Rabbit shed - adding windows / light?

I am considering converting my shed but it only has 1 window which isn't on the side that gets most sunlight so I feel the shed would be quite dark especially in winter. Has anyone added a window and if so how would I do this? The other issue is that the only other side that does get sunlight is the one with the door taking up most of it. Another option I've considered is making the door into a stable door, making an internal mesh door and leaving at least the top half of the stable door open through the day. I have all these bright ideas but I probably lack the diy skills to do them!

Anyone who has added light I would be grateful for some ideas, and practical advice on how I can achieve them. I'm beginning to think this project may be beyond my capabilities but I would love to do it - cutting plywood to line the shed and cutting a hole / flap to access the run are also going to be challenging on my own :?

Hi Casco, my own diy skills are pretty non existent, to be fair. I think the internal mesh door / stable door are a great idea though and I will be definitely looking into doing this when I get my rabbit shed.

Hopefully someone will be along soon with some ideas! X

Is there any possibility of turning the shed around and having the door on the shady side and the window on the sunny side?

I know that, for my boys, sunbathing in the sun that comes in through their shed window is the best thing in the world!



The stable door/mesh door is a very good idea too, especially for the hot summer months.

I think adding an internal mesh door it a great idea - I imagine a handy man with the tools to hand could whip one up very quickly so it might be worth looking for someone local if you aren't confident yourself. You'd want the same mesh as for runs so weld mesh. Otherwise it would just be a case of making a frame and meshing over it, then adding hinges.

The other option would be to put the window into the door. You'd need to add a wood frame around the window and cut out the centre. It looks like you might be able to buy shed windows/doors online so maybe have a look and see if there is something you could start with rather than making it completely from scratch.

No chance of moving the shed - there is a 6ft fence on 2 of the sides and if I turned the shed around the window would be next to the fence. That and the fact that I could never move a shed myself and I don't know enough big burly men to help :lol:

I was thinking of putting a window into the door but I wasn't sure if this would weaken the door somehow. I couldn't see any examples online of the best way to do this, hence me considering the internal door as an alternative. The door has actually dropped at one side just now so I'm going to have to fix that anyway. I've made a run and an indoor pen in the last 6 months so I would like to try the shed conversion myself - I'm just really bad at sawing! I am planning to insulate it and line with plywood but I'm not looking forward to cutting the plywood :shock:

Will look at the options for windows / doors online as that may save me a lot of time.

I agree with the idea of an internal mesh door, I've done this before. The easiest way to do it is just to buy an aviary door panel (depending on the shed size you might need to get one slightly smaller than a standard 6ft panel) and fix it onto the inside. So the normal shed door opens outwards and then the aviary panel opens inwards. When I did this with Patrick's shed I covered over the aviary panel with plastic sheeting in the winter to keep out the wind and rain but retain the light, and I shut the outer shed door at night.

The other thing is have you been in the shed and shut the door to see how light it is? You might be surprised at how much light even one window lets in, especially if you're able to add a shelf or something near the window so they can look out. What's more likely to be a problem is letting heat out during the hotter weather, as sheds can get really very hot without enough ventilation - so having the mesh door (and window meshed and openable if possible) really helps provide through draft and keep it cooler inside.

That's a good idea about the aviary panel - I think it's easier to alter than to start from scratch and it can be hard to get smaller sections of mesh so might work out cheaper than buying everything seperate.

Try taking a picture of the back and front of the door and we can give you some ideas - it depends how it's constructed the best way to do it

The aviary panel sounds like a good idea - I do have mesh left over from my previous projects but I can't remember if I have enough to cover a door panel. Will measure the door frame. I have been inside with the door closed, it was a cloudy day and there was light inside but not a great deal and some of that came from a gap at the top of the door where it's dropped a bit at the moment. As I'm in Scotland where the cloudy / wet / miserable days far outweigh the sunny ones I would prefer a bit more natural light in there!

Will get photos of the door soon. This is going to be a bit of a project for me over the summer months, hoping to have it ready for my foster bunny (or bunnies) to move into before the Autumn / winter weather is upon us again. Shed needs re-felted, painted and hopefully insulated and lined if I can manage as well as sorting ventilation, light and access to the run.

I'm in a quandary over this - I'd really rather use the shed but we also have a kids playhouse which would be so much more suitable with much less work required to convert. The playhouse has a stable door and 2 windows to the front and shutters which open out on one side as well as a little porch to keep the rain off my head while I try to open the door! However I bought it for my sons with money they were given when my papa died so it doesn't feel right to use their playhouse. They rarely use the playhouse and it's been used more for toy storage than playing in but I'd still feel bad that they would lose the use of it.

So the shed needs refelted, painted, more light somehow and slabs laid next to it to put the run on (and therefore the 10ft trampoline relocated elsewhere in the garden!) to get it to the same state the playhouse is already in. Been out this morning standing around in the garden and in the shed and playhouse thinking about my options. I'm sure my neighbours think I'm nuts :lol:

Even if you used the playhouse - presumably you'd need to still refelt the shed eventually? It's nice to have the 6' head height as well. If you've made a run and an indoor pen then I think you could manage the shed. Plus think of the new skills you'll master ready for your next project Maybe your son's would enjoy the project too? - teach them how to saw and you won't have to

For things like lining it, you can measure up first and then get the store you buy the ply from to do the main cuts for you (also makes it easier to get in the car).

You're the one that has to do the work though so it's got to be your choice :lol:

The roof of the playhouse is fine at the moment, think it will be ok for a few years but yes it will need refelted at some point. I got them to make the playhouse taller so an adult can stand up in it so no issues with the head height, especially for me as I'm only just over 5ft :lol: The shed will need refelted whether I use it for rabbits or not, and painted too so I'll not actually save myself any work there. I may just use the shed then use my new found skills to upgrade the playhouse for the boys so they can maybe make better use of it! I do actually love diy, I'm just not very good at it - the timber yard I bought the wood from for the outdoor run cut it to size for me otherwise it would have taken me an eternity. I'm hoping to get my brother and his circular saw on board for the shed protect, or at least borrow his saw (and hope I don't lose any fingers :shock

I did the mesh door on my shed but have it opening outwards so that it takes up less room if u get what i mean, and i leave the outside door open when it is nice so that the fresh air can get in, we used 2 old panels that i had from a run and fixed them inside

How did you attach the mesh door snuffles, and how does it lock shut? I know it'll be attached with hinges but I've yet to plan out the logistics of where I'll be able to put hinges and where the mesh door will sit so that the main door can still close properly, plus where I'll be able to put a couple of bolts on the opposite side to secure it. I want to have a small barrier at the bottom of the doorway too to avoid attempted escapes while I'm getting in.

My first challenge is refelting - bought felt today, off work next on Wednesday so hoping to get it done then. It looks straight forward enough but I usually think that about most things until I actual try to do it myself :lol:

we put a length of wood inside and attached it to that and on the outside i have 2 blocks of wood which is attached to the shed and these twist over the mesh door and keep it tightly shut, so it doesn't come open. The shed door shuts as usual as the mesh door is set far enough in that it doesn't affect the outer door, hope that makes sense ?

You can get aviary door panels that have a full door frame, hinges and low step which might be worth a look. How it fits depends on how the current door closes. It might be you just need to add piece of wood (like a frame around the door) between the shed wall and the frame of the inner door so it's pushed back an inch or two to give it more clearance.