Posted on 20th June, 2023

Timber sheds and summerhouses are great additions to outdoor spaces, and a common feature of gardens up and down the country. However, damp and mould can be the downfall of these attractive buildings, which can leave you searching for answers to combat this problem. To help you eliminate these issues, please find below information to remove mould and prevent damp in your garden building. 

What causes damp?

As the name suggests, damp is caused by damp conditions and is most prevalent during seasons where moisture is more common in the air, such as winter and spring. Timber is the most susceptible material to damage by moist conditions, and damp can cause premature rot, mould, and cause the timber structure to become misshapen or sag. These problems can be exacerbated by wet weather and lack of airflow through the building. 

How can I prevent damp in my shed or summerhouse?

Sheds and summerhouses can sometimes be abandoned for months on end, especially in the colder seasons, meaning that no fresh air flow is entering the building. This stagnant air can hold a lot of moisture which then condenses and causes mildew and mould. To prevent this, try and get some air circulating by leaving windows open, blowing a fan in the shed, or even leaving the door open from time to time. Increasing fresh air flow is not just about getting it into the building, you will need to think about all the areas the air will need to circulate. Storing items extremely close to the walls will prohibit circulation in that area and increase the risk of mould. Try to leave space around items, if this is not possible try to move the items around frequently. You can also avoid mould formation by reducing the number of items that can store moisture, these might include cardboard boxes, open containers with liquid, wet tools etc. 

A good preventative measure would be to treat the inside of your building with a wood preserver. InsideOut Sheds and Garden Rooms LTD recommend Protek wood preserver plus which has the following benefits: 

• It is highly effective, water-based, has low VOCs and is odourless when dry. 

• It contains active ingredients effective against moulds, wood destroying and wood discolouring fungi as well as against wood boring insects. 

• It penetrates wood easily and thereby gets deep into the inner layers. 

• It is moisture regulating. 

• Up to five years lifespan

Should you wish to purchase your own wood preserver please take the below in to account: 

What is the difference between a TREATMENT and a PRESERVER? 

To be able to call a product a PRESERVER it must be registered with the HSE, contain active ingredients and display the HSE number. TREATMENTS can claim to protect the timber in other ways by using water repelling waxes, surface or film biocides and UV filters but these cannot claim to ‘preserve’ the timber.