Choosing a 6×6 Shed
A 6×6 shed gives you useful garden storage in a practical square footprint of approximately 1.8m x 1.8m. I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings, and sheds are where my working life in garden buildings began back in 1979. After more than 45 years in the trade, a relatively compact shed deserves the same careful consideration of timber, framing, floor, roof, doors and fittings as a much larger building.
The square footprint is one of the attractions of a 6ft x 6ft shed. You have useful depth as well as width, giving you more freedom to arrange tools, shelving and garden equipment than in a particularly narrow shed. I would still measure the largest items you plan to store before ordering, and think about how you will move around inside once everything is in place.
How Big Is a 6ft x 6ft Shed?
A 6×6 shed has a nominal floor area of around 36 square feet and is approximately 1.8m x 1.8m. Exact external and internal dimensions vary by product, so don’t base your base solely on the nominal 6×6 description. Always check the precise dimensions of the particular building you intend to order.
The Products Currently Shown on This Page
If you specifically want a traditional timber 6×6 shed, I would start by comparing the Diamond Chichester Apex, Diamond Chichester Pent, Woodgate Reverse Apex, Storrington Corner Shed, Diamond Barnham Apex and Diamond Barnham Pent. Their published size ranges cover a 6ft x 6ft requirement.
The page also displays the Platinum Bursledon Corner Summerhouse and Diamond Worthing Corner. Both have published ranges beginning at 6ft x 6ft. Still, they are summerhouse-style leisure buildings rather than conventional storage sheds, so I would consider them separately if you want somewhere to sit and enjoy the garden rather than straightforward storage.
Four Sapphire sheds are also currently displayed: Swanwick Apex, Swanwick Pent, Cadnam Apex and Cadnam Pent. Their published ranges currently begin at 7ft x 5ft, so check the individual dimensions carefully if one of these models appeals to you because their footprint differs from a literal 6ft x 6ft building.
Which Sheds Cover a 6×6 Size?
The Diamond Chichester Apex, Chichester Pent and Woodgate Reverse Apex have published ranges from 4ft x 4ft to 24ft x 12ft, so a 6ft x 6ft version sits comfortably within their range. All three currently show free fitting, a colour paint finish option and bespoke options.
The Storrington Corner Shed starts at exactly 6ft x 6ft and runs up to 9ft x 9ft. It currently shows free fitting and a colour paint finish option and is particularly worth considering if you want to make use of a corner of your garden.
The Diamond Barnham Apex and Barnham Pent have published ranges from 6ft x 4ft to 28ft x 12ft, so they are also relevant to a 6ft x 6ft requirement. Both currently show free fitting and colour paint finish options, with double doors highlighted on sizes 8ft and over.
Apex, Pent or Corner Shed?
If you like a traditional pitched roof, compare the Diamond Chichester Apex and Barnham Apex. The Woodgate Reverse Apex gives you another apex layout to consider, which may work better depending on where you want the door and how the building will sit in your garden.
If you prefer a single-slope roof, compare the Chichester Pent and Barnham Pent. If you have an underused corner, the Storrington Corner Shed provides a completely different layout and its range starts at exactly 6ft x 6ft.
One design is automatically better than another. With a 6×6 shed, think about where the door needs to be, where shelving or hooks will go and which walls you want to keep clear for long-handled tools or larger equipment.
Why My Experience With Sheds Matters
I think customers should know who is behind the advice they are reading. I left school at 15 and started my own garden building business in 1979, trading as Marina Sheds. I was hands-on from the beginning, manufacturing and selling timber sheds, so I learnt about garden buildings by actually working with timber and dealing directly with customers rather than simply reading specifications in a catalogue.
That practical manufacturing background still influences how I judge a shed today. An attractive door or paint finish naturally catches your eye, but I also look at the timber, framing, floor, roof, glazing and how the complete building has been put together. Two sheds can look remarkably similar in photographs and still be quite different when you examine their construction properly.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive all the money I was due from the sale. It was a difficult lesson in business, but it certainly didn’t end my involvement with garden buildings.
