Is your spare bedroom starting to look like a war zone? Would you like to actually do craft projects in your craft room? If the answer is ‘yes’ chances are good that you are in need of additional storage space. So many of us are finding that our families have outgrown our homes and rather than get a larger home, we look to a variety of storage sheds to de-clutter the home.
The good news is that these storage buildings are readily available at a variety of home improvement and gardening centers. These retailers offer a multitude of durable storage sheds in common materials like; resin or vinyl, metal and wood. Store the things you need such as lawn equipment, tools or even vehicles in free-standing garages, canopies or versatubes. Erect a greenhouse for plants, flowers or vegetables so the green thumb in your household can grow all year long or build a post-frame building to serve as a multi-purpose storage unit.
If you are looking to create a more relaxing backyard environment, gazebos offer an elegant way to unwind under the shade. Give the children a great option for outdoor and indoor play by building an entertaining playhouse. These structures come in a variety of materials, colors, shapes and sizes plus there are tons of building accessories, plans and books to help you building the most durable structure possible.
Resin/Vinyl Storage Sheds
Resin or vinyl storage sheds are great for those who do not already own a significant amount of tools to build a wooden shed. They are easier to erect and require fewer tools, making them ideal for the inexperienced builder or one who is just starting to build a collection of power tools.
There are many benefits of choosing vinyl storage sheds but the low maintenance required is perhaps one of the biggest selling points. These shed don’t require painting or staining for protection against the elements, plus you can get the color you want to match your home or the landscape. Additionally vinyl storage sheds are exceptionally easy to clean, requiring a simple hose down infrequently.
For some however, a resin storage shed comes with disadvantages with the main one being that while it looks like wood, it is not and up close that becomes very clear. Then there is the expense of vinyl storage sheds, which are quite durable, yet significantly more expensive than their wooden counterparts. Since it is vinyl and not wood, there aren’t as many color options, although there is still a respectable amount of colors available.
Metal Storage Sheds
If your goal is utility above style then a metal storage shed is right up your alley. However you should keep in mind that while they are not expensive, they are also less durable than wooden or vinyl sheds. Metal sheds do make a good starter shed because the metal shed kits are quite easy to assemble.
The biggest downside that many metal shed owners eventually learn is that they aren’t quite as strong as wood or vinyl, particularly if you reside in an area often hit by powerful storms. You will need to get an anchoring kit to keep it safe during storms, so then you only have to worry about common problems such as denting and rust. One fact that many first time shed owners don’t know is that metal sheds rarely contain a floor, which means you will need to be careful where this shed is placed and what is stored within it.
The upside to a metal storage shed—aside from the low price tag—is that an annual paint job can keep it looking new for years. If you need a place to store seasonal vehicles, a metal shed is a good bet but not so much for lawn equipment, tools or other items that may need protection against water.
Wooden Storage Sheds
Wooden sheds are the most commonly used by professional builders, do it yourselfers and kit builders. Not only is wood an easy medium for any skill level, but it is easy to customize in terms of color and shine. Wooden storage sheds can be painted to match the home or any other color that strikes your fancy. In addition to color though, it is quite simple to add accessories to wooden storage sheds such as shelves, window boxes, cabinets and cupolas.
Using wood however also means that you will have to regularly deal with maintenance issues from splinters to soggy wood, painting and staining. The good news is that building a wooden shed will cost significantly less that vinyl, which leaves you loads of extra cash to spend on accessories to make it unique.
Due to the vulnerability of wood you will have to be very careful in terms of placement. If it is too close to trees, bushes or shrubs you will likely get water damage fairly quickly, particularly if you place it in a location that does not get any direct sunlight. Even with proper protectant excess moisture can undo much of the hard work it takes to build a storage shed.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Sheds
How do you know if you have enough stuff to even consider the time, money and effort required to build an outdoor shed? Honestly you never really know because accumulating stuff we don’t need is a uniquely human trait, but your initial storage purpose will help you decide if you need an indoor shed or an outdoor one.
If you don’t require a lot of storage space you may be able to get away with indoor storage sheds, which come in a variety of materials, shapes and sizes to fit conveniently inside your home. Indoor sheds are used to store everything from cleaning products to linens and even canned goods. If your home does not have enough built-in storage space and indoor shed is a perfect alternative.
