Painting Your Shed
Sadolin is only available from registered stockists. Our closest supplier is Bannerman’s Colour Studio in either Perth or Dundee.
You can also buy Sadolin online at Decorating Warehouse. A full list of retail stockists is available here.
The name of the colour you chose is on your order form and final invoice.
This is down to your individual preference - you can leave your Shed unpainted.
If you want to paint the inside of your Shed, we recommend Sadolin diluted with water at a ratio of 2:1.
DO NOT use varnish, as this traps moisture and causes the timber to blacken.
If your doors have moved so much that you can’t close or open them, there is a straightforward carpentry method to rectify them.
We offer a service to do this at our hourly rate. Alternatively, any reputable joiner will be able to carry out the work. We do not advise adjusting the doors if there's movement or sticking as it does more damage than good.
Fully repaint your Shed every 3-5 years. This will depend both on your location and on how much bad weather your Shed deals with. A coastal Shed regularly battered by 100mph winds will need a new coat of paint sooner than a Shed sheltered in a garden.
If you see any fading or signs of wear and tear to the finish, it’s time for a coat of paint.
Because timber is porous it needs an additional layer of protection from moisture. Each coat of Sadolin adds more years of protection to your Shed by minimising the risk of water ingress.
Without a coat of paint, the timber would easily absorb any moisture in the air, which would then transfer to the inside of the building.
Ventilation & Moisture Prevention
Your Gillies & Mackay Shed is single-skinned, with only one layer of timber cladding between the outside and inside of the building.
Because of this, small amounts of moisture can penetrate the walls during excessively wet weather. In a well-painted building, this happens very slowly. But in sustained wet weather moisture can build up inside your Shed. This leads to mould and can damage the building and its contents.
The easiest way to prevent this is to ventilate your Shed regularly.
From 2024, each G&M Shed is fitted with louvre vents that aid the ventilation of your building. This will help with moisture build up, but in extreme wet weather conditions, you will need to assist. There’s no special equipment required to ventilate your Shed - just open the windows and doors and get some air into the building.
On a dry day, open up the windows and doors and leave these open for a couple of hours.
Ventilation is essential during the colder, wetter months when it seems difficult to find any dry days. Keep an eye out for opportunities to ventilate your Shed as this is when it needs it most.
Roofs & Guttering
Your Shed comes with maintenance-free steel box profile roofing. This is guaranteed for 20 years, and won’t need replacing for at least 30 years. Your Shed will receive plenty of rainwater washes, but if you prefer you can wash your Shed roof with soap and water.
If you have opted for guttering on your Shed, make sure to check this twice yearly and clean out any leaves or blockages. More regular checks may be necessary if there are overhanging trees above the building. Avoid blockages such as leaves or moss to ensure that water is moved away from the Shed effectively.
Your Shed will receive plenty of rainwater washes, but if you prefer you can wash your shed roof with soap and water.
More regular checks may be necessary if there are overhanging trees above the building. Avoid blockages such as leaves or moss to ensure that water is moved away from your shed effectively.
Summary
FAQs
Perishable items like paper and fabric don’t do well in a single-skinned shed. They’ll soak up any moisture in the air and are hugely susceptible to mould.
If you have any of these items in your shed, store them in plastic boxes with lids, and check them regularly for any signs of mould or moisture.
How to Replace Rotten Weatherboard on Your Shed (or Summerhouse)
What Is Timber Weathering?
