More room in your house? Is your garage overflowing or you just don’t have one? Need additional storage and storage space? Are you looking for a metal garden shed?
If you need extra space to store and store equipment to protect your property from the elements while keeping it handy for a cheap, durable, and easy to maintain shed.
Functional, practical, and sober, this metal shed is a good investment for decluttering your home. However, it enjoys a bad reputation, because too often confused with the sheet metal shelters of our grandparents. But nowadays, the materials are much more efficient and the aesthetics of the metal garden shed have improved considerably.
This site on metal garden sheds will provide you with all the useful information and advice most relevant to the purchase of such additional space. It presents you with comparisons based on many criteria: surface, color, characteristics, brands, etc. The aim of this reference site is to present you with everything that may be useful to you in order to make the best choice for you and your family.
Metal Garden Shed: What Advantages?
To summarize, here are the advantages of a metal garden shed:
- Easy-to-implement home decluttering solution
- Resistant, robust and durable material
- Excellent value
- Quick installation and simple assembly
- Very easy maintenance
- Wide choice of features available
- Effective weather protection
- Excellent resistance to windy climates with a good anchoring system
First of all, remember that a metal garden shed is not an old shack made of oxidized sheets, but it is usually made of hardened galvanized steel. It is very solid and resistant, suitable for both sunny and rainy climates. If your region is subject to strong winds, these metal sheds adapt very well, provided you provide an effective anchoring system. In any case, they are perfect for storage or tidying up.
Thanks to their material, metal garden sheds are most often ultra-simple to assemble and maintain. Many of the models shown here have ultra-short delivery times, allowing you to have a garden shed installed outside ready for use in just a few days. Most often, no maintenance is necessary, even if an anti-corrosion treatment can be carried out after a few years.
Within the family of metal shelters, there are also aluminum sheds. They are much less common than steel ones. Aluminum has the interesting feature of not rusting, but it is very light, perhaps too light for regions subject to strong gales.
Among the different types of garden sheds (wood, PVC, resin, etc.), they are the least expensive category, after sheet metal shelters, of course. Also, they are accessible to a good number of homes, including the most modest. However, steel also offers high-end products with demanding performance levels that are reserved for better-off families.
One of the major disadvantages of these steel models is that they do not offer high-performance insulation, which can make their use more limited. Also, care should be taken not to store anything that fears humidity or cold. However, if you are a little handyman, you can consider an insulation solution for your metal shed.
While PVC garden sheds can easily deteriorate, metal annexes are much more robust and resistant. Not offering the same mountain cabin charm as wooden huts, the metal shelters are functional and practical. Much more durable and aesthetic than sheet metal boxes, the metal room is a long-term option while being inexpensive. Thanks to its variety of colors, it fits very well in different types of gardens and alongside many architectural styles of living.
A metal garden shed offers a range of surfaces and ideal characteristics that can meet your needs. From the simple outdoor metal cabinet to the metal garage for your car, including the lean-to, shed of various sizes, you will find the shelter that suits you. Double-slope, single-slope, or flat roof, the steel shelters are varied. Likewise, you can opt for a window or without, a single or double door, with or without a floor as for wooden garden sheds.
From an ecological point of view, metal mini-construction has indisputable qualities linked to the sustainability of the investment. Galvanized steel does not require anti-rust treatment, its paint takes much longer and its maintenance is summary. In addition, steel is a material that recycles very well.
Choose a Metallic Outdoor Shelter: What Uses?
