There's no denying it: Homeowners collect stuff. We cram it into the crawl space, box it up in the basement and stack it high in the garage. We even park the car out in the driveway and we still don't have enough storage space to accommodate it all. Sound familiar? Then you might want to consider the benefits of a backyard storage shed.
A dedicated storage building provides a place for mowers, bikes, ladders, tires, garden tools, lumber, old furniture and everything else clogging up your garage. Sheds are also a weatherproof haven for tractors, snow throwers, canoes and garden tillers, as well as for the luggage, steamer trunks, boxes of books and old clothing currently roosting in the attic. There's even a growing trend toward using larger sheds for everything from potting sheds and playhouses to studios and workshops.
The challenge is finding a shed that's as attractive as it is useful. Most of the metal storage buildings and prefabricated wood sheds sold at home centers and garden shops are strictly utilitarian (read ugly). Although their low prices are enticing — you can get a 6x8-foot metal shed for less than $170 and an 8x8-foot pine shed for about $295 — with few exceptions, these basic buildings get uglier within a couple of years as they're exposed to the elements.
Fortunately, a storage shed can be functional, good-looking and durable. We've gathered a variety of handsome sheds that fit most any backyard. Some come as ready-to-assemble kits, while others are sold through mail order as plans that guide you or a carpenter you've hired through the building process. We've focused on wood sheds, which come in the greatest range of sizes, styles and prices. They're also the most attractive, and just about any homeowner with basic carpentry skills and tools can build one.
