Not all sheds are created equal and neither are the doors or any other component. When deciding the type of door you need for your shed or which is the best shed replacement door there are a few factors to consider such as budget, security, aesthetics, and space. So, what are the best shed doors?
Most types of shed doors differ in terms of their design. However, the different shed doors are usually classified into the following: hinged, double doors, sliding, and roller. Each of these doors has its own unique advantages and disadvantages in relation to your budget and other needs.
The good thing and bad thing about sheds is that there are plenty of different doors that you can use. Options is something that some structures such as garages don’t have as much of. You can pretty much build any type of shed that your permitting will allow so lets dig into what the best type of shed door you should get and why you should be getting it.
What to look for when choosing shed doors?
What are your priorities for choosing your shed door? What do you really need it to do? These questions and more are what you need to be asking yourself because you have to know what you absolutely cannot skimp on so you don’t wind up dissatisfied with a shed door that may be in your budget but doesn’t do what you need it to. Lets take a look at generally the most important factors to consider for your shed door.
If you are replacing your shed door due to damage from rot than check here before you do because you may be able to fix it instead.
- Budget
The first thing you need to look at is how much you are willing to spend on the door. That’s because shed doors vary in terms of their prices as there are some shed doors that are more expensive due to the very nature of their design.
The prices vary greatly as if you have a
- standards size 3′ wide opening, a shed door can run you between $120 to $200. If you are really digging in places like craigslist or Facebook Marketplace than perhaps you can find one cheaper.
- larger double doors or non standard shaped you will likely be spending $300 to $500. Again, these will be generally standard size doors that are common in larger sheds.
- custom shed doors and mechanical doors are going to generally cost north of $500 to $1000+. These doors may be better to get someone to repair if that is possible as certain costs can be very steep. These will not be your normal standard size doors though.
Something to consider is repairing the door. One of the most common types of damage that wooden shed experience is rot. There are ways of removing the rot and making the door look like new. If you would like to know more than check out this article we wrote about how to fix rot in any place on your shed.
- Security
Your shed houses a lot of expensive things such as your bike, lawnmower, and power tools. This means that you need to make sure that the shed has a door that provides it with the kind of security that it needs to prevent thieves and robbers from breaking in. It all depends on what you intend on keeping in your shed.
A couple key considerations to make your shed more secure without breaking the bank are:
- padlock
- reinforce the lock/wooden frame
- install stronger hinges
- install a metal strip along the door frame that would stop the door from being kicked in.
The vast majority of the time these small changes will work, however if you are storing something very expensive in your shed like a motorcycle, sentimental items, expensive power tools, etc than you may just want to get a reinforced door but this will cost you a pretty penny(over $500 for a standard size, much more for a custom). You may also want to consider other methods of security such as cameras, alarms, reinforced windows, etc.
When it comes to security, different shed doors have their own security features as well. There are some doors that are less secure due to their design, and that may turn you off especially if you live in a neighborhood that’s particularly dangerous. So, if security is one of the main considerations of your choice, it might be better to go for a shed door design that offers more security features.
- Space
Even though most doors basically occupy the same space on your shed, the space that we are talking about here refers to how much space the doors occupy when you open them. This is very important because of how some properties may not have enough room for other types of doors.
If you are severely limited in space both outside and inside you may want to consider a roller shed door. Again, the starting price is likely above $500 but it will pay dividends in space saving and is also a more secure option.
In that regard, choose a shed door that isn’t going to take up a ton of space if you have limited space in your yard. However, those with larger yard spaces tend to have more freedom in terms of the shed door designs that they can choose.
- Shed use
Some people use their sheds for different purposes. There are sheds that are only used for storing smaller tools while other sheds are used for larger equipment such as lawnmowers. Meanwhile, some people actually work in their sheds and desire more aesthetic options. If the looks is what you are trying to go for than consider using a standard home storm door. If your shed is more intended for office use or a getaway than this can add to the appeal.
