Colours
Your shed will be supplied in a light brown colour (unless the untreated option is selected), but if you select Sadolin treatment (Siding Options) we will supply the recommended product and calculate the correct quantity, enough for two external coats, provided in tins for self-application. Sadolin is a high quality treatment that not only ensures a beautiful finish but will protect your building for years before needing re-treating.
If you select the same Sadolin colour for the Cladding and Trims, we will provide enough tins to cover each wall externally as well as trims and all sides of any summerhouse doors and windows (two coats).
If you select a different trim colour, you will receive a one litre tin of treatment to cover the trims, which if desired should also be enough for all sides of a set of summerhouse doors and up to two summerhouse windows (two coats subject to how much trim is on the building)
Standard Treatment
If you do not wish to order Sadolin treatment, standard treated versions of this building are sprayed inside and out with a water-based base coat of treatment in a light brown colour. To keep this building in best condition, we recommend giving it a top coat of treatment within 6 months of assembly, or as soon as you like (normally possible straight away). Treating your shed is an important part of keeping the building weatherproof as it helps to seal the timber and repel water. Please note small areas such as the inside of doors may not be reached by the spray and it is normal to have some irregularities and drying marks from the treatment process. Untreated buildings should be treated as soon as possible. We recommend buildings are re-treated every year, though the higher the quality of wood preservative, the longer the protection should last.
What should I use to treat my building?
The two main categories of timber preservative are water based and spirit based (which is also known as oil or solvent based). Spirit based treatments are traditionally considered to give better protection, however, improvements in water based treatments mean some now give as good protection whilst being more environmentally friendly. Timber preservatives are available in many colours so finding a colour you like may be a large factor in choosing your treatment. Cuprinol, Ronseal and Barrettine are all well known and widely available brands with a large choice of colours. A high-quality treatment we have experience of using is Sadolin Classic, which is used as a base coat on untreated timber, and Sadolin Extra as a top coat on treated timber. Or for a wide range of colours, consider Sadolin Beautiflex.
Hardwood doors & windows
Our summerhouses feature joinery quality hardwood doors and windows, which should be treated accordingly with a high-quality wood preserver suitable for exterior joinery. To keep them in the condition they deserve, we recommend treating the doors and windows with two coats of a suitable timber protection as soon as possible on all sides. This limits the movement of the timber, so it will help stop them from swelling up as much, as well as stopping cracks from developing and keeping them looking great. If left untreated or treated in a cheaper wood preservative, the doors and windows are more susceptible to absorbing a lot of moisture and swelling up, or surface splits opening, depending on the weather conditions. This is a natural characteristic of the timber and not considered a fault by the manufacturer, but can make the doors and windows difficult to open and not look as good, so is best limited in the way described. Please use the turn buttons supplied to keep the doors closed when not in use. Below are some side-by-side comparisons of similarly aged hardwood doors that have not had a top coat and ones that have had two coats of Sadolin Extra.
Can I keep my shed exactly the same colour?
The colour of the shed will gradually fade over time. If you like the colour it is currently, your best bet is to find the nearest match at your local store. Please note the colour may darken slightly with every extra coat. The treatment we use in the factory is not available to buy in exactly the same form as it is specially made for us and not a branded product you can buy in a shop. Some of our retailers stock our Albany Brown treatment, but this is a slightly darker colour than the one applied in our factory. We do not recommend clear treatment.
Why are your sheds not tanalised?
We believe tanalised or pressure treated sheds are frequently misrepresented as being maintenance-free, whereas in our experience the best and only proper way to keep a shed in good condition is a regular coat of treatment. Pressure treatment is necessary for timber that has to go in the ground, but although it sounds like a good ‘selling point’, many in the shed industry agree that it can lead to more shrinkage and cracking than would otherwise occur. If left untreated, any tanalised shed would soon become an eyesore as it begins to look grey and unmaintained; it would also be more likely to leak in wet conditions.