It is a well-known fact that we all clean our homes, but how often do you pay attention to your shed?
A shed is as valuable an investment as your high-quality storage buildings. To keep the sight of your shed looking in tip-top shape, you need to ensure there is regular maintenance.
You don't need a reminder or visible deterioration of your shed before you carry out routine maintenance.
Why is Shed Maintenance Important?
Just like with any of your properties, you run the risk of permanent damage if you don't take out time to perform the right upkeep. It will help your shed remain tidy as well as prevent issues in the building.
With proper shed maintenance, you guarantee the safety of your shed.
Additionally, it will also ensure that you save time and don't have to spend more money on costly repairs later in the future as shed repair services are not cheap. So, the importance and aim of shed maintenance are to see that your shed is in optimal shape and you don't have to worry about having major problems.
How Do You Maintain A Shed?
How to maintain shed condition has to be one of the things people lack information about. If you want to prolong the life of your shed, ensure you review our shed maintenance checklist. We have prepared a list of all the important things you should check when inspecting your shed, from the foundations to the roof.
Shed Maintenance Checklist
1. Check For Leaks, Cracks, and Breaks
Never forget to check your shed for any problem and fix it as soon as possible, be it a cracked window or a missing shingle. If you don't notice any obvious issues, proactively looking for potential problems is an excellent way to stop the issues from developing at all.
Condensation in sheds occurs due to the forming of water droplets on a cold surface by the moisture in the air, so do not confuse condensation for a leak. If your shed has proper ventilation, then it is less likely to attract condensation.
It is important to note that if your structure sits directly on the ground, it can be subject to water penetration, so ensure you build a durable shed foundation using either pressure treated timber or concrete.
Inspecting the following areas in your building is advisable;
Roof
Doors
Floor
Corners
Foundation
2. Regular Pest Control
Keeping your shed pest-free is a unique strategy to prevent damage and protect your vegetation and the rest. It is possible that rodents, wasps, and other insects have made your shed their abode. Suffice to say, shed pest issues and insect infestation are terrible issues that can affect one part of your entire building.
You can prevent pests from ruining your sheds with the following steps;
Clean and prevent standing water (excess moisture can lead to the decaying of wood)
Vacuum or sweeping of the shed is recommended once every quarter.
Ensure all bags and containers are sealed tightly.
Do not stack firewood and don't store garbage cans inside your storage shed.
3. Check Doors and Handles
Broken handles, squeaking hinges, and difficult doors can be frustrating. Ensure you spray handles and hinges on a regular basis with lubricants such as WD-40. Prevent safety issues by replacing broken handles with new ones.
Your shed door is the main point of entry and exit for the building. If your door is not in great shape or if the doors open in an awkward manner, it would prove difficult to access the items inside. Depending on the problem, a simple solution to fix door issues would be with
simple lubrication, or you might need to get a new frame for the door.
4. Lubricate the Hinges
Shed owners mostly forget about taking care of the hinges when carrying out regular maintenance on their shed, which is one of the vulnerable points of the building.
Making sure that they are well lubricated and firmly in place will ensure that your shed has more security.
5. Investigate Shelves and Workbenches
Inspecting your workbenches and shelves is part of the basic tasks required to keep your shed in great shape. It is not enough to just hang shelves; ensure you don't neglect its preservation. Check to see if they are already subject to rust, and whether or not they are still sturdy and holding up well. If there are any issues, you should replace them with wood or heavy-duty plastic shelves.
Also, inspect your workbench and see that it is in perfect working order. Take a moment to check for low grade wear and tear, making the needed replacement if need be.
6. Check If All Tools and Equipment Stored Are Working Properly
Do a routine check of your equipment and tools TO ensure they are in their proper place. This should at the top of your maintenance checklist as all your tools, such as garden tools and other equipment, should be in good condition.
The popular tools in your inventory you should check include;
Seasonal items: Portable fire pit, backyard grill, and patio furniture.
Lawn care tools: Ladders, shovels, and lawn mower.
Toolbox items: Utility knife, tape measure, screws, nails, and hammer.