In that regard, what you are going to use your shed for can also matter when it comes to the shed door you should install on it. That’s because there are shed doors that allow you to have easier access to the shed while other shed doors are better at allowing you to store larger equipment and may be a little bulkier to handle. This is why you need to look at the shed’s intended use when you are deciding on what type of shed door you will be using.
- Aesthetics
At the end of the day, aesthetics are going to be very important(to some of us) when choosing a shed door because there are different shed doors that offer different styles. I am not going to say to who but some shed doors do look better than others while some shed doors don’t seem to go well with the type of aesthetic appeal you are trying to achieve with your shed.
So, if you value the overall aesthetics of your shed because you want its appearance to fit the style of your home, you need to choose a shed door that complements the aesthetic appeal that you want to achieve. Some shed doors do better than others while the other shed doors are more utilitarian in their approach and are less likely to focus on looks.
What are the best shed doors?
All that said, here are the best shed door types depending on the different factors that will affect your choice.
Hinged
Hinged doors are the traditional doors that are used in most structures. These are basically the doors that rely on doorknobs and are going to open through the use of hinges that are attached to the side of the door. Hinged doors are also some of the more common doors used in sheds because of how easy and stylish they are.
There are two types of hinged doors:
- Single
Single hinged doors are the common doors that only rely on one single door and are going to take up a smaller space on your shed. The advantage to single doors is that they are cheaper and easier to install on the shed because of how they only use a small amount of space and fewer materials.
However, some people think that hinged doors are boring and are less utilitarian in their design. The fact that this is basically the same door that most homes have make it look boring and less unique. On top of that, single hinged doors have smaller openings, and that will make it more difficult for you to store larger equipment. Still, single doors are more likely the cheapest doors for your shed.
- Double
Double hinged doors are basically two doors that are put together but will open and close on their own hinges. You have a choice of opening the door on only one side or on both sides. These doors will need to occupy more space on your shed as well but they tend to be the best in terms of overall appeal because of how they give your shed a more symmetrical look. On top of that, double doors are better when it comes to larger equipment because of how larger the doorway is.
But the downside to these doors is that they are more expensive. On top of that, when you are hauling in larger equipment into the shed, you would have to open both doors. That could be too much effort on your part especially when you are rushing.
Sliding doors
Sliding doors are the type of doors that you can open by sliding the door panel to the side(also called sliding barn doors). These doors are very easy to open because they require little to no effort whatsoever as long as the rollers on the doors are working fine. As such, sliding doors are the best when it comes to offering you a good experience when opening and closing your doors, but what they gain in aesthetic appeal they loose in security.
However, sliding doors tend to be more expensive than hinged doors because the sliders take more effort and materials to install. On top of that, you need to maintain sliding doors properly by oiling the sliders from time to time so that the doors will open and close smoothly.
But the worst part about sliding doors is their poor security features. We did say that sliding doors are the easiest to open, and that holds true for thieves and robbers who might want to take advantage of the door’s weakness to enter the shed. You would have to install additional security features on your sliding doors such as different types of locks and bars so that you can improve their security features.
Still, if you love the appeal and ease of use that sliding doors come with, then they might be the best choice for your shed. You can even opt for transparent sliding doors that will allow your shed to have a good amount of natural light during the day.
Roller doors
Roller doors are the typical garage doors that require you to push the door up to the ceiling so that they fold up without taking any space. As such, roller doors are the best when it comes to conserving space in your yard.
On top of how easy and space-efficient roller doors are, they are also the best in terms of their security features because it will be very difficult for thieves and robbers to open locked roller doors. This is why a lot of different storage facilities rely on roller doors.
Then again, the bad part about these doors is that they aren’t the most attractive doors that you can have on your shed. The most affordable roller doors are usually made from metal, which might give your shed a warehouse look, which is very unappealing. Meanwhile, if you do use wooden roller sheds, they are going to be very expensive because of how it is difficult to build roller doors using wood.
So, while roller doors are very secure and space-efficient, they tend to be the most expensive and least visually appealing out of all of the different shed door choices that you have.