Metal Sheds and Garden Storage

GARDEN · GLOBAL

Metal Sheds and Garden Storage

Metal against timber, condensation, bases and security

A metal shed costs less than timber and behaves differently in ways that matter more than the price.

Metal and timber compared

Galvanised steel does not rot, does not need treating and is less attractive to insects. It dents, it can rust where the coating is broken, and it cannot be easily modified or have shelves screwed to the walls.

Timber insulates better, looks better in most gardens and needs treating every few years.

Condensation is the main issue

Metal is cold, so moist air condenses on the inside and drips onto whatever is stored below. That is why tools rust in a metal shed that has no leak at all.

Ventilation is the answer — vents at low and high level, a gap under the door, and not sealing the building up. An anti-condensation lining or insulation board helps considerably.

Do not store cardboard, fabric or paper in one without dealing with this first.

The base

Level and firm — concrete, paving slabs on a compacted sub-base, or a purpose-made plastic base. An uneven base is why doors stop closing and panels split at the fixings.

Anchor the shed down, since light metal buildings blow over in gales.

Security

The supplied hasp is usually weak. Fit a proper closed-shackle padlock, bolt down anything valuable and consider an alarm. Tell your insurer, since outbuilding contents are frequently capped or excluded.

What to store where

Fuel, gas cylinders and chemicals should not be stored in a closed metal shed that heats in summer. Keep them in a ventilated store away from the house, and never bring cylinders indoors.

Batteries for tools last longer indoors than in an unheated shed.

Organising it

Shelving, wall hooks and a tool rack keep things off the floor and dry. Free-standing racks work where you cannot screw into metal walls.

Wooden alternatives

A timber shed can be insulated, lined and wired for a workshop or an office, which a thin metal one cannot. It costs more and needs treating every few years, and it is what most people end up preferring for anything beyond storage.

Check the cladding thickness and the framing rather than the floor area when comparing prices.

Planning

Outbuildings are generally permitted development within limits — no more than half the garden covered, single storey, and a maximum height of 2.5 metres within two metres of a boundary. Check with the council rather than assuming.

Assembly

Metal panels have sharp edges — wear gloves and eye protection, and build with two people on a still day.

Check planning limits before ordering anything large.

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