Get the umbrella out – after an uncharacteristically dry summer, the weather is set to get much wetter heading into late autumn/early winter.
While this isn't necessarily a bad thing for your garden as a whole, it could cause you trouble as far as your shed is concerned.
The majority of garden structures come ready-treated for weatherproofing. However, continuous heavy showers can really test your shed to its limits.
But why take the risk? If you take action now, you can ensure you shouldn't have to worry about springing a leak or seeing your pride and joy rot before your eyes.
You first step should be to apply timber treatment. This watery substance adds an extra layer of protection to the wood, while choosing to use an oil-based treatment will ensure that what you're putting on will seep into the grain, protecting your shed for up to a year.
With this in mind, it's generally best practice to repeat this every year. One piece of additional advice here is to make sure you cover your shed on a dry day – when it's wet, the oil can be diluted, so the overall impact isn't as effective.
Next, you should check that your roof is in order. The majority of shed tops are covered in roofing felt, which is nailed down using tacks. However, with high winds likely to hit us at some point over the coming months, it's worth examining whether it's worth sticking down a few extra tacks to secure the felt.
While doing this, you can also look for gaps underneath the roof or around joints where the different shed components connect. Take a look inside your shed to see if you can identify any wet patches. If you make this unfortunate discovery, apply sealant from the inside to plug any leaks.
