Maintenance

I wanted to give you some advice on keeping your building in good shape during all the seasonal weather we’ve been having.

Because, let’s face it – ‘seasonal’ is polite.

 It’s been downright miserable, and my hope is that as March rolls on, and the signs of spring are on the ground and in the air, the temperature will increase while the rain does the opposite.

But just in case the weather continues to batter us into hibernation, here’s what you need to know about keeping your garden building in fine fettle.

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:

1.  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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Reapply waterproofer
   We suggest re-waterproofing every 4-5 years – this will ensure there’s a constant barrier between the wood and the elements.

 If you need any more assistance to keep your building healthy, just give us a shout!