After building your own storage shed or having a contractor build it you want it to look good and last a long time. After investing your time and money into the shed keeping it looking good is just important as keeping your house looking good and maintained. Every yard is in need of a garden or storage shed and the longer is last the better.
How long a shed will last and its durability has a lot to do with the quality of the material that it is made with and the way it was built. I have seen a number of shed that rust or just rot in 5 to 10 years after construction. If this happens you will have to replace it.
With this in mind the maintenance of the shed should be very important and should be scheduled. If you want it to last for many many years you will need to regularly clean it, maintain it, and even paint it. It is not uncommon for a shed even it is cheap to last for more than 25 years with the right type of maintenance.
Different types of sheds require different types of care and maintenance:
Vinyl, rubber, or plastic sheds are considered to require little or no maintenance at all. That is not actually true because they all get dirty and mildew seems to form on the shady sides. These sheds should at least have an annual power washing to remove the dirt and mildew. The good thing about these types of sheds is that they do not rot or rust.
But with vinyl sheds you may have to repair doors and windows when they get broken or leaks during a rain storm. These types of repairs are not as common as they are with steel and wooden sheds.
The sun can have a real aging effect on plastic sheds. You want to keep this in mind when you locate the shed. It is best to keep them out of direct sunlight if at all possible. A shady place is prepared.
Most of the wooden storage shed are built or delivered with the wood untreated. Treating the wood is very important. The very first treatment should be done within a few weeks of installation. Make sure you understand the type of wood to be treated and match the treatment material with the type of wood the shed is constructed with.
Pay close attention to doors and windows looking for wear and possible rotting. Rotting is usually a sign of water damage. When this happen steps should be taken to stop the water from getting into the wood. You also want to continue to ensure that water is not getting into the shed around the window and door frames. You want to keep the inside of the shed dry at all times.
It is best to keep the outside clean and free of dirt and mildew. You may want to power washing annually and replace the treatment material every few years.
The manufacture's of steel storage shed use low maintenance as a selling point and benefit compared to wooden sheds. It is true that most steel shed can withstand conditions such a floods, fire, and high winds if anchored properly. This type of shed usually requires less maintenance and repairs compared to wooden and vinyl sheds.
But steel shed do request some type of treatment to prevent rust. Rush is the biggest problem with these types of shed and if not treated correctly they will deteriorate due to the rush. Some steel shed even come unpainted. For these shed you should treat the shed with a rush prevention treatment before painting it. There is now need to treat it for preventing pests.
The maintenance of the shed should not be the only bases on which to make your buying decision on. Each of these shed types has their own set of advantages and disadvantages which might turn out to be more important for the use of the shed.
The last major consideration is the foundation. A badly laid foundation can actually shorten the life of the storage shed regardless of the type.
To lengthen the life of your shed learn how to build a shed foundation. You may even consider doing it yourself and building the entire shed yourself with a good set of shed plans.
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