Sheds and Storage
Shed Size Calculator: What Size Shed Do I Need
Quick answer
Add the floor space of what you store, then add about 35 percent for a walkway. A push mower and hand tools fit a 7 by 7 foot shed, a push mower, snow blower and wheelbarrow need about 8 by 8, and a lawn tractor or zero-turn with tools needs 8 by 10 to 10 by 12 feet, with a door at least 6 inches wider than the widest machine.
Most shed regrets are about size: the riding mower that does not fit through the doors, or a shed so packed you move three things to reach the rake. Tick off what you plan to store and the calculator adds up the floor space, allows room to walk in and reach things, and recommends a standard shed size and minimum door opening. For a deeper look by equipment, see shed size by what you store.
Shed size calculator
Enter how many of each you will store.
Recommended shed
Sheds that fit what you store
Top matches update when you calculate.
Lifetime 8 x 10 ft. Outdoor Storage Shed
$1,478.85Dual-wall HDPE panels with steel supports and trusses, a slip-resistant HDPE floor, roof skylight and lockable steel-reinforced doors.
Best for: a push mower, bikes and a wall of hand tools
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Lifetime 7 x 7 ft. Outdoor Storage Shed
$1,177.85A compact steel-reinforced HDPE shed with a full-length skylight, two windows, two vents and one long shelf plus two corner shelves included.
Best for: garden tools and a push mower in a small yard
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Lifetime 15 x 8 ft. Dual Entry Outdoor Storage Shed
$1,999.00Double doors on both the front and side, five steel roof trusses, eight skylights and a 90 in. shelf with tool corral, so long items come out without unloading.
Best for: a riding mower plus a full set of yard equipment
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Suncast Tremont 8 x 10 ft. Resin Storage Shed
$1,599.00A barn-style shed with 547 cu. ft. of space, steel-reinforced resin panels, six skylights and a floor included in the kit.
Best for: bikes, a mower and patio furniture over winter
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Suncast Tremont 8 x 13 ft. Resin Storage Shed
$2,299.99The stretched Tremont with 715 cu. ft. of storage, eight skylights and four adjustable corner shelves, sized for a lawn tractor.
Best for: a lawn tractor or golf cart plus tools
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Suncast Modernist 7 x 7 ft. Storage Shed
$1,114.25A modern flat-look shed with a full steel skeleton frame and a roof rated for 40 lb per sq. ft. of snow, plus four transom windows.
Best for: snowy regions that want a modern-looking small shed
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Keter Factor 8 x 8 ft. Resin Storage Shed
$1,198.49A 420 cu. ft. wood-texture resin shed with a skylight, window, built-in vents and interior of 93 x 93.5 x 94 in.
Best for: a square footprint that holds a mower and shelving
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Keter Artisan 7 x 7 ft. Modern Storage Shed
$1,519.68A design-forward 292 cu. ft. shed with a floor, clear windows and vents, with an interior height of 86.5 in. for tall tools.
Best for: a shed that sits near the house and has to look good
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Rubbermaid Extra Large 7 x 10 ft. Resin Storage Shed
$1,549.76Double-wall resin with an impact-resistant floor, skylights and wall panels rated to hold 75 lb each with Rubbermaid shed accessories.
Best for: riding or push mowers plus hanging wall storage
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Arrow Shed Elite 10 x 12 ft. Steel Storage Shed
$1,580.10Galvalume steel with 72 in. tall walls, vented high gables and key-lock swing doors, giving 117 sq. ft. of floor area.
Best for: the most floor area per dollar in a premium metal shed
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Arrow Classic 10 x 8 ft. Steel Storage Shed
$614.99The lowest-cost walk-in option here: 74 sq. ft. and 432 cu. ft. of galvanized steel storage with padlockable sliding doors and a 12-year limited warranty.
Best for: budget lawn equipment storage on a prepared base
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Duramax Woodbridge Plus 10 x 10 ft. Vinyl Shed
$1,299.00A vinyl-clad 10 x 10 shed sold with a foundation kit and a window, a square footprint that suits a workbench along one wall.
