Buy the wrong wood shed kit and you feel it twice: once when the bill lands, and again every time you look at a backyard structure that does not match the home you put it behind. EZ-Fit and Outdoor Living Today both ship pre-cut wood kits you assemble yourself, and both build quality structures, not bargain-bin metal boxes. EZ-Fit is the value-friendlier choice, with engineered LP SmartSide kits starting at $2,699. Outdoor Living Today is the premium pick: genuine Western Red Cedar that opens at $3,299 and climbs into large family-sized cedar buildings. Here is how to pick the right one for your yard.
TL;DR: Choose EZ-Fit to save money on a paint-ready engineered LP SmartSide kit, starting at $2,699 (Craftsman) and ranging to $6,499. Choose Outdoor Living Today for premium solid Western Red Cedar with better curb appeal and longevity, starting at $3,299 (SpaceSaver) and climbing to $9,499. EZ-Fit opens lower at $2,699 versus OLT from $3,299, so EZ-Fit is the budget-friendlier brand and OLT is the premium one.
Here is the quick read before we get into the details. Every price below reflects the kits we currently carry, verified June 2026.
| Factor | EZ-Fit Sheds | Outdoor Living Today |
|---|---|---|
| Wood type | LP SmartSide engineered wood | Western Red Cedar |
| Kit style | Pre-cut lumber, step-by-step build | Panelized walls, pre-attached cladding |
| Positioning | Value-friendlier engineered wood | Premium solid cedar |
| Price range | $2,699 to $6,499 | $3,299 to $9,499 |
| Entry price | $2,699 (Craftsman) | $3,299 (SpaceSaver 8x4) |
| Roof options | Shingle-ready engineered roof | Metal or cedar shingle |
| Made in | Dundee, Ohio | Canada |
| Best for | Saving money on a paint-ready kit | Premium cedar curb appeal and longevity |
No single brand wins every row, which is exactly why the right pick depends on what you value. EZ-Fit comes in cheaper and OLT delivers the premium cedar look, so the right answer follows your budget and your standard for curb appeal. Want the full decision framework first? Start with our storage shed buying guide and come back once you know your size and budget.
This is the real fork in the road. EZ-Fit kits are clad in LP SmartSide, an engineered wood that is treated for moisture and pest resistance and finished to take paint well. It is durable and consistent, and because it arrives primed, you choose the color. The trade-off is that it is a manufactured product, not solid wood, so it needs to be painted and kept sealed to perform.
Outdoor Living Today builds with Western Red Cedar, which earns its keep on looks and on chemistry. Cedar heartwood contains natural oils and extractives that resist decay and insects without chemical treatment, which is why the USDA Forest Products Laboratory classifies it among the naturally durable domestic softwoods (USDA Forest Products Laboratory Wood Handbook). You can let cedar silver to a soft gray, or seal it to hold its warm tone. Either way, it looks like a finished garden building, not a utility box.
EZ-Fit is the value-friendlier brand, and its entry price proves it. The Craftsman Storage Shed Kit opens the lineup at just $2,699, below anything Outdoor Living Today offers. From there the Riverside Outdoor Garden Shed starts at $3,599 and the Woodsman Shed with 6’ Porch starts at $4,499, with the full engineered-wood range reaching $6,499 for the largest kits. If your goal is to save money on a sturdy, paint-ready wood shed, EZ-Fit’s $2,699 starting point is hard to beat.
Outdoor Living Today is the premium brand, and its pricing reflects solid Western Red Cedar. The SpaceSaver 8x4 opens the range at $3,299, already above EZ-Fit’s entry, while the Gardener Shed 8x8 runs $4,199 with a metal roof or $4,599 with cedar shingles, and the Sunshed 8x8 lands at $5,449. From there OLT climbs into large family-sized cedar buildings that top out at $9,499. You are paying more, but you get real cedar, the finished look it delivers, and the longevity that comes with naturally decay-resistant wood.
Both brands are built for a confident weekend builder. EZ-Fit ships pre-cut lumber with detailed step-by-step instructions, so the pieces are ready to fasten in sequence. Outdoor Living Today uses panelized walls with the cedar cladding already attached, which means fewer individual boards to handle and a quicker raise once the floor is set. Neither requires special tools beyond the basics, and both include the hardware you need. If speed of assembly is your priority, OLT’s panel system has the edge; if you enjoy the build, EZ-Fit’s piece-by-piece approach is satisfying and clear.
Cedar wins on appearance, full stop, and it rewards a little care with a long life. Keeping any wood structure dry and sealed is the single biggest factor in how long it lasts, since moisture and the fungi it feeds are what bring most sheds down (USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Durability of Wood). Seal or paint EZ-Fit’s SmartSide on schedule and it holds up well for years. Maintain OLT’s cedar and you get a structure that looks like part of the garden and ages gracefully whether you stain it or let it weather.
Match the brand to your top priority and the decision gets simple.
Choose EZ-Fit if you want to save money. With kits starting at $2,699 for the Craftsman and ranging to $6,499, EZ-Fit is the budget-friendlier brand, and its engineered LP SmartSide arrives primed and ready to paint your color. If you want a workshop or a mower-and-bikes shed, want to keep the bill down, and you are happy to seal and paint on schedule, EZ-Fit gives you a sturdy wood building for less than premium cedar. If you are also weighing the value workshop kits, our EZ-Fit vs Little Cottage Company breakdown shows where EZ-Fit’s heavier build earns its price. Browse the full lineup in the EZ-Fit Sheds collection.
Choose Outdoor Living Today if you want premium cedar looks and longevity. If the shed will be visible from your patio, sit in a planted garden, or simply needs to match a home you are proud of, real Western Red Cedar is worth the premium. OLT costs more, starting at $3,299 and climbing to $9,499, but you get a roof choice (metal or cedar shingle), naturally decay-resistant cedar, and curb appeal that engineered siding cannot match. If you are comparing the cedar lineup against lower-cost wood, our Outdoor Living Today vs Little Cottage Company comparison lays out what the cedar premium actually buys. See the range in the Outdoor Living Today collection.
Still want to see every wood kit in one place before you commit? Browse them side by side in the wood storage sheds collection.
EZ-Fit is the cheaper, budget-friendlier brand. Its least expensive kit is the Craftsman at $2,699, which is below Outdoor Living Today’s lowest model, the SpaceSaver 8x4 at $3,299. EZ-Fit’s engineered-wood range runs to $6,499, while OLT keeps climbing through cedar models like the Sunshed 8x8 at $5,449 up to large cedar buildings at $9,499. If saving money is the priority, EZ-Fit wins on price; OLT charges more for premium solid cedar.
They are good at different things. LP SmartSide is engineered wood treated for moisture and pest resistance, and it takes paint well, so it is durable, consistent, and budget-friendly when you keep it sealed. Western Red Cedar is solid wood with natural decay-resistant oils and a finished look that engineered siding cannot match. SmartSide is the value choice; cedar is the curb-appeal-and-longevity choice.
A floor is optional on both. EZ-Fit offers a matching floor kit as an add-on across its lineup, so you can add it at checkout or build over an existing slab or deck. Outdoor Living Today sheds are typically anchored to a prepared base as well. Decide your foundation first, then add the floor kit only if you are not pouring concrete or building on an existing platform.
Yes. You can stain or seal OLT cedar to lock in its warm tone, paint it any color you like, or leave it untreated to weather naturally to a silvery gray. Sealing helps the wood shed water and reach its full lifespan, so most owners apply a finish within the first season and re-coat every few years.
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