Apex vs Pent Shed: Which Roof Style Is Best?

The roof is one of the first choices you make when buying a shed, and it affects more than looks. It changes the headroom inside, how tall the building is at the fence line, where the rain goes and even how easily you stay within the planning rules. Many of the sheds we sell come in both styles, so here's how to decide.

Apex vs pent at a glance

How much height difference is there?

Real figures from the sheds we sell show the difference. These are the heights on the product pages:

So on these sheds the pent version keeps one ridge height across its sizes, while the apex version gets taller the wider it is. That matters if you're close to a boundary, where the 2.5m height limit applies (see our planning permission guide).

When to choose an apex shed

• You want to stand up comfortably in the middle, or you're using it as a workshop.
• You'll store tall items such as ladders, or want shelving high up on the walls.
• The shed will sit in open space where it's seen from every side.
• You prefer a traditional look.

When to choose a pent shed

• The shed will go against a fence or wall, in a side passage or under a window.
• You're close to a boundary and want to keep the height down.
• You have a small garden. See our small sheds guide.
• You like a cleaner, modern shape. Many contemporary summerhouses use a pent roof too.

Apex and pent versions we sell

Many ranges come in both roof styles, so you can pick the shed you like and then the roof that suits your garden:

• Power Sheds: Power Apex and Power Pent sheds, Apex and Pent Security Sheds, and Apex and Pent Potting Sheds.
• Suresheds: Nidderdale Apex and Nidderdale Pent, both security-focused, from 6x4ft.
• Shedlands: Dalby Apex and Dalby Pent, and Supreme Apex and Supreme Pent.
• Sovereign: the Rutland Apex and Nottingham Pent, from 6x4ft up to 20x10ft, installed for you.
• Lifelong steel: apex sheds 6ft to 12ft wide and pent sheds 6ft to 10ft wide.

Other roof styles

• Dutch barn: a curved roof that gives generous head height and loft storage. The Shedlands Dutch Barn has a 2700mm ridge height, an internal braced loft and double doors.
• Apent: a hybrid that combines apex and pent roofline elements for a distinctive profile, such as the Sovereign Bristol Apent summerhouse.
• Corner: five-sided sheds made for the corner of a garden, such as the Power Corner Shed and Sovereign Cornwall.

Whichever roof you choose, check the covering too. Felt, felt tiles and EPDM rubber are compared in our best garden sheds guide.

Common questions

Is an apex or pent shed better?

Neither is better in every garden. An apex shed has a two-sided roof with more headroom in the middle and space for high shelving. A pent shed has a single sloping roof, stands lower, and sits neatly against a fence or wall. Choose apex for headroom and a traditional look, and pent for tight spaces, boundaries and a modern look.

What is an apex shed?

An apex shed has a roof with two sloping sides that meet at a ridge in the middle, like a traditional house roof. It gives the most headroom along the centre of the shed and sheds rain evenly off both sides.

What is a pent shed?

A pent shed has a single roof that slopes from a taller front to a lower back (or side to side). It's lower overall than a similar apex shed, which makes it a good fit against a fence, under a window or close to a boundary.

Is an apex or pent potting shed better for a UK garden?

Both work. A pent potting shed can sit with its back to a fence and its glazing facing the sun, which suits a narrow garden. An apex potting shed has more headroom and room for high shelves. What matters most is facing the glazing towards the light. We sell both styles, including Power Sheds Apex and Pent Potting Sheds and Potting Shed Combis.

Which way should a pent shed roof slope?

Usually the tall side is at the front with the door and the roof falls towards the back. Leave a gap behind the shed so rain can run off and you can reach round to treat the timber, and consider guttering to carry water away from the fence.

Do I need planning permission for an apex or pent shed?

The roof style doesn't decide it. The height and position do. In England, a building within 2 metres of a boundary should be no more than 2.5m high to stay within permitted development, which a low pent shed often makes easier. Read our planning permission guide and check with your council if you're unsure.

Heights and sizes vary by model, so always check the product page before you order.