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A high-quality timber garden building is a sizeable investment, so once it’s built, here's how to help it stand the test of time.
We've put together a few things to consider when it comes to maintaining and looking after your timber garden building.
Many timber garden buildings don't have insulation. If that’s the case with yours, it’s vital to make sure you’re regularly opening the doors and windows (especially during warmer months).
This ensures that the stale, cold air has somewhere to go when things warm up outside. Failure to do that can result in condensation, and in turn, that can result in dampness. Which will end up reducing the life of your garden building.
Even if your building is insulated, make sure to open windows as often as you can. Trickle vents can also help. But there's no substitute when it comes to looking after your timber garden building than opening your windows and letting air in.
A heater with a built-in thermostat can help ensure that your building stays at a regular temperature through the colder months. This, in turn, will keep your timber building dry.
It doesn’t need to be toasty warm in there. When temperatures plummet, it’s helpful to regulate things. Keeping the temperature stable helps reduce the chances of condensation forming.
When you heat a cold building, keep in mind that heating it too quickly can cause condensation to form. Heating slowly is the order of the day!
Controlling the air outside is as important as inside. We help our customers look after their timber garden buildings by raising them slightly off the ground. This means that the air can flow underneath the building.
Putting the floor of your building directly onto the ground doesn’t allow air to circulate. This means that damp air can end up coalescing in the floor and causing dampness.
Similarly, don’t pile anything against the walls, particularly log piles as this can cause dampness to build up.
We use pressure-treated timber for our garden buildings (in the trade we say ‘tanalised’). It's a process that involves pushing chemicals deep into the timber. These preservatives help give the timber a longer life. It will also help prevent rot without you having to perform regular maintenance.
Even though we use tanalised timber, the walls have two coats of wood protection! This is a highly durable, water-based paint and it serves to reduce the ability of water to get into the timber, increasing its life.
Walls need to be retreated at regular intervals. We recommend doing it every 3-5 years, depending on where your building is located.
Once the pressure-treated timber is sorted, we consider the weak points of any building - the doors and windows. Usually, these aren’t made from pressure-treated timber and require separate maintenance.
We use a two-coat system called Sikkens – this has the advantage of being UV-resistant too.
uPVC hinges and locks need to be cleaned regularly. Ideally, you need to spray them with silicone at least once a year. uPVC surfaces need to be cleaned with a non-abrasive household cleaner.
If a door or window starts to stick, don’t ignore it! If you notice a problem, fix it as soon as possible. Otherwise, it may put undue strain on the handles.
After any extreme weather, it’s important to check what state your building is in. It's a good idea to deal with any minor damage immediately!
Another way you should be looking after your timber garden building is by regularly cleaning out your gutters and downpipes. Especially in the autumn once the leaves have fallen. If one gets blocked, rectify it as soon as possible. If you don't, damp may enter your building and reduce its lifespan.
Keep plants away from the building walls as best you can and stop grass and soil from accumulating against your building. the moisture in both can cause problems.
There you have it – your handy guide to taking care of your timber garden building! If you need any more help, or you want to talk about your new timber garden building, give us a call or download a brochure.