Craftsman Wood-Plastic Composite Storage Shed Review

Craftsman Wood-Plastic Composite Storage Shed Review

You can imagine how thrilled I was when offered a Craftsman storage shed to review and tell you about! Since we just moved to Wisconsin last year, we don’t have a lot of the things you acquire after living somewhere for a while. One of those things is a nice garden storage shed.  At our old house we had a Rubbermaid shed (and I use the term “shed” loosely here, it was kind of a hot mess, really).  It was the kind with a slide lid (the roof slid over for easier access).  It was not waterproof or water tight – not even a little bit. It was prone to popping apart which was really super helpful (read my sarcasm).  But, we got it free and that’s about what it was worth. When we moved, we gave it away again. Now it’s someone else’s problem.

The thing about Wisconsin winters is, you can’t get something that will cave in under the weight of snow.  It has to be sturdy! And, having something that’s going to leak is just asking for trouble. So, in my attempt to go shed shopping I thought we’d probably have to buy lumber and fuddle through building something.  My dad (who is good at everything!) used to build little storage sheds. They were adorable! And they were built to last. Most of them have lasted for more than 30 years now!

Okay, so I’ve painted a picture of my experience and expectations with storage sheds.  In short, unless my daddy built it – it’s probably going to be stupid.

Oh, but wait. This is about the Craftsman storage shed. 😉

What’s in the box: well, everything you need to build it, silly!  You’ll need a few tools – actually just a screw gun, screw driver, rubber mallet and uh… well, check the manual but that’s all I can think of.  It comes on a pallet, delivered by freight right to your door. You can pick them up at a Sears store if you prefer to save on shipping costs.  Mine came via freight. It weighs 400 lbs! If weight is any indicator of quality, this is a real gem.

Some assembly required. There are 44 easy steps to put this bad boy together. Okay, that makes it sound bad. There are, but it is really very simple. I did it in about 4.5 hours BY MYSELF!  Yes, I am a girl, and yes I did it myself! 🙂  Okay, to be totally honest my 8-year old helped a little.  And by that I mean she handed me the screwdriver once and she picked up and played with the packing styrofoam.  Oh! And, there were two parts that I physically couldn’t do alone (you have to be in two places).  So, when hubby felt up to it he helped attach the roof and level the doors.

Prepare your base. Oh, wait, back up!  First step was making a surface that was level enough to build the shed. Before even getting to step 1 in the instruction manual, I made the ground level. I then added 2″ deep of pea gravel and 1 5/8″ thick cement landscaping pavers. That way my shed will be nice and level, and has a good solid foundation. You don’t have to do all that. You can build it on the ground or on a slab. You could build a wooden foundation. There are tons of options, but this worked best for us.

Okay, so THEN I put it together – mostly by myself…

Like I said, it went together in about 4.5 hours. I’m assuming if I had built it with two people (which is recommended) it would have gone much faster.  Unlike those sweet, adoring couples you see on home improvement shows that work well together, my husband and I work better when we’re not together. Not even in the same city. Don’t get me wrong, I like the guy, we just don’t work well together on projects like these. 😉

This storage shed is made of a wood-plastic composite. That means basically that it’s strong like wood but will last like plastic. It is very sturdy, unlike other plastic storage sheds I’ve seen. It went together easily, and except for a few bent pieces (probably happened in transport and not a huge deal), everything lined up perfectly.  There was only one place in the instructions that I should have paid closer attention, but that was my fault and I blame it on not taking a break for 4.5 hours. I was tired and not thinking straight.  Nothing bad happened, I just put 4 screws in too soon and had to remove them to attach the roof. Not a big deal.

In summary: The Craftsman storage building I received to review is impressive. It’s great looking, easy to build and offers a smart way to store your lawn and garden tools – or whatever you want to store. And, best of all, it’s built to last!

From the manufacturer:

Craftsman 7′ 6″ x 4′ Wood Plastic Composite Storage Building, 157 cu. ft. – Exclusive VersaTrack™ Compatibility