7. Do A Thorough Interior Floor Cleaning and Sanitizing
It costs minimal maintenance to keep your shed floor and interior clean. There are items in your inventory that could build up dirt and soak up moisture, which could damage your shed. This could also cause the building up of damp, mold, and moss, thereby affecting your wood.
Get rid of the dust clutter to enable you to have a great time in your shed. Regular cleaning also improves the overall quality of your shed and makes it more durable.
Ensure you clean your shed's interior regularly; you don't have to wait to come in direct contact with dirt before you act.
8. Reorganize Your Shed Better
When reorganizing your shed, your own unique strategy might just be what you need because it has to be to your liking. Whether it is a new shed or you just want to give your old shed a makeover, you can try out the following tips:
Magnet Strips: Installation of a magnet strip can help make things a lot easier when you are working on projects. It can be incorporated into a pegboard wall or along a tool bench.
Hooks: Keeping items easily accessible cannot get much easier than hanging hooks. Depending on the kind and how you arrange hooks, you can horizontally hang a ladder across a wall or store hoses, extension cords, and cables without fear of them getting tangled. You can also hang a paper towel holder.
Sheds: Sheds often get disorganized. If you have one of those sheds that are always cluttered or overrun, you can try out one of our shed storage and organization tips instead of organizing your storage shed every time.
Check our shed storage and organization ideas for dozens of useful tips.
9. Wash The Exterior
Proper shed maintenance calls for washing your shed's exterior on a regular basis. Whether you are using a wood siding, metal, or vinyl one, it is highly imperative that you clean it regularly. Remove stains early and stop mildew from growing. You can use a power washer or pressure washer (you can rent if you don't have one and prefer not to buy) to clean your siding, ensuring you use a low pressure setting to avoid damaging your siding material.
You can also use soap and water to wash your shed exterior or liquid mixtures like laundry detergent and water or white vinegar.
10. Get Rid Of Excessive Vegetation And Debris
Ensure that you clear out any build-up of plants or soil from the base of your shed, as this would help prevent the walls from being subject to rot. In addition to holding moisture to the surface of the wood; dirt and debris offer an ideal growing condition for mould and fungi, which would lead to wood rot.
It is the same issue with excessive vegetation as they are known to slow airflow around the shed, and lack of air can be detrimental. When there is clogging around any part of your shed due to excessive growth of plants, it could lead to standing water when rainfalls. Ensure your shed is kept debris-free at all times against all other odds.
11. Inspect the Roof
One of the top tips that matter a lot with shed maintenance is the inspection of the shed roof, as it preserves the good look and structure of the shed. Extra roof care is important for ensuring your investment stays in good shape.
Check the roof to see if there is moss growing on it, then proceed to treat it with moss killer if there is. The moss on the roof is only going to absorb water, which would damage it.
Within a few years, shingles will be more susceptible to deterioration. If your shed roof is made of this type of material, you need to control the wear and tear to a minimum. Also, you need to be aware of anything that goes on with the edge and ridge line of the shed roof, making sure it remains healthy.
The addition of shingles can provide that added layer of protection to your shed roof. It will also ensure that when snow or heavy rain comes, the timber underneath does not get wet.
12. Beware Of Rust, Mould, And Mildew
Make sure you don't store your tools (shovels, nails) wet as this could get them rusty. If some of your tools have been subjected to rust, follow any of these steps;
Keep them soaked overnight in a one to one vinegar and water mix.
Use steel wool to scrub the rusted part and remove the stain.
Use soapy water to rinse them and then do the same again with clean water.
Dry them and apply oil or linseed before you store them.
Allow air to circulate by keeping the doors of the shed open as much as you can. The main purpose of this is to block the spread of mold.
13. Check If All Windows Are Intact
When it comes to shed maintenance, you need to know that windows also need maintaining. If your window is in good condition, it serves as both protection and aesthetics. When windows are extremely dirty, they can mask signs of damage, particularly on the framing. Sheds with windows that have gaps allow water, pests, and many bugs (especially mosquitoes) to get in.
