Keter Factor Shed Review - Are Keter Sheds Durable In The UK?

As editor in chief of the Gardener blog here at GardenSite, I've had plenty of experience with garden sheds, writing blogs, guides and reviews, but this is my first time discussing the Keter brand individually. After needing a new shed for my own garden, I took it upon myself to research the latest sheds on the market as well as those that I was already familiar with. This brought me to the Keter brand, of which as a whole seemed a very well-known brand within the US, and other European countries, but are Keter sheds durable for UK gardens too?

In the end, after debating whether to purchase a Suncast, Lifetime or Keter plastic shed, I went for a Keter, and my order was soon placed. Not long after, I took delivery of my new shed, and was excited to start assembling it, eagerly needing the extra space that it would offer. With my own recent experience, in this blog post I'll be exploring and reviewing Keter branded sheds, especially the newer Factor range.

You might think assembling a shed is a difficult task requiring special skills and tools, if that's the case let us introduce you to the Factor range of sheds from Keter - a contemporary storage space with an elegant appearance that's simple to build with no cutting, sawing or drilling.

Manufactured from specially formulated polypropylene resin, the Factor range displays all the qualities that make plastic sheds superior to traditional wooden ones. Sturdy and robust, they are weatherproof to offer long term protection for everything inside and virtually maintenance free.

Choose any shed in the range and you will no longer have to spend time and money regularly applying preservative or changing roofing felt. There's no need to paint or varnish, the resin doesn't peel or rust, and the resin will not deteriorate through rot and decay.

Durable and sustainable

Your shed will be a long term and low maintenance choice and if you like the appearance of a timber shed, you'll be more than happy with the wood effect textured panelled exterior of a Range shed. The resin is UV resistant, so its colour won't fade, and the doors are in another shade to present an atractive two tone effect.

Replicating a wooden shed but so much more durable, your Keter factor shed is also just as sustainable as it's made from 100% recyclable materials. We have just taken delivery of the Factor 8ft x 8ft which can be seen at the GardenSite showsite, and this video shows just how quickly you can create such an incredibly durable and useful garden resource.

Solid base structure

Assembling a shed can be daunting if your DIY skills are not up with the best, that's why Keter specifically design their sheds to be simple to build. There are detailed and easy to follow instructions and two people can make light work of all the different elements.

Bear in mind first of all that a solid level base is necessary on which to locate the shed, with space to work all around it. The base should be slightly larger than the shed's dimensions and preferably concrete but slabs are a good alternative or decking that you might already have in place.

The shed will arrive in only one package and, as with every flat pack, an initial check that everything you need has been delivered is recommended. If anything is missing, contact us and we will ensure a replacement gets to you as soon as possible.

You'll immediately notice that the flooring is reliably heavy duty and able to withstand a lot of wear, tear and weight. It comes in sections which are laid out, clipped together and secured with screws.

Side panels and doors

The first side panel can be fixed in place and then the various side panels added after choosing the preferred location of the window. The panels click into place and are further secured by plugs that screw into the base. Steel reinforcements between each panel give the shed great rigidity and the panels are further strengthened by another section which is positioned on top.

Progressing around the edges, you'll see your shed really taking shape especially when all the panels are fixed in place. After a vent is added, the end arch can be slotted into place and, at the entrance end, it's time to hang the doors. This couldn't really be much easier with the hinges allowing them to smoothly open wide.

Roof and shelving

The second vented arch is then fixed above the doors and this just leaves the roof and your shed will be complete. There is a two piece ridge along the middle of the roof which is screwed into place and then reinforced across the length and width to provide a firm foundation for the roof panels that simply slide on and then screwed to secure.

Handles and the door locking mechanism are equally user friendly to fit. These can be secured with a padlock if required. Finally the window clicks and screws into place to fill the shed with light. Shelving, which again just clicks into place, provides the finishing touch and will allow you to organise all those small items that may otherwise clutter the floor space.

The finished shed

After a morning's work you will have an extremely smart looking shed that comes with a fifteen year guarantee. It is well ventilated to create a pleasing internal environment with a high ceiling particularly as natural light flows in from the window and translucent roof ridge.

Easy access for large domestic or gardening items is offered by the double doors that effortlessly open wide and these can be locked to protect valuable contents. Designed to last a lifetime, it's ideal storage place for furniture, BBQs and bicycles, tools and gardening equipment, anything that needs to be kept dry but easily accessible.

Installing the Keter Factor shed video

If you're interested in ordering a Keter shed, but would like to preview the installation beforehand, check out this handy video of when we installed one at our GardenSite show site. It shows just how quick and easy it is to assemble due to the minimal fiddly parts, meaning faster, more practical installation for you at home.