How to Move a Shed

There may come a time that you find you need to move your garden shed.  It may be because water is unable to drain away from the area surrounding it or it could be because you just don’t like its present position.  The thing is if you want to you could actually move the shed quite easily yourself.

However you will need the help of some friends or a vehicle to do the work.  In this article we show you the steps it will take when it comes to knowing how to move a shed.

Step 1 – Before you can actually start moving the shed you have to provide it with ample support.  The first thing to do is dig a channel around the outside of the channel which will then allow you to place 4 jacks at each corner of it to provide support whilst you carry out the next step.

If you are having problems with placing the jacks under the corners of the shed you may need to dig underneath them so that they can be placed where they offer the most support.  It is best if you dig out underneath each corner one at the time.

Step 2 – Once you have provided the shed with support outside from the jacks you next need to stabilize it inside.  To do this you need to take some long timbers and attach these to the studs of the walls inside on both sides and also lay timbers across the floor in an X pattern.  If you do these things then as well as making the shed more rigid and sturdy they will ensure that the shape of the shed is retained.

Bracing the shed structure prevents it from flexing as it is lifted or moved.  Plus you will discover that these heavier pieces of wood help to distribute the weight of the shed more evenly.  As long as this step is carried out correctly then you will be able to lift the shed at any point where support is given and it will not flex.

What sizes the timbers are you use for providing the shed with support will actually depend on the size of the shed itself.  However, you need to make sure that the timbers used internally run the full length of the shed right up into each corner.  If you do this then you know that sufficient support has been provided.

Step 3 – If because of the size of the shed you need to use a vehicle rather than friends make sure that the towing hook or hooks is attached to both the front corners of the shed on the outside.

It is far better to use two towing hooks as this will then help to distribute the weight to be pulled more evenly and once the hooks have been attached to the shed attaching the other end of it to the vehicle.

Step 4 – It is vital that even before you begin to move the shed with the vehicle you ensure that the ropes being used to tow it are secure.  Also another thing to do before you even move the shed is ensure that the foundations on to which it is to be placed are ready to receive it.  By doing this you will once in position be able to remove the braces inside and start using it again.

In this article we have provided the steps when it comes to how to move a shed correctly.  If you do intend to use a vehicle to move the structure then ensure that the vehicle travels at a steady speed.  If it doesn’t then the chances of you having to replace the shed because it is damaged in the move are increased.

However, if you are intending to use just yourself and some friends to move the structure you need to make sure that everyone knows how to lift it properly, in order to prevent anyone getting injured.

Fence and Garden Furniture – Upkeep and Maintenance

If you want your wooden fence and garden furniture to last for many years to come then you need to make sure that you are taking care of it properly. Before autumn or winter sets in you need to clean the various items down and then apply a good protective coating on them.

Below we take a look at the steps you will need to take in order to care for and maintain the wooden fencing and garden furniture that you have.

First off you need to get together the right supplies which will help you to care for and maintain any type of wooden garden furniture or fencing that you have and below is what you need.

• A good quality stiff scrubbing brush or you can use a high powered washer.
• Some good washing up gloves.
• A bowl that you then put in the mixture of warm water and a mild detergent.
• You need either some teak oil or water based wood stain. Which you use is dependent on the kind of wood your garden furniture and fences are made from.
• Good quality paint brush.
• Wood preservative. This again is only used on certain kinds of wood.

After getting together all the supplies mentioned above you are now in a position to start looking after the wooden fence and garden furniture in yours.

First off you need remove the buildup of dirt over the past year on your furniture and fence. This can be done either using the scrubbing brush and some warm soapy water or to complete the task more quickly you can use a high power washer.

Once the fence and furniture has been washed now leave it for a number of days to dry out completely. If you don’t do this then the stain or oil which you apply to the surface of the wood won’t be absorbed into it and so won’t help to protect it.

As soon as the wood has fully dried out you are now able to move on to the next stage of caring for the wood fence or furniture and apply the oil or stain using the paint brush. If however the furniture has been made from teak you won’t need to apply any preservative to it beforehand, all is required is a good coat of teak oil or water based wood stain. Not only will it protect the wood, but also enhance its appearance.

If the fences or garden furniture you have are made from softwoods such as pine then you need to first apply a wood preservative to them before applying a water based wood stain. It helps to prevent the wood from rotting and you shouldn’t just do the surfaces that you can see. The feet on the chairs, benches and tables in your garden need to be treated as well.

The easiest way of doing this is to place some preservative into some jars and then place the feet of the furniture into them and let them stand in it overnight.

If you follow these steps then you are assured that the wooden fence and garden furniture you have in yours will last for many years to come. It is important that you do this each year especially if you want them to retain the same looks they had when you first got them.