Best for: a square shed with room for a potting bench
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Arrow Yardsaver 4 x 10 ft. Steel Lean-To Shed
$649.99A 38 sq. ft. sloped-roof lean-to that sits against a house or fence, with double doors that mount on either end (floor kit sold separately).
Best for: a narrow side yard for trash cans, grills and bikes
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Handy Home Beachwood 8 x 12 ft. Wood Storage Shed
$2,446.60A DIY wood shed with a framed OSB floor, 7 ft sidewalls and pre-hung 64 in. double doors; paint and shingles are bought separately.
Best for: a paintable wood shed that matches the house
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Suncast XL Vertical Storage Shed (106 cu. ft.)
$526.49A 106 cu. ft. made-in-USA vertical unit at 70.5 x 44.25 x 77.5 in. with a floor and metal-latched double doors, big enough for a push mower.
Best for: long-handled tools and a push mower against a fence
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Suncast Glidetop Horizontal Storage Shed (98 cu. ft.)
$624.99A 98 cu. ft. low-profile shed with a sliding lid, reinforced resin floor and a pad-lockable three-door system.
Best for: trash cans or a mower under a window line
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Keter Luma 230 Gallon Deck Box
$279.99The largest box here at 230 gallons, with a steel-reinforced frame, soft-close hydraulic lid and a padlock latch.
Best for: cushions for a full sectional plus pool floats
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How much floor space does yard equipment take?
| Item | Floor space | Widest point for the door |
|---|---|---|
| 21 in push or self-propelled mower | 6 sq ft | 24 in |
| 42 to 46 in lawn tractor | 23 sq ft | 58 in |
| 48 to 54 in zero-turn mower | 30 sq ft | 66 in |
| Two-stage snow blower | 9 sq ft | 32 in |
| Wheelbarrow or yard cart | 7 sq ft | 28 in |
| Trimmer, blower and rakes on the wall | 4 sq ft | Wall or floor |
| Bicycle, each | 6 sq ft | Wall or floor |
| Gas grill stored for winter | 8 sq ft | Wall or floor |
| Stacked patio chairs and cushions | 8 sq ft | Wall or floor |
| Shelving, per 4 ft run | 8 sq ft | Wall or floor |
What size shed do I need?
| Shed | Floor area | Usable after walkway | Holds about | Catalog examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 x 8 or 4 x 10 lean-to | 40 sq ft | 30 sq ft | Push mower, snow blower, wheelbarrow and tools | Lifetime 7 x 7 ft. Outdoor Storage Shed, Suncast Modernist 7 x 7 ft. Storage Shed |
| 7 x 7 | 49 sq ft | 36 sq ft | Push mower, snow blower, wheelbarrow and tools | Lifetime 7 x 7 ft. Outdoor Storage Shed, Suncast Modernist 7 x 7 ft. Storage Shed |
| 8 x 8 | 64 sq ft | 47 sq ft | A lawn tractor or zero-turn plus hand tools | Keter Factor 8 x 8 ft. Resin Storage Shed, Rubbermaid Extra Large 7 x 10 ft. Resin Storage Shed |
| 7 x 10 or 8 x 10 | 80 sq ft | 59 sq ft | A lawn tractor or zero-turn plus hand tools | Lifetime 8 x 10 ft. Outdoor Storage Shed, Suncast Tremont 8 x 10 ft. Resin Storage Shed |
| 10 x 10 | 100 sq ft | 74 sq ft | A lawn tractor or zero-turn plus hand tools | Suncast Tremont 8 x 13 ft. Resin Storage Shed, Duramax Woodbridge Plus 10 x 10 ft. Vinyl Shed |
| 8 x 12 or 10 x 12 | 120 sq ft | 89 sq ft | A lawn tractor or zero-turn plus hand tools | Lifetime 15 x 8 ft. Dual Entry Outdoor Storage Shed, Arrow Shed Elite 10 x 12 ft. Steel Storage Shed |
| 8 x 13 to 15 x 8 | 120 sq ft | 89 sq ft | A lawn tractor or zero-turn plus hand tools | Lifetime 15 x 8 ft. Dual Entry Outdoor Storage Shed, Arrow Shed Elite 10 x 12 ft. Steel Storage Shed |
How is shed size calculated?
