Choose apex if you want a central standing aisle; choose pent for storage arranged along a wall; choose reverse apex when a door on the long side gives you better access. Put your workbench on the drawing before choosing the roof. Headroom is most useful where your head will actually be.
These roof descriptions follow Forest’s illustrated guide; individual door and window arrangements vary.
Draw the activity beneath the roof
Put your bench, shelves and largest stored items on the plan. Mark where you will stand, where an open door will go and how an item reaches the entrance. The maximum roof height does not tell you the headroom at the bench or doorway.
| Layout | Useful check |
|---|---|
| Apex | Does the central ridge sit above the aisle where you need headroom? |
| Pent | Which side is higher, and where will rainwater leave the roof? |
| Reverse apex | Does the wider entrance side make the storage layout easier to use? |
Measure the roof as well as the base
Record the maximum external width and depth, including overhangs, separately from the footprint. Check nearby branches, gutters and the space needed to fit the roof. A footprint that fits between obstacles does not establish that the whole building will fit.
Plan how you will inspect and maintain the covering from a suitable position. Avoid selecting a layout that leaves its drainage edge inaccessible. If guttering is needed, ask whether the proposed kit is compatible and include its space in the drawing.
Check the proposed height before ordering
Use the dimensions for the completed building and its actual site. Do not infer planning eligibility from the words “low roof” or from a product photograph. Our planning checker screens England only and keeps unresolved property conditions visible.
Your next step
Sources and method
- Forest Garden shed buying guide · checked 2026-09-19