Those of you needing to store bigger items such as lawnmowers, motorcycles, ATVs and garden soil will likely opt for the outdoor sheds. Outdoor storage units come in many different sizes and allow you to store large or dirty items that would normally take up precious garage space.
When deciding on the right shed for you, first determine how much storage space you actually need. You will likely have to approximate this size, so added a few feet on all sides just to be careful. This will help you figure out if you need an indoor or outdoor shed. Once you have made your decision it is time to determine what type of material you will need. Outdoor sheds are available in your typical materials like wood, vinyl and metal. Indoor storage units are made in plastic or metal and your choice will depend on your preferences as well as where it will be located.
Make sure the shed you choose closes securely to keep whatever is in it save from the elements.
Storage Sheds for Sale
Buying a storage shed is less time consuming that building one, but it does still require a bit of legwork. After you have figured out how large (or small) you require your storage shed to be, you will start looking around for the perfect shed kit. There are many factors to consider including price, size, materials and durability as these are the most important. If you care more about getting the shed you want than any other factor, you will have to increase your shed budget.
There are many places you can go in search of the right storage shed kit, whether you reside in the United States or the United Kingdom. The most obvious place to look for storage sheds for sale is Amazon because it allows you to see just what is available in a certain price range, from a specific brand or a particular material.
If you need an inexpensive storage shed you will find the Arrow Hamlet HM an effective choice as it is 8 x 6 feet for just $312. Get a smaller indoor storage shed that holds up to 30 cubic feet of storage space with the Keter Woodland for just $140.
If you want a large stylish storage shed, Lifetime 6446 offers a 15×8 foot unit complete with shutters and skylights for $1920. Leisure offers the Season Extra Large shed made from solid wood and double doors for easy storage for just $720.
If you’d rather visit a home improvement store so you can price the shed kits with raw materials you can go to Home Depot, Menards or Lowes in the U.S. or Argos, Tesco and Homebase.
Storage Shed Kits
Not every homeowner wants to take the time required to build a storage shed from scratch, which is why man invented storage shed kits. These kits are a fairly quick and easy to way to erect a freestanding storage unit on your property. The best thing of all is that these kits don’t necessarily limit your choices because they come in a variety of styles and materials.
If you want a barn style storage shed then you can get the kit and set up in just one day if you have the proper tools. You can even find basic vinyl storage shed kits that come with the walls and frames you need, minus the hassle of measuring and sawing raw materials. You can find shed kits at a variety of home improvement or gardening stores, or you can check out your local big box store and browse the home improvement department for stylish or utility kits.
Building Your Own Storage Shed
If you have made the decision to build your own storage shed then you know that you have quite a bit of work ahead of you. You will, however, be excited to learn that building a storage shed today is as easy as it has ever been thanks to shed plans and home improvement stores. The growing number of do it yourselfers out in the world means that there are more detailed plans available for rookie builders to follow. There are a few things to consider however before you start building.
Many jurisdictions, especially in the United States, require a permit to erect addition structures on your property so be sure to check with your local building authority before you purchase anything.
Then there is the cost of tools and materials you will need to build a proper storage shed. Do you have the tools you will need for a wooden, vinyl or metal storage shed? Do you know where you will build your shed on your property and have you measured that area to make sure the shed you want will fit? These are just a few of the items you will need to tick off before you hammer your first nail.
There is a lot of planning involved in building your own storage shed, but the actual process of building it is quite simple. Just go here and read my comprehensive shed building guide and see how simple it is. Just gather your tools, follow instructions and pay attention to safety and your storage shed will be built without a lot of hassle.
Storage Shed Plans
When you are doing anything for the first time, changing a tire or baking a cake, you rely heavily on the instructions of experts. If not experts, at least someone that knows more about it than you do, right? Well the same is true of building a storage shed; you will need a really good set of shed plans that tells you what tools and materials you will need, detailed step by step directions and diagrams to help when you get lost.
The good news is that the internet is filled with tons of basic shed plans for free, which you can grab from here:
The bad news is that many of these plans are not detailed or simply assume the builder has more experience than a beginner. Do yourself a favor and get a premium service such as Ryan’s, which offers thousands of detailed storage shed plans that even a newbie can follow. You will love his service because in addition to detailed plans, you will get to choose which plans you will use from a pool of thousands. BTW, you can read my recent review of this service here.