- Item space = the sum of each item's footprint, with some items stored on walls rather than the floor
- Floor area needed = item space x 1.35, allowing roughly a third of the floor for a walkway so you can reach things without moving others
- Shed size = the smallest standard footprint at or above that area
- Door opening = the widest machine plus at least 6 inches of clearance
Walls do a lot of the work in a small shed: trimmers, blowers, rakes and shovels hang on hooks, and shelving uses height rather than floor. If you expect to buy a riding mower later, size for it now, since a bigger shed costs far less than a second one. Check the listed door opening and whether a ramp is included, because a lawn tractor needs a sturdy ramp over the sill.
Do I need a permit for a shed?
Often not for small sheds, but it depends on where you live. Model residential building codes exempt small one-story detached accessory buildings under a size limit, commonly 120 or 200 square feet depending on the code edition your area adopted, but many towns set their own limits, and setback rules from property lines, easements and utility lines still apply. Homeowners associations frequently add their own rules on size, height, color and placement. Check with your local building department and HOA before you buy, and call 811 before digging footings or driving anchors.
Resin, metal or wood shed?
Resin sheds such as the Lifetime 8 x 10 ft. Outdoor Storage Shed and the Suncast Tremont 8 x 10 ft. Resin Storage Shed do not rust or rot, need no painting and usually include a floor, which suits most homeowners. Steel sheds like the Arrow Shed Elite 10 x 12 ft. Steel Storage Shed give more floor area for the money but need a separate floor or foundation, careful anchoring and attention to condensation. Wood sheds such as the Handy Home Beachwood 8 x 12 ft. Wood Storage Shed are the easiest to customize with shelves and hooks but need painting or staining. The trade-offs are compared in resin vs metal sheds and ranked in the best storage sheds.
Frequently asked questions
What size shed do I need for a riding mower?
A 42 to 46 inch lawn tractor takes about 23 square feet of floor, so with a walkway and some tools an 8 by 10 foot shed is the practical minimum. A 48 to 54 inch zero-turn takes about 30 square feet, pointing to 10 by 10 or 10 by 12 feet. Most importantly, the door opening must be at least 6 inches wider than the mower, including its discharge chute.
Is an 8x10 shed big enough?
An 8 by 10 foot shed gives 80 square feet, about 60 usable after a walkway. That holds a lawn tractor or a push mower, snow blower, wheelbarrow and hand tools with shelving on the walls. It becomes tight if you add bikes, patio furniture and a grill for winter. If a riding mower and a snow blower both need to live inside, look at 10 by 10 or larger.
What is the most popular shed size?
Sheds in the 8 by 8 to 10 by 12 foot range are among the most commonly sold for homeowners, because they hold a mower and yard tools while often staying within typical small-shed permit limits. The right size is whatever fits your equipment plus a walkway, so measure your largest machine and add up what you store before settling on a popular size.
How big should a shed door be?
Make the door opening at least 6 inches wider than the widest item you will roll in. A push mower needs about 30 inches, a two-stage snow blower about 36 to 40 inches, a lawn tractor with a 42 inch deck around 60 to 64 inches, and a 54 inch zero-turn around 70 inches or more. Double doors are the usual answer for riding mowers.
Should I buy a bigger shed than I need?
Usually one size up is a good idea, because storage needs grow and a larger shed costs much less than adding a second one later. The limits are permit thresholds, setbacks, yard space and budget. Plan the layout first: if the larger size would push you over your local permit limit, a well-organized shed with wall storage can hold more than you expect.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published specifications, manuals, labels and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and product label, and consult a qualified professional where safety, chemicals, fuel or structures are involved. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.