Getting the Most out of a Home and Garden

The Secret to a Secure Garden Shed

For thieves, poorly secured garden sheds that are packed to the rafters with valuable tools, equipment, or even vehicles. In order to prevent this happening to you, it's absolutely essential to ensure that your garden shed is made secure in the smartest, most effective ways possible.

No shed can ever truly be considered full-proof from thievery, but there are measures you can take to deter burglars from the offset, and make life extremely difficult for them if they ever do decide to gamble on breaking inside. When it comes to shed security, keep these four tips in mind.

Check for Previous Damage

Wooden sheds are often considered one of the easier parts of a home to break into given how so many homeowners get out of the habit of caring for the panels and woodwork. It's easy to ignore any small rot accumulating on panels that are out of sight, but these will supply any potential burglars with a great access point, as removing the panels will be extremely simple.

It's important to conduct regular checks for any sign of rot, weathering, cuts, or scratching caused by animals on your shed. Any kind of pre-existing damage will give burglars an easy route inside as the structure is considerably weakened.  For additional security, another good method is to superglue around the screws.

Decide Which Features Are Truly Needed

If you're looking at purchasing a new shed for your garden, decide what you actually want it for—what is its purpose? If you're using it as a work space, then natural light will be helpful, but if you're merely using it to store additional objects, consider purchasing a model with no windows. After all, what will you really need them for?

Be honest with yourself about your shed's purpose. If you currently own a shed with large windows but are using it mostly for storage space, consider boarding these windows up or purchasing a new model. The only person who'll be benefitting from these panes will be prospective thieves.

Rethink the Position

If you're looking at purchasing a brand new shed for your garden, where you put it is a huge factor in how secure it will be. What a lot of homeowners foolishly assume is that installing a shed in a location that's enshrouded by big leafy trees is a good idea because it be out of sight. This is always a huge mistake. Burglars love the cover of darkness, and any sheds that are masked by trees or large bushes are perfect for breaking into because nobody will be able to see them going about their criminal activity.

Be strategic when it comes to positioning your garden shed. Try to achieve a nice balance between cover and open space. A shed that's positioned close to a point where neighbours and passing people on the street can see it won't be a burglar's first choice. Surrounding your shed with prickly bushes, gravel or ankle-height shrubbery is often a good idea, as these decorative garden items present thieves with an obstacle course that they won't be able to get around without hurting themselves or causing noise. Positioning a light that flickers on any time anyone walks within the vicinity of your shed is also a good idea.  

Be Smart about Padlocks

Multiple locks are always a great way to deter burglars. However, it's important to remember that they do this for a living, and will know how to pick a lot of ordinary locks in a matter of minutes. Make life harder for them by locking down everything inside your shed too. Not only will this infuriate the thieves to the point where they might even abandon the burglary, it'll force them to cause all kinds of noise which will alert both you and your neighbours.

Chaining expensive items down to tough, stable points inside your shed can also help to prevent home burglaries too. The kind of tools that a typical homeowner stores in their shed aren't just worth a bit of money; they're also great for allowing access into the actual home itself. By applying padlocks to absolutely everything inside your shed and tying things down, you can make burglars think twice about their act and force them to try elsewhere instead. 

For more tips or assistance, contact companies like Coasteel Buildings Sunshine Coast & Gympie to construct or maintain a secure shed.


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