In 1992 we expanded beyond sheds and added summerhouses, garages, garden rooms and log cabins. Marina Sheds no longer properly described the wider business, so that change in direction also meant a change of name, and we became Titan Garden Buildings.
My son Craig joined me in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990. His carpentry training brought additional practical woodworking and timber-construction knowledge into a business already built around manufacturing and selling garden buildings.
We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998 and, in 2000, Craig and I decided to take a different approach. Rather than manufacturing everything ourselves and naturally being tied to our own products, we wanted to use our experience to select quality buildings from established manufacturers. That decision led us to form 1st Choice Leisure Buildings.
Craig now runs the day-to-day business, and I continue to support him and the team as required. I’ve been involved with sheds and garden buildings since 1979, and I believe that experience matters because I’ve seen the industry from both sides: first manufacturing and selling timber buildings ourselves and later comparing products from different manufacturers for our customers.
What More Than 45 Years Has Taught Me About Sheds
More than 45 years around sheds has taught me that size and price don’t tell you everything. A 6ft x 6ft shed may be a relatively modest garden building, but timber quality, framing, floor construction, roof construction, doors and fittings still matter. I would rather see somebody choose the right shed once than save a little on the initial price and regret the decision later.
Construction Matters on a 6×6 Shed
The current 6×6 category highlights quality redwood deals on its main wooden ranges, with at least nominal 2×2 framing, timber floor and roof construction and toughened glass on the relevant Diamond and Platinum buildings. These are exactly the sorts of practical details I encourage customers to examine rather than choosing solely from an attractive photograph or headline price.
A compact shed should still feel substantial. With a 6ft x 6ft building, you are likely to use a high proportion of the available floor and wall space, so sound framing, a proper timber floor and correctly fitted doors remain important.
Making the Most of a 6×6 Shed
A 6×6 shed can work well for garden tools, watering equipment, pots, outdoor accessories, bikes and smaller garden machinery. Measure the largest items you intend to store before ordering, and check the door opening and available floor area.
The square footprint gives you useful wall space, so shelving and hooks can help organise smaller items and leave more of the floor clear. I would avoid packing every available inch because being able to reach things at the back makes a shed considerably more practical in everyday use.
Bespoke Chichester and Woodgate Sheds
The Diamond Chichester Apex, Chichester Pent and Woodgate Reverse Apex currently show bespoke options. On a 6ft x 6ft building, this can be genuinely useful because changing a door or window position may improve access or give you a better uninterrupted wall for shelving and storage.
I wouldn’t alter a shed simply because bespoke options are available. Start with what you need to store and where the building will stand. If changing the arrangement genuinely makes the shed easier to use, then it is worth considering.
Storrington 6×6 Corner Shed
The Storrington Corner Shed is particularly relevant if you specifically want a 6×6 shed because its published range starts at exactly 6ft x 6ft. Its corner design makes it quite different from a conventional apex or pent shed and can be a useful way of making better use of an otherwise awkward part of the garden.
The Storrington currently shows free fitting and a colour paint finish option. Before choosing a corner shed, mark the footprint out carefully and think about the direction of the entrance and how you will move equipment in and out.
Barnham Apex and Barnham Pent
The Diamond Barnham Apex and Barnham Pent have published ranges beginning at 6ft x 4ft and extending to 28ft x 12ft, making them relevant when you want a 6ft x 6ft building. Both currently show free fitting and a colour paint finish option.
The Barnham product information highlights double doors on sizes 8ft and over, so that particular feature applies when you move into wider Barnham buildings rather than a 6ft-wide version. At 6ft wide, I would choose a style and layout that best suit your garden and storage needs.
What About the Corner Summerhouses?
The Platinum Bursledon Corner Summerhouse and Diamond Worthing Corner both appear on this page and both have published ranges starting at 6ft x 6ft. However, they are summerhouse-style leisure buildings rather than conventional storage sheds.
