Understanding the Impact of Winter Gales on Your Garden Shed and How to Prepare

Essential Tips for Winterizing Your Garden Shed Against Strong Winds

The garden shed sitting out in the garden is often exposed to the worse of all the bad weather thrown at it so it’s important to take all precautions to help it withstand these attacks. This means checking for any loose roofing felt, any gaps in the walls as well as ensuring the shed windows are sound. This can be seen a nuisance but if you take a few minutes and think about all the items inside your shed, which its protecting, then it makes sense.

The weather forecast for last weekend included gale force winds and these exposed the smallest defect in the sheds of the UK. This weather would not normally be expected until we are deep into the winter but here they were. With the howling winds shed roofing felt was ripped off and any doors left open were rudely reminded they play second fiddle to nature. Any broken glass allowed wind and rain to invade the inner sanctum of the shed making the contents wet and ruining them.

Winter Maintenance Checklist: Ensuring Your Garden Shed Stays Intact During Gales

You will find that if you keep the shed in good condition and all the apertures, such as doors and window closed, this will pay off in the long run. Back in 1987, when the infamous Michael Fish told Mrs Jones not to worry about an hurricane approaching and was proved wrong the next morning, a large shed which had been supplied by Marina Garden Sheds (forerunner to 1st Choice Leisure Buildings) and positioned on the Hogs Back near Farnham in Surrey, stood fast with no problem. To people who don’t know the area the Hogs Back is part of the Surrey Hills overlooking Godalming, Farnham and Guildford and quite high up.

So take the time now and sort your shed out. If you are unable to do it yourself then you can find plenty of handymen, often advertised in your local newspaper or in shop windows, who can do this work for you. And why they are about it you can get them to add another coat of treatment to your garden shed as this will help to preserve the wood from rotting.

Winterise Your Garden Shed: Shielding It from Harsh Winds and Extreme Weather

However, I do not recommend the use of water-based treatments on sheds, despite what the manufacturers say. I based this advice on my 44 years experience in the garden shed business and recommend the use of oil or spirit based treatments. This, I find soaks further into the timber and helps to protect from beneath the surface. If you have a full pressure treated shed, such as the Platinum garden workshops from 1st Choice Leisure Buildings then these have a treatment against rot designed to last at least 15 years after being installed in your garden. However you can add a water repellent treatment, such as Thompson Waterseal or any good quality treatment, if you wish.

This course of action will enable you to go through the winter with confidence knowing that your garden shed will survive and will do its job of looking after all those valuable contents ensuring, that when spring comes around, you don’t have to replace any storm damaged items. Also if you are fond of urban wildlife it will help these creatures to survive the winter. Having said that they are pretty adept at doing so anyway.

Written By Robin - Expert in Garden Buildings For 44 Years.
Hi, I'm Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings, and I use my expertise gained over 44 years in the garden buildings industry to understand that each customer is different. With my manufacturing, retailing and customer service experience my articles help people choose their ideal shed, garden workshop, summerhouse, log cabin or garden office needs to suit their requirement and that is key to satisfaction. And what do I do when I'm not writing? You may find me following Grimsby Town Football Club or riding roller coasters - so plenty of 'ups and downs' in my life.