Plastic vs Wooden Shed

Plastic shed vs wooden shed: the short answer for your garden

If you want a garden shed you can put up and then forget about, go for plastic. If you want a wooden building you can paint, extend, insulate and fill with heavy shelving, timber is the better match. Both keep your tools dry in the British weather, so the real question is how you'll use it and how much time you're happy to spend looking after it.

Cost matters too, though not quite in the way you'd expect. A basic overlap wooden shed usually costs less on the day than a plastic shed of the same size. But a wooden shed comes with running costs that a plastic one doesn't, from tins of preserver to a new felt roof. Over ten years the gap gets much smaller.

Here's how the two compare on the things buyers ask about most.

Are plastic sheds any good?

Yes, as long as you buy a decent one. The thin, flimsy plastic sheds of twenty years ago gave the material a bad name. They faded in the sun, the doors sagged and a strong gust could fold them up. Modern resin sheds from the bigger makers are a different thing altogether.

Keter's better ranges use double-wall Evotech panels with a wood-textured finish, reinforced with steel. Keter says its resin won't warp, rust, fade or peel. The panels are UV treated so the colour holds in strong sun. The Stronghold's roof is rated for a snow load of 150kg per square metre, while the Factor is rated for 75kg, which covers most of the UK.

So a good plastic garden shed is strong, weatherproof and properly lockable. Its durability in a wet British climate is the main reason so many people now choose one. What it won't give you is the freedom of timber. You can't cut in a new window. Fixing heavy shelving means using the maker's own fixing points or a free-standing unit.

How long do plastic sheds last compared with timber?

A quality resin shed should give you well over a decade of use. The warranties are a good guide here, since Keter puts 15 years on the Factor and Newton Plus and 10 years on the Stronghold and Darwin. Most budget wooden sheds come with far shorter guarantees.

A wooden shed can outlast plastic, but only if you look after it. Pressure treated timber holds up much better than dip treated boards, which need a coat of preserver every year or so. Leave a wooden shed untreated for a few winters and you'll start to see soft boards near the ground, a leaking felt roof and woodworm in the frame. Its lifespan depends far more on you than on the shed.

Where you put it matters for both. A shed on a firm, level base with a little air around it lasts longer than one sitting on soil in a damp corner. Our shed bases make a level footing in an afternoon, with no concrete needed.

Maintenance: what each shed material asks of you

Maintenance is where plastic and wood differ most. It's also the biggest reason people switch.

Looking after a plastic shed

• Hose it down or wash it with warm soapy water once or twice a year.
• Clear leaves off the roof and out of the gutters so rain runs off freely.
• Check the bolts and door hinges each spring and tighten anything that's worked loose.
• Brush heavy snow off the roof after a big fall.

Looking after a wooden shed

• Treat the timber with a wood preservative or exterior paint every year or two (dip treated sheds need it most).
• Check the roof felt for tears and replace it when it starts to lift or leak.
• Keep the base clear so the bottom boards don't sit in wet soil.
• Look for rot and insect damage, especially around the floor and door frame.

None of this maintenance is hard work, but it adds up. A weekend a year with a brush and a tin of treatment is the price of a good-looking timber shed. With plastic, that weekend is yours. That's why the value of a low maintenance plastic shed shows up over years rather than on the receipt.

Plastic shed condensation and how to stop it

Condensation is the one weather issue that's more common in plastic and metal sheds than in timber. A timber shed breathes and soaks up a little moisture. Resin doesn't, so on a cold night warm damp air inside meets the cold panels and turns to droplets.

Most Keter sheds here have vents built in. Good ventilation does most of the work. You can help it along too.

• Put the shed on a raised, dry base rather than straight onto soil or grass.
• Leave the vents clear and open the doors on dry days.
• Don't store wet mowers, damp cushions or soggy coats straight after use.
• Keep a gap between stored items and the walls so air can move.
• Pop a moisture trap inside over winter if you keep anything that hates damp.

Looks, security and customising

A wooden shed looks at home in any garden and you can paint it to match a fence or a summer house. That's a big draw if the shed is in full view of the house. The wood-effect Keter sheds we list close that gap more than you might expect. The Factor comes in beige with brown doors. From the patio a grey Newton Plus or Stronghold reads more like a painted shed than a plastic one.

Security is closer than many people think. Solid timber takes a heavy hasp and padlock easily, which is why lots of cyclists choose a wooden shed. But the Stronghold has a three-point locking system and steel reinforcement in the roof. Every Keter here has lockable doors or padlock fixings. If you're storing bikes or power tools, add a ground anchor and a proper padlock whichever you buy. Our shed security page lists alarms, locks and anchors that fit plastic sheds.

