Metal vs Wood Shed: Which Should You Choose?

Are you in the market for a new shed? That’s great news. Whether it’s a humble place to store your mower or an extra room for work and play, a shed is an awesome addition to any home. Sooner or later you’re going to have to narrow your choice down to a metal or wood shed. What types of shed are there to choose from? Which is better – a metal shed or wood shed? Let’s take a deep dive into metal vs wood shed – which should you choose?

Types of Shed Available

Sheds come in all different shapes and sizes, with styles to suit every type of property. Sheds can even be big enough to accommodate boats or vehicles.

The best type of shed is one that will fit your needs and be in keeping with the style of your property. Most feature double doors and a side door. Some feature an open area without a door for easy access to items that don’t need to be secured.

Popular types of shed style include:

• Barn
• Quaker
• Cottage
• Saltbox
• Carriage

You can customize them with different paint colors and styles of construction. There tends to be more variety in wood shed designs. Metal sheds usually have a slightly more utilitarian, industrial feel about that.

Construction Styles

When considering a wood shed or metal shed, it’s important to understand how they are constructed.

A wood shed typically comprises a wooden frame with wood siding and a wood roof. Sometimes, different roofing materials will be used for weatherproofing. wood sheds.

Metal sheds are generally more robust. They combine strong frame with metal sheeting. There are heavy duty metal shed kits on the market that will last for years and years.

Benefits of a Metal Shed

The main reason to choose a metal shed is durability.

Metal is easier to protect than wood, and it has more natural strength. That means that it can stand up against even the harshest of weather conditions.

Many parts of the United States have continental climates. This means hot summers and cold, snowy winters. You need a shed material that can endure these huge fluctuations in temperature and maintain their strength.

They also allow for a lot of variety in shed color and design. Most sheds have usually been brown or grey. There’s no reason to have a boring shed color anymore.

You can customize your metal shed with a range of pain colors to truly make it your own.

One of the other benefit of a metal shed is that they are less costly to maintain. Shingles are often one of the first things to go on sheds, and they can be fiddly to replace.

Metal sheds use sheet metal. That means in the unlikely event that you do need to replace a section, you can replace a large area in one go. This is a time saving for you.

Benefits of a Wood Shed

One of the benefits of a wood shed that metal simply can’t compete with is aesthetics. Most people simply like the look of a wood shed much more than a metal one.

Because wood is such a flexible material, you can use it to create a huge range of shed designs. If you want a Quaker or saltbox look, this is much easier to achieve with wood. With metal sheds, you are more likely to be limited to a few designs.

Another point to note in the metal vs wood shed debate is how well they fit in with their surroundings.

If you have a wooden fence around you property, a wood shed will blend in more easily than a metal one. It’s also easy to paint to match other features of the property.

The softer, more appealing looks of a wood shed may also make your property easier to sell.

Another one of the benefits of a wood shed is the ability to make alterations easily. They can be adapted with additional square footage. You can do this by extending them, or by adding an additional floor.

Wood Shed vs Metal Shed – Which One Should You Choose?

It’s true there are benefits to both wood sheds and metal sheds. But there are also cons to consider before declaring a winner.

First of all, metal sheds will last a long time. During that time, it’s likely that you’ll want to update the paint color. And with a metal shed, that can be a bit of a process.

You will need to choose the correct type of paint. There is usually quite a lot of work involved in preparing the surface before painting.

Another con for some people is that metal sheds can be noisy when it rains. It’s worth noting that some people love this, but for others it can be really distracting.

Woods sheds are not without their cons either. Wood attracts insects and beetles that see it as a free meal. You’ll need to make sure that you seal and protect it to keep these critters and the elements out.

Because wood is not as strong as metal, you might need to give it a helping hand when it snows. Too much snow on the roof could cause the structure to buckle.

Making the Right Choice

The metal vs wood shed debate comes down to your needs. If you need a very strong structure, that will last for years with minimal upkeep, a metal shed is the way to go.

Do you prefer the softer aesthetic of wood, and the ability to choose from a wider range of styles? In that case, a wood shed is probably the right option for you.

The Verdict: Metal vs Wood Shed

The metal vs wood shed debate is one we could talk about for hours. There are some great benefits of both types of shed. The final decision will come down to what is right for your house.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, head on over to our Home Improvement section. We’ve got plent more hints and tips to help you get the best out of your home.