The 14 Shed Security Measures Every Homeowner Ought To Know About

The 14 Shed Security Measures Every Homeowner Ought To Know About

shed_security

There are many options for securing your shed starting at all different price points

THERE IS NOTHING worse than getting up in the morning to find some “kind” person has broken into your garden shed.

It probably wouldn’t be too bad if all you did was store a few tools and some junk out there. But, you had hundreds of dollars’ worth of tools and a couple of very expensive bikes stored out there.

Now that you have joined the ranks of several of your neighbors who have had the same experience. It’s finally time to take your shed’s security a bit more seriously.

Here we are going to take a good look at 14 different shed security options that may help prevent this from happening to you.

The Shed Security Options and How They Rank

Shed Security Comparison Table (click/tap to expose)

1. Alarm Systems

- A great way to notify you something is going on

Installing some form of alarm system in your shed is one of the best ways to keep thieves at bay.

There are a number of different types of alarm systems on the market today. Some use audible sirens or horns that go off when someone is trying to break in. Others are silent and can notify the police and you via an app on your cellphone or an in-house monitor.

There are many homeowners are now adding their shed into the same monitored alarm system they use to protect their house. If you are interested in more information about running an alarm system, you can find costs and other info below

pros
cons
Let's you know someone is breaking in
Audible alarms may annoy neighbors
Best deterrent to thieves
Can be very expensive
Monitored alarms can have the police on their way in munutes
may not work for all types of sheds
Shed Door Lock

Image Courtesy of Amazon

2. Upgraded locks

- New locks are relatively inexpensive security option

Adding new security locks to your shed is a great way to keep burglars at bay. That is as long as the rest of your shed is properly secured. You don’t even have to pay anyone to install them for you, which helps keep the cost down.

Be sure to buy a good quality, heavy duty security lock, preferably a deadbolt style lock. You may also want to consider adding a steel or brass reinforcing plate to the door frame for added security.

pros
cons
Much better than standard locks
Can still be picked or kicked in
Easy to install yourslef
Requires a strong door and frame
Relatively inexpensive
May not stop a dedicated theif
Door hinges

Image Courtesy of Amazon

3. Upgraded Hinges

- A great addition to installing a new door lock

If you are going to install a new security lock, you should also consider adding a pair of security hinges.

These heavy duty hinges are designed to stop someone from removing them and accessing your shed or kicking the door in.

If you are going to install new security hinges, be sure to use security screws when you do as they will ensure no one can remove them along with the door.

pros
cons
Relatively inexpensive
Must have a strong door
Easy to install
Must have a strong door or frame
Do it yourself installation
Truly only work with a solid door/frame.
bloss_freezing_windows

Image Courtesy of Amazon

4. Frosting Windows

- Tinting or frosting keeps prying eyes out

You can keep prying eyes at bay by adding a tint or frosting your windows. If no one can see what you have in your shed, they may be less likely to break in and steal from you.

You can buy cans of spray-on frosting from most hardware stores or use rolls of tint or frosting to get the job done. Best of all you can do the work yourself and save money and time.

pros
cons
Very inexpensive
May reduce the amount of natural light
Easy to install
Tint often fades overtime
No need to hire a professional installer
You can't see out of frosted windows
victsing_sensord_yard-light

Image Courtesy of Amazon

5. Sensor/Yard Lights

- A must for anyone who has a shed

Motion sensor yard lights are considered by many to be one of the best deterrents to would-be thieves. You can also use lights with sensors that turn them on at dusk and off at dawn.

Be sure your lights illuminate the area around your shed thoroughly so that there are no areas of shadow where a thief could hide. Try not to aim them in such a way as to annoy your neighbors to avoid conflicts with them.

pros
cons
Relatively affordable
May run your power bill up
Highly recommended by security experts
May have to have professionally installed
Adds light you can use to your backyard
Might annoy your neighbors
clear_shed_area

6. Clear the Area around Your Shed

- This is no brainer

While those bushes and shrubs might look great around your shed, you need to get rid of them or prune them back.

Bushes and shrubs make the perfect hiding place for thieves to hide while they wait for the perfect moment to break into your shed.

You don’t necessarily have to completely remove them, but you need to trim them back. Just make sure they are cut back to the point where no one can hide behind them.

pros
cons
No real cost unless you need to buy pruning tools
Your shed might lose some of its outer beauty
Ensures you can see what's going on
Shrubs make a good windbreak
You can definitely do this yourself
You may have to paint your shed
concrete_bollard

7. Concrete Bollards

Keep your shed where it belongs

While shed thefts typically do not involve stealing the entire shed, it can happen.

If you have a garden shed that is little more than big enough for a couple of bikes and your gear, it is not hard to believe someone could slide it on a trailer and make off with everything.

