12×12 Sheds – Large Timber Sheds for Storage, DIY and Hobbies
A 12×12 shed gives you around 144 square feet of nominal floor space, making it a substantial choice for organised garden storage, DIY equipment and hobby use. A 12ft x 12ft shed gives you enough width as well as length for larger machinery, bicycles, shelving and a workbench while still leaving practical working space in the centre.
This page is part of our wider garden sheds range but is specifically for customers considering this larger square footprint. The buildings currently shown here are the Platinum Fareham Apex, Fareham Pent, Fareham Reverse Apex, and Diamond Barnham Apex so that I would compare those four rather than treating every 12×12 shed as the same product.
Which 12×12 Sheds Are Available?
The Platinum choices are the Fareham Apex, Fareham Pent and Fareham Reverse Apex. These offer three different roof and entrance layouts within the same Fareham family, with free assembly, colour finish options, and full insulation available.
The fourth building is the Diamond Barnham Apex. This offers a different Diamond specification and is available in sizes extending well beyond 12×12, with free fitting and double doors on suitable larger sizes.
What Is a 12×12 Shed Best Used For?
A 12×12 shed is particularly useful when you want to combine storage and working space. Garden machinery, bicycles, tools and furniture can be positioned around the perimeter while the centre remains available for access or a work area. For many customers, this size works well as a substantial storage shed or home workshop.
I recommend planning the interior before ordering. Measure your largest items, decide where shelving and benches will go and work out how you will move equipment through the doors. A square 12ft x 12ft footprint gives you much more freedom than a narrow shed, but a good layout will still make a major difference to how useful the building feels.
Is a 12ft x 12ft Shed Big Enough for a Workshop?
For many home DIY and hobby uses, yes. A 12ft x 12ft shed provides enough room for a substantial workbench, tools, storage and clear working space. The Fareham models are worth comparing if regular workshop-style use is important because full insulation is available as an option.
The Diamond Barnham Apex may suit you better if your priorities are straightforward storage, wide access and a practical timber building without necessarily requiring the insulation options available on the Fareham models.
Apex, Pent or Reverse Apex – Which Layout Is Best?
The three Fareham models give you a genuine choice. The Fareham Apex has the traditional central ridge, the Fareham Pent uses a single-slope roof, while the Fareham Reverse Apex changes the orientation of the main elevation and entrance. The Diamond Barnham Apex provides another traditional apex alternative.
With a 12ft x 12ft shed, the footprint itself is square, so entrance position can be more important than whether you think of the building as 12×12 or 12×12. I would decide which side of the building you naturally approach from, and where shelving, machinery, and a workbench need to go, before selecting the layout.
Can a 12×12 Shed Be Insulated?
Yes. The Platinum Fareham Apex, Pent and Reverse Apex buildings shown on this page all offer a full-insulation option. This may be worthwhile if you expect to spend regular periods inside for hobbies or DIY and want a more comfortable internal environment.
I would not automatically choose insulation if the building will only be used for garden storage. The right specification depends on what you genuinely intend to do inside, and there is little point paying for features which will not benefit you.
Are These 12×12 Sheds Fitted for You?
Professional fitting or assembly is included with the four timber buildings currently displayed here, subject to the relevant delivery area, suitable access and having the correct base ready before installation. For a building of this size, professional assembly is particularly worthwhile.
You will still need a firm and level foundation. Garden building sizes are nominal, so always check the precise dimensions on the individual product page before preparing the base or positioning the shed close to a wall, fence or boundary.
What Should You Check Before Buying?
After working with sheds for many years, I would never choose a building from the headline dimensions and price alone. Look at the framing, cladding, floor, roof, doors, glazing and available options. With a building this size, internal height and door width also become especially important.
Two buildings can both be described as a 12×12 shed yet suit quite different customers. Someone storing machinery may place the greatest value on strong floors and wide doors, while somebody using the building regularly for DIY may care more about windows, insulation and internal comfort.
I Have Been Involved With Garden Buildings Since 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. Those early years were very hands-on and gave me practical experience of manufacturing, selling and supplying timber garden buildings rather than simply selling them from a catalogue.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990, although unfortunately I did not receive all the money which was due to me from the sale. I remained in the garden building industry and in 1992 we expanded into summerhouses, garages, garden rooms and log cabins. As the business had moved beyond sheds, that change in direction led to the name Titan Garden Buildings.
My son Craig joined me in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990. His carpentry training added further practical knowledge of timber construction to the business. We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998 and in 2000 decided to retail quality garden buildings from selected manufacturers rather than being restricted to products from one source. That was when we formed 1st Choice Leisure Buildings.
Craig now runs the day-to-day business, and I remain involved to support him and the team as required. You can read more about our story on the About 1st Choice Leisure Buildings page.
Why Does My Experience Matter When Choosing a 12×12 Shed?
Having worked with timber buildings since 1979, I have learnt that the right shed is not automatically the cheapest or the most expensive. What matters is whether the construction, layout and available options match what you need the building to do.
For regular hobby or DIY use, the Fareham models may appeal because insulation and different roof layouts are available. If you mainly need a substantial timber shed for storage and practical access, the Barnham Apex may be the better fit. My role is to explain those differences rather than tell every customer to buy the same building.
How Do I Choose the Best 12ft x 12ft Shed?
Start with the intended use. Decide what you need to store, whether you want a workbench, how often you expect to spend time inside and which side of the building needs the entrance. Then compare the four actual products on this page against those requirements.
Whichever 12ft x 12ft shed you choose, check the exact dimensions, door and window arrangement, insulation options where applicable, base requirements and delivery access before ordering. If a different footprint may suit you better, compare the other options in our garden sheds by size section.
If you are unsure which 12×12 shed is right for you, please ask us. Between Craig, me, and the team, we have a great deal of practical garden-building experience, and I would much rather help you choose the right building at the start than see you pay for features you don’t need or discover later that another layout would have suited you better.
Can I See a 12×12 Shed Before Buying?
Whenever practical, I recommend seeing garden buildings before buying. We cannot display every model in every possible size. Still, you can visit our Surrey garden building display site near Guildford, Woking and Ripley to inspect representative buildings and compare construction, floors, doors, windows and finishes for yourself.
Photographs are useful, but they cannot fully show you how substantial a floor feels underfoot or how a door operates. I started selling sheds in 1979 and still believe that seeing the product and understanding its specification are two of the best ways to make a good buying decision.
From £2789
