Best Padlock for a Garden Storage Locker, Gate or Shed

The padlock on your shed, garden locker or side gate is probably the weakest security point on your property. Most people fit whatever came in a blister pack from the local hardware shop, and it stays there until it rusts solid or someone cuts through it with a pair of pliers.

Getting the right padlock for outdoor garden use comes down to three things: whether it will survive the weather, whether the shackle fits the hardware on your door or gate, and whether it's strong enough to resist a basic opportunist attack. That last point matters more than you'd think. According to ONS data, shed and outbuilding break-ins account for a large share of domestic burglary in England and Wales, and most are committed by someone with nothing more sophisticated than a pair of bolt cutters.

Sheds 

Most sheds use a [hasp and staple](https://www.padlocks.co.uk/collections/hasp-and-staple) screwed or bolted to the door and frame. The padlock hangs through the staple loop. The size of that loop determines what shackle diameter will fit, and the gap between the door and the frame determines how much shackle clearance you need.

For a standard garden shed in a typical inland location, a weatherproof brass padlock is the right starting point. The ABUS 65 Series is the one we sell most for this job. Solid brass body, hardened steel shackle, non-corrosive internals. Available in sizes from 20mm to 60mm, so you can match it to whatever hasp you're working with.

If your shed holds expensive tools, a bike or power equipment, it's worth stepping up to something with a closed shackle. The ABUS 65CS adds protective walls either side of the shackle, which makes it much harder to get bolt cutters around it. Available in 40mm and 50mm.

A note on the hasp itself: the padlock is only as strong as the fitting it hangs from. A £40 padlock on a £3 hasp held in place with wood screws is wasted money. If you're upgrading the padlock, check the hasp too. The ABUS 125/150C is a hardened steel hasp with concealed fixings and coach bolts. It's overkill for a basic garden shed, but if you're storing anything worth stealing, the combination of a decent hasp and a decent padlock is what actually keeps people out. We have a guide on matching hasps to padlocks if you're unsure what fits.

Browse the full shed padlocks

Garden gates and side gates

Side gates are one of the most common entry points for burglars. A gate that swings open gives direct access to the back of a property, and plenty of gates have no lock at all.

The problem with padlocking a gate is clearance. Gate latches, drop bolts and slide bolts often need a padlock with a longer shackle than a standard model. If the bolt or latch has a thick pin or a wide housing, a short-shackle padlock simply won't fit through it.

The ABUS 65 Long Shackle range solves this. Same brass body and hardened shackle as the standard 65 Series, but with an extended shackle that gives you the extra reach to fit through deeper or offset latch points. Available in 30mm, 40mm and 50mm body sizes.

If your gate is exposed to heavy rain or you're near the coast, the ABUS 65IB Series swaps the hardened steel shackle for stainless steel and adds full corrosion protection through the body and mechanism. It's the marine-grade version of the 65 range, and it will last years longer than a standard brass padlock in a wet or salty environment.

For anyone who doesn't want to carry a key, the Burg-Wächter 99 Ni long shackle combination padlock does the same job without a keyway. Handy if multiple family members need to unlock the gate.

Browse the full long shackle padlocks collection.

Garden storage lockers

Garden storage lockers are awkward to padlock. The latch points on most flat-pack and metal garden lockers sit wide apart and deep inside the frame, which means you need a padlock with a wide internal shackle clearance (often 50mm or more) and a tall shackle height (sometimes up to 100mm). Most standard padlocks won't reach.

You have two options here.

The first is a long shackle padlock. The ABUS 70IB Long Shackle has an 80mm shackle height and a stainless steel shackle wrapped in a plastic coating. It's fully weatherproof, it won't scratch or mark the locker finish, and the shackle is tall enough to reach through most locker fittings. If you need a slightly shorter reach, the standard ABUS 70IB range comes in 35mm, 40mm, 45mm and 50mm body sizes with proportional shackle heights.

The second option is a bolt-through system. If the locker's latch point has a single round hole rather than a staple loop, you can slide a steel bolt through the hole and drill a smaller hole through the bottom of the bolt. A weatherproof padlock then locks through that drilled hole to stop the bolt being pulled out. Add a washer above the hole to stop the bolt sliding back through the fitting. It's a simple workaround that lets you use a standard-shackle padlock on hardware that wasn't designed for one.

Weatherproof vs marine grade: which do you actually need?

If your shed, gate or locker is inland and sheltered, a standard weatherproof padlock with a hardened steel shackle will last years without any issues. The ABUS 65 Series and the ABUS 64TI Titalium range both handle normal UK rain and frost without corroding.

If you're within a few miles of the coast, or the padlock sits in a spot that's constantly damp with no airflow, go marine grade. Marine padlocks use stainless steel shackles and fully sealed mechanisms that resist salt and persistent moisture. The ABUS 70IB range and the ABUS 65IB range are both marine grade.

One thing worth knowing: stainless steel is softer than hardened steel. A marine padlock trades a small amount of cut resistance for much better corrosion resistance. In most domestic situations, that trade-off is the right one. Nobody is bringing an angle grinder to your garden shed. The real enemy is weather, and a rusted-solid padlock is no security at all.

Keyed or combination?

Keyed padlocks are stronger at every price point. The cylinder and shackle mechanism in a keyed padlock is harder to manipulate than a combination wheel. If security is the priority, go keyed.

If convenience matters more, or if several people need access without copying keys, a combination padlock works. The ABUS 158 Series is a solid mid-range choice, and it's available in a closed-shackle version for extra protection.

If you have multiple locks across your property, a shed, a side gate, a garage, keyed alike padlocks let you use one key for the lot. We record the key number against your account so you can reorder matching padlocks or spare keys at any point.