If you can’t secure this type of shed to a wall or concrete foundation, adding a number of conveniently placed concrete bollards can stop a shed thief in his tracks.

pros
cons
Keep your shed in place
Can be expensive
Permanent protection
Needs professional installation
Completely weatherproof
Somewhat unsightly
fix_shed_foundation

8. Fix Shed to Foundation

- Permanent solution to disappearing sheds

If you built your shed on a concrete foundation, why not bolt it down. This permanently installs your shed in place.

It also guarantees you should never have to worry about anyone finding a way to drive away with your shed. The best way to do this is to set the bolts into the concrete foundation when it is first poured.

pros
cons
Very permanent solution
Harder to do on an existing foundation
No one can see your shed is secured
May need to be done by a professional
Relatively inexpensive
Could cause problems if you want to move shed
ringside_floor_anchor

Image Courtesy of Amazon

9. Floor Anchors

Excellent way to secure items like bikes, motorcycles, ATVs

Once you have your shed secured into place and secure locks and hinges, you can go one step further. Adding one or more floor anchors gives you a way to secure any number of valuable things to the floor of your shed.

Along with bikes and ATVS, you can also secure tool boxes, electrical equipment, and large power tools. You can use floor anchors with wood or concrete floors with almost the same amount of security.

pros
cons
Great way to lock valuable items in place.
Limits where you can store certain items
Can be used on any type of floors
Works best when set into concrete floors
Easy do-it-yourself installation
Can be ripped out of wooden floors
zosi_security_camera

Image Courtesy of Amazon

10. Camera Fake/Real

- Both may help deter thieves

While both types of camera may help to deter thieves, if you are going with fakes, be sure to add wiring and get the ones with an active light.

If you stick a cheap fake camera in place no real thief will be fooled. Real cameras will not only deter the thief, but will also give you a recorded image that might help the police find them and charge them with the crime.

pros

cons

Fake cameras are very affordable

Fake cameras rarely fool anyone

Real cameras capture images for the police

Real cameras/equipment can be expensive

Both let thieves think you are watching

May require professional installation

shed_dog

11. Get a Dog

Nothing like adding a furry friend to the family

Your family will probably be over the moon when you bring home a four-legged furry friend. A big dog that barks every time someone enters your backyard will likely keep thieves at bay.

Of course, this means you will need to keep him or her out in the yard all the time, which is not really the best way to treat the poor creature. Breeds like German Shepherd, Doberman, Pit Bull Terrier, and Rottweiler all make good guard dogs.

pros

cons

If trained right, dogs make great pets

Guard dogs are not always good pets

Big, loud dogs will scare most thieves off

Your neighbors might object to the noise

Relatively inexpensive security option

Dogs make a lot of mess to clean up

insurance

12. Insurance

Won't stop thieves but will replace what he takes

If you are going to store a lot of expensive items in your shed, you should invest in an insurance policy that covers everything. Your insurance should also cover the shed itself.

Check with your agent, you may be able to add your shed and contents to your homeowner’s policy for a small increase in your premium. Be sure your policy states what is covered and what is not.

pros

cons

May replace what you lose

Won't stop the thief

May even replace the shed itself

May have to buy a separate policy

Gives you peace of mind

Can be a bit expensive

sparkleberry_engraver

Image by Amazon

13. Mark Your Property

- Make it obvious your property belongs to you

While marking your property may not prevent someone from stealing from you, it makes your items much harder to sell.

If a would-be thief happens to note that your items are clearly marked, he may think twice about stealing them as he won’t be able to get much for them. This is assuming he can even find someone who will buy them.

To do this, all you will need is an engraver or dremmel machine. If you only have a few items, the key cutting and shoe repair people at your local mall will also most likely do engraving.

pros
cons
Easy to do
Can make it hard for you to sell items
Permanent solution
You can't remove the markings
Makes items hard to sell for the thief
Not all items can be marked
door_bar_pro

Image Courtesy of Amazon

14. Reinforce/Replace the Door

- Turn your shed into a virtual vault

The door to your shed is perhaps its biggest area of vulnerability. You can easily reinforce the door with metal bars, strips, and plates or replace it with a solid wood door. You can also install a steel door.

 All of these options will only serve to make your shed that much more secure. Bear in mind that no matter what type of door you install, you should still use upgraded locks and hinges to further reduce your vulnerability to break-ins and theft.

pros
cons
Simple do-it-yourself method of improving your shed's security
Can be hard to find a door if yours is non-standard
Permanent solution
Steel doors can be expensive
Makes it much harder for a thief to break in 
Not all items can be marked

More Shed Security Information

Here is a great video about security produced by a police officer:

In Summary...

No one wants to wake up to a shed that has been broken into and find all of their stuff has been stolen. Rather than choosing only one of the above security upgrades for your shed, you will find that incorporating as many of them as you can will make your shed as secure as possible.

However, if you are on a limited budget, the least you should do is upgrade the door, hinges, and locks as these simple relatively inexpensive steps will serve to keep most thieves out and your things safely locked in.

If you have any other ideas, contact us via our contact page.

Thanks for reading

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