Between the time and money it takes to get a storage shed (or garden shed, pool house, or garage) installed on your property, it makes sense that you want it to last as long as possible. Too many people make the mistake of thinking any building will just last forever once up, with no maintenance or preventative measures.
But a shed is just a building, and like a house, it takes some maintenance to get the most out of it. From building it with the proper materials in the first place, or following some preventative measure, to touching things up every so often, achieving a true “lifetime storage shed” does take some effort.
Before You Buy or Build: Using the Right Shed Materials
Using quality materials are the first step to creating a durable, long-lasting structure for your property. As beautiful as all-wood structures and siding are, wood is prone to rot and decay far quicker than man-made composites. There are some exceptions, such as Cedar, which is a naturally rot-resistant wood and can last even longer (40+ years with regular maintenance) when properly treated
If you’re going to use some type of wood siding, it should be pressure treated, primed and painted to get the longest life out of it. Same goes with any trim. However, there are materials out there that can achieve a wood that have more durability, and of course vinyl siding is a very long-lasting, low-maintenance option.
Here at Homestead, we use the following materials in our sheds, pool houses, and garages.
Alside Vinyl Siding: Vinyl siding can easily last over 40 years – sometimes as much as 60 to 100 years with little maintenance beyond cleaning/washing. Alside offers a lifetime limited warranty to back up their quality product.
Primed DuraTemp Siding: DuraTemp (by Roseburg) is a panel type of wooden siding, made from an inner plywood veneer and resin, with a tough hardboard face that won’t split or crack. It can be painted any color and comes with a 50 year limited warranty.
MiraTEC Trim: MiraTEC trim is an environmentally-friendly wood composite trim with a reversible smooth or textured surface. It combines the beauty of wood trim with the durability of an engineered product. The ingredients from which it’s made lead to a trim that won’t delaminate and is resistant to moisture (and swelling), rot, and termites, among other things. It’s also covered by a 50 year limited warranty.
AZEK: All of our wood windows can also be replicated using AZEK (a PVC composite), which can be painted to mimic the beauty of wood. As with other composite, AZEK can stand up to harsh weather, resists moisture, mold, and mildew damage, and doesn’t require annual sealing and staining for maintenance. It comes with a 30 year “fade and stain” limited warranty.
A Strong Shed Foundation for Building Durability
As with any building project, longevity and durability starts with prep and foundation work! One of the most important things you can do is ensure you have a quality shed foundation in place for your building. The type of shed foundation you choose really depends on the size of the building and how you’ll be using it.
A strong foundation keeps your shed floor off the ground, which in turn helps maintains a level structure, prevents water seepage and rot, and can help keep pests from getting in.
Maintaining Your Shed & Other Buildings
As with your home, to truly get a lifetime out of your shed, you’ll want to perform some basic maintenance and preventative measures over the years. This is especially true for all wooden sheds, that do not use vinyl or composite siding.
- Unpainted or primed wood sheds should be primed and painted within 30-60 days of installation. (All Homestead building use primed siding already).
- If you choose to add skirting around your structure, use lattice or something that allows for proper air circulation.
- Don’t lean or stack things against your building for long periods of time, especially not bags of mulch or soil, which can introduce moisture.
- Don’t let sprinklers or irrigation systems spray your shed or building.
- Keep all grass and vegetation trimmed around the building.
- For vinyl siding, cleaning every year or two with a hose and a brush is the most recommended method. Pressure washers can be a bit tough on vinyl siding, but can get the job done if you’re careful and use a lower setting.
- Check yearly for leaky seals in walls or windows and caulk accordingly.
- Check for holes in the roof and patch or replace as necessary.
- Check that doors remain level, and re-hang if necessary.
Regular maintenance and inspection of your building or shed can help you take care of small things before they become bigger issues, leading to a shed or outbuilding that will stay useful and beautiful for decades.
Contact us at (877) 272-7252 if you're interested in quoting a new shed or storage building for your property!
Facebook Comments Box