I wanted to give you some advice on keeping your building in good shape.
First off, if you’ve got a Shields building, then you’re in pretty safe hands, because we put a lot of effort into ensuring that our buildings can take most of what’s thrown at them.
The cladding on all our buildings is made from slow-growing, pressure treated redwood from Northern Europe.
Because it grows slowly, it’s harder than faster growing alternatives, so the structure of a Shields building is very sound indeed.
In addition, all buildings come with a damp proof membrane wall lining, which helps guard your building against wet weather, and on the outside, we use two coats of clear waterproofer to stop the rain penetrating the wood.
In short, if you’ve got a Shields building, then it’s pretty well protected.
But regardless of your building, here’s just some of what you should be doing:
- Make sure your gutters are clear and working
Blocked gutters can cause water to run down the side of your building – regularly cleaning and clearing them allow them to do what they’re best at. - Sweep the leaves off
Having damp leaves on your roof is no drama, but leaving them there for the long-term could spell trouble and reduce the lifespan of your building. - Keep air circulating
If you’re not using your building much in the winter, be sure to open windows and doors every now and then to increase air flow and get rid of any stagnant damp air. - Reapply waterproofer
We suggest re-waterproofing every 4-5 years – this will ensure there’s a constant barrier between the wood and the elements.
Your timber garden building will be going strong year after year, but there is some general maintenance tips which will help to keep it working well for you.
Your gutters
Are they blocked?
Gutters can be easily cleaned, you’ll just need to get the ladder out and don a pair of rubber gloves to remove the leaves.
But as with all things prevention is better than cure, so if you do have trees that overhang your building you may want to invest in one of the different types of gutter covers that are on the market – if you want some advice on cover for your guttering just give us a call.
Your down pipes
If these are blocked, the first thing you need to check is the outlet – when that’s blocked it has a knock-on effect on the whole pipe. If the blockage appears to be in the pipe, try pushing a running hosepipe down to see it that frees the blockage.
If this doesn’t work, use a pozi blade screwdriver to undo the small retaining screws holding the pipe to the gutter outlet and remove the pipe to clean it out.
If you’ve got a rain saver (or diverter) connected to a water butt, these are very useful, but they block more easily than a straight run of down pipe. To unblock it, undo the small pozi screw connecting it to the down pipe above it, then slide the rain saver down to give access to the small trap inside, remove any debris blocking the trap and then reassemble.
Your roof
If you let leaves and twigs build up on your roof this will attract moss and reduce the life of the roof, so – once again – preventing build up is much better than waiting for your roof to be affected before taking action.
Your building
Shields bespoke buildings are made with pressure treated (tanalised) timber which has chemicals impregnated under high pressure to give it a longer life – this provides a maintenance free treatment against rot. To keep the damp out, we coat our buildings with two coats of waterproofer, which we recommend you re-apply after 4-5 years. For precise advice on when you should re-apply, just get in touch.
Finally, don’t let weeds, leaves and other debris pile up against your building – the area around the walls should be kept clear to let the timber breathe. This also applies to wall climbing plants like ivy, which should be removed as part of your annual maintenance.
Follow these simple steps, and you’ll give your building the very best chance of looking good year after year.
If you need any more assistance to keep your building healthy, just give us a shout!
