A-Z Shed Glossary
The Power A-Z of everything you need to know about garden sheds. If there is anything missing from our list please contact us at hello@powersheds.com and we will try to help you as best we can.
Aggregate
Aggregate is typically composed of crushed rock used for mixing with cement, bitumen, lime, gypsum, or other adhesive to form concrete or mortar. Aggregate is used as a base course in roadways (or shed bases!) as a base course for cement. When making a concrete shed base we would recommend laying 3-4 inches of aggregate under 3-4 inches of concrete.
Apex roof
An apex styled roof is shaped like an inverted V. It is a roof in two sections which meet at the highest point at the ‘ridge’ of the building. Sheds generally come in the form of an apex shed or a pent shed.
Bargeboard
This is the board that is used on the gable end of the shed. It is the board fastened to the projecting gables of a roof to give strength, protection and to conceal the otherwise exposed end of the horizontal timbers or roof purlins to which they are attached. They have a significant impact on the general aesthetics of the shed.
Dip treatment
Dip treatment is a method of applying preservative to timber. At Power we dip treat shed panels into a tank of preservative fully submerging the panel into the treatment. All surfaces are thoroughly immersed before being removed and dried. It is a fast, efficient and economical way to treat panels. The treatment we use is water-based which we have specifically chosen as it is better for the environment than solvent-based treatments and is not flammable. It has a wax additive which means you do not have to treat the shed for a whole year but just the right amount so that if you want to paint over and change the colour you can.
Eaves height
The eaves height is the height from the floor to the starting slope of the roof. It is important to compare the eaves height when comparing sheds as eaves heights between shed companies vary greatly and is often difficult to tell in an image.
Finial
A shed finial is the decorative piece / ornament that goes at the top / end of the shed roof, emphasising the gable end or apex. Power provides two finials with all apex sheds.
Floor joist
Floor joists on a garden shed are the pieces of framing under the floor boards which the floor boards are nailed to. They ensure the floor boards do not sit straight on the base allowing air to circulate under the floor.
Framing
Shed framing is the timber which creates the structure of a garden shed. Each panel is manufactured where the framing is assembled first and then tongue and groove cladding is nailed to the framing.
Gable
A gable is the triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. A shed gable end is the end wall which is topped by a gable.
Galvanised
Galvanising is coating with a protective layer of zinc in order to protect it from rust and other damage. Hinges on all Power sheds are galvanised for added protection.
Hardcore
See aggregate
Modular
Modular design is an approach that subdivides a system into smaller parts called modules, that can be independently created and then used in different systems. A modular system can be characterised by functional partitioning into discrete scalable modules. Power sheds are created with a modular system allowing the customer to configure the layout of their shed so that the door / window wall panels can go in any position.
Mullion
A shed window mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between the windows. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid support to the glazing of the shed window.
Pallet
A pallet is a flat transport structure, which supports goods in a stable fashion while being lifted by a forklift or pallet truck. The pallet provides the base for assembling, storing, handling, and transporting materials and products. Additionally, a pallet provides protection to the product on it. Power uses only recycled pallets and encourages our customers to recycle or upcycle them.
Pent roof
A pent roof shed features a single slope. The door on a pent shed would traditionally be on the high side – however, Power Sheds allow you to put the door in any position you want on any side.
Pine
Pine is a softwood and is one of the timbers used in Power sheds. Pine is a very durable wood and is ideal for outdoor garden sheds.
Ridge height
The ridge height is the height from the floor to the very top of the roof. It is important to compare the ridge height when comparing sheds as ridge heights between shed companies vary greatly and is often difficult to tell in an image.
Roof felt
Roofing felt is essential for sheds to protect the timber on the roof and the shed against any water ingress. It is often coated or saturated with a protective coating such as bitumen (asphalt), which repels water but still allows the product to breathe. Power uses a specially formulated ‘super felt’ which is polyester backed providing extra strength and making it very difficult to rip or tear.
Roof purlin
A shed roof purlin is any longitudinal, horizontal, structural member in a roof. This is the framing that runs across the roof of a shed on a pent shed or gable to gable on an apex shed. The roof boards are nailed to the roof purlins.
Shiplap cladding
Shiplap cladding on a shed is a type of tongue and groove cladding. Shiplap cladding has the additional��feature of a small profile at the top of each board. This little channel allows water to run off the shed quicker than normal tongue and groove. This also helps the shed dry quickly after exposure to rain, helping to protect it from any water damage. Shiplap tongue and groove cladding also gives sheds an attractive appearance and has a robust and sturdy structure.
Tongue and groove cladding
Tongue and groove cladding is where each board has a ‘tongue’ which locks into the ‘groove’ of the board above. Due to the boards connecting, tongue and groove sheds last much longer and are far stronger than an overlap shed where each board overlaps the board beneath. Power sheds are comprised of shiplap tongue and groove cladding which is a form of tongue and groove. See shiplap for more details.
Toughened Glass
Toughened glass is a type of safety glass processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments to increase its strength compared with normal glass. This is achieved by heating regular glass at high temperatures and then cooling very quickly making it tougher and up to 500% more resistant to heat and shock than ordinary glass. Should toughened glass break, it will break into small pieces which is far safer than other types of glass. The aim of the toughening process is to improve the structural durability and thermal strength of the glass, in turn increasing its resilience and ability to withstand heat. Any Power shed ordered with windows comes with toughened glass as standard.
Truss
A shed truss is a structural framework of timber designed to provide support for a roof. Our apex sheds have a truss every 4ft to ensure the roof does not sag.