Wooden and Metal Sheds

By Steve Woodward


Metal sheds will normally be made out of corrugated iron, galvanized steel or aluminum. They will be pieced together by a number of metal sheds which will be attached to a metal frame which joins them all together. Obviously a shed made from metal will be very strong and durable over time which gives it an advantage over other materials. Metal is resistant against rotting or fires as well as not becoming affected by insects. However metal can always go rusty especially if it is not galvanized, so bear this in mind when purchasing a metal shed.

A slight disadvantage of metals sheds can occur if they are made out of sheets of metal which are quite thin. If they are thin then they can be dented quite easily. This will probably be a more urgent problem if you reside in an area where vandals will target small buildings such as this. Also if it is obvious that valuable equipment is kept inside it may become a target for thieves, even more so if the metal shed is used as business storage. If you do use a metal shed in this way then you should make sure that you have the right type of insurance cover against this.

In terms of a foundation for metal sheds, you should secure the shed to a concrete base with good quality, durable screws. This is because a metal shed is more vulnerable to wind damage because of the much heavier weight. Therefore it they are not secure they could potentially cause a lot of damage to either you or your property.

Wooden sheds have the flexibility of being able to blend into the natural look of a garden more. This is the thing that many people like about them and will often paint or varnish them to suit their own tastes and garden landscape.

For example over the course of time the wood can start to go rotten and split which causes structural problems. Over a longer period of time the wood can also start to shows signs of mold. To avoid this you should really use wood treatments to protect it and increase the life of the wood.

Long term problems with wooden sheds can be reduced if you spend some time maintaining the wood. I'm sure you will see the benefits in future years if you spend some time looking after your shed.

To help prevent against these type of problems, you can buy wood stains, preservative and varnishes. They are available in a wide range of varieties and colours so that the shed will still be blended in with the rest of your garden.

It is worth knowing that there are certain types of wood which are naturally resistant to rain damage. An example of this is cedar which is ideal for this. You may find that you pay a little more for sheds that have been made out of this material but hopefully you will benefit from less rain-related maintenance problems.