My cheap plastic shed latch finally gave out after 4 years

The little clip thing on my $150 resin shed from Lowe's snapped right off during a storm last Tuesday (the wind was really howling that day). Had to rig it with a bungee cord to keep the door from flapping open, which works but looks terrible. Anyone know a good metal replacement latch that fits standard resin shed doors?

3 comments

3 Comments

wood.uma15d ago

Four years on a hundred fifty dollar shed latch is actually not bad honestly, but I bet that bungee cord setup is teaching you more about what you really need than any product description could. That windstorm you mentioned, was it a straight line gust or more of a swirling thing? The reason I ask is because a metal latch that works fine in calm weather can still pop open if the wind catches the door just wrong, so you might need to look for one with a positive locking pin or a secondary hook.

wesleyflores15d ago

A bungee cord is actually a better teacher than any latch because it forces you to check the door every time you walk past, so you stay on top of weak spots instead of trusting hardware you can't see. Wood.uma, I've seen fancy latches fail in a swirling storm because the flex in the door frame twists them loose, while a simple bungee stretches and gives without popping off. A pin or hook might sound smarter, but they can bind up with rust or paint just when you need them to swing free, so maybe the bungee is the real upgrade.

fionam1115d ago

@wood.uma I think that swirling wind is the real problem here. My neighbor has the exact same shed and his metal latch lasted maybe two years before the door flex popped it open in a storm. I'd say skip the latch upgrade and stick with the bungee until you find a locking pin setup that actually fits your door.