An outdoor cabin can be used for:
- Store
- Tidy
- Store
- Tinkering
- Prepare the seedlings
- Metal garden sheds are very useful for gardeners and DIY enthusiasts. They will allow them to store their tools and accessories for DIY and gardening. They also serve to store and protect garden furniture, cycles, leisure and summer equipment, etc. Thus, your metal garden shed can, for example, accommodate:
- Mower, tiller, brush cutter
- Hedge trimmer, edger, and chainsaw
- Bags of soil, buckets, watering cans, and garden hose
- The wheelbarrow, shovel, pickaxe, and toolbox
- Spreading or planters during the winter period
- Cans of paint, plaster, or bags of cement
- Gasoline canisters, sprayer, or high-pressure cleaner
- Charcoal, electric, or gas barbecue
- Garden table, chairs, deckchairs, and parasol
- Stepladder or ladder
- Garbage containers
- Firewood or pellets
- Winter tires, bicycle rack, or car roof box
- Whole family bikes, winter sports equipment
- Trampoline, hammock, fishing rod, scooter, and rollerblades
- Ping pong table, ball and basketball hoop or game of bowls
- Camping tent and its equipment
- Baby carrier, stroller, cot, or pram
- Paddling pool, tubular or freestanding pool and its equipment (robot, tarpaulin, buoy, etc.)
- Surfboard, canoe, or boat
- Scooter, motorcycle, quad, trailer, or car.
You can arrange it, as you need, with shelves, a workbench or a tool storage cabinet, for example. You can also provide a lighting system, such as a secure locking device. To store your logs, an external awning can also be associated.
Depending on the size for which you will opt, your shed will have more or less varied uses. From the simple additional storage space of a garden cabinet to the garage for your car, through the handyman or gardener’s workshop, the options are varied.
Complete Guide: How to Choose a Shelter?
What are the main criteria to take into account?
- The surface of the outdoor shelter and its dimensions
- Color
- Price
- Integration of ventilation grilles
- The quality of the steel used
- The type of roof
- The possible presence of a floor
- The need or not for a window
- Door configuration
- The delivery
- The proposed guarantee
What Surface Should You Choose for a Metal Garden Shed?
The best is to define the surface of your garden chalet according to your needs. But, in reality, you will also take into account the size of your garden and your financial constraints. You will no doubt have to arbitrate between these different elements to choose the metal garden shed that suits you perfectly.
Regarding your needs, start by listing everything you want to be able to place in your storage space. Optionally measure the largest objects such as canoe, riding mower, etc. to be sure that they will enter your shed. Also, think about the additional purchases to come so as not to opt for a cabin that would quickly become too small. You also need to think about whether this additional space will also be used to tinker with or prepare your plantings, which requires more space.
Make a little plan to better understand yourself. Install your most imposing objects, your furniture (shelves, workbench, etc.). In this way, you will determine the useful area of your metal annex kit.
Then, you need to check that your garden can accommodate such a construction. It is important to anticipate that the useful area previously calculated is less than the exterior surface on the ground which incorporates the thickness of the walls and even more than the total or total surface which adds the roof overhangs. So allow a margin and look for a flat space well exposed to the sun and not too much to the winds.
You will see how much of your land is available for your small metal building. You will also have a better idea of its configuration. For example, you will be able to define if you plan to buy a lean-to your house, an outbuilding, or a fence wall.
From these first elements, you will thus have a good vision of the necessary budget. By looking at the different comparisons by the size of garden sheds, you will get a first idea of the cost of such an investment.
Which Color to Choose: Green, Gray, or Imitation Wood?
- Metal garden sheds are available in various colors. You will have the choice between a shed:
- Light or dark green (cottage) to blend in with your garden more easily, especially if it is close to a hedge
- Light gray metallic anthracite for more aesthetics and contemporaneity
- Beige to brown for a neutral and natural appearance, very discreet in the middle of trees
- Wood imitation (wood color or wood-look) for a design close to the wooden shelter
A metal Garden Shed According to The Budget
Metal is an inexpensive material. Nevertheless, a garden box offers a wide variety of price ranges. Depending on the quality of the design, the prices for such a space diverge. In addition, dimensions and options also affect prices.
Cheap Garden Shed
For the more economical, metal is a wise choice when it comes to garden playhouses. While benefiting from different colors, various roof shapes, multiple surfaces, and good finishes, you can find an ideal inexpensive model.
