As working from home becomes the norm, many people struggle with how to deal with distractions while working from home – children’s playfulness, family conversations, or daily chores. These can often interfere with productivity.
So, have you thought about building a stand-alone outdoor workshop? Its uses aren’t limited to work; it can also serve as storage and more.
Next, this article will cover the benefits of it, specific steps on how to build an outdoor workshop, and how to quickly build a functional outdoor workspace with a tent structure.
The Benefits of an Outdoor Workshop Shed
Besides being a great way to avoid space conflicts with family, an outdoor studio also can be a clearer boundary that helps people switch between work and life, as well as providing a more appropriate place for hands-on projects or daily storage.
In practice, many people are also coming to realize that such a space brings changes, not only in terms of efficiency but also as a lifestyle adjustment.
Extra Privacy and Fewer Distractions Workshop Space
The outdoor studio is set back from the main house so that a ringing phone or impromptu household chores will no longer easily interrupt your work rhythm. So one of its biggest benefits is that it allows you to concentrate on your work.
On the contrary, if you work with noisy tools and equipment, you also won’t have to worry about disturbing your family’s rest.
Add Storage
In addition to being a work area, it can also take on the function of storage.
Are tools, materials, or seasonal items scattered around your home? Perhaps you might consider categorizing them into places inside your studio by frequency of use versus size specifications.
Suitable for Various Functional Scenarios
Not only that, in fact, outdoor studios can be adapted for your needs. Here are some examples for reference only:
- Spare Bedroom:A quiet, private overnight space for when friends and family come to visit.
- Study Room:Away from the noise of the home, more suitable for reading, writing, focusing on studies, or children’s final week review.
- KTV Room:After setting up simple audio equipment, you can sing to your heart’s content.
- Friends’ Gathering Space:A small gathering place for chatting, playing board games, and watching movies.
- Video Conference Room:Suitable for telecommuting and avoiding family members accidentally entering the screen.
- Craft or Hobby Space:More convenient and does not occupy the home area when doing woodworking, painting, or other hobby projects.
Increase Property Value
In addition to the convenience that comes with everyday use, an outdoor workspace has some advantages in terms of property value. Not only is it a complementary space for living, but it may also be a plus when it changes hands in the future.
If you have plans to rent or sell the property in the future, a ready-made workshop, storage room, or multi-purpose space often means more convenience for buyers or tenants. This can make the tenant or buyer think that the house is good value for money.
Detailed Steps to Set up an Outdoor Workshop
After understanding all the benefits of an outdoor workspace, the next step is the actual building process. As long as you follow sensible steps, you can successfully complete a functional and aesthetically pleasing outdoor space even without a professional background. Here’s a look at exactly what to do.
Choose a Suitable Location
Before you build, you should do some simple planning. One of the first things to consider is the location. You can start by picking a place in your yard with plenty of light and flat ground so that not only the construction is more convenient, but also the usual use reduces daytime lighting energy consumption.
Build the Foundation
After determining the location, the next step is to lay the foundation, which is a crucial step for the entire structure to be solid or not. You should choose different materials and practices depending on your budget and actual needs.
Wooden foundations are a more common choice, easy to construct and relatively low cost for light workrooms. If it rains a lot in your area, then you can opt for paving stones or gravel layers built into the platform, as they provide some drainage.
Alternatively, something like a poured concrete foundation or a stone wall, or in the form of concrete post supports, would be more sturdy. These are suitable for structures that need to be used for a long period of time or have a high load-bearing capacity.
Put Up the Walls
Once the foundation is complete, it’s time to start building the walls. Typically, each wall is constructed with a certain size of timber. During construction, you will need to put these timbers together as per the structural requirements and leave proper gaps between them.
This will allow it to form a natural air barrier to block heat transfer and also leave room for maneuvering for the later addition of rock wool or foam insulation board.
Roofwork
After the structure is gradually taking shape, you have to consider what kind of roof to build. People usually build an A-frame out of lumber, which is solid and easy to drain. Next, after completing the skeleton, cover it with a layer of waterproof material, such as tarpaulin or asphalt shingles, and the interior will not leak.
This will allow it to form a natural air barrier to block heat transfer and also leave room for maneuvering for the later addition of rock wool or foam insulation board.
Power Supply
When the roof is up, the basic structure is complete, and you can think about the power supply next. It is recommended to set up a separate set of electrical circuits for the outdoor workshop with a dedicated distribution box. This is safer when using power tools or lighting equipment and also facilitates later maintenance.
If you plan to use it for a long period of time and have the need for electricity for lighting, tools, electric heaters, or other appliances in different areas, then you’d better set aside some outlet locations.
You can also consider whether to connect to the network cable or install simple ventilation equipment as needed to make the space more complete and fit your daily use habits.
Add Some Decorations
To make it more relevant to your own habits and aesthetics, you can do some personalization. For example, paint the exterior wall with your favorite color or add some patterns. Of course, you can also add some details to the interior, such as wall paintings, ambient lighting, hanging chairs, an outdoor workshop table, and so on.
Build an Outdoor Workshop Shed with a Tent
If you’re looking for an easier building process or just want to experiment with a non-permanent outdoor space, then consider a tent for your workshop. Compared to traditional structures, tents are quick to set up and also provide a stable and practical experience.
Something like the cube cabin tent is perfect for a temporary or semi-permanent outdoor studio. It can be prefabricated in the factory and transported to the site for quick assembly. This design simplifies the building process and shortens construction time. Moreover, it’s a square space with no restrictions on where you can place furniture or other items inside.
If you prefer a visually designed shape, you can also consider a dome tent. In fact, it’s more worth mentioning because it spreads the external force evenly over the entire surface when subjected to a force, and there are no weak points where the force is concentrated, as in the case of a square or sharp-cornered structure.
When the wind blows on the dome, the airflow will naturally glide over the surface without forming a strong resistance and will not be easily lifted up. So it performs more solidly and reliably in the face of strong winds or bad weather.
Conclusion
Building an outdoor workshop not only effectively separates work from life but also brings more flexibility for everyday use. In fact, whether you choose a traditional building form or consider a simpler tent structure, with proper planning and implementation, you can create a practical and comfortable separate space.
If you want to save yourself a lot of hassle, Glitzcamp offers a wide range of modular outdoor tent solutions for a variety of scenarios for different uses, including studios. Feel free to contact us, and we will provide suitable designs and suggestions according to your actual needs.