Many homeowners favor wooden sheds over metal units

Published: Saturday, June 22, 2013, 9:00p.m. Updated 21 hours ago

When a tree crashed on their metal storage shed in 2012, Gary and Beverly Scheuring knew they were going to go to wood for a replacement.

Never had a second thought, Gary Scheuring says, standing in the larger of two sheds that he built in weekend projects at his Shaler home.

He says using wood instead of metal creates a better look, causes easier construction that is a little more forgiving and leads to a product that is more customized on the inside as far as shelves and storage areas go.

In an age when backyard storage sheds are a common home for tools, mowers, snow blowers and a variety of household items, pre-built metal sheds and synthetic kits are popular options. But wood tends to emerge as the favorite from makers, sellers and users.

Steve Opresko, a professional-use associate at the East Liberty Home Depot outlet, says the best possible wooden shed would be a self-designed, self-built one that is basically a deck with a small room built on top of it. They would be strong, with support posts in cement-filled bases and engineered or over-engineered so well that the homeowner/builder would know how to replace or repair any part if necessary, Opresko says.

More commonly used wooden sheds come in kits, sometimes with vinyl siding, that can be put up with no architectural design effort. Costs vary, from $598 for basic ones or $4,000 for more involved units.

Sheds can get even bigger and more costly, says Mike Zook from AZ Structures in Indiana County. His shed-making company's biggest unit is basically a 28- by 36-foot barn and costs $13,999.

Jeffrey Kokowski, an outdoor associate at the Lowe's site in McCandless, says some basic sheds even can be cheaper. Lowe's handles a 3- by 5-foot unit for $297 and is basically a garbage shed.

Units at Lowe's can top $5,000 some of them having ramps or cupolas he says.

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Many homeowners favor wooden sheds over metal units