A Compact Storage Shed for a Tight Scarborough Backyard

Not every backyard has room for a 12x10 shed, and not every homeowner needs one that big. This 9x6 Essential Shed in Scarborough is a good example of what you can do with a smaller footprint. The homeowner had a narrow urban lot with cedar privacy fencing on both sides and a house that sits close to the back of the property. They needed storage, but they couldn't afford to lose half their yard to get it.

We built this shed to tuck right into the back corner between the two fence lines. At 54 square feet, it holds garden tools, a lawnmower, seasonal gear, and all the stuff that was previously piling up in the garage. And it does it without making the yard feel smaller.

Cedar and Black Steel on a Small Frame

The front is finished in natural cedar shiplap, which matches the horizontal cedar fencing on both sides of the yard. That was intentional. When your shed is sitting between two cedar fences in a compact space, you want it to feel like part of the same design, not like something that was dropped in from a big box store. The cedar ties the whole backyard together.

The side wall is jet black corrugated steel with black aluminum trim. The lean-to roof with exposed rafter tails gives it the same modern look as our larger builds. A small shed doesn't have to look cheap, and this one proves it. The stone slab steps at the entrance were laid by the homeowner's landscaper to match the rest of the yard work that was happening at the same time.

The Barn Door Makes the Difference

On a shed this compact, the door choice really matters. A standard swing-out door would block the walkway every time you open it. The sliding barn door solves that completely. It rolls open on a top-mounted stainless steel track and gives you full access to the interior without eating up any of the space in front of the shed.

This particular barn door has cedar panel inserts instead of glass, which gives it a warmer look and keeps the contents of the shed out of sight. The black frame with cedar fill picks up both materials used on the shed itself, so the whole thing reads as one cohesive piece.

Modern Sheds for Scarborough and East Toronto

Scarborough is full of homes with backyards exactly like this one. Decent-sized lots, but the house takes up most of the footprint, and whatever yard space is left has to work hard. A well-built shed turns that dead corner of the yard into something useful, and when it's built with the right materials, it actually makes the backyard look better.

We build across Scarborough and East Toronto, and we've done projects in Birch Cliff, Agincourt, Malvern, and the Bluffs area. We also work throughout the GTA including North York, Etobicoke, East York, and the surrounding 905 communities. If you've got a tight lot and you need something that fits, give us a call. We'll figure it out.

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