Thought I’d ask the STW forumites for advice – I seem to trust you more than the ‘average web user’….!

Getting my lad a playhouse for his birthday (he’s referring to it as his Lab – awesome!):

It comes with a factory preservative, but it’s suggested it be preserved before building.
It seems the way forward is to use a ‘primer’ coat, then the actual colour coat we want.
Can anyone recommend a decent, long lasting primer and colour product to use?
I got some good advice from here when it came to products to use on indoor wood, and am hoping for the same on this bad boy!

Cheers!

DrP

I used to be a shed errector, and always recomended the shed floor undernaeth was treated with multiple coats of wood preservative, oil based, not the water based emulsion crap, creosote/cuprinol or something similar.

Then prepare the base, ensure its flat Put 2 foot flags along both sides of the base,running in the direction of the wooden bearers again plenty of wood preservative,put base on bearers and screw through base into them to anchor it.

This keeps the “Lab” off the floor and allows air and water to drian awy underneath.

Errect shed, and treat with Cuprinol clear wood preservative, allow to dry then another coat, and alow to dry, then a few coats of oil based paint to whatever colour you fancy, beware of getting woodstain/preserver/paint on the perspex windows as it may well melt them.

Oh and a tin of clear varnish on the inside applied with a 3 inch paint roller works wonders and allows the inside to be wiped clean.

either replace or cover the roofing felt with some that’s made of a material up to the job – we’ve one quite like yours and the felt was very quick to fail

For the roofing shed felt, also place some pre treated wooden battons down the roof from the top of the apex downwards to help keep the felt down then treat the whole roof to a few coats of Flat roof repair paint.

Dont forge a decent lock on doors and windows or curtains if you keep anything inside the Lab.

I treated my boys playhouse with SuperDec. Available from Crown Decorator Centres. I thinks it’s Crown / Cuprinol owned.

It’s opaque, not clear or “stain”, but you can have it tinted using the mix system. Pretty much any colour. I painted it