Sheds - Plastic VS Sheetmetal - ??

[1voyager1]

When we bought our place it had a 10' X 10' plastic shed on it.
It was on a fir 4X4 foundation on piers.
The 4X4s were in very poor condition and have deteriorated badly since.
The shed is close to being called collapsing.

I am in the process of making a new pad to move it to, and will use a different foundation for it.
Plus, the pad will have enough space to erect another larger shed beside the old one.

So, my quandary:
I can purchase a larger shed for a lower cost if I get a galvanized sheet steel shed with a plasticized finish on it.
They do come with a 10 to 15 year warranty.
Yeah, I know, try to get warranty performance here in Paradise.

Intuitively, a plastic shed does sound like a better choice for our windward side climate.
But, experience seems to indicate that might be wrong as long as I don't drive the lawn tractor through the back wall.

Anyone that has experience with the sheet metal sheds:
Are they durable in our Puna Paradise climate?

Any other thoughts on plastic vs sheet metal?

[Mangosteen]

I just don't trust any kind of steel on the east side. I don't care what it is coated with, at some point its going to rust.

I went with heavy duty plastic. My Lifetime shed had held up well.

This is the one I have. I got it for half price from someone who bought it, but never put it together.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Lifetime-11-.../301538050

Its easily large enough for an average car.

Only down side is that it is very hard to build. Had to hire a handyman who fortunately had already put another one together. Don't try to put it up with your friends. They will no longer speak to you. If you try it with your wife, you'll end up in divorce court.

[1voyager1]

Thanks Mangosteen.
That is a bit bigger than what I'm thinking.
But, it would tempt me at a deal like you got on yours.
I will be assembling it myself.
That one is a bit too large for that.
Your comments on the loss of friends and divorce are duely noted.

I'm back to thinking plastic again.
I've downloaded the manual for one of the metal sheds.
They keep stressing the need to keep damage to the finish touched up.
Don't see me inspecting for and doing that after the first week or so.
Then, the warranty is void if you make a floor of treated wood and it causes the metal to corrode.
They devote a lot of text to tying the metal sheds down,too.
Makes me think they might be prone to blowing away if Iselle's sister comes through.
Plus, the plastic might be more forgiving if I do end up driving the lawn tractor through the back wall.
The plastic sheds come with a plastic floor that may be supported well enough if laid directly on the cinder pad.

I'm also thinking about just laying out a concrete pad with an open shed on 4x4 uprights erected on it, but need to look into the costs of doing that.
I still have a lot to look into and plenty of time to do it in right now.

[Chunkster]

Interesting conversation here. A handyman type who owes me a huge favor (and some money) has offered to build me a 12x24 foot shop/shed on 4x4 uprights if I buy the materials. I haven't priced the materials, but I now might consider going with the plastic pre-fab shed instead because it has a lot of features I like. Please update as you progress with your plans, 1voyager1.

[Mangosteen]

quote:

---

Originally posted by 1voyager1



I'm back to thinking plastic again.
I've downloaded the manual for one of the metal sheds.

They devote a lot of text to tying the metal sheds down,too.
Makes me think they might be prone to blowing away if Iselle's sister comes through.

---

Mine is bolted to a 4 inch 11' X 21' concrete slab.

[1voyager1]

Correction:
The existing plastic shed is 8X8 not 10X10.
I've been looking at too many 10' sheds lately and have 10' on the brain.

With a building that size, a 21' side would give a lot of windage acting on it.
I'd want it securely fastened down also.

I'm considering a concrete slab for the old and new sheds, but probably will not do it.
I'm thinking of filling the "foundation" that comes as part of the shed [actually the floor] with cinders or concrete before applying the plywood or OSB surface.

As I spread the 1-1/2"- red cinders, running the lawn tractor with the plow over it seems to give a very firm stable surface to the pad.
I think some cap blocks buried just into into the pad's surface might do well for the actual foundation.
We'll see as the pad gets laid out.

Neither Iselle or the Kona wind that came shortly after bothered the existing shed in any way.
The plastic sheds seem to be a lot heavier than the metal ones.
I'm more worried about trees falling on it in a wind storm.

In looking at manuals for some of the plastic sheds, some say they are not for disassembly and reassembly.
The old one may not be useable.
It certainly cannot be moved without disassembling it.
It is too flimsy in its dilapidated condition.
I will at least try to disassemble it and see what happens.

[rainyjim]

I know the red cinder is cheaper but I would advise against purchasing. It gets everywhere and makes a mess - go with the blue it will last your lifetime and not crumble to dust.

[1voyager1]

quote:

---

Originally posted by rainyjim

I know the red cinder is cheaper but I would advise against purchasing. It gets everywhere and makes a mess - go with the blue it will last your lifetime and not crumble to dust.

---

I heard people say that before I bought my 1st load of red cinders over 4 years ago.
We added it to our driveway, used it for fill elsewhere, used it as a base to build new soil and I'm now using it for this pad.
I find the bad press red cinders get is much over stated.

I find black cinders to be better than red for building new soil.
I have a load of each of red and black sitting here right now.
In the end, the pad, after the sheds are put up, will get a top layer of black cinders mixed with organic matter for grass to grow on covering the red.

The red on the driveway has been in place over 4 years now.
Grass is growing over it except for the tire tracks.
It is crushing up in those tracks from being driven on.
But, the moisture in the ground keeps it in place.
It doesn't blow around.
It's just slowly turning into sand, not mud.

From years of dealing with breakup in AK, we are in the habit of not wearing outdoor shoes in the house.
Tracking red cinders around is no more of a problem than any other type of dirt found around the yard.

[bluesboy]

i'm a plastic shed supporter. they can be assembled/disassembled/reassembled fairly easily, just take your time and don't force anything. i got a truck of basecourse, leveled that out, layed out some pallets and screwed them together, then put the sheds on that. it turned out really nice, and is somewhat portable, if i ever need to move it all.

[terracore]

I had a metal shed in Alaska. It was just as wet as here and I was closer to the ocean. It came with a house I bought so I didn't install it, but I remember knowing that it came from Sears. There was some light rust on the outside, nothing on the inside. I'm guessing it was probably about 10 years old. It was on a wooden base that was completely rotten. The roof had collapsed from too heavy a snow load and been repaired but was in amazingly good shape, considering.

I'm not sure I would buy a metal shed myself, but I'm not sure I wouldn't either. The problem with plastic is one year the product is produced just fine but the next year they skimp on the UV inhibitors and the plastic starts to degrade. Some plastics are naturally UV resistant, others get brittle and start to decay after just a few months under a tropical sun. If I were buying a plastic building I would research what material it was made out of and it's UV resistance.

"Don't try to put it up with your friends. They will no longer speak to you. If you try it with your wife, you'll end up in divorce court."

I am normally very impatient with these types of things, especially when the instructions don't make any sense or are poorly translated. Two things that I have found that are game changers: First, look to see if there is a video of somebody else assembling it on youtube. Or sometimes even on the manufacturer's site (youtube is always better because you can hear them cursing). Second, when I was a little kid I used to build model rockets, boats, etc. If I channel my inner model builder before I start assembling these things, am not in a hurry, and approach it like I am solving a big puzzle (rather than rushing to get my lawn mower inside) it's a much more sane experience. It also helps to do a lot of preparation, set up tables to hold parts etc, maybe a pop-up shelter, stereo, etc. If you are under a deadline you can lose your mind in frustration.