The Pros and Cons of the Rubbermaid Slide Lid Shed

HERE'S THE SITUATION. You need to put some type of shed in your backyard for the family bikes and of course the lawn mower and a few other items. So far so good, but what if your HOA won't let you have a shed that sticks out over the top of your fence? The Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed is low enough to hide behind your fence, but tall enough to store adult bicycles in and may be just what you are looking for.

Points to Ponder Before You Buy the Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed

They are exceptionally easy to assemble in comparison to many of the full-height walk-in sheds.

Before you invest in a Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed, you need to think very carefully about what you plan to store in it. While there is enough room for three or four bikes or a riding lawn mower, if you need more space this type of shed may not be your best choice.

These sheds are perfect for anyone who is interested in easy access storage for items they expect to need on a frequent basis.

If you are looking for a long-term storage solution, you may want to invest in building a full-size shed, if you can secure a permit to do so.

May We Introduce to You the One and Only…

Introducing the Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed made from top quality recyclable heavy-duty plastic. At only 53 inches tall, this shed has been designed to fit comfortably under the standard fence height. Despite the reduced height, there is plenty of room for your long-handled tools, a push or riding lawnmower, or your family's bikes.

Unlike many plastic sheds, this one features impact-resistant double-wall construction and has built-in rollers to help make slide the roof back a breeze. Not only does the roof slide back halfway, but this shed features double front doors that open wide enough to fit most riding lawnmowers.

Features and Benefits

Take a quick look at this video, it shows the many advantages of the Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed and gives you a good idea why this is one of the most popular sheds in its class.

So let's take a look at the different features this shed has to offer and why they benefit you.

Superior Quality Resins

One of the top features of the Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed is the recyclable polypropylene resin it is made from. Using this material and double-wall construction this shed is leakproof dent resistant, and weather resistant, making it perfect for year-round use, no matter where you live and what the weather does.  The new resin is designed to resist the UV rays of the sun and help keep the colors from fading.

They are also far tougher than plastics used just a few years ago and those used by many other plastic shed manufacturers. The olive/sandstone coloring blends in nicely with most surroundings and never needs to be repainted or re-varnished. The resin will not rot, decay, or fall apart no matter what Mother Nature throws at it.

The walls are designed to interlock with the floor during assembly to help seal them together and keep the structure waterproof. The roof is bolted in place, creating a remarkably strong finished structure that can stand up to strong winds, and heavy storms.

Low Maintenance

One of the biggest advantages of plastic sheds like the Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed is that they require little to nothing in the way of maintenance. The only thing you need to do to keep your shed looking its best is to give it a wash down with your garden hose from time to time. You can, of course, get a bucket of soapy water and a brush to scrub it down in the event it gets really dirty.

Ease of Access

No one could blame you for thinking you might have to crawl over things stored in this shed to get to that one item hiding in the back. With this shed, the roof slides back on silky smooth rollers to expose the front half of the shed as you can see in this image. This in combination with dual doors that open the full width of the shed makes getting in and out simple, even when you have your hands full.

Security

If you are going to store valuable items such as bicycles, lawnmowers, riding mowers, tools, or your outdoor gear in a shed, it must have a way to keep everything safe. The Slide-Lid Shed uses a trademarked "cane-bolt locking system" that locks the roof and both doors together and provides you with a hasp loop you can put a padlock through.

A Strong Built-In Floor

If you are going to put a shed in your backyard to keep your property, clean, dry, and safe, your shed needs to have a floor. This shed offers a heavy-duty impact resistant floor that has been designed to handle the constant wheeling in and out of heavy equipment. However, for maximum strength, the shed must be sitting on a solid foundation such as concrete, pavers, or wood. The floor is also designed to be anchored to the ground via 11 anchor points.

I cover shed bases for plastic sheds sitting on an uneven ground. Have a look in case you're going to position your shed on one. 

Fast Assembly

Assembling the Slide-Lid shed is going to take you a few hours, but what's your hurry? Take your time, follow the detailed assembly manual, and do a good job the first time.

You will need the help of an assistant when it comes to assembling the roof. One must apply slight pressure, the other is needed to align and secure the roof to the walls using screws from the inside. The manual contains a lot of tips to help make assembling the shed go more smoothly for you. For example, using dish soap to make attaching the panels together easier, and not using a power screwdriver so you don't strip out any threads.

Built-In Wall Anchors

No shed is complete without some form of shelving to put your outdoor gear, tools, hoses, and just about anything else you don't want on the floor. This shed comes complete with a set of wall anchors you can use to add shelving, storage hooks, a pegboard, or anything else you need to hang on the wall. The assembly manual includes the dimensions for shelving to make sure you cut the boards the right length, the first time.

Size Counts

Before you make the final decision regarding buying a Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed, be sure it is the right size to fit your needs. There is nothing worse than buying a shed, spending the time to put it together, finding the perfect place for it, only to find it's too small.

Spend a little time looking at what you plan to put in your shed to make sure the one you buy will fit your needs now and in the future.

There is an old saying that goes, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating." Loosely translated, this means that the only way to tell if a product is any good, is to try it out for yourself. In this particular case, it can be a major hassle trying out several sheds in your backyard before you decide on only one of them.

So, what we did to make things a lot easier for you, is scour the web searching out testimonials from people who have purchased the Rubbermaid Slide-Lid shed. What we found, is a number of very positive endorsements from buyers who were more than happy with their new shed.

The overall opinion seems to be that buyers love the solid construction, simplicity of assembly, and the built-in shelf bracket anchors. Comments such as "Great shed!" are a common sight no matter where you look. There are even more that are titled simply "Five Stars." But don't just take our word for it, take a look at the many customer testimonials for yourself right here

Alternatives

To help show you the difference we are also going to show you a couple of the nearest contenders.

Suncast Glidetop Slide Lid Shed

This shed features a poly resin double-wall construction, double doors, and a sliding roof for ease of access. Assembly is relatively easy using the bolt-together method. 

The multi-wall panels add extra strength and stability. Construction is easy using extra-large plastic screws that won't strip out. The walls are only four feet tall. This is a good shed for those storing a lawnmower, but may be a bit short for bikes.

Read a detailed review of Suncast's slide lid shed for more information. 

Lifetime Products Horizontal Storage Box

From Lifetime, UV protected high-density polyethylene shed offers dual full-width front doors, a controlled spring lid, and room enough for two large trash cans.

The design features a wide front stance instead of the narrow front seen on the Rubbermaid. This design might be useful for those who are putting this shed on a deck or porch.

Conclusion

When you need a dry place for your family's bikes, a lawnmower, garden tools, your camping gear, or anything else, the Rubbermaid shed is a great option. For those of you with limited space or dealing with an HOA or local planning board, this is the perfect shed, it is designed to fit under a standard six-foot fence out of sight. The sliding roof makes getting in and out of this shed a breeze.

With dual full-width doors and a sliding roof, getting in and out of your shed has never been easier and the polyurethane resin construction will provide you with many years of reliable storage.

If you are ready to learn more about the Rubbermaid Slide-Lid Shed, click right here!

An alternative to buying a shed, is building it yourself. Have a look at some free shed plans and see if there's a design and form that would fit your need and available space. 

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