With my Rubbermaid extra large deck box being relegated to storing outdoor play stuff due to gap problems, I went ahead and purchased a Suncast extra large deck box to see if I can store my deck furniture stuff.
Unlike the others, Suncast deck box is java or coffee color that accents black deck furniture. It also is the largest, coming in at 134 gal. capacity.
for superior construction, parts and warranty.QUICK OVERVIEW
- PROS:
- Double-walled, sturdy construction
- Gas piston assisted lid opening and closing to minimize injuring a child
- Opens greater than 90 degrees
- Molded handles (no sharp edges)
- CONS:
- It mimics a wick-basket surface texture so it traps a lot of dirt
- Lid is slightly curved so some items may roll off
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Like the other deck boxes, this unit arrived in a tightly packed flat box that weighs around 60 pounds. Its dimensions are 57.6″ length, 28.5″ deep and 25.7″ wide and can hold almost 18 cubic feet or 134 gallons worth of stuff so it is VERY LARGE. In fact, it is so large that it can gobble up 10 thick seat cushions as well as a cushion for my chaise AND some toys.
A PICTURE OF SUNCAST DECKBOX WITH SEAT CUSHIONS WILL BE ADDED IN COUPLE OF DAYS……
The lid is also constructed with a honeycomb design + metal reinforcement bar underneath (a la Lifetime deck box) so I think it can act as temporary seats for 2 or 3 children.
As I said earlier, the only issue is that the lid is slightly rounded so that any round objects can roll off.
Much life other deck boxes, the material used is high density polyethylene (HDPE) with double wall construction so it is very durable and weather resistant (lots of hot and cold days to test in New Jersey).
It comes with a 5 year warranty so it is not as good as Lifetime (10 years) but better than Rubbermaid’s 1 year warranty. I also give props to Suncast for its products being made in the USA.
REQUIRED PARTS / TOOLS FOR THIS PROJECT
- Suncast DBW9200 Mocha Resin Wicker 99-gallon Deck Box
Suncast Extra Large Java Resin Wicker 134 gal. Deck Box BMDB134004- Mallet
- Medium sized Phillips Screwdriver
- Henkel 01-24200 Loctite 6-ml Threadlocker 242
REVIEW / ALLTHUMBS DIY INSTRUCTIONS
After taking parts out of the box, it took about 25 minutes to assemble the unit alone (after assembling 2 deck boxes, I am an expert 🙂 ).
The bottom plate was similar to Lifetime in that fit and finish was good. It also had an interesting design in that 4 corners had tapered stop blocks to slowly drain away water that may have accumulated inside the deck box.
The walls were interlocked together without much issues, though it lacked any metal corner brackets (Lifetime has brackets, Rubbermaid does not).
One unique feature is that unlike others, each side walls had integrated length-wide metal support bar + hinge lid + gas piston mechanism which I thought would make the deck box that much more durable (Lifetime has lid hinge + gas pistons, Rubbermaid has none).
CONCLUSIONS
After constructing three different extra large deck boxes, I have to say I am very impressed with Lifetime and Suncast products.
Both products are good looking and provide very good protection against inclement weather. You can’t go wrong with either deck boxes.
Well, I hope you found this article to be useful for your DIY project and sign up for my newsletter. The signup form is found on the upper right hand corner of your screen.
Thanks and good luck!
REFERENCE LINKS
- Suncast Manufacturer Info – 134 Gal. Extra Large Deck Box Model BMDB134004
- Suncast Manufacturer Info – 134 Gal. Extra Large Deck Box Model BMDB134004 – Installation / User Guide (PDF)
