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The Toughest Material For A Durable Outdoor Shed May Surprise You
By RON BAKER
A shed can last for years, depending on materials, construction, location, finish, and maintenance. Durability varies significantly between sheds made of resin, metal, and wood.
Resin sheds include vinyl and other plastics, usually high-density polyethylene (HDPE). They’re easy to assemble and maintain, impervious to rot and pests, and moderately priced.
On the downside, they’re almost impossible to customize, easily broken into or collapsed, unattractive, and less flexible since they can't be adapted into a tiny home later.
Vinyl is more durable than thermoplastic, less likely to crack or warp than HDPE when disassembling and reassembling the shed, less likely to fade, and more fire-resistant.
Properly treated, designed, and constructed metal sheds can be very durable, but they leak more than wood and plastic ones, and like the latter, are almost as hard to customize.
A well-designed wood shed will be resistant to rot and pests, and when combined with other materials, such as a metal roof or vinyl siding, wood can be extremely durable.
A metal shed can last under five years; a plastic shed may last five to seven years; and vinyl and wood sheds can last 25 years or more, so choose based on your needs and budget.