Always check your windows for cracks. Gaps in windows should be covered with caulk. Caulk is affordable and covers easily.
14. Repaint Siding And Apply Wood Stain
Shed maintenance is not complete without a bit of repainting, is it? Simple cleaning of your metal or vinyl siding should be enough. However, if you have wood siding, you might need to repaint it occasionally. When you want to paint, select an ideal exterior paint that is durable, fade-resistant, and mildew resistant.
Follow this checklist:
You can begin the paint job by starting from the trim all the way to the walls.
Applying the paint in thinner coats will help you avoid runs.
Choose the method of painting that you can easily implement; the use of a brush or a paint gun.
Starting off with an oil-based primer will help cover holes and stop pests from feeding on your shed wood.
Wood treatment is also recommended for your shed. You can use a wood preservative to lessen the impact of the abuse sheds takes from any bad weather.
15. Consider Installing Guttering
Take a moment to carry out routine yard care to protect the grass and other details of your shed. The entire perimeter of your storage shed should be easy to navigate and not littered with backyard debris.
Install guttering to keep your garden green and your building in tip-top shape by capturing run-off from the shed roof. You can rest assured that even you will remain attracted to your building with this ideal construction.
16. Inspect Foundations
Inspection of the foundation shouldn't be found missing in your shed maintenance checklist. The quality of your shed foundations directly impacts how long the shed will last. So ensure you carry out regular inspection and maintenance to ensure no problem can hide from you. It is important that you identify any underlying problem on time and act quickly.
17. Consider Insulating If You Have Not Done It Already
Your shed wouldn't be prone to external climate changes if it is well insulated. Keep your stored belongings safe and dry by reducing the inside humidity.
What's more, humidity starts condensing in the atmosphere during the winter months. So, proper ventilation is required to trap the heat and protect your property from damage.
18. Make Sure Your Shed Is Secure
Depending on the location of your shed and the season, burglars tend to take advantage and get accessibility to your belongings.
Examine your shed thoroughly, and if you notice any issue that would allow burglars to penetrate your building, seal it off immediately. Your security doesn't happen by chance; you have to contribute to its effectiveness.
Some steps you can take to ensure the security of your shed is top-notch includes;
Obscure windows
Fit an alarm
Anchor the shed
Use nuts and bolts instead of screws
Don't settle for a cheap lock
Choose the location of your shed carefully
Shed Maintenance Tips by Season
Spring
It's spring, and the weather is starting to look delightful; it doesn't mean you should skip the shed maintenance process. These tips would help keep your shed in optimal condition during spring;
Fertilize the grass.
Make sure the gutters are free of twigs and leaves.
Check the roof for signs of loose tiles.
Check to see if you should carry out any structural repair on the chimney.
Summer
The summer presents you with the opportunity to focus on any external job you have by spending time in the sun. Keep your shed looking good in the summer with the following steps;
Trimming of the branches of shrubs and trees is recommended.
Check your gutters and lofts for signs of bugs and remove them.
Make sure the roots of large plants and trees don't grow beneath the shed.
Keep the shed roof in optimal shape ahead of the poor weather.
Autumn
Autumn tends to have its own beauty, but it can pose some problems too. You can maintain your shed with these tips;
Make sure the building and all equipment are well insulated.
Power-wash the external walls.
Prevent leaves from building up.
Winter
These are some shed life-saving tips to follow in the winter;
Seal all cracks in the external walls.
Use moisture absorbers and traps.
Check pipes for any leaks.
For more useful advices and tricks, check our guide on how to winterize a shed.
How Long Will My Shed Last With Proper Maintenance?
A shed is a building just like any other house. So, to get the best out of it, you need to take good care of it, starting from the materials used in building it down to regular maintenance. The basic life expectancy of a shed is around 30 years.
Urban Sheds structures also comes with a 3-year workmanship warranty. All these would work out well if you take good care of your shed.
Conclusion
The benefits of shed maintenance cannot be overstated, as it will definitely prolong the life of your shed. Now that you have seen our full list of shed maintenance tips, all that's left is for you to implement it, and we hope you do a good job!