Box Clever with this ! (Keter Garden Store)

Member Name: suehome

Product:	Keter Garden Store
Date:	28/10/08 (616 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Robust, versatile and maintenance free

Disadvantages: None

I was sweeping and gathering yet more fallen leaves which had arrived in the garden, when I found myself musing just how much energy, effort and materials are involved in maintaining an outside space. Pausing a while to admire my efforts before the next invasion, my gaze fell upon the Keter Garden Store which stoically sits in a corner and never needs tending..........

**Why Would I Want a Great Lump of Plastic in My Garden?**

This plastic storage box is unbelievably useful, and once in-situ needs no further attention than perhaps an annual wash down. I just use a jet washer as and when I blast off the patio area. No painting, no oiling, it just sits uncomplaining and protects anything from the elements that you care to chuck inside. In the summer months the soft cushions, bbq and parasol live there, handy for the patio, and in the winter the teak bench moves in with all the cushions on top, under an acrylic cover. In its summer usage it even provides an additional windbreak around the bbq, with its doors and lid propped open. There is sufficient ventilation that everything stays dry and does not damp within the box, even withstanding my jet washing!

The slightly rough cast plastic material is not shiny; the cream and green coloration is sufficiently pastel that the box quietly blends into the background as it ages.

**Specifications**

These boxes and many similar type products are distributed by the Outstanding Solutions business unit which is part of the Keter Group, operating out of Birmingham. They are distributed to lots of UK retailers including Argos, B&Q, Homebase, CostCo, Wickes, Makro so finding a supplier should not be difficult.

Features include:
Hinged, lockable doors (locks not included).
Lifting lid for ease of access, with props to hold lid open.
Optional shelf brackets included for DIY shelf. We have never used these.
Supplied with base.
Material slightly roughcast stippled plastic.
Maintenance free.
External dimensions: (H)111, (W)148, (D)84 centimetres or (H)43.7, (W)58.3, (D)33.1 inches (if you still prefer inches).
Internal usable size (H)103, (W)136, (D)67.5cm or (H)40.5, (W)53.5, (D)26.5in
Packed flat for easy home assembly.

Our particular box is now over 5 years old and was originally purchased from a DIY store for £89.99. Amazingly you can still obtain these today for a very similar priceif you shop around.

**Getting It Home and Self-Assembly**

The unit comes flat packed and is not particularly heavy , two feeble women could manage it on our own. However the sheer size of the package (nearly 6 foot long, 4 foot wide 20 inches deep with its polystyrene protection and bindings), made it a challenge to fit in the back of a small family car. Lifting such an awkward thing onto a roof rack may be a problem too. I would seriously consider how you are going to get it home before setting off to the checkout with one of these.

Happily once home the self-assembly is a gift even for the unmechanical. The instructions are clear, written in good English with lots of helpful diagrams. Most of it simply clicks or slots together, the only two bolt type things going into the top of the hinges on the doors. Assembly takes less than 10 minutes, disposing of the packaging probably more! I dutifully kept the shelf supports for over 4 years before finally disposing of them since we are clearly never going to need them, but it seemed a shame since they actually looked quite useful, just redundant!

Ours has stood the test of time, nothing has fallen off or broken, so it has become a welcome addition to the garden, and its 'maintenance free' to boot.




Thanks for reading

Posted on Dooyoo and Ciao under the same author.

Summary: Handy extra storage space in the garden.