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The popularity of working remotely may just represent one of the biggest shifts in work perhaps since the Industrial Revolution. Exaggeration? Maybe. However, there’s no doubt that this shift has transformed the way we think about our office jobs and work-life balance.
If you’re reading this blog, it’s likely you see the benefits of working from home and want to make it a reality, perhaps by converting your shed into your own home office space. If so, you’re in the right place!
This may seem like a daunting project to dive into, especially if you’re more comfortable around a computer than power tools. However, with some planning and a little DIY spirit, your dream office space can be a reality!
Here’s our 5-step guide to transforming your shed into the office space you’ve always wanted.
Table of Contents
The first step in any DIY project is to come up with a plan. A good place to start is to get clear on what you want. Here are a few good questions to ask yourself when planning your office shed.
Do you want an office that’s warm and relaxing or is more professional and industrial? Maybe you want to include a comfortable chair for relaxing or a bookshelf for your book collection. Your office should include items that inspire you and allow you to thrive!
You’ll be limited by the size of your shed, so you’ll likely need to prioritize certain pieces over others. A great way to plan your furniture layout is to draw a scaled-down sketch of your shed office layout so you can visualize it better.
You may choose to simply keep the door and window layout as it is, but if you’re ordering a new shed or reframing an existing one, this is an important question. An office with plenty of windows is a great way to allow extra natural lighting into the office.
This step may not be necessary if you are ordering a new shed for the specific purpose of converting it to an office shed. Most shed builders, including Gold Star Buildings, have a 3D design tool where you can design and custom order your shed to match your specific needs. If this is the route you plan to take, feel free to try out our 3D Builder!
If you own a shed, this is the step where you can change the look and feel of your shed interior by adding or moving windows and doors. Natural lighting can make your office shed an inviting environment to work in, so be sure to prioritize this step.
This step may require a bit of expertise, but if you’re feeling adventurous or just want to practice a new skill, feel free to go for it, even if you’re new to framing! Just remember that the framing is the foundation for each step that comes after, so it’s important to get it right.
Here’s a great step-by-step video explaining how to install a window in shed:
After you’ve finished framing your shed, the next step is to add the wiring and plumbing pipes, if necessary. At a minimum, you’ll want to have good lighting, receptacles, and a reliable source of heat and A/C in your office shed. Additionally, you can add plumbing if you want a sink or water supply to your office shed.
Your electrical needs will vary based on the size of your shed and your specific needs. Three main things will need electricity in a shed office: lighting, receptacles, and HVAC equipment.
Lighting is one of the most important parts of your shed, as it will be fundamental to creating the environment you want. Many current lights use LED technology that is quite efficient compared to older lighting styles. Because of this, all of your lighting can likely be wired on one 15 amp electrical circuit. Here are some great lighting options for your office shed:
Recessed Lights
Recent recessed lights are designed with a low profile, making them ideal for tight spaces and smaller buildings like sheds. Here’s a look at some recessed lights for sale at Home Depot.
Ceiling Fan Lights
If you plan to add a ceiling fan, you can choose one with a light kit for extra lighting. Here are some ceiling fan options from Amazon.
Accent Lighting
To set the mood just right, add a bit of accent lighting such as string lights or lamps. Lights like this often get their power source from a receptacle, so make sure your office shed has plenty of them.
An office usually has a number of items powered by electricity, from computer monitors and printers to ambient lighting and plug-in space heaters. It’s important to have plenty of receptacles, especially around your desk area.
Often a receptacles will be powered by either a 15 or 20-amp circuit, depending on the type of equipment you plan to plug in. For example, space heaters take significantly more electricity than a set of string lights. If you plan to power items like a printer and space heaters, 1 or 2 20 amp circuits is the way to go.
If you plan to wire your shed yourself, here’s a short video with some tips:
For most office sheds, a ductless mini-split is the best option for heating and A/C. These systems are known for their efficiency, and will provide you with both cooling and heating. These units typically require a dedicated 15 or 20 amp circuit to power them.
Alternatively, you can use a ceiling fan and/or A/C window units in the summer and baseboard or plug-in space heaters in the winter. Here are some DIY mini-split options from Home Depot.
Plumbing is not an essential part of an office shed, but it can be quite convenient to have a bathroom or at least a sink with running water. If you have no experience with plumbing, it’s probably best to hire a plumber to add plumbing, unless the plumbing is basic.
If you want to tackle the plumbing yourself, here’s an article that may be helpful.
After the electrical, plumbing, and HVAC is installed, it’s time for insulation. Insulation is essentially to keep your shed at a comfortable temperature year-round, so it’s important not to skip this step.
There are 2 basic options when it comes to shed insulation: batt and spray foam insulation.
This style of insulation is typically the cheaper and easier to install of the two, but also less effective. It’s probably the most popular option for DIY shed renovations, since it’s quite easy to install. It’s typically made of strips of fiberglass insulation that’s made to fit between wall studs. Here are a few batt insulation options from Lowe’s.
Spray foam is another popular choice for insulation and is known for it’s effectiveness, but requires a bit more equipment than batt insulation. This type of insulation is applied by a spray applicator and is sprayed between the wall studs and in the ceiling if necessary. This can be done with DIY spray foam kits like these from Amazon.
For more information, check out this DIY spray foam how-to video:
Now the real fun begins! This is the step where everything comes together. Here are the key parts of this step:
The first step is to hang drywall, apply spackle, and sand it smooth.
This task can be quite difficult if you haven’t done it before, so it may be best to hire a drywall installer to finish the project.
This is the part where you can unleash your inner creativity. There are many styling themes you can apply, from a minimalist aesthetic to something more traditional. Whatever theme you prefer, the paint is the foundation for your style aesthetic.
After the painting is complete, you can add the flooring and decor. For flooring, popular options include carpet, hardwood planking, and vinyl options. Your choice may depend largely on your chosen design aesthetic. For some inspiration, here’s are a few popular design themes for your office shed.
This popular design will give your office a relaxing and professional look that will look great on those video calls.
This design takes the best of minimalist design and combines it the design of rustic farmhouse themes.
For a truly inviting office look, go for a nature-inspired design, with lots of plants and natural light.
This design is quite popular in coffee shops and start-up business office spaces.
For this look, go for darker design elements, such as dark wood furniture.
That’s it! Hopefully this article gives you the information and inspiration to tackle your DIY office shed. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at Gold Star Buildings. We’d love to recommend a shed for your office shed project. We look forward to hearing from you!
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