The Ultimate Guide to Securing Your Shed

A lot of folks assume that they don’t need to protect their shed. It’s just a storage area for out-of-season junk, right? Even though the lawnmower sitting in your shed for years isn’t worth much now, consider the collective value of your shed’s other contents—bikes, power tools, and gardening gear. Despite holding such valuable items, many sheds aren’t very secure.

Whether your shed is next to your home or not, treat it with the same level of security as your home and yard.

Find out everything you wanted to know about shed security in our complete guide to spotting and fixing seven common shed vulnerabilities.

Vulnerability: Run-down sheds with obvious patches of rotten wood, rusty metal, and loose boards provide little defense against thieves.

Prevention: Maintain newer sheds so they never deteriorate into sagging husks. This can protect the shed from break-ins and also prevent a leaky roof or rotten walls from damaging your tools.

Possible fix: If your shed already has structural issues, it’s time to roll up your sleeves to fix it.

• Make a list of every problem area in the shed, whether it’s rusted metal, rotten boards, peeling paint, or missing shingles on the roof. Take photos with your smartphone if you need extra help making a comprehensive list.
• If the fixes are simple, take a list of materials to the hardware store and get what you need. If you have a limited budget, prioritize by tackling the biggest problems one at a time.
  • Fix wall panels.
  • Reinforce the internal structure with new beams.
  • Replace rotten window frames or doors.
  • Patch up holes in the roof.
  • Add a fresh coat of paint or sealant to the outside of a wooden shed.
• If the shed’s beyond repair, you can make temporary patches to protect your tools. But it’s best to act as quickly as your budget allows when you ultimately need a new shed.

For extra security outdoors, check out our guide on how to burglar-proof your backyard.

Vulnerability: An exposed or loose hinge pin on the shed door can be easy to unscrew, allowing burglars to bypass the door lock.

Prevention and possible fix: Replace your old door hinge with a set of hinges with a non-removable pin (about $33 for a 3-pack). If the hinge is outside the shed door, think about replacing the mounting screws with carriage bolts (about $10). A carriage bolt, also called a coach bolt, has a smooth head that is almost impossible to remove from the outside.

To learn more about improving your shed door (or any door), read our door-strengthening guide.

Possible fix: Install window and door alarms to help you know if and when an intruder attempts to enter your shed.

If you have an alarm system in your home, you can extend it to include your shed. When a door or window opens, the security system alerts a monitoring company and sends you a notification on your smartphone.

If a full-blown security system isn’t an option, you can buy stand-alone door and window sensors for your shed that connect to an app or a virtual assistant. Some models, like the Sabre Elite (about $18), even have a loud alarm to scare off intruders.

Check out our guide on what to look for in a home security system for advice on choosing a security system based on your home’s layout, personal preferences, and budget.

Break-in or not, it’s a good idea to keep a serialized list of the items in your shed. If an item goes missing, you may improve the chances of recovery if you have a copy of the serial number and if the item has unique identifying marks. After a theft, you can provide detailed information about your property to your local police department to facilitate item recovery.

If you recently added a shed to your property, check with your insurance agent to find out if your shed and its contents have coverage under your homeowners insurance policy. Most policies cover on-property structures, but it’s best to verify anyway.

What should you do if you catch an intruder mid-crime? Stay calm, contact the authorities, and prioritize your safety. You can also check out our guide on what to do if your house is broken into for more in-depth information on handling these types of situations.

Now that you know how to secure your shed without shelling out thousands, look over our home security checklist to find out what other elements of your property may be vulnerable—and what you can do to make those areas safer.

• Everything You Need to Know about Home Security
• 8 Ways to Keep Thieves Out of Your Garage
• 4 Effective Ways to Burglar-Proof Your Backyard
• The Best Locks to Protect Your Toolshed