Look After Timber Buildings and Fences in Autumn and Winter!
Posted on 18th October 2023 at 18:47
Do you have a pergola, a summer house, a catio, a garden shed or even a dog kennel in your garden?
These timber constructions need looking after this Autumn and Winter.
Our range of wooden garden furniture is one of the best on the Yorkshire Coast.
Wood is an organic material that ‘breathes’, retracting and expanding according to the weather conditions.
While we’ve had a few milder autumns and winters in recent years, there could still be the chance of snow, frost and ice.
Get your garden buildings ready for November, December, January and February.
What To Do in the Autumn
As the nights draw in and the clock goes back, as well as gathering those dead leaves, it is time to give some attention to the garden.
The growing season is drawing slowly to close, so it’s a good time of year to have a tidy around.
This includes tidying the borders, snipping away dead stems, trimming the lawn and making those essential repairs to your garden buildings.
Checking the Shed
We tend to take sheds for granted.
They give us good service if they are looked after and can often be recipients of all manner of items, from bikes to barbecues.
Yet now is the time of year to have a good clear out as well as a good overall ‘health’ check of the shed itself.
Look out for any leaks or gaps, clear away dust and cobwebs and give the floor a good brush.
Inspect your roof … is it time for it to be re-felted?
Sheds that are made from good quality timber will stand the test of time, particularly if they are looked after. Using the best, slow-grown sustainable Swedish redwood timber for sheds is better for the environment and also good for the longevity of your outbuildings.
Ensure Whoever Builds Your Shed is Using Pressure-Treated/Has Tanalised the Timber, Too.
Sheds and outdoor buildings come in all shapes and sizes from summer house style builds to traditional sheds, compact designs, security sheds and even solar-powered potting sheds.
If you have a shed in place, autumn jobs include painting the exterior with fresh coats of paint.
Check out any holes that have appeared over the summer and make sure you seal any gaps or orifices.
Lubricate hinges with oil, and you can apply oil to window frames to prevent them sticking over the winter.
Make sure the windows are tightly closed afterwards.
Keep the windows closed except for when you ventilate the interior of our shed for a few minutes over the winter period.
Tidying Up
If your garden, yard, patio or similar are well used during the spring and summer, chances are there’ll be lots of bits and pieces lying around.
Autumn is a good time to have a tidy around.
Put away your bbq set and garden furniture into your clean and tidy shed!
If you have nowhere to store them, how about a bespoke storage building designed just for you? Find out more here.
It is also time to clear out items which you don’t use, are unrepairable or that are simply surplus to requirements.
If you have patio areas or a driveway, now is a good time to have a jet wash.
Fences and Panels
Apply a coat of weather-proof paint, stain or sealant ahead of the colder weather.
Lots of people have discovered DuraPost instead, which are made from galvanised steel, are very hardwearing and can last longer. https://www.flixtonsawmill.co.uk/durapost/
Make sure you remove any leaves which gather around your fencing posts, as this can attract moisture and damage the posts.
If you have trees nearby, be vigilant as to falling branches.
Fix any loose parts of your fencing too.
Or perhaps it is time to think about replacing fencing, posts, gates or panels?
As well as looking great, timber products can enhance the overall look of your garden or outdoor space.
Trellising and wooden gates can also add that spectacular finishing touch.
Well-known brands such as Gatemate by Birkdale produce a range of accessories that can help you look after your garden outbuildings and leisure furniture.
Decking Jobs
Decking in gardens is very popular and can be a real asset in the summer months when we have warmer weather and hopefully more sunshine.
However, decking does need to be taken care of.
It can be slippery in the colder, darker months of the year.
Be sure to clean it thoroughly and include a jet wash of your decking area if you can.
You’ll also need to check the decking boards for damage, and cast your eyes over any spindles ensuring they are safe.
It’s also time to check the newel posts, decking screws and handrails.
Some of the best decking materials around are the premium Swedish redwood pressure treated decking boards.
Prepare Your Log Store
Have you got a log burning stove or open fire log burner?
You need to read our blog about how to build the perfect fire here <LINK>
If you have a real, timber-fuelled fire, then you’ll most likely have a log store.
Some log stores are made from plastic yet traditional log stores are made from timber.
These purpose-built storage facilities are perfect for storing your logs for the autumn and winter.
Hopefully your log store will be in a sunny part of your garden or yard, which helps to keep the logs dry.
Consider investing in a tarpaulin to help keep out the rain.
Log stores can be built to a specific size and will need treating and caring for in order to get the best out of them.
A good log store will allow air to circulate around the timber.
They will also allow you to rotate your logs easily so your timber keeps dry.
Damp timber means the logs will produce less heat, increased carbon deposits and in the end, this means you’ll be spending more on heating your home than you need to.
What About Flixton Sawmill?
Flixton Sawmill was first established in 1987 and was originally known as Wykeham Sawmill.
Our site is based at a 6-acre location in Flixton, between Filey and Scarborough near the Yorkshire Coast.
We’ve been at our Flixton location since the year 2000.
We are also close to Driffield and Bridlington.
Our team of 20 members of staff all live locally and have excellent experience in the sawmill and timber industries.
Did You Know …
Our team produces several hundred quality timber buildings each year.
We started to produce firewood about 15 years ago.
Flixton Sawmill is the largest supplier of quality logs in the area.
We offer advice to all our customers, old and new.
We have our own drying kilns onsite, and customers are welcome to visit our site in Flixton village, where we have examples of our sheds and other outdoor furniture.
Opening Hours
Our opening times are Monday to Friday 8am to 4.30pm, Saturday 8am to 12noon, we are closed Sundays.
Tagged as: Look After Your Timber Buildings
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