Ever wanted a Home Garden Office? How about a log cabin?

There are plenty of different companies now manufacturing many different styles of garden offices for you to choose from.

Before you do make a decision on which type of garden office it is you want it is worthwhile spending some time looking and researching each one that is available.

You should as you look into garden offices keep certain things in mind and below we look at what some of these things that you should be considering.

1. You should be looking for manufacturers of garden offices that supply good natural light through their structures and also offer ample electrical points for allowing of office equipment to be installed. However, if the space is used for a home office with computer equipment installed then too much natural light can damage the sensitive parts such as the monitors.

Along with ample electrical points and a good source of natural light the space should be well ventilated without the doors having to be kept open.

As you want to be able to work in this space without interruption it needs to have good sound proofing and insulation so that then it can be used throughout the year.

2. Before you look at getting a garden office you need to look to see if you have ample space in your garden to have one constructed. All external buildings that are not an extension of the property need to stand a distance away from it of no less than five meters and also must not stand any closer than one meter to the boundary walls or fences of the property.

You also need to be aware that if the office is going to take up more than 50% of the garden space available then planning permission will have to be obtained from the local authority to have such a building constructed.

3. If there is sufficient space in your garden for installation of an office then you need to make a decision as to what style you want. It is best to choose a design and style that matches in with the look of the main property. But whatever style you choose you need to make the supplier aware of exactly what the space will be used for.

4. Once you have made a decision as to what style of office it is you want for your garden now you need to make a decision on what material it is to be constructed from. Certainly for those who live in much older houses or in conservation areas then wooden garden offices are the preferred choice. However, those who live in properties which are more modern and don’t have any restrictions on external structures may prefer to go for a metal office as they are much easier to maintain.

There are now plenty of companies who manufacture garden offices from wood and which are just as strong and require very little maintenance as well.

These types of sheds are constructed from insulated panels which have been fused with foam and then covered with 2 skins of oriented strand board. As well as making the sheds much stronger they are also environmentally friendly and because they have such good insulation electricity and heating bills are much less.

How to Build a Lean-To Garden Shed

For those with small gardens who want store equipment in it will find that getting a shed to fit in the space available can be somewhat of a challenge.  However, instead of getting the usual kind of shed if you have a small garden with limited space have you considered getting a lean to shed instead.

As well as being small these structures can be placed against an existing building and will still store all items well and protect them against the elements.  In this article we offer some advice which may prove useful when you want to learn more about how to build a lean to shed.

If you are going to be building your own lean to shed the first thing you need to make a decision on is what materials you are going to use to construct it from.  Some people will use metal, others wood or plastic, and in some cases they may use several of these materials together.  But what is important is that the materials you select to you are going to be ones that match with your home and garden as well.

A lean to shed can actually be constructed and attached to the side of your home if you want.  But if you don’t want this then you will need to construct it with 4 sides rather than 3.  However, by attaching the lean to shed to another structure and so having to construct only 3 sides’s means that it can be erected a lot more quickly.

If you want to ensure that the shed once constructed does not detract from the structure beside it then finish it off using the same materials.  If you do this then you will find that many people will think that the shed has been there since you owned the property.

When you are building a lean to shed it is crucial that you make sure that the pitch of the roof is right.  The best is a mono pitched roof which will ensure that any water that lands on it runs away and off it straightaway.  By preventing water from collecting on the roof this will stop the roof from being damaged and also any damaged being caused to the structure to which the shed is next to.  When you are learning how to build a lean to shed you must realize how crucial it is to have the roof pitched correctly as this will then ensure that any water that lands on it will go away from the other structure.

Even before you can start building a lean to shed with the instructions that you have found either online or which come with the shed you need to prepare the base for it.  It is important that the foundations are even and these can be constructed either from wood or concrete.  If you use wood it will only take a short time to build the shed foundations, but with concrete although much stronger it will need time to set before it can be built on.

It does not matter whether you build your shed from scratch or from a kit you must make sure that you have all the right tools and materials close at hand.  It wouldn’t be very good if you find that during the project it has to be halted because you find that you are missing something that you need to carry on with the next stage of constructing it.

Another thing that you need to do before you even purchase a lean to shed materials or kit is find out if planning permission needs to be sought to erect it.  Although because of the size of the shed permission won’t be required there are occasions when it may be because of the age of the property in which you live or because it is considered to be an additional structure.

Above we have provided you with some advice that we consider useful when it comes to how to build a lean to shed.  If you remember these points when looking for a lean to shed not only will you find the right one for you but one that offers adequate storage for the items to be kept in it and will take up only the space available.