Use this calculator to help you figure out what size storage shed to buy or build. Add items that you intend to store in your shed and the calculator will recommend a shed size for you. Note: this is an area calculator – use your own judgment and preference as to how much stacking you can do.
Tools & Equipment
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Recommended Shed Size
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How to Use the Shed Size Calculator
Add each item you plan to store — mower, bikes, tools, seasonal decorations, whatever’s cluttering your garage right now — and the calculator adds up the floor space each one needs. It then recommends a shed size that fits everything with enough room left over to actually walk around and reach what you’re storing, not just cram it in wall to wall.
Because this is an area-based estimate, it doesn’t account for vertical stacking or wall-mounted storage. If you plan to add shelving or hang tools on the walls, you can often get away with a size smaller than the calculator suggests — use it as a starting point, then adjust based on how you actually intend to organize the space.
Common Items and the Space They Need
If you want a rough sense of what’s driving the number before you start adding items, here’s approximately how much floor space common shed contents take up:
| Item | Approx. Floor Space |
|---|---|
| Push mower | 6–8 sq ft |
| Riding mower / small tractor | 25–35 sq ft |
| Snow blower | 10–15 sq ft |
| Bicycle (stored upright) | 4–6 sq ft |
| Wheelbarrow | 8–10 sq ft |
| Workbench | 15–20 sq ft |
| Patio furniture set (folded/stacked) | 15–25 sq ft |
| Grill | 8–12 sq ft |
| Kayak or canoe | 15–20 sq ft |
These are floor-footprint numbers only — a bike stored upright on a wall hook takes far less floor space than one leaned against the wall, and a workbench with shelving underneath still only counts its footprint, not the storage it adds. Add roughly 20–25% on top of the calculator’s raw total to leave yourself room to move and to account for anything you’ll inevitably add later.
Matching Your Total to a Shed Size
Once you have a total square footage from the calculator, here’s how that maps to typical shed size categories:
| Category | Square Footage | Typical Dimensions | Good For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Up to 36 sq ft | 6×6 to 6×8 | Hand tools, a mower, basic yard gear |
| Medium | 37–100 sq ft | 8×10 to 10×12 | Riding mower, bikes, seasonal storage, light workshop |
| Large | 100+ sq ft | 10×16 and up | Full workshop, multiple vehicles/equipment, dual-purpose space |
If your total lands right at the edge of a category, it’s almost always worth sizing up rather than down. A shed that’s slightly too big just has some breathing room; a shed that’s slightly too small is a daily frustration and often gets outgrown within a year or two.
Once You Know Your Size
With a target square footage in hand, a couple of things are worth checking next:
- Price it out. Use the Shed Cost Calculator to get a materials and labor estimate for your target dimensions, including a rough cut list if you’re building it yourself.
- Browse pre-fab options. If you’d rather buy than build, the Shed Finder ranks pre-fab sheds against the size, budget, and features you care about.
- Check permit requirements. Permit exemptions are almost always tied to square footage, and the thresholds vary a lot by city — our shed permit guide walks through how to check yours before you commit to a size.