As the months get colder and the days are shorter, we tend to focus less on our gardens and more about staying cosy indoors.
But, that often means our poor sheds get forgotten about, even though they’re still there protecting our expensive equipment and belongings.
So, just as the winter months approach, now is the ideal time to think of protecting your shed against the winter elements.
And to help, we have compiled a handy list to ensure that your shed and shed cladding remains in tip-top shape, whether it rains, snows, sleets or hits below zero.
Joints
A lot of damage can be caused to a garden because of humidity, cold temperature, wet weather and strong winds.
These conditions also mean that timber can swell and put added pressure on its joints, which leads to damage.
To prevent this from happening it is good practice to loosen the timber joints on a shed and/or other garden buildings at the start of autumn.
Ensure that those same joints are tightened as soon as it starts to become warm again, as the shed can lose strength.
Wood Treatment
It’s also a good idea to annually treat wooden sheds with the necessary treatment.
This will prevent damage, such as rot, from occurring.
A wood treatment paint that is oil-based is good to bring some colour to a garden, as well as protecting against rot and water damage.
Organisation
You may use your shed to store gardening equipment or to store household items.
But, regardless of what you store within it, it is a good idea to re-examine everything you have stored and think whether you may have to store some pieces elsewhere, especially electrical appliances.
It’s also not a good idea to stack items against the shed walls, as this can weaken the building.
We’d also recommend avoiding hanging items from the roof of your shed, as this can also weaken your shed and cause damage.
Guttering
When winter hits, it’s a good idea to install external guttering onto your shed, if it doesn’t have it already.
Once your guttering has been installed, you will need to regularly maintain it by ensuring that it remains free of debris, allowing it to work to the best of its ability.
Kits that are specially designed for guttering are available from major DIY stores.
Water
To avoid water leaking into the bottom of your shed or near your windows, it is advised that clear sealant is added to the edges of windows.
It’s also important to make sure to check the base of your shed, to ensure that water is draining properly from its foundation.
A good indicator that it isn’t is if water begins collecting around the base.
Snow Damage
Along with water, snow can also lead to leaks within a shed, as well as cracks.
Avoid this by clearing all snow that collects on the roof of your shed. A good alternative would be to have roofing felt on your shed; the higher the quality, the higher the protection.
So now you know how to protect your shed this winter, so it’ll keep protecting your belongings too.
To hear more about the sheds and shed cladding options we offer and how they can be protected the winter elements, contact us.
