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Keter Garden Store
by Biskey
My old shed had been a good servant, but you can only patch up a roof so many times, and once the bottom starts to go it's only a matter of time before the contents are at risk from the elements; or you're at risk from having a shed falling on top of you. Plus, it's much harder to keep it secure.
One day, I crept up on the ... old boy with a large claw hammer and put him out of his misery as quickly and as kindly as you can with a large claw hammer. The problem that remained was what to do with all the stuff.
As ever, I soon found that I didn't really need it all and the pile quickly reduced, but the problem remained, nevertheless.
I'd seen these plastic storage chests at B&Q and online. In fact, my neighbour had one and he let me look it over. I could see that I would have to think carefully about how it would all fit in, but still, I was impressed.
One of my initial fears was that it would look tacky, but this looked alright. I decided to go for a chest type, rather than a taller unit because the lower profile would be more discreet and I'd already worked out that some of the taller items could be stored elsewhere. Garden canes, for instance, are outside most of the year anyway, so they were no problem. Whether my old mountain bike would fit in remained to be seen.
~ Cost ~
I bought mine online and I can see that the later, prop lid version is selling for about £119. However, be aware that some sites are still offering the piston lid version, which is very good and Argos are currently selling that for £99.99. Worth shopping around
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~ Preparation ~
Bear in mind that this thing is going to be about 1.6m wide x 1.19 high x 0.90 deep, so there has to be a big enough space for it that will allow you to open its two front doors, lift its lid and comfortably get at what's inside. After all, this is one of the big advantages of this piece of equipment - the fact that you can open it right out to make things accessible.
It's also no good plonking it down on any old bit of garden. For preference, site it on a paved area, tarmac, or some other sort of hard standing that is level. If you do have to put it on dirt, level it off as best you can and try to get it as firm as possible.
_~ Assembly ~
Those of a nervous disposition might want to look away when the delivery men drop it off, as it's a pretty hefty flat pack. There will be assembly instructions with it, but you can also download these from Keter's website. I did mine without any power tools, and one person can certainly manage, but you need plenty of space, near to where you are going to site it - and time and patience. Assembling flat packs is something that you have to approach with the attitude that you've got all day. Show it your flask and sandwiches and it will know that you mean business. That way, I find that it doesn't take so long after all!.
~ Features ~
When it's up I think you'll be impressed. It isn't such a gaudy monster, after all. The green and beige colour scheme is quite subdued (there's a grey version as well) and what might have seemed a little wobbly as you put it up, stands firmly and sturdily, especially if you have provided it with a good base.
It comes with a floor, which not only gives it more solidity, but also helps keep everything clean. The lid stays up securely, so you don't have to worry about not having enough hands. There's a decent latch on it, but there's also a plastic hasp so that you can fit a padlock if you wish. I do keep a padlock on mine, not so much for security, but more to make sure that it does stay closed. If the wind gets underneath the lid, the latch might not be strong enough. The padlock is not supplied.
It should come with brackets and a shelf, but check that with your supplier.
I've had no problems with water getting in, or any damp problem for that matter.
~ Capacity ~
It should be able to take two wheelie bins, which is what some people use these for. Chances are, like me, you'll have an odd assortment of garden furniture and equipment to put in it and trust me it will take plenty. You just need to think it through - think inside the box. And yes....it DID accommodate my old mountain bike.
~Care and Maintenance ~
This is certainly one of the BIG advantages of the Keter Garden Store. There's very little if anything that you have to do. Mine has been in situ for several years and I've had to do nothing. You might want to wipe it down with a mild detergent if the birds try to use it for target practice, but that's all.
Keep the doors and lid shut when not in use, otherwise if the wind got up, it could create problems. Although it's a sturdy thing, don't get carried away and think you can use it to stand on while you paint the house, or something. It isn't designed for that. Don't try to operate your barbecue inside it either....not a good idea.
It claims to be UV resistant and it certainly seems to be. My garden is south facing so the sun beats down quite heavily on the Keter, but there has been no sign of the colour fading.
I love the fact that the Keter website takes the trouble to point out that the Garden Store is not suitable for habitation! That came as a bit of a disappointment, I suppose. Gone were my dreams of sitting in the shed with my transistor radio on, listening to the footy and smoking a pipeful of rough shag, and in that sense it doesn't allow me to think inside the box...but heyho! - I know my stuff is safely stored away and that's the main thing.
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Hercules Deluxe Apex Metal Garden Shed
by madeindevon
When we moved house, we found ourselves in a situation where we had a great house, that needed a lot of work done to it - with a great garden - that again, needs a lot of work doing to it, but no storage space anywhere.
Next to no storage space indoors and no sheds in the garden. Something had to be done about ... this.
We researched thoroughly the size shed that we wanted, and what the shed should be made from and ideally we wanted a nice tough wooden shed, unfortunately the prices for the size shed we were after went through the roof, so we opted for a metal, apex shed. Much cheaper.
The particular model shed we bought was from Homebase, at the time (twelve months ago) there was an identical model in Argos too. At todays price the shed is £499.99 (April 2013) but I know that this range of sheds in Homebase have various special offers throughout the year and we paid approximately £150 less - if you are considering buying one of these, then I suggest that you pay a great deal of attention to all the various stockists of these sheds as just shy of £500 is the most expensive I have seen this shed sell for in the last year.
We ordered the shed for home delivery and t be honest we were both surprised and disappointed when it first arrived. For a shed as large as it is, it came in three flat pack boxes, that we 6 foot-ish high and surprisingly light.
