Help with warping shed

ClaireGardener

Hello all, I have had a wooden shed for about a year now and it is starting to warp at certain points. From what I understand it is a tongue and groove shed. How easy is it to replace the boards and do you know where to source them from? I am just abit reluctant to take my shed apart if it will be a big job. Any help would be much appreciated.

fwor

A lot depends on how it's constructed, but from the ones that I've seen, it won't be easy to get apart without a lot of collateral damage.

Wood is expensive, so these days thye use stuff that's as thin as possible, and then use "barbed" nails, which can be very difficult to remove.

In your position I'd be looking to nail or screw down any that are warping rather than trying to replace them.

matt987106

todays sheds are mass made and made as cheaply as possible

what i would do it screw 2 X 1 " Battens ( top to bottom ) to the uprights on the inside, this will then in turn pull the boards back into shape and keep them in place

yes the 2 X 1 Battens on the outside might look a little different, but they will work and do the job

Davesnave

I think the advice to use 'sandwiching' battens like those in lap fence panels might work, but possibly in damper weather than we're experiencing right now, to give the wood the best chance of flexing.

However, the best advice is not to buy shoddily made goods in the first place.

If we believe that 'today' we won't be able to get a decently-constructed shed, then that may be tomorrow's reality. There are plenty of good sheds out there, but folks are insisting on giving their money to shysters and charlatans, not proper trades people.

valk_scot

My shed lapboarding (tongue and groove is that sideways stuff I think) is warping too, though as it's fourteen years old now I'm not that upset. As long as the top boards still overlap the ones underneath it will shed water after all and goodness knows these sheds aren't designed to be rodent or particularly wind proof anyway. I give it a coat of shed preservative every now and again and I've had to replace the roof felt twice, but it's still dry inside and that's all I really need. Mine was an ex-display one from the local proper garden nursery though, not a B&Q Value type one.

ClaireGardener

[FONT=&quot]Wow, thank you for all your replies and they are very informative. I have had some advice from a friend who said to visit my local timber yard and check panelling prices, so I think I may do that. I will also try and make it more rigid with batons as per your advice matt987106 and Davesnave. Also I only treated the building with a water based treatment, and not a spirit one, and this as I have found is not as effective, So like you said valk_scot, I shall treat it more or with a better treatment![/FONT]

Davesnave

ClaireGardener wrote: »

[FONT=&quot]Wow, thank you for all your replies and they are very informative. I have had some advice from a friend who said to visit my local timber yard and check panelling prices, so I think I may do that. I will also try and make it more rigid with batons as per your advice matt987106 and Davesnave. Also I only treated the building with a water based treatment, and not a spirit one, and this as I have found is not as effective, So like you said valk_scot, I shall treat it more or with a better treatment![/FONT]

I use sheds for hens, so they need to be Creocoted as a matter of course once a year, but after 11 months there can be little evidence that any treatment has happened. I suppose the fungus & mould inhibiting is still going on though.

All sheds expand and contract as moisture levels change, so even expensive tanalised products can have problems with doors & windows not closing, or gaps forming when bone dry.

For people considering sheds, clues to good manufacture, apart from panels and doors fitting properly and feeling strong enough for purpose, are no particle board for floor or roof sections, and galvanised hinges, door furniture etc, not painted metal fittings.

tim_n

Bought a £99 shed from focus in Feb '08

We painted it in 2009 and again in 2012. It's not yet warped. The roof ripped when I moved it though.

I did however reinforce the inside and more key, made sure it was on a sturdy flat base.

matt987106

to help sheds survive you need airflow all around the shed

up the allotment, i have put my old freecycle find on some pallets, thus airflow all around

i have painted it with Focus fence stain, it really need to try and use the oil based stuff this time though