In this article we look at the best locks for a shed. These are inexpensive, and when fitted will deter thieves and burglars from breaking into your shed. Ideally if you can fit these, along with some form of alarm, then you are going to be about as secure as you can be.
To fit both a padlock and some type of small alarm system will cost around £25-30. I don't think that is a lot to pay for peace of mind, and nice tight security. In this article I am going to include a number of locks. It very much depends how much protection you want to have. It will also depend on what type of doors or windows you want to protect.
The best lock for a shed is the Masterlock heavy duty padlock as it has a laminated steel core, weatherproof and high security rating. They are made to last when used outdoors on a shed or garage.
Likewise the type of shed you have may determine what type of locks you can fit. The material your shed is made of is also a factor to consider. No matter what type of shed you own, inside it there will be items of value.
In my opinion it is worthwhile spending a nice afternoon making sure that those items stay there. It is also great peace of mind to know your things are safe and secure.
MASTER LOCK Heavy Duty Padlock
If you want to go all out for the very best type of padlock, then this one from Master Lock will meet all requirements.
This one is anti-rust and is made from the highest quality laminated steel. It costs around £12 for the standard model, but this is what we use to keep tools safe and secure.
The longer shackle has a high security lock has a five-pin cylinder and ball bearing locking for maximum pry resistance. That is why we recommend this type for securing sheds, gates, garages and even shop fronts. That should give you an idea of just how good these padlocks are.
Let's face it, a padlock is not something that you buy everyday. In our opinion you should buy the best that you can afford. For us it is this one and it looks great and works like a treat. Online buyers agree and have rated this accordingly. This lock gets a 94% buyer satisfaction rating from over 400 online buyers.
It is a 51 mm lock with an octagonal shackle which offers the most resistance to items such as bolt cutters. If a thief tries getting through this beauty they will really have to work hard. It also has a dual ball bearing locking mechanism which is highly resistant to pulling or prying.
This one is slightly more expensive than the others, but if you want something heavy duty, then we recommend spending the extra couple of pounds. You can also buy these with a longer shackle and even an extra long one.
ABUS 64TI/40 Outdoor Titalium Key Padlock - Best Seller
This padlock is strong, lightweight. made from this aluminium alloy called Titalium and as such it is very durable.
They use this material for certain parts of an aeroplane and that is good enough for me.
Buyers rate this with a 90% satisfaction rating.
This lock is ideal for shed doors, cupboards, lockers, tool boxes etc. The internal diameter is 21.83mm, the outside diameter is 34.65mm, and the bar diameter has a 6.35mm shackle inside depth
There are other locks on the UK market that state they are heavy duty, waterproof etc. You will pay a lot of money for one of those. We have tried them and we still have seen signs of rust. This lock is much lighter than those but it seems to stand up to the weather just as well. That is why we think this one is really good value for money.
Master Lock 7804704EURD Pack Including Door Hasp and Keyed Padlock
This lock comes with a limited lifetime guarantee.
It is suitable for outdoor use and a great choice for securing storage units, cabinets, gates, sheds and garages.
The padlock is made of a Thermoplastic covered laminated steel and has a precision pin tumbler mechanism to prevent from picking
The hasp is made from Zinc plated hardened steel for added strength and weatherability
It has a hardened steel staple and locking eye resist cutting and sawing; Tamper proof hinge for pry resistance
It comes with all the mounting hardware for easy installation
Shed Bolt Style Lock
This is the most common type of lock that is used to lock sheds. It is known as a sliding bolt and these are available at a whole range of price points.
We like these from the brand XFORT as they are excellent quality.
Most importantly they will not rust, the bolt slides smoothly, and they feel really nice and solid. In this pack you get a couple of them for under £10. That we think is very good value.
You can get these in a black colour or the more traditional steel look. The choice is really a matter of preference. We prefer the black myself as we think they look better at the top and bottom of my shed door.
These are industry standard so you will not be disappointed if you get these.
These are available in 3 standard sizes; 100mm, 150mm and 200mm and made from steel. They are suitable for surface mounting and they comes with the fixing screws, so quick and easy to fit quickly.
Combination Bolt Style Lock
Some people are prone to losing keys. That is why they prefer a combination style lock. Remembering a combination is much easier than trying to find a key.
It also stops you from having to worry about a burglar finding your keys as well.
All you need to do with this one is remember 4 numbers.
This one is really simple to use and does a very good job.
What's Inside Your Shed?
We think it is worth taking a pen and paper with you and going inside your shed. Just make a very quick note of the main items in your shed and put beside that roughly how much each item is worth. This will take you about 15-20 minutes to finish, depending on what is stored in there.
We asked 10 of our readers to volunteer to do that, and we have summarised those below, which we think you might find interesting. We asked them to include their more expensive items and any groups of tools and their values.
No of items | Value | Item Samples |
---|---|---|
15 | £2,000 | Lawnmower, power tools, painting stuff, decorations, some gardening tools (lots of bits and bobs for the car) |
8 | £1,500 | Petrol mower, grass trimmer, hedge cutters, tools, ladders and steps, odds and ends |
50 | £5,000 | Lawnmowers, hand gardening tools, power gardening tools, woodworking tools etc |
20 | £2,500 | Lawnmower, pressure washer, garden hose, hand tools, power tools, painting items, ladders |
10 | £1500 | Lawnmowers, hand gardening tools, power gardening tools, BBQ stuff |
12 | £2,700 | Mainly hand and power tools like drills, saws, planer, tool boxes, some electrical gear for installation and testing |
20 | £3,000 | Lots of hand tools, steps and ladders, a few power tools, lots of gardening stuff, some house storage |
30 | £4,500 | Mainly gardening tools and power tools and other items stored from the house and some patio stuff. A lot more items that I thought I had. |
15 | £1,000 | I have 2 shed, one for gardening stuff and another for my woodworking hobby. The gardening one is pretty basic around £1,500 worth of items, but my woodworking one is about 50 items worth a few thousand pounds. |
20 | £1800 | Lawnmower, hedge cutters, strimmer, vacuum blower, gardening tools like spades, forks etc. Some car items like a jack, battery charger, spanners etc |
We think what is interesting here is that the value can very quickly add up. We also asked the same 10 people if they had a lock on their shed. 8 out of 10 did have some form of lock.
Of those 8 who did have a lock, 7 of those had a really cheap lock that they had bought somewhere that they couldn't honestly remember where. Only 1 person out of 10 had a good quality lock on their shed.
We are not criticising anyone for this, but we think it makes sense to spend some money on a good quality lock to prevent thieves from stealing expensive equipment from your shed.