How to extend not just the life, but the good looks of your shed, summerhouse, workshop or playhouse.

In my opinion there are three elements that contribute to the life and good looks of a timber garden building. The base, the treatment and the roof.

First and most important is a flat, level, stable base. 

The three main methods of creating a base are , 

Concrete

A purpose laid concrete slab that's been correctly prepared and shuttered up to create an accurate base for the building, this means accurate dimensions, true and square plus absolutely flat and level. We prefer to make the slab very slightly smaller than the building footprint allowing any water running down the walls to drain into the ground and not onto the slab where it could puddle under the floor. While all our building have Tanalised timber bearers to protect against rot we think it's better to keep it all as dry as possible. If we are preparing a site for a large or heavy garden room then we may opt to reinforce the slab with steel mesh.

Paved

A paved area is also a great base however for an existing area we will always check the area to be level and flat as very often if its a patio area your builders will naturally have built in a fall to drain excess surface water.An existing shed or summerhouse base should be OK but again at Kedleston Garden Buildings we always check for flat and level.

You may decide to lay a new paved base that it is going to extend out past the footprint of the building. In this case I think its better to not point up the slabs, leave them open or just brush fine sand into the joints. This will allow any surface water to drain away naturally as the ground does not have a fall.  Preparation for a paved shed base should include:

Excavate the area, then fill with about 100mm of 2” roadstone whacked down solidly, levelled with sharp sand mixed with little cement and then topped with suitable slabs that are gently tampered down.  The precast concrete contractor slabs are perfect, they are very strong are available in many sizes and inexpensive. Available from builders merchants.

Timber Platform

The third option is to install a platform base which floats over the existing ground to create a plumb perfect base for the building . Our bases are constructed from 4” x 2” tanalised timber which is cross braced and supported by a multiple of sturdy legs fixed at junctions in the frame. This option has many advantages because it elevates the building off the floor creating a very healthy environment for the shed. It also very quick to install, we normally carry out the fit the day before the building arrives. The key advantage is that this system gives us the opportunity to very swiftly make good a base that has been exposed after your existing shed has been removed and there is no time for remedial concrete or slabbing. However I don't think of this base as a last resort, in my opinion its a sound solution because of the increased air flow under the building. It can also deter rodents from nesting as it leaves them exposed.

Just a quick note, try and avoid using a plastic honeycomb base, they are expensive and when I go to check them 4 out of 5 are not level enough and the customer then has added expense.

When asked what is the best system, it's always the site itself that dictates your options and this is why at Kedleston Garden Buildings we offer a free site survey to guide your decision.

The second and third most important elements are how and what treatment is used on the timber and maintenance of the roof.

Painting

As soon as the building is installed its best to think about what treatment to use.  Customers ask if there is a particular product which I would recommend, but to be honest there are so many products on the market and all of them do the job of protecting your shed or summerhouse from water ingress and also Ultra Violet radiation. If you have a south facing elevation the UV rays can cause the wood grain to bloom and ruin the smooth surface.

The best advice I can offer is please avoid any product that says FENCE in the description even SHED & FENCE because this is a completely different composition, its designed for tanalised rough sawn timber and essentially is just colour. Most products are now water base acrylic and are very easy to prepare and apply, some will recommend more coats than others but as long as you do what it says on the tin you wont go wrong, remember if it says re coat every three, four or five years its important to follow the guide.  Its always worth checking all four elevations as the sun and wind direction can effect some elevations more than others, so if you can give these a little more protection from time to time it certainly helps. A good paint merchant will offer a range of products but now B&Q have an extensive range of finishes it just more self serve.

Roofing

When your building was installed the roof is almost certainly in a felt, there are many different weights colours and compositions available. 

At Kedleston Garden Buildings we fit either a Green mineral felt which while light weight and fine it is pretty robust and wont tear easily. Its a material typically designed to last between five and ten years but the position of the shed will make a huge difference.  Our workshops are installed with a heavy duty bitumen felt which should last in excess of 10 years but again the position and exposure can influence this. Key advice is take the time to inspect the roof from time to time and if there are any issues, address them straight away. if you notice water ingress from the roof from the inside then check the source straight away and arrange repairs.

There is always the option to specify from new or fit later a rubber roof, this is a single continuous sheet of rubber glued down and wrapped. We use Firestone brand which comes with a 25 year guarantee but a 50 year life expectancy. In my opinion this is a great idea on any pent roof as they are more vulnerable due to a slower fall, an apex can drain water more efficiently.