New products are the lifeblood of many industries and it’s no different in the gardening sector and most of us above a certain age will know the Rubbermaid brand well, particularly if you have ever been in the cleaning industry.
There has been a lot of talk about the UK doing a trade deal with the USA and it may well happen, but nobody knows when. So I was impressed when I called at the Storemore stand at the 2019 Garden & Leisure Exhibition (GLEE) to find that the directors had flown over to the USA and negotiated their own deal to import and distribute a new range of plastic sheds into the UK.
But not just any anonymous shed manufacturer, as Philip & Heather Kandel have become the Kandoo’s by striking up their trade agreement with the USA manufacturing giant Rubbermaid.
Rubbermaid certainly knows about plastic so it’s exciting to see their range of plastic sheds at last becoming available to the UK public and their gardens.
Firstly their products are incredibly easy to assemble. The Rubbermaid 5 x 2 ft resin deck box only uses four screws in the whole of the construction process. It is more akin to building with Lego than building garden storage units. And that makes life a lot easier for all of us.
Easy to maintain, easy on the eye
The maintenance-free heavy-duty plastic resin used will not rot or rust either and is used to create a tough, double-walled construction on all the Rubbermaid sheds. They also come complete with an impact-resistant floor that is easily strong enough to sustain the weight of heavy-duty items.
And there has been some specific thought put into the shed range, which is initially aimed at the compact plastic shed market with the first size being just 5 ft wide x 2 ft deep but complete with double doors and an integral floor. Secure and safe storage in the smallest space.
Sliding roof shed for easy access
A 5 x 4 ft and a 5 x 6ft version are also in the range but so is a 5 x 6 ft shed model with a sliding roof. This is a ‘low' roof shed but instead of having a hinged roof, it is in traditional apex style where the front half of the roof slides away from you over the back half of the roof.
This allows you to walk halfway into the building without bending so making access far easier than normal. I expect this building to take the eye of the buying public and prove to be very popular. Not only will these sheds and storage boxes stand up to all that the English weather can throw at them but they will stay looking good year after year. That’s for certain, and let’s be honest, that kind of guarantee is in short supply at the moment.
What are Rubbermaid sheds made of?
Rubbermaid sheds are crafted using plastic resin, or HDPE (high-density polyethylene) as the technical term.
It's a thermoplastic polymer produced from the monomer ethylene, offering great strength, has the ability to withstand changing temperatures and has great resistance against corrosion, thus making it the ideal material for long term use outdoors, whatever the weather.
Are Rubbermaid sheds waterproof?
Although not officially labelled as being 100% waterproof by the manufacturer, Rubbermaid sheds are weather resistant, designed to stand up to harsh weather conditions to keep your items stored inside clean and dry while offering a leak-resistant design.
The addition of the integral floor also helps to keep items stored inside off the ground and protected from fallen rainwater.
Do Rubbermaid sheds need a foundation?
Technically, no. As they include an integral floor, Rubbermaid sheds don't need a foundation and can be placed practically anywhere.
Although, for maximum stability and integrity, it's always advisable to place any shed or storage box onto a hard standing surface such as a patio area, decking, or slabbed base. This also provides a solid area for which the shed can be anchored down to with a set of ground bolts.
Are Rubbermaid sheds any good?
It wouldn't be a proper review without answering the most important question - are Rubbermaid sheds any good? The answer to that is yes. Starting from first buying your Rubbermaid shed, nearly all models are delivered in one box. They're probably one of the easiest shed ranges to assemble yourself at home, as they're designed to be installed using a minimal amount of parts with snap-together fittings.
Once installed, you'll find that the double-walled plastic resin material is highly durable with virtually zero maintenance required. You'll never need to treat or paint it in the future as you would with a wooden shed, and it won't rust, crack or fade over time as can happen with a metal shed.
Please note we are unable to supply this range at the moment, please see our range of plastic sheds for alternatives.