Garden Shed. Wood, Plastic or metal

gordonbennet

My wooden garden shed is falling apart and is in need of replacement. I've looked at a few in B&Q but there are relatively few on display. Those that are there are reasonably priced, but don't seem that well made. There are more online, but it's difficult to judge the quality.

I'm looking for a shed of up to 5'x7' which will last but also won't set me back too much. So, with longevity/price in mind my questions are:

1) Would you suggest wood, metal or plastic

2) Are there any particular makes/models you would recommend?

3) Any good suppliers?

Eukelade

I'd be interested to hear what people think about this too, with one extra question:

4) Which type tends to attract the fewest spiders?

wallbash

Wood is my choice every time , easier to erect shelves etc.
I would look at the choices at places that only sell sheds , normally out of towns , large displays .
Then you can work out what sort of roof and windows would be best . Often the doors can be moved , roofs sloped differently to suit.Erection ( on a prepared base) is often offered , these guys can put one up faster than we can.
A shed will last longer on a really good ( concrete) base.
One that attracts fewer spiders ......... also my dream .

julianashcroft

I bought a Keter Shed from B&Q a couple of years ago. It's 7' x 5'. I would have liked a larger one, but B&Q wont deliver the large ones to the Isle of Man. It was easy to put up, took me on my own less than an hour and has been problem and maintenance free ever since. The only downsides is that it comes with just two short shelves and you cant buy more on their own and you cant hang tools in it. I sorted out the shelf problem by putting a free standing shelf unit in the shed. Like all sheds it needs a good solid base to go down, but it does come with it's own hard wearing plastic floor.

Oh and no spiders either.

BargainGalore

Wood every time metal can sweat and get condensation which may create mould. Plastic no matter how much they claim UV protected it will loose its colour

mikey72

Decent wooden shed every time.
As to supplier, it depends on where you are.
I found one by looking at local suppliers advertising on ebay, then went round to see them looking at what the quality was.
In the end I found an excellent shed with delivery and erection, cheaper than I could buy the wood for.

Davesnave

mikey72 wrote: »

Decent wooden shed every time.
As to supplier, it depends on where you are.
I found one by looking at local suppliers advertising on ebay, then went round to see them looking at what the quality was.
In the end I found an excellent shed with delivery and erection, cheaper than I could buy the wood for.

Spot on. Wood rules. As to easy-purchase sheds, grown men cry when they realise what they've ordered on t'internet without seeing it in the flesh.

Serves them right.

Sheds are not identical like branded washing machines or TVs, so buying them from middle men and box-shifters is not the way to go. However, if I can find a chap making sheds to a really excellent standard in this lowly-populated neck of the woods, most people can do similarly. It may take a bit of research, though.

I paid £420 for a 7x5 shed, specially adapted for chickens to my own spec, and that included tanalised bearers and 20 miles of delivery. A bit more expensive than B&Q, perhaps, but the quality.....there's no comparison, and I didn't need to fiddle around adapting it.

PS. No spiders with chickens! (yum, yum!)

spadoosh

Wood, wood, wood! Try and go for a tongue and grove one over a lap shed, they tend to be more sturdy and the wood will not move and distort as much.

alanobrien

Agree, wood every time. Easy to keep, strong and durable. Metal sheds have horrendous condensation problems, plastic is to weak, both are difficult to hang stuff up.

elsien

We have a metal one for storage at work - think it was an Argos one and it was a beggar to put together. Hundreds of fiddly little screws, definitely a 2 person job, almost saw 2 grown men cry getting it sorted!
However it is lasting well, does get damp inside but not enough to affect the paper work we have stored in metal filing cabinets in there.

chiefgoobster

elsien wrote: »

We have a metal one for storage at work - think it was an Argos one and it was a beggar to put together. Hundreds of fiddly little screws, definitely a 2 person job, almost saw 2 grown men cry getting it sorted!
However it is lasting well, does get damp inside but not enough to affect the paper work we have stored in metal filing cabinets in there.

Never ever get one of these. They are a total nightmare, honestly ! ..to put together. There are about a gazillion small screws, bolts nuts etc.If you haven't pulled your hair out,filed for divorce or almost slashed your wrists by the time it's nearly up, you will do !!

Go for wood, as others have said above.