Comparing Outdoor Sheds

When it comes to selecting an outdoor shed your first concern should not be who made it, but rather, what is it made of, and how well is it made.  Even high end manufacturers offer low cost products that might seem cheap to buy but often end up costing more in the long run as they will need to be replaced sooner.  

What are Outdoor Sheds Made of?

While larger outdoor storage buildings can use wood in their pre-fabricated kits, smaller outdoor sheds are typically made of PVC or metal.  If initial cost is your primary concern, PVC may be your best option.  They have other advantages as well.  They are lighter and more portable and much easier to assemble.  Some of the better models come with fold down PVC floors that are easy to clean.  For some larger vinyl walled models you will have to mount the sheds over a plywood floor, but this is also necessary with metal outdoor sheds.

PVC sheds also have an advantage in being corrosion resistant.  Even the best galvanized metal shed with high quality paint or powder coating will eventually begin to rust somewhere.  PVC sheds are literally maintenance-free, requiring only an occasional hosing down.  However, they do have some disadvantages when compared to their heavier metal cousins.

First, make sure the PVC shed you are looking at has double wall construction, as pests like rodents can chew through single wall PVC quicker than you might think and get at your stored grass seed.  Second, their lighter weight may be an advantage due to portability, but it also poses a serious drawback:  stability.

Metal sheds are heavier – especially the better ones with thicker walls – and meant to be secured to concrete slabs.  If a big wind comes up, they stay put.  Not so with PVC sheds with their pre-assembled floors.  They can easily end up in your neighbor’s yard.  Even if you take the trouble to secure them to the ground with post mounts, their overall construction is such that they could easily come apart in extreme storm conditions.

The price advantage PVC outdoor sheds have over metal outdoor sheds may seem significant, but if you consider the life expectancy of the shed, it becomes less so.  Metal sheds last much longer and are less easily damaged.

Notable Outdoor Shed Manufacturers

Most outdoor sheds on the market today are of PVC construction.  Larger sheds, which are classed as outdoor storage buildings, are more typically made of metal, although there are many PVC models available and even some wood kits.

Some of the more notable steel shed brands.

• Colorbond Sheds
• Ranbuild
  
• Titan

When it comes to PVC sheds, three of the most popular manufacturers are Rubbermaid, Winchester, and Suncast.  As we noted earlier, the construction of the shed is more important than the manufacturer.  What this means is that, other things being equal, a double walled shed from Rubbermaid would be more desirable than a single walled shed from Suncast, and vice versa.

Manufacturers like these are sensitive to customer needs and they generally offer more “bells and whistles” than most other manufactures.  For example, several Rubbermaid models come with innovative storage systems included, right down to the racks and the movable, adjustable hooks.

One of the higher end Winchester models comes with a built in window, which might sound like an extravagance at first.  However, many who have invested in outdoor storage sheds later discover they need better light to see what they have inside, and what better source of light than the sun?