As the nights draw in and the first proper frosts arrive, it's worth spending an hour or two getting your garden building ready for winter. Whether it's a shed, a log cabin, a garden room or a greenhouse, a few simple checks now can save you a damp floor, a draughty corner, or a shivering morning in January. Here's where to start.
Treat and protect the timber
Timber garden buildings cope with the British winter very well, but only if the wood is properly protected before the wet weather sets in. If it's been a while since your shed or cabin was last treated, now is a sensible time to apply a fresh coat of wood stain or preservative, paying particular attention to the base, the joints and anywhere water tends to sit. Our guide to looking after your timber garden building runs through what to check and how often to re-treat, and if you need stain, our Protek wood stain brochure covers the range we recommend.
Clear the roof, felt and guttering
Falling leaves and autumn storms are hard on roofs, so give yours a once-over. Clear any leaves or moss from the felt or roofing sheets, check for lifted edges or small tears, and make sure guttering and downpipes (where fitted) are clear and directing water away from the base. Standing water around the base of a building is one of the most common causes of rot over winter, so a dry, well-drained base makes a real difference.
Keep garden rooms and offices warm and condensation-free
If you use a log cabin or garden room as a home office, gym or studio, insulation is what determines how comfortable it stays once temperatures drop. Wall thickness plays a big part in this, and our log cabin wall thickness and insulation guide explains how to judge whether a building will hold its heat, along with ways to insulate further if needed. It's also worth airing the room on dry days and keeping a small amount of background heat going in very cold spells, which helps prevent condensation building up on the inside of windows and walls.
Give greenhouses a bit of extra frost protection
Greenhouses earn their keep in winter by giving tender plants somewhere safe to sit out the frost, but they need a little help to do it well. Bubble insulation on the inside of the glass or polycarbonate, horticultural fleece over the most vulnerable plants, and grouping pots together all help retain warmth overnight. Try to ventilate on milder, sunnier days to stop damp building up, since a stuffy, humid greenhouse can do plants more harm over winter than the cold itself. Browse our full range of greenhouses if you're thinking about adding one, or upgrading, before spring.
A little maintenance now goes a long way towards a dry, solid, and comfortable garden building come spring. Have a browse of our garden sheds and log cabins if you're considering a new building this winter, or get in touch via our contact page if you'd like some advice on caring for the one you've already got.