Product Maintenance

Preparing for your shed or log cabin

Making sure your garden shed is in the right position will help ensure your garden shed is easy to maintain.

Here in the UK we need to help protect our sheds from strong winds, rain and snow! Placing your shed in a sheltered position is one way to help protect it against most British weather.

Keep away from trees. Your shed should be placed away from large trees; wind can cause tree branches to fall or snap. They can destroy a shed easily and all its contents so try and place your shed away from trees.

Remove snow quickly. Snow is also another weather condition which can cause damage; if heavy snow is left on top of a roof it can cause bowing or snap the roof panels.

Access. You will also need access to all sides of your shed. Without access to all sides of the shed you will not be able to check panels, paint the shed or repair any damage.

Wood treatment for your shed

Treating your wooden garden shed with a high quality wood treatment will maintain it and prevent rot.

Wood treatments come in many forms but the most popular are wood preservative paints. The paints can simply be applied to the wood like any other paint. Wood treatment paints come in many different colours so you can choose one to suit your style and home.

If you do not want to paint the natural colour of your garden shed you can buy clear paint wood treatments. These clear treatments are again applied like paint and help prevent rot.

We recommend you paint your garden shed with a wood treatment at least once a year. This will help maintain the wood and will help prolong the life of your garden shed.

Metal sheds

Metal sheds are very easy to maintain. Most metal sheds are made from high quality aluminium or steel. The metal used on metal sheds is often coated with a high quality paint which helps prevent rust and damage.

Unlike wooden sheds, metal sheds do not need painting every year. This makes it perfect if you're looking to for a low maintenance garden building.

Bases. Metal sheds needs a good base just like wooden sheds. Without a good base metal sheds can suffer condensation and leaks. For more information about how to build the right shed base click here.

Condensation. Some metal sheds suffer from condensation. This is normally due to an improper base; without the correct base moisture from the ground seeping through the base of the shed. To prevent this you need to make a correct base for your metal shed. One way of combating condensation is to put a layer of waterproof membrane inside your concrete base. This will prevent moisture seeping into your metal shed. Another way of preventing/stopping condensation inside a shed is to put a bowl of table salt in the corner of your shed. Salt will help draw out moisture from the air and this will help stop condensation. Condensation forms because the walls of a metal shed are cold; when warm air hits a cold surface the moisture from the air drips down the shed. Another way of stopping condensation is to line the panels of your metal shed with polystyrene. Polystyrene can be found in most DIY stores and helps add a layer of protection against moisture on the air.

Prepare your garden fence for winter

Harsh winter weather can have some really damaging effects on garden buildings and fencing in the UK so we have put together these handy tips to make sure that your wooden fencing can stand up to the chill.

1. Check it out. Throw on some winter gear and take a close look at your garden fencing. Pay particular attention to the fence posts; give the fence posts a wiggle and see if any are loose or have any signs of damage such as splits or loose nails.

If your fence posts are a bit loose it is probably because the soil around them has softened. To rectify the issue you will need to hold the post in place and fill in the gaps with some postcrete.

If your fence post has a small split before you think of replacing it, try filling the gap with some wood filler.

Garden fence panels are much easier to fix than fence posts because you can just slot them in and out if they need replacing. Have a look at your fence panels and check for any that may need replacing. If you need to replace a fence panel check out our step by step video on how to install fence panels below.

2. Treat your fencing. One of the most effective ways to prepare your garden fencing for winter is to treat it with a high quality wood preservative. Fencing and garden building treatment should be done once a year.

We suggest a spirit or oil-based timber preservative as these are much better quality and will ensure that your wooden fencing is protected against the elements.

3. Make some space. Garden fencing can be damaged easily if it has something heavy putting pressure on it, especially during the winter. Put away anything heavy and check around the bottom of the posts for anything that could damage the fencing.

Maintaining your log cabin

Waltons log cabins are made from high-quality Baltic sourced pine which requires a little bit of care to make sure that it lasts for many years to come.

Solid foundations. Ensure that you prepare a solid, flat and level foundation for your log cabin. We recommend either a concrete slab or concrete paving base. If the foundation is not flat then this could cause unnecessary damage to your building. Check your base with a spirit level to ensure that it is completely flat before you install the building.

Treatment. When your log cabin arrives with you it will be untreated so that you have a completely blank canvas to work on. It is essential to treat your shed with wood preservative as soon as possible after your building arrives. The wood treatment will work as a weather proof jacket that protects your log cabin all year round.

Tip: Never treat your building when it is damp as this will damage your building.

If you treat your exterior don't then paint the interior on the same day. Wait until the exterior treatment is completely dry before painting the interior.

What is the best type of treatment to use on my log cabin? The best treatment for a Waltons log cabin is a high-quality water-based or spirit-based treatment. They both have pros and cons and which you choose will be entirely up to you however they will both protect your building against the elements. With water-based treatments they will need re-treating once a year and spirit-based ones require once a year or once every other, depending on the quality of the treatment.

Pros of water-based wood preservative treatment

• Available in a wide range of colours
• Easy to apply
• Protects against wood rot, mould and fungal infection

Cons of water-based wood preservative treatment

• Requires more maintenance than spirit-based treatment

Pros of spirit-based wood preservative treatment:

• Maximum protection against mould, wood rot and fungal infection
• Works as more of a stain so you won't lose natural look of the wood
• Easy to apply
• Lower maintenance than water-based treatment

Cons of spirit-based wood preservative treatment:

• Small range of colours available

Settling. Waltons log cabins are made using natural wood which will contract and expand during weather conditions. Once the log cabin has been installed, there will be a period of settling as the wood reacts and adjusts to the surrounding climate. The wood may shrink and settle which can lead to small splits and cracks forming in the wood over time. However you can avoid this happening by treating the building to protect it against weather conditions and adjusting the fixings by loosening them off slightly to allow room for the wood to change.