, or a grey, blue or contrasting colour to make the shed more of a feature.
Which Colour Should I Choose?
There is no single best shed colour. I would look at the house, doors, windows, fencing, paving and planting together rather than choosing a shade in isolation. You can either coordinate the building with its surroundings or deliberately use it as a contrasting feature.
Remember that colours shown on a phone or computer screen are only approximate. Light, weather, photography and individual displays can all change how a shade appears, so if an exact colour matters I would use a physical colour sample before making the final decision.
Apex, Pent or Reverse Apex Painted Shed?
An apex shed has the familiar pitched roof with a central ridge, while a pent roof slopes in one direction. Reverse-apex designs alter the orientation of the frontage and can change where the main entrance sits in relation to the garden.
I would choose the roof and door arrangement around the site and intended use rather than appearance alone. Think about where shelving, bicycles, machinery or a workbench will go before deciding which layout is most practical. It is also worth checking our sheds by size guide when working out how much room you actually need.
Can Painted Sheds Be Insulated?
Yes. Full-insulation options are available on the Sapphire, Fareham, Portsmouth and Winchester products currently displayed on this page. This can be worthwhile if you expect to spend regular periods inside for hobbies, DIY or workshop use.
If the building is mainly for garden tools, bicycles and a lawnmower, insulation may add little practical value. I would concentrate first on getting the size, doors and underlying construction right. If you are considering insulation, our guide to condensation and moisture in garden sheds is also worth reading because insulation, ventilation and moisture control need to be considered together.
Are Painted Sheds Professionally Fitted?
Professional fitting or assembly is included with the relevant timber buildings displayed here, subject to the applicable delivery area, suitable garden access and having the correct level base ready before installation.
The base deserves as much attention as the colour. An uneven foundation can affect the floor, wall alignment and doors, so always prepare the site using the exact requirements for the particular shed you order. Our garden building base guide explains the main base options, site preparation and why a firm, flat and level foundation is important.
Look Beyond the Paint Finish
One thing I have learnt over the years is that paint can make almost any new timber building look impressive in a photograph. I would always look underneath the finish and compare the timber, framing, cladding, floor, roof, doors and glazing before deciding whether a shed represents good value.
The Diamond Chichester, for example, offers substantial timber framing, tongue-and-groove construction, toughened glass and configurable doors and windows as well as its colour-finish option. The paint is important, but it is the building beneath it which determines whether you have chosen a good shed.
My Experience With Sheds Goes Back to 1979
I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. I left school at 15 and started my own business in 1979 trading as Marina Sheds. I learnt the business hands-on by making, selling and delivering timber sheds and dealing directly with customers, so my understanding of garden buildings comes from practical manufacturing experience rather than simply selling them online.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990, although unfortunately I did not receive all the money which was due from the sale. It was a difficult business lesson, but I remained in the garden-building industry and carried on.
In 1992 we expanded beyond sheds and added summerhouses, garages, garden rooms and log cabins. That broader direction led to the name Titan Garden Buildings. My son Craig joined me in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990, bringing his own practical carpentry and timber-construction knowledge into the business.
We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998 and in 2000 formed 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. Rather than being tied to one manufacturer’s products, Craig and I wanted to use our experience to compare quality buildings from different manufacturers and give customers a genuine choice.
Craig now runs the day-to-day business, and I remain involved to support him and the team whenever required. You can read more about our family business on the About 1st Choice Leisure Buildings page.
Why Does My Experience Matter When Choosing a Painted Shed?
Having manufactured sheds myself, I know that colour should never disguise a poor specification. I look at the timber and construction first and then consider whether the painted finish, size and options make the complete building suitable for the customer.
If Diamond provides everything you need, I would rather recommend that than encourage you to pay for unnecessary extras. If pressure treatment and insulation matter, Sapphire may suit you better. If you need a substantial multi-purpose building, Fareham, Portsmouth or Winchester may justify the additional specification.
How Do I Choose the Best Painted Shed?
Start by deciding what the building needs to hold and how much space you require. Then choose the roof style, doors, windows and specifications before deciding on the colour. That approach gives you a useful building first and an attractive one as well.
If you are comparing painted sheds or coloured sheds and are unsure which actual model on this page is right for you, please ask us. Between Craig, me, and the team, we have a great deal of practical garden-building experience.
Can I See Painted Garden Sheds Before Buying?
Whenever practical, I recommend seeing garden buildings and finishes before making a final decision. You can visit our Surrey garden building display site near Guildford and Woking to compare representative buildings, timber construction and colour finishes in person.
Photographs are useful, but standing beside a painted building gives you a much better idea of both the actual construction and how a colour behaves in natural light. I started selling sheds in 1979 and still believe seeing the quality for yourself is one of the best ways to make an informed decision.
Looking After a Painted Shed
A factory-applied finish reduces the work needed when the shed first arrives, but it does not make timber maintenance-free. Check the walls, roof, doors, windows and areas close to the base periodically, and deal with damaged coatings or places where moisture can collect before they develop into larger problems. Our shed maintenance and repair guide covers the main checks to make throughout the year.
From £1449