For customising, a wooden shed wins. You can run power to it, line and insulate it as a workshop, or fit benches wherever you want. Plastic is better treated as a ready-made storage shed. Free-standing shed shelving or the maker's own brackets keep things tidy inside.

Storage shed, wood vs plastic: which suits you?

Think about what's going inside, how often you'll open it and how much garden storage you really need.

• Mower, tools and garden kit: plastic is ideal. Everything stays dry and there's no upkeep. The Keter Factor sheds come in four sizes from 6x6 to 8x11.
• Bikes: either works with a good lock and an anchor. Wide double doors help. Our plastic bike sheds list the ones with the widest openings.
• Workshop or hobby room: a wooden shed, so you can insulate it, add power and fix a bench to the wall.
• Potting and growing: the Keter Darwin has five opening windows and part of its roof is clear, so seedlings get plenty of light.
• Long, narrow gardens: the Keter Newton Plus sheds are 7'5 wide and run up to 17ft long, with doors on the end or the side.
• Exposed or snowy spots: the Keter Stronghold sheds have the strongest roof here.

Wood-effect plastic garden sheds compared

All 20 sheds above are Keter resin sheds with a wood-effect or wood-textured finish, so you get the look of timber with none of the upkeep. Each Newton Plus row covers two mirror-image models, one with the doors on the end and one with a reverse apex and doors on the long side. Prices move often, so we show rough bands and the product grid has today's price at Shedstore.

For the full measurements of each one, see our large plastic sheds and 8x6 plastic sheds pages. If your budget is tighter, our cheap plastic sheds start well below these prices.

What about a metal shed?

Most people comparing a plastic vs wood shed also glance at metal. A metal shed is strong and secure, often the cheapest per square foot. It won't rot either. But it has its own weak spots.

• Steel can dent and, once the coating is scratched, it can rust.
• Metal heats and cools quickly, so condensation is usually worse than in a plastic or timber shed.
• Thin panels can be noisy in the rain and hard to fix shelves to.

A steel-reinforced resin shed sits between the two. It has the weather resistance of metal and much of the appearance of timber, with less condensation and no rust.

Bases, planning and the environment

A plastic shed needs a flat, level base or the doors won't line up. Concrete, paving slabs or a plastic grid base all work. Wooden sheds are a little more forgiving because they usually sit on treated bearers, but a level base still helps them last. Our adjustable shed bases deal with sloping ground for both.

The planning rules are the same whatever your shed is made of. Most garden sheds count as permitted development, as long as they cover no more than half the land around the house and stay under 2.5m tall within 2m of a boundary. Listed buildings and some protected areas have tighter rules, so check the Planning Portal guide to outbuildings if you're unsure.

On the environment, timber is a renewable material. Look for the FSC mark if responsibly grown wood matters to you. Plastic is made from oil, but a long-lasting resin shed needs no chemical treatments over its life. Keter describes its resin as recyclable.

Plastic vs wooden shed FAQs

Are plastic sheds worth it?

For most people who just need dry, secure storage, yes. You pay a bit more at the start than you would for basic overlap timber, then spend nothing on treatment or felt. A 10 or 15 year warranty takes away much of the risk.

How long do plastic sheds last?

Expect well over a decade from a well-made resin garden shed. The Keter warranties on the sheds we list run to 10 or 15 years depending on the range. Cheap thin-walled sheds won't last as long, especially in full sun.

Are plastic sheds cheaper than wooden ones?

Not usually on the day. A basic dip treated overlap shed often costs less than a branded plastic shed of the same size. Pressure treated shiplap or tongue and groove wooden sheds cost more. Then plastic can work out cheaper.

Do plastic sheds get condensation?

They can, because resin doesn't breathe like wood. Keep the vents clear, use a raised base, open the doors on dry days and don't put wet kit away straight after use.

Can a plastic shed blow away?

A light one on an exposed site can move in strong wind, so fix it to its base with the anchor kit or suitable fixings. The heavier steel-reinforced Keter sheds here are much steadier, but anchoring is still a good idea.

Can you insulate a plastic shed?

Not easily, because there's no frame to fix insulation boards to, so if you want a warm workshop or office, a wooden building is the better choice.

Do I need planning permission for a plastic shed?

The same rules apply to plastic and wooden sheds. Most are permitted development, but height limits near boundaries and rules for listed buildings still count.