Outdoor Storage | Shed

If your garage is so full of assorted tools and treasures you’ve having a difficult time fitting your vehicles in without damaging something, it’s time to start looking for an outdoor storage unit.

Where to begin and what variables should you consider?  First, you have to calculate how much additional storage you might need.  If you already own every conceivable piece of gardening and lawn care equipment know to man, you may think you can get by with a smaller unit to supplement the space you have in your garage.  If you think you might be adding tools and equipment in the future or you would prefer to keep everything in one central storage location, you’re going to want something bigger.  

In either case there is an old rule of thumb to keep in mind:  “stuff’ expands to fill the space available!  Many older homeowners have experienced this phenomenon when a new storage unit they thought would solve their need for more space filled to the brim in a flash, as if by magic.  No matter what size you think will be big enough, think again and get the next larger size!  Now let’s look at the three basic types of outdoor storage units available on the market today.

Types of Outdoor Storage Units

As you might expect, storage units can be roughly categorized by their size, ranging from small to large.  They are:

Storage boxes or cabinets.
Storage Sheds.
Storage Buildings.

The smallest storage units are made of PVC and come in horizontal box styles and vertical cabinet styles.  Some box styles come with a single lid design, similar to an old time chest freezer.  Their functionality is extremely limited, as whatever is put in the box must be raised above the side and then lowered in – not very convenient for large bags of heavy soil or gardening rock.  

Other styles come with both a lid and hinged swing out doors at the front, allowing very small wheeled garden carts and lawnmowers or snow blowers with handles in the down position to be wheeled in.

The vertical styles look like large linen cabinets with swing out doors and are great for storing long garden tools.  Their lightweight PVC construction makes it difficult for them to remain totally free standing so expect to have to mount them flush with an exterior wall of your garage.

For the ultimate in functionality you need to look at an outdoor garden shed or building.  While both are “walk-in” in size, outdoor buildings are generally much larger, often resembling small garages.  Both sheds and buildings come in pre-fabricated kits that are relatively easy to assemble and some smaller sheds come pre-assembled.  Door styles range from rolling overhead doors in larger outdoor storage buildings to sliding doors to swing out doors.  The most important decision you have to make is not the door style or even the size; it’s the materials used to construct the building or shed.

Outdoor Storage Units:  Metal vs. PVC

While it’s possible to get a kit for an outdoor storage building made of wood, metal and PVC are the most common materials.  Metal lasts much longer than PVC and is much heavier.  A quality PVC outdoor shed or building may have a guarantee of 10 years, while a comparable metal unit will have a guarantee of up to 30 years.  However, metal is much more expensive to buy.

PVC sheds and buildings can be very attractive and some of the better manufacturers include ingenious storage systems within the unit.  However, no one should buy one without being fully aware that in a severe storm their lightweight makes them highly susceptible to an unplanned relocation somewhere else in your yard or in your neighborhood!  Metal storage buildings are meant to be set over concrete foundations, making them more secure.  Smaller storage sheds of either metal or PVC that are meant to be free standing could be blown away or damaged; although the weight of metal units makes them better able to hold up in severe conditions.  If you elect to go with a PVC unit, consider anchoring it to the ground.  Good luck!