What Can’t You Store In Plastic Sheds? What You Should Know.

While wooden sheds are a common sight in gardens and yards. Plastic sheds have gained popularity in recent years.

However there are considerations unique to plastic sheds you need to keep in mind when deciding what you can and cannot store in your new shed.

You shouldn’t store very important documents, jewelry, paint, other flammable substances like gasoline, dynamite sticks, and explosives, as well as perishable items like food and wine. Other than that, you can store pretty anything inside plastic sheds.

While there are a lot of commonalities between what you can’t store in a plastic shed and a wooden one. There are a few key differences….

Those differences and more we’ll explore in this article.

Lastly, we will also give some tips on how to take care of your plastic shed to make it last longer.

Pros of Buying a Plastic Shed for Your Garden

Cheaper Compared to Wood and Metal Sheds

Plastic sheds are relatively cheaper than wood or metal sheds. Affordable plastic sheds are available online, with some models costing as low as $169 to $1500, depending on the size and other factors, such as security features and others.

Plastic sheds are perfect for those who want to have storage sheds on a budget. In short, it gives you value for money.

Easy to Assemble and Low Maintenance

Plastic sheds might be cheaper but they don’t put quality in a compromise. They are also much easier to assemble in comparison to wooden and metal sheds.

Constructing a decent shed can be a challenge, especially for beginners. Installing a wooden shed is only possible if you are a construction expert. That being said, it still takes a lot of time constructing and building from scratch.

On the other hand, plastic sheds come in more than a few pieces, and are very easy to put together. They only require some screws or fasteners to assemble, and they can be built in less than an hour.

It saves time and effort. They are also low maintenance — meaning no problems with rusting, unlike metal sheds, or rotting, unlike wooden sheds. 

You will not find yourself spending a lot of money just to maintain the good status of your plastic shed. You just need to wash the whole shed with soapy water and brushes, or use a pressure washer if applicable.

Also make sure to clean the inside so that insects and other animals will not call your plastic shed their new home.

Designed Well and Can Last for a Long Time

Most plastic sheds look polished when set up properly. They suit every garden and yard arrangement. Most plastic sheds look like wooden sheds, and they even come in beautiful designs and colors. They can resemble actual sheds made of wood, but promise the durability of plastic. 

Some plastic shed models have features, including windows, polished looking door handles with advanced locks, aesthetically pleasing interior and exterior features.

Lastly, plastic sheds are made to resist the years and years of usage. They can definitely stand the test of time with ease. They are made with sturdy materials so you can be assured of its quality and durability, as time goes by.

Things Not to Store in Your Plastic Sheds

Never Store Flammable Substances

One thing you need to remember is to never put paint, gasoline, kerosene, explosives, matches, lighters in plastic sheds. They might be put into risk of explosions because of the temperature inside the plastic sheds, especially if all windows and doors are always shut.

Plastic sheds are hard to burn but the smell of burning plastic can be very noticeable. Most plastic sheds are made up of PVC, especially the ones made of vinyl. 

Hence, they are heat resistant and can contain heat for a long time. However, heat resistant is not equal to a plastic shed being fireproof. Heat resistant means resistant to the heat of the sun for prolonged periods of time, while fireproof materials cannot catch fire, even when in direct contact with fire.

Not Meant for Your Valuables

Another thing: never store your important documents, jewelry, and money inside plastic sheds. It is understandable that some people might put their valuables in places that are not suspicious or obvious to burglars. While most plastic sheds have locks, it can still be picked by burglars. 

Some insects might also damage the paper stored in the shed, such as documents or jewelry, since they are stored outside the house. Remember to store important valuables where they are meant to be stored — like metal vaults or in banks. That way, you can be assured that these are safe without any reservations, unlike storing them in your plastic shed.

If you’re enjoying this article then why not check out these related articles after finishing this one:

Plastic Sheds Are Not Really Fireproof: Here’s What You Need To Know

Can You Paint Plastic Sheds?

How To Anchor Your Shed To The Ground – All Scenarios Covered!

Do Plastic Sheds Fade? – A Long term owners view

Not Safe for Food and Wine

Lastly, never store food and wine inside plastic sheds. Food might get spoiled because of the heat contained inside the plastic shed. Plastic contains heat well, just like how Tupperware works. Tupperware and plastic sheds are made of similar materials and composition. 

Hence, it is not a wise idea to store perishables like milk, meats, fruits, and vegetables inside. You should not also store grains here like rice, wheat, or corn, because it might attract insects and pests that can just eat your food away or worse, spoiling it. Even canned goods should not be stored here since the heat inside can also affect the quality inside the cans, even though it is stored inside metal containers.

Storing wine is also not a good idea. Wines should be stored in cool places, since there are factors that needed to be considered in storing wine. The heat inside the plastic shed might ruin the quality of the wine. Bottles might also break and corks will be pushed out if stored in a not-so ideal temperature. 

Remember that it has alcohol in it so it might count as a flammable — your favorite bottle of champagne might explode quite literally when stored in plastic sheds. Just buy a wine cooler for your bubbly just to be safe.

Things to be Stored in Plastic Sheds and Some Care Tips

Store Gardening, Landscaping Essentials and Other Tools Here

You can put anything in plastic sheds aside from those mentioned earlier. Garden tools, such as your lawn mower, shovels, rakes, and wheelbarrows should be stored inside plastic sheds, since they are meant to store such items inside. You can also store your hoses, jumpers, boots, and hats inside. 

If you have large tools like chainsaws or axes that you cannot store inside your house, you can also store them here. You can also store your extra wood, tiles, cement bags, or any other storage containers and bulky toolboxes inside with ease.

Lastly, fertilizers, seeds, and other non-flammable garden materials can be also stored inside. Store your tools and materials needed for working outside with ease of access inside your plastic sheds.

Other Things To Store in Your Plastic Shed

Of course, gardening tools and other bulky machines are the only ones you can store inside plastic sheds. You can use your plastic shed to store your unused items in your house, if you do not have a lot of space inside. Clothes can also be stored there, but make sure to put them inside sealed boxes or containers. 

Just putting the clothes inside exposes them to insects and other animals to live on those and damage your clothes, especially winter coats and other thick garments.

It can also help if you would vacuum the thick clothes first before storing them inside sealed containers. You can also store unused furniture if the size of your plastic shed permits.

Should be Secured, Organized, and Well-Maintained

It goes without saying that all things that are taken cared of well last longer than expected. Remember to always organize storage properly. Know which ones to put together and which ones not to put together inside. Check the wirings and the lights inside the shed. Finally, always check your wirings for gnawed wires and faulty switches and lights every now and then.

Conclusion

You can store pretty much anything inside plastic sheds, except flammable materials, valuables, and perishable goods. They offer a lot of benefits and perks perfect for people with different storage needs.

Plastic sheds offer convenience and storage organization for a much more affordable price than their wooden or metal counterparts. Always remember to take care of your shed so that it would last a long time, and you get more than what you actually paid for.

If you’re enjoying this article then why not check out these related articles after finishing this one:

Plastic Sheds Are Not Really Fireproof: Here’s What You Need To Know

Can You Paint Plastic Sheds?

How To Anchor Your Shed To The Ground – All Scenarios Covered!

Do Plastic Sheds Fade? – A Long term owners view

Steve Foster

Suburbanite, tech geek, handy man, automation enthusiast who started blogging about the stuff I do around my home and found he had a knack for it.

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