Flag Stones
Sharp Sand
50mm deep
CONCRETE BASE
75 mm of Concrete
laid on top of
75mm of
hardcore.
FLAG STONES
Slabs laid on 50mm
of sharp sand.
m
m
0
5
1
Concrete
75mm deep
Hardcore
75mm deep
When thinking about where the
building and base are going to be
constructed ensure that there will
be access to all sides for maintenance
work and annual treatment. This
building should be situated at least
2 feet away from any structures or
obstructions (such as fences, buildings,
trees etc). We recommend that areas
around playhouses have a soft
surface such as play bark or grass.
All garden buildings must be built on
a level, flat base to be erected correctly.
BUILDING A BASE
Tongue
&
Groove
Outside
of
building
Overlap:
This style of cladding is
very traditional and uses rough
sawn timber.
This gives the panels their
unfinished look and helps the
building to blend in to it’s
natural surrondings. When the
wood has dried through hotter
weather knots may become
loose, which is natural. Overlap
is an economic solution for
lower impact use.
*Please Note:
When assembling some may mis-
allign, this is due timber expansion
and contraction, cloaking strips are
supplied to hide this however it will
not the construction or integrity of
the building.
CLADDING STYLE
Shiplap Cladding:
This style of
cladding allows the timber to
interlock giving greater strength
to the building. It also creates
a smoother finish and continous
lines throughout the panel. Due
to the natural movement of
wood the lines between tongue
and groove panels may not
marry up.
PANEL ORIENTATION
It is essential to ensure that the panels of your
building are in the correct orientation. Assembly
in the wrong orientation may lead to water
ingress and deterioration.
BOARDS OVER HANG THE EDGE OF THE FLOOR
In most cases the lower edge of the panels
overhangs the floor of the building and the panel
is fixed to floor with screws through the frame on
the inside of the panel.
PRODUCT MAINTENANCE CHECK LIST:
Wooden Sheds / Playhouses / Summerhouses
Level Base:
A firm level base and protection from moisture penetration is key to
maintaining the building.
Seal The Windows:
Use a silicone sealant on the inside and outside of the windows as soon
as possible after assembly is a strong way of sealing the windows.
Annually Treat The Building:
Treat your building after construction with a good quality water
resistant treatment. Repeat this process annually inside and out.
The Building Must Not Be In Contact With Anything:
Overhanging hedges or trees must be cut back regularly as a branch
may pierce the roofing felt or glazing and would allow water ingress.
Regularly Check / Replace Damaged Felt:
Check the felt regularly. Any damaged felt must be replaced.
Lubrication:
Use a suitable oil to lubricated all moving parts, such as hinges, for
continued propper use.
TROUBLE SHOTTING GUIDE
Pre-Assembly
Q: When is the best time to apply treatment?
A:
To truly cover all parts of the building, that will be exposed to the elements, you should
treat your product with a high quality wood treatment before assembling the building.
Q: What type of base should I use?
A:
You must lay a solid flat / level base. Failure to do so will result in your building fitting together
incorrectly. We highly recommend a properly laid and flat and level concrete or flag stone base (see Building a Base section of this instruction
document).
Q: I have glazing / fixing kit missing. What should I do?
A:
Firstly check that all of your building’s parts are there by laying them
all out on the ground. Check between the panels / larger parts as the glazing comes banded together and is placed between the panels, along
with the fixing kit, for safer transportation. If they are still not found please visit our Support Centre - www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/help
Q: What tools do I require?
A:
Drill with 4.5, 3 and 2mm drill bit / Hammer / Spirit Level / Measuring Tape / Screwdriver (Phillips) / Stanley
Knife / Wood Saw / Step Ladder.
Q: Are my window & plain panels interchangeable
?
A:
On apex buildings the window & plain panels are interchangeable where they
are the same size or make up the same size panel as the opposing wall with more than one part.
Q: Can I have my personnel door on the other side of my building?
A:
Yes.
During Assembly:
Q: How are the windows fixed to the building
?
A:
This process depends on the individual building. Please read the instructions to find
out which method your particular building uses.
Q: Which way do the joists run
?
A:
This process depends on the individual building. Please read the instructions to find out which way the
joists run.
Q: My building seems a little flimsy
?
A:
Your building won’t reach full rigidity until fully assembled so do not panic.
Q: Construction seems tricky
?
A:
Take your time and read the instructions thoroughly. These buildings should be constructed by two people.
If in doubt seek professional help.
Q: The felt seems a little tight?
A:
To reduce waste, to help protect the environment and reduce costs for our customers we only supply the
required amount of felt or roofing material.
Q: My building isn’t going together properly, it is twisted.
A:
It sounds like you are building on an uneven surface. You must build
on a flat / level base for your building to fit together correctly.
Post-Assembly:
Q: Why is there a gap around the doors?
A:
During the year the wood of your building will shrink and expand, which will create a gap
around you building’s doors. This is natural.
Q: My building is not water tight around the windows. A:
These products have been designed as an affordable solution to
most popular light domestic uses and we do not state that they are water tight. Use silicon sealant around the windows to improve the water
resistant qualities of the building.
Q: My building has developed a leak
A:
Use silicon sealant to stop the leak and make sure that your building is not in a damp area and if
necessary move it and replace the damaged boards.
For Queries and Help please call Product Support:
01777 802300
Use the dimensions that are on the
techincal details documentation for your
specific building to workout the required
dimensions when laying your solid base.
Do not forget about the roof overhang when
chosing your building location. Keep in mind
where the roof will finish and how you will
maintain the building.
FLOORLESS BUILDINGS
For buildings that are bought without
floors please go to this webpage to
download the
NO FLOOR GUIDE
which
will guide you in building a base for your
floorless building:
Call 01777 802300 for advice on Floorless building
BASE DIMENSIONS
EXTERNAL
EAVES
HEIG
HT
EXTERNAL
RIDG
E
HEIG
HT
EXTERNAL
WIDTH
EXTERNAL
DEPTH
BUILDING DIMENSION TERMINOLOGY
When fixing
WINDOW CLOAKING
STRIPS
over two
glazing panes
make sure not to
pierce the glazing
beneath.
To reduce wood splitting
BLUNT ALL NAIL
and
PANEL
PIN POINTS
by hitting them
with a hammer before
fixing window parts.
In hard to reach areas when
glazing and fitting
CLOAKING STRIPS
try using a hammer and 6” inch
nail to fix the nails and pins.
When fixing
WINDOW
BEADING
get your nails or
pins fixed in the beading
away from the glazing
before final
positioning.
TIPS ON GLAZING YOUR BUILDING:
1
2
3
4
5
Use a piece of
CARDBOARD
to protect
the glazing when
fixing
WINDOW
CLOAKING STRIPS,WINDOW
BEADING
or
WINDOW
CROSSES.
