Does My Wooden Shed Need Repair or Replacement?

A well-constructed wooden shed, most often with vinyl siding, can last 40+ years, with maintenance, as needed, along the way. This is quite a good return on investment! Amortized over 40 years, the cost becomes insignificant, but the utility of your shed over decades will have been invaluable. wood shed

When repairs are at a point where replacement is being considered, it’s important to thoroughly understand the issues to determine the best course of action. wood shed

Included below are scenarios when your shed likely needs to be replaced:

Rotten flooring wood shed

Most often, the floor of a shed rots because the builder installed the shed on the ground. This is not a good practice and any company that builds in this way is a company that you want to avoid. Sheds need to be elevated off the ground so that water runs under the shed, not through and around the shed base. A shed should also not sit directly on the ground because soil holds moisture. Even pressure treated lumber will not last 40 years on soil, so the lifespan of your shed will be cut short due to improper construction practices.

When sheds are constructed, the walls sit on the floor. As such, when the floor and floor joists have rotted, it’s time to replace the shed. It is possible, though not easy or cost effective, to lift the roof and walls off the floor, replace the floor and floor joists, and move the shed onto the new floor., but it’s likely more cost effective to get a completely new shed.

Presence of mold

Mold grows on surfaces that have been exposed to moisture for some time. With sheds, this can occur when roofing shingles are not replaced in a timely manner, when the shed is installed on the ground and when siding has come off and not been repaired.

Mold spores are quite dangerous to breathe and if your shed has mold, you should significantly limit the amount of time that you spend in the shed. Recent research indicates that mold is more dangerous than asbestos.

Animals have moved in

No one wants animals in their shed. While this can be remedied early on by finding and sealing their access point, when animals have been living in the shed, it should be replaced. Animal urine, feces and saliva all pose health risks that can only be remedied by replacing all of the shed parts that animals have touched.

Holes in walls

When holes in walls have gone unnoticed and either animals have moved in or mold has formed, it’s time to replace your shed. If you discover the issue early on, a hole in the wall can be repaired.

Ideally, you want to inspect your shed once or twice a year to ensure that there are no leaks, no rotting boards and no animals living in it. Saying on top of these potential issues will help to ensure that you’re in a position to address problems before they become unrepairable.