George Bernard Shaw, a playwright from Ireland, once said, “No question is so difficult to answer as that to which the answer is obvious.” Often, when we think about space or storage problems, the answer to our worries is often right in front of us. For example, maybe you have a storage shed, but you still need more space. Adding a loft or purchasing a shed with a loft, dramatically increases the ROI of your lofted shed, and plus it provides much more space for storage.
What Is A Lofted Shed?
To specify, sheds with lofts are not the same as two-story sheds. Two-story sheds could be thought of as “glorified lofts.” Two-story sheds can be transferred into sheds with loft apartments, rooms, and more, while lofted sheds are much more specific to storage. Hopefully, you’ll be able to learn a little bit more about the storage potential a lofted shed could have for your property (also learn about shed permits in SC).
Popular Shed With Loft Sizes
Not quite sure what size lofted shed you need? We’ll list a couple of shed sizes for you in this section, but first, develop your own little plan for what you want to be stored and where. For example, make a list of all the items you want to be stored. Remember, it’s better to keep the less-used items in the loft while the more regularly used items below.
Here are a couple of popular lofted shed sizes that you may find helpful:
12×16 Sheds With Lofts
One common shed size is the 12×16 shed with loft; although the 12×16 is on the larger side, the flip side is that a 12×16 shed with a loft will not be jam-packed with items. The size of a loft can vary from having an attic-sized loft to a smaller 4’ deep loft. Even a 12×16 lofted barn shed with a 4’ loft will provide an additional 48 square feet of floor space; that’s 25% more floor space waiting to be utilized in your 12×16 shed!
12×24 Sheds With Lofts
Thinking greater, 12×24 sheds with lofts, which are 288 square feet of ground-level space (not to mention additional loft space), allow for multiple shed ideas to be used in the same shed. To put it in perspective, the square footage of three average cars combined could comfortably fit in a 12×24 shed. Plus, you got even more space above! Even 10×12 lofted sheds or 12×12 sheds with lofts provide sufficient space for a multitude of yard equipment.
Barn Style And A-Frame Lofted Sheds
Thankfully, we do not live in a 2-dimensional world and so it is important to understand that not only do sheds with lofts need sufficient surface area for storage items but also sufficient overhead clearance. This is especially critical if you’re looking to expand storage space with a loft.
Barn Style vs. A-Frame Lofted Sheds
The Barn Style shed (also known as a Gambrel shed) uses the traditional double-sloped Gambrel roof design, while an A-frame shed has a regular single-sloped roof. If you want to learn more about different roof designs click here to read more.
Gambrel Roof Perks
When it comes to maximum overhead space, the Gambrel roof design allows for a much more spacious loft. Plus, a Gambrel roof has excellent drainage that generally does not allow for standing water, which will of course help prevent water from seeping through. This is especially critical to remember when considering putting a host of valuables in your loft. If you want to learn more about the Gambrel roof design, click here.
Plans For Your Shed With A Loft
As I mentioned earlier, it’s pretty important to have a Plan of Action before you buy a shed so that you can accurately know what size of shed with a loft you need. First, make sure your lofted shed will be up to par with your state/county’s requirements.
Legal Requirements
Now that the nitty-gritty work is out of the way it’s time to get planning. One common question to start with is how much weight your loft will be able to hold. Generally, a small loft is not built to hold large amounts of extremely heavy equipment. It also depends on the support system. For example, if the loft is being supported by 2×4” loft joists, it might be better to store lighter items; on the flip side, 2×6” loft joists could probably be trusted to carry heavier items.
Here at Fisher Barns, our lofts can hold up to 500 pounds of storage equipment, which is equivalent to about half the weight of an average horse or half of a grand piano! That gives you the ability to store 500 extra pounds of storage items in 48 square feet of extra space.
Planning Your Lofted Shed
On another note, make sure to measure and calculate how many of your storage items will fit in your shed with loft. For example, if you are looking at 12×16 sheds with lofts make sure that you have enough storage space (240 sq. ft.) for what you need. Keep overhead space in mind as well, when considering storing taller or bulkier items. Look at the list of items you want in storage and ask yourself the question: “What is a priority and what is not.” If the item is seasonal, rarely used, a souvenir, or something along those lines, you may want to put them in the loft.
On the other hand, place your zero-turn mower, garden equipment, or whatever equipment/items you use regularly on ground level where it is easily accessible.
How Big Should My Lofted Shed Be?
Also, remember the size of your yard space; a very simple, general rule of thumb for what size shed is appropriate for your backyard is this: use common sense. In general, a 12×16 shed is on the larger side of the shed scope, so it would probably work best in a larger yard. Next, graph the ground-level and loft-level layout of where each item will go in your shed with loft. It may be helpful to go to your local shed dealer and figure out the right shed plan for you with a professional.
3D Shed Builder
Many shed dealers also have a 3D Shed Builder on their website, which allows the buyer to customize and create a visual shed plan. Generally, it also allows for the addition of custom features such as shelves, a workbench, or whatever else. A 3D shed builder is especially useful when adding a loft or other space-utilizing add-ons because buyers can visualize what their sheds with lofts will look like.
What We Offer
If you’re starting to think that maybe a shed with a loft would be a good idea, check out our sturdy, quality storage sheds. Our standard 4’ loft can be tacked on to most of our storage sheds on our 3D Shed Builder. Several examples of sheds that we sell that could also have a loft added on are the Dutch Barn and the Cabin shed. Both the Dutch Barn and the Cabin have barn-style roofs that can maximize your overhead loft space. If you want to learn more about pre-built storage sheds, read our comprehensive guide on them. Or, you can read how to turn your shed into an office here. Additionally, you can find answers to your questions about shed permits in GA here.
Our Cabin Shed comes standard with a corner Porch or potentially a full-length porch. A cabin shed with porch not only has the option of a loft, but also the potential for a full-length porch, which may be a place where you can enjoy life without storage problems.
We also have a 3D shed builder where you can design your own shed with loft. If you have an idea as to what size shed with loft you need or want other additional add-ons, our 3D Shed Builder is an excellent tool to help you design your own shed with a loft.