The Bursledon currently shows free assembly, a colour paint finish option and a full insulation option. The Worthing currently shows free installation, a colour paint finish option and bespoke options. If you mainly want garden storage, I suggest starting with the shed products above. If you want a compact place to sit and enjoy the garden, these two corner buildings provide a different type of solution.
Sapphire Swanwick and Cadnam Sheds
The Sapphire Swanwick Apex, Swanwick Pent, Cadnam Apex and Cadnam Pent are also actual products displayed on this page. Their current published ranges begin at 7ft x 5ft rather than a literal 6ft x 6ft footprint, so check their individual dimensions carefully if one of these designs interests you.
All four currently show free fitting, a colour paint finish option and a full insulation option. They may be worth considering if their published dimensions fit your garden and insulation is important to the way you plan to use the building, but I would not describe them as direct equivalents to a genuine 6ft x 6ft shed.
Fitting and Installation
The Chichester Apex, Chichester Pent, Woodgate Reverse Apex, Storrington Corner Shed, Barnham Apex and Barnham Pent currently show free fitting. The Sapphire Swanwick and Cadnam products displayed also show free fitting, while the Bursledon Corner Summerhouse shows free assembly and the Worthing Corner shows free installation.
Whichever building you choose, fitting or assembly still requires suitable access and an appropriate firm, flat and level base. If the route into your garden is narrow or awkward, please tell us before ordering rather than waiting until installation day.
Get the Base Right
A 6ft x 6ft shed needs a suitable firm, flat and level base. An uneven or unsuitable foundation can affect how the building sits and how well the doors operate. A smaller shed shouldn’t be placed on an unprepared patch of ground and expected to perform properly.
If you need help preparing the site, take a look at our garden building base and additional services. Getting the base right before the building arrives is far easier than trying to correct problems afterwards.
Colour Paint Finish Options
The products currently displayed on this page show colour paint finish options. A suitable finish can help your shed or corner building blend naturally with your house, fencing, and planting, rather than looking like an afterthought in the garden.
Colours displayed online can vary because of photography, lighting and different screens. If a precise shade is particularly important, check the available colour information or obtain a sample before making your final decision.
See Sheds Before You Buy
I have encouraged customers to inspect sheds before buying for many years. Photographs can show style and colour, but they cannot completely tell you how substantial a floor feels, how a door operates or what the timber and framing are like when you see them close up.
You are welcome to visit our Surrey garden building display site at Sutton Green, near Guildford and Woking. We can’t display every model in every possible size, but seeing representative sheds allows you to compare construction and finishes before making your decision.
Take your time, look closely and ask questions. We don’t believe in high-pressure selling. I started my first shed business in 1979, and I still believe that seeing what you’re buying and understanding the specification are two of the best ways to make an informed decision.
Choosing the Right 6×6 Shed
If straightforward garden storage is your priority, I would begin with the Diamond Chichester Apex, Chichester Pent, Woodgate Reverse Apex, Storrington Corner Shed, Barnham Apex and Barnham Pent. These are the actual shed products currently displayed whose published ranges cover a genuine 6ft x 6ft requirement.
Choose an apex, pent, reverse apex or corner design according to the position in your garden, the access you need and how you intend to organise the interior. The best 6×6 shed isn’t automatically the cheapest building; it is the one whose construction and layout make the most sense for what you genuinely need to store.
My Advice Before You Order
Mark out approximately 6ft x 6ft in your garden, measure the items you intend to store and check the precise external dimensions and door arrangement of your preferred model. Make sure you have a suitable firm, flat, level base and adequate access from the road to where the building will stand.
If you’re unsure which 6ft x 6ft shed is right for you, please contact us. Tell Craig, me or one of the team what you need to store, how much room you have and where the building will stand. We’ll help you compare the right products, rather than simply pointing you to the cheapest or most expensive option.
Robin Antill
Founder, 1st Choice Leisure Buildings
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