Metal Pent Sheds

[Camdor]

I am looking for a smallish pent shed to store a couple of bikes and a lawnmower, so that I can get my main shed back for its main use of storing unrequired power tools that I can't stop buying...

It will be attached to a small area of Decking I have at the bottom of the garden, so I will not be building a concrete base.

The metal ones seem very cheap and am considering either of these

I have heard of problems with metal sheds holding condensation, so am a bit worried as bikes will be kept in here throughout the winter.

I have seen so PVC ones, but they are a bit dearer ( this is a B&Q link, don't know if it will work, its a 7"x4" PVC pent shed for £225)

Has anyone got any advice.

p.s. I would normally build it myself from timber, but am too busy at the moment and the price of timber seems quite excessive at the moment.

[The Medway Handyman]

I assembled a larger version of that a while ago. The last time I came across metal that thin, it had a portion of chow mein inside.

[ARWadsworth]

You forgot to mention that the holes for the bolts did not line up or were not pre-drilled on the one you assembled. Just like the one is assembled.

[Camdor]

Yep, I am a little worried about the gauge of the metal, not having seen one in the flesh as it were.

[Bill]

In message , Camdor writes

All I can say is that I've been very happy with the slightly larger than that similar one that I got from B&Q for less money than that. Can't remember how much, but it was on offer and I got it on my pensioner's B&Q Wednesday pass. "They" carried it out to the car, we split the packaging up so that it would fit (NB no longer have the big Omega), and I pushed a bit of soil around and put it up on my own in an afternoon. It all fitted, the floor bends a bit when I walk on it, but it has held together. It's well ventilated, light inside and I've had no trouble with condensation.

[PeterC]

Don't know how the prices compare, but Screwfix has offers on branded metal sheds:

[Nightjar]

Having looked at a lot of sheds, I concluded that the one sold by B&Q and other retailers were poor value for money - cheap but shoddy. I bought from these people instead:

Humber Supreme storage shed I bought is probably a bit overkill for most people, although very well made and, with a few modifications to the door fittings, comparatively secure. I also bought a Diamond Classic, which is a servicable general purpose shed, although not as cheap as a flimsy one from B&Q.

Colin Bignell

[Peter Johnson]

I have one that I got from the B&Q website over a year ago. The only problem I had with condensation was after I left it overnight with the doors open when I erected it. Since then no problems with the garden tools, lawn mower that I keep in it.

[Jules Richardson]

We put up one like (near as I can tell from the photo) the Argos one at my sister-in-law's place a few years ago, onto a homebrew base made from ply and treated 2x4s.

The metal they use is crap (and extremely sharp at the edges - you have been warned).

The plastic-fantastic door-runner parts broke within a year.

Nothing really lines up properly - expect some creative drilling and trimming on-site.

You're right about condensation - not good for paper, fabrics etc., although you could possibly get away with mowers and bikes. Adding a roof vent might help a lot (our local building recyclers sells those spinning ones for a couple of quid).

TBH, cost issues aside, you may as well do a timber one, given the time it takes to put one of these things together and correct the defects. It took three of us around four hours to put the metal one up (not including building the base), and two of us a similar amount of time to build a

6'x8' timber shed from scratch (which included installing a door and window).

cheers

Jules

[D55]

.

I bought a metal pent shed from shedstore recently. You should bear in mind that the measurements they display apply to its extremities, eg roof edges so the internal space can be

3 - 5" less than the given specs. Assembling wasn't too difficult as 99% of screws were self tappers. I was lucky in that about 90% of the holes aligned fairly well. The door will provide only a moderate challenge to a 10 year old equiped with a lolly stick so you should fix a some timbers or ply to the inner surface to stiffen it. I stood mine on treated timbers to give more internal height. Also had to splash rubberised paint around base to make it rainproof.

Arthur

[Pete Verdon]

My workshop is a 10x13 metal Yardmaster shed. I'm happy with it. I did insulate it with polystyrene and spandy-foam to prevent any condensation, but I wouldn't bother if I was just keeping bikes and mowers in it.

I'd agree with Arthur about security of the doors, and have reinforced mine with timber inside.

Pete