Check your bin size first
This catches people out. 240 litres is the most common UK wheelie bin, roughly 107cm tall, 58cm wide and 74cm deep, and it's what nearly every bin store is built around. But councils issue different sizes. Some use 140 litre bins for general waste, some use 180 litre, and a few areas have 360 litre bins for larger households.
Go and measure yours before ordering. If you have 360 litre bins, a store sized for 240s won't close. If you have 140s, a double store will take them with room to spare, which is fine but means you're paying for space you don't need.
Also check the wheels. Bin dimensions are usually quoted for the body, and the wheel housing adds a few centimetres at the back.
Wood or metal
Timber looks softer and blends into a garden setting, particularly next to fencing or planting. It needs occasional attention. Fir is a softwood, so expect to re-treat it every year or two depending on how exposed it is, and expect some weathering and colour change in the first season.
Metal needs almost nothing. Powder coating handles rain without complaint and there's no annual treating. It reads as more modern, which suits some frontages and looks out of place on others. Metal also tends to have the better hardware, including soft close lids.
Neither is obviously the right answer. It depends on what your frontage looks like and whether you'll actually do the maintenance.
Where to put it
Level ground matters. A bin store on uneven paving will twist slightly as you open the doors, which puts strain on the hinges over time. Paving slabs, concrete or compacted gravel all work well.
Think about the route to the kerb as well. There's no point putting the store somewhere that means dragging bins down a step or around a tight corner every week.
Most bin stores don't need planning permission, since they're treated as outbuildings under permitted development rules and are well under the height limits. Listed buildings and conservation areas have different rules, so check with your local authority if either applies to you.
Fixing it down
The wooden stores include a fixing kit for attaching the unit to a wall or fence. Use it. An empty flat-packed timber store is light enough to shift in a strong wind, and a fixed unit is far harder for anyone to interfere with.
Assembly
Everything arrives flat packed. The double timber store is a two person job for about an hour, mainly because the panels are large and awkward rather than difficult. Instructions and fixings are included.
Where else to look
For larger storage, see garden sheds. For cushions, tools and smaller items, garden storage boxes covers the range. Bike and log storage sit in the same garden storage section.