Far from the mediocre quality of sheet metal, the metal has the advantage of offering reduced prices with an ultra-satisfactory quality. Your metal shed will be cheaper than a wooden chalet, with better longevity for much less maintenance.
High-end Metal Shed
As with other types of shelters, there are high-end metal models. These are products with a perfect finish, great design, and remarkable technical characteristics. Generally, these models offer the longest warranties, at least 12 to 15 years.
The steel used is most often of excellent quality, thicker than conventional models. The structure is more solid, allowing it to withstand snow or stormy climates. You will also generally benefit from a lock, a gas cylinder closure, studied ventilation, integrated gutters, etc. With these premium shelters, you are not likely to discover that there are missing screws or that there are wall perforation errors.
With Ventilation Grilles or Not?
One of the main shortcomings of metal annexes is humidity and condensation. Also, to keep your objects and tools as good as possible, it is useful to have ventilation grilles. They represent a good solution to compensate for this drawback by circulating the air and improving the performance of your shelter voting. In their absence, you must ensure that you manually ventilate your shed by opening it regularly, which can be restrictive.
The Properties of Steel, Metallic Structures
An essential factor in the quality of a garden shed, the properties of the metal used are points of attention before any purchase.
Galvanized steel, an imperative for a sustainable shelter
Galvanizing steel protects the metal from corrosion. It is a set of chemical processes using zinc. The most common shelter technique is hot-dip galvanizing. The various walls of the shelter are immersed in liquid zinc brought to about 450 ° C to completely cover them.
Thanks to the galvanization, your shed will not rust. But that’s not all. The steel is even more solid. This process also improves the staying power of the paint. Finally, it protects against parasitism allowing very simple maintenance of metal shelters.
The Thickness of the Metal of the Walls
The quality of a metal garden shed is judged in particular by the thickness of the steel used. Between 0.25 mm or 0.8 mm thick walls, strength, stability, and insulation are not the same. Also, for a truly durable shed, prefer a large thickness of the walls.
What Other Important Characteristics when Choosing a Metal Shelter?
To make the right choice, the one that best suits your needs, here is a list of important features to examine in detail to see if they are useful to you.
What Roof? Double slope, Flat Roof or Single Slope
Whatever their material, garden sheds offer different types of roofs. There are three different roof designs for a shed:
- The double slope, the most classic version
- The single-slope, ideal for a shed attached to a building
- The flat roof for a more contemporary design aspect, strengthening the box side
Flat or slightly sloping roofs are not recommended in regions where it snows or if your shelter is placed under a deciduous tree. In fact, it is advisable not to allow snow to accumulate on the roof of a shelter, or dead leaves. Also, with a marked slope, you will need less to pay attention to the state of the roof of your shed.
In your choice of roof, consider the advantage of collecting rainwater from your cabin. This is all the more relevant if you are gardening.
A Metal Garden Shed with or Without a Floor
It is obvious that the presence of a floor provides much better insulation and greater comfort. To preserve your tools and materials from humidity and ensure their longest life, the floor is imperative. If you plan to make it an additional room, such as a workshop or a gardening and DIY corner, the floor is a preferred option.
But if your shed only serves you to put a few worthless objects that are not afraid of humidity, you can do without. Likewise, if you have a concrete slab or are thinking of pouring one, you can more easily refrain from flooring even if it is also a nice finish.
Some models of metal garden sheds include a floor, others do not. It can then be purchased separately. What do manufacturers call floor is most often a galvanized steel frame on which to install floorboards? It is also generally clearly stated that the wooden floor is not included.
A Window in a Metal Shed?
You also have the opportunity to go to a shed with a window and a glass door. However, this is not a common configuration. If you want to use the room to tinker without artificial light or to store plants benefiting from daylight, this is an essential feature.
The windows can have multiple configurations that you can choose according to your tastes and their size. Remember, however, that if you tinker in your little house, you will undoubtedly appreciate being able to open the window to ventilate and evacuate solvents, dust. Metal shelters too rarely have windows that can open. But you can then favor the sheds with two openings.
You have to keep in mind that the more openings there are in your cabin, the less you can have walls to install shelves and fix cabinets. They, therefore, limit your storage space. Unless you choose a model with dormers at the top of the walls or the roof.
The Door to a Metal Garden Sheds
It is essential to be careful when choosing your shed by looking carefully at the characteristics of the door. Do not leave the ball in your head to find yourself with a shelter whose door is not wide enough for your mower to enter!
Before your purchase, measure the height and width of your most bulky tools and equipment to make sure you choose the right place. A double door is a better option if you have many large items. It should be understood that single doors do not allow the passage of a riding mower!
Also, anticipate the constraints of a swing door. You need a flat space on the front of your shed allowing it to open. In addition, it risks snapping at the slightest gust of wind. The sliding door is then an interesting alternative.
A glass door is a great alternative to the window, which is wasting storage space. It allows daylight to enter the interior of the shelter so that you can store plantations or spend an afternoon tinkering.
Finally, it is important to think about the issue of closing your outdoor annex. Not all models shown have a lock. But, in this case, you can add a locking system. If there is a value in what your shed contains, it is best to lock it.
Other Aspects to Study before Purchase
Beyond the characteristics of the metal room itself, you may be interested in other details regarding your investment. Delivery and warranty are aspects to consider for this type of purchase.
The Delivery
It is tempting to look at the delivery times so that you can quickly have your shelter. But you still have to make sure that it is executed properly. Your shed shouldn’t arrive damaged!
Warranty
As previously mentioned, metal is a durable material. If you take care of it, your garden shed will last for several decades easily. This is why the manufacturers grant very attractive contractual guarantees, of the order of at least 10 years. This testifies to the quality of this material!
A longer warranty than the others is also a sign that the brand has put its trust in its product and has given it a lot of attention. High-end shelter models, therefore, have a minimum warranty of at least 15 years.
The Best Brands and Models for Metal Shelters
The reputation of a brand and also of a model is an element to take into account for any investment. Recognition of the professionalism, experience, and popularity of a manufacturer are reassuring assets before purchasing.
Most major shelter brands have organized customer and after-sales services to respond to your needs. They are able to support you in the best conditions in case of questions or problems.
To make it an optimized space that perfectly meets your needs, certain accessories for your metal garden shed can be useful:
The Metal Appendices with The Best Opinions
To make the right choice, it is useful to read the notices concerning a metal garden shed. While all the selection criteria presented in this buying guide are important, customer opinions are just as essential.
The comments left by buyers testify to the experience they actually had. They allow you to better understand the product, its advantages, and its disadvantages. In addition, you can learn a few tips for making a successful purchase, mounting the model securely, or better fitting it out.
Know all the same to have a certain perspective on these opinions which, if they are very useful, nonetheless remain the fruit of the experience of one person at a time and not necessarily representative of the majority of customers of the product in question.
In addition, a good quality garden shed will probably not have as many comments as a cheap metal garden shed, which will, therefore, sell more. Finally, keep in mind that opinions are more often written by dissatisfied people than by those who are satisfied.
How to Install a Metal Hut?
Installing a metal shed requires first leveling the floor and pouring a concrete slab. This allows you to have a solid foundation in order to keep your investment in good condition over the long term and to offer a better level of conservation to your materials and tools.
Installation requires a minimum of DIY skills, a little ingenuity, and is at least two people. Then it is necessary to follow the instructions in the assembly instructions. You can browse our detailed advice in the dedicated pages accessible from the menu on the right.
Keep a Metal Box for a Very Long Time
One of the most interesting things about galvanized steel is its durability. This is why the guarantees are quite often very long. To keep your shelter in good condition for many years, if not decades, you will only need to clean it regularly with soapy water.
Unlike wooden garden sheds, metal structures are very easy to live with. Note, however, that if your model is improperly installed, it may become brittle more quickly. Also, it is essential to properly install and assemble it in accordance with the instructions.
Image Source: amazon.com