We had already cleared a space in the garden for the shed, we had made a wooden based and concreted it into the ground - we were ready to install it.
There is a "novels" worth of instructions supplied with the shed and my husband spent quite a few hours going through all the instructions and paying attention to all the fixings supplied. Now my husband is a carpenter, so more than capable of domestic DIY tasks - but like any other instruction manual you receive when buying this sort of product it can be very confusing, so our advice most defiantly is to read through the instructions very thoroughly before starting work.
A very useful (and obvious when you think about it) piece of advice regarding the installation of this shed, is do not attempt to install it when there is any wind in the air whatsoever. This is a fair comment as the metal panels are very flimsy and would very easily bend and buckle, making the shed impossible to fit together.
Waiting for a day without wind last summer, was like waiting for the impossible - last summer must have been the dreariest on record, hardly a day went by without wind and/or rain - but we bided our time and eventually there was a decent weekend.
Installing this shed is a two man/person job, the panels are tall and flimsy and you need someone to be constantly holding them, whilst the other person drills all the fixings into position. I would say that it took two men all weekend to get the walls and the roof into place. Possibly this could be done in one long day.
Once installed, this shed is not nearly as flimsy as you think it is going to be. It has proven to be watertight and has stayed firmly in position. It is very spacious and is rapidly filing up - it would be fair to say that with the double doors on the front it is almost like a small garage.
We intend to buy some windows for it, as it is very dark. It is not the most pleasant looking construction, compared to some of the lovely wooden sheds on the market, but it is totally functional and we have planted various plants around the edge, which we hope will grow and take the starkness of the big green shed away!
Overall - to coin a phrase, you get what it says on the box - a functional, cheap (ish) shed. Yes, we are pleased with it - a good buy.
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Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed
by northernlovely
**What is it / why buy?**
The Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed is an alternative to a wooden shed and as the name suggests is made entirely of plastic. I decided to get one because I didn't want the hassle of having to keep creosoting a shed, and I've seen too many cheaper wooden sheds fade and split anyway. I basically wanted ... an easy life!
I only wanted to put low value items in the shed - an old lawnmower, half empty paint cans, hand tools, that sort of thing. I know that security can be a concern with a plastic shed however I didn't worry too much about this aspect as I have a totally enclosed garden.
**Price and Availability**
I bought my Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed from a specialist online shed retailer and I paid £229 for a 4 x 6 (fairly standard size) shed.
I think this is a fair price and though you can get wooden sheds cheaper I was not happy at all with the quality of them.
**Packaging**
The Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed comes in a huge box (yes, it's a flat pack shed!) and it's very heavy, we had this delivered to our home but should you find it in a garden centre you'd need them to deliver it or you'd need a transit van at minimum to transport it. It is a two person lift.
**Assembly**
The Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed comes in parts, with all fixtures required and a very IKEA-like guide to putting it together. You'll need a screwdriver (I HIGHLY recommend an electric, there are thousands of screws!!)
Due to having to hold walls and the roof etc whilst it is screwed, it is a two person assembly. The instructions are clear and it is easy to follow but it is quite time consuming and it took myself and my husband just over three hours to put it together. The plastic is corrugated and very strong, but not too hard to screw through (with the electric screwdriver).
The Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed has pre punched pilot holes and is screwed together, with some plastic caps in areas. It has a plastic floor and can be set on flat, levelled ground, we put down flagstones also.
Overall I'd say it wasn't difficult to put together just a bit tiring, but three hours later, yes we had a nice looking shed.
**The Assembled Shed**
It has one long 'blank wall, one blank end (the walls have a mock tongue and groove effect), one long wall with a plastic window in it and one end with the door in it. The walls are a caramel colour (think varnished pine) and the roof and door is a chocolate brown.
The great thing about the shed it's ready to use - no painting, no waiting for anything to dry. It's totally waterproof and it's very very low maintainance.
We use it with a workbench inside and with some plastic drawers (which I've actually reviewed previously). The shed has held it's own in heavy snow, strong winds and rain, and looks as good today as it did when we bought it 18 months ago. I was initially concerned that it might fade in the sun, but no, it never has, it looks brand new (whereas my neighbour's shed has a torn roof and is faded and needs repainting - she's asked us where we got our shed from, we're starting a trend!)
For our needs, it's a perfect shed and looks lovely in the corner of the garden.
**Any Downsides?**
There are a few little ones, namely -
- the Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed does not come supplied with any way to lock it, so you will need to buy a decent padlock ahead of time.
- if you are wanting to keep very high value items in the shed then the Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed may not be right for you especially if you don't live in a place where it can be reasonably protected (as I've said I have a totally enclosed back garden with high walls / fences). Of course if someone wants to break into a wooden shed they will do, but a plastic shed is, of course, cuttable (though with some brute force, it's not a thin plastic by any means) and meltable. So whilst it's ideal for me I appreciate not everyone will find a plastic shed for them.
**Recommend?**
I do recommend the Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed, for anyone who's looked at their shed needs and feels a plastic shed would suit them, it's a reasonably priced, very sturdy shed which is as low maintainance as a shed can be (after you've spent your Sunday afternoon putting it up, that is ;) )
I will give it a very fair four stars out of five, it's a good shed, available in many sizes and colours (you can also get it in cream and forest green) and at a fair price. If you are thinking of getting a plastic shed I highly recommend the Keter Plastic Apex Garden Shed.
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