How to Protect Your Garden Shed This Winter
Garden sheds are a great way to protect your tools and equipment from the elements. However, if you ignore regular maintenance, especially before winter, you’ll soon find damaged belongings. Throughout this article, we’re going to tell you how to protect your shed this winter.
Assess the Roof
Your shed’s roof is the first defence against heavy rainfall, as it draws water away from the shed and into the gutter. However, if the roof has holes or any other damage, it’s essential to repair it straight away. In some cases, you’ll be able to patch up the roof yourself, using the information in this article.
If the damage is extensive, it may be time to upgrade your roof to reduce costs and improve your shed. There are countless suitable roofing styles, but we suggest using corrugated roofing sheets. The beauty of corrugated roofing is that the parallel ridges are strong and easily channel rainwater away from your shed. You can learn more about corrugated roofing by following the link.
Treat the Wood
The majority of sheds are made from wood because it’s cheap and durable. However, it’s susceptible to countless fungi, damage from insects, and water damage. This is why wood needs to be treated regularly, which is a simple task you can complete with a water-based preservative undercoat and a solvent-based protector to finish.
Clear Your Gutters
During the autumn months, leaves fall off trees and may block your gutter, which can lead to overflows and leaking. Further, with water seeping into the wood, you will find decay and rotting. Clearing your gutter is a simple task, you’ll just need a step ladder, a brush, a bin bag, and a pair of protective gloves.
Install a Small Heater
You will need to stay warm during the winter, especially if your shed is used for various projects. As well as keeping you warm, an oil-free radiator will help to reduce the impacts of condensation, which can damage the internal woodwork and break expensive equipment.
Check Doors and Windows
Your shed’s doors and windows help to secure your assets from the elements and potential thieves. Therefore, it’s essential to examine doors, windows, and frames for signs of decay or other damage. If there are signs of rotting, you may be able to reseal them with a waterproof protector.
Have Proper Storage Solutions
Even if you’ve prepared your shed for winter, there’s still a chance that poorly stored tools will be damaged because of condensation. The best storage for the winter is airtight plastic toolboxes, as they’re not susceptible to the same rusting as your metal tools. Further, you should invest in a strong padlock for the front door.
Take Away
Winter weather will bring damp conditions to your wooden shed, which is why you need to take steps to protect it. By following the guidelines outlined above, your belongings are much more likely to survive until spring and you won’t need to pay for unnecessary replacements for your shed.
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