Maintenance Guide

Summer is around the corner – well almost we hope – and it’s time to think about the maintenance of your timber garden building.

We are often asked what maintenance is necessary on a timber building and the answer is very little! But here are a few tips to help you get the best out of your building.

Timber
It’s better to treat the timber cladding during a dry spell, as the boards will have dried out and will be able to absorb the preservative better.

The high quality timber we use is pressure treated to protect it from rot and painted with 2 coats of water proofer to reduce water penetrating the timber. If you live in an exposed location you may need to reapply a coat of Log Cabin waterproofer every 2 years or so, in other locations 4-5 years.

Do you have green algae on the exterior walls? This can be treated with a product such as Algon Organic Path and Decking Cleaner. Simply brush it on and after a week or two the green growth will start to disappear. It’s best to do this before you think about treating or painting the wood.

Staining and Painting
If you wish to use a preservative stain for a coloured finish, Barrettine Wood Protective Treatment or Cuprinol Garden Shades are excellent choices, available in a range of colours.

For joinery timber windows and doors, we use Sikkens Cetol, a semi-gloss wood stain two coat system. We find this an excellent durable product and well worth the money.

If your building is already painted it may need rubbing down before repainting. Flaking paint must be removed before applying a fresh coat of a product such as Sadolin Superdec.

Don’t forget – all the above and more tips are featured on the Support section of our website  - Looking after your timber building.

 Other Tips

• For uPVC window and door locks, catches and hinges – apply a small amount of silicone spray to these parts. If you don’t have any you can use furniture polish which contains silicone
• Flies in shed windows – simply spray with a can of fly killer! Flies do seem attracted to the windows, but the residual effect of a quick spray can be very beneficial
• Roofs– regularly remove any build-up of leaves, sticks and moss
• Gutters – check for any leaks caused by the contraction and expansion of the gutter. This can often be rectified by sliding the length of gutter back into the clips on the joints
• Gutters – if you have a bad problem with leaves from overhanging trees getting in to your gutters you may like to get some Gutter guards, there are various types on the market
• Weeds – spray or remove any weeds encroaching on the building

If you have any specific questions on maintenance of your Shields Buildings garden building please just give us a call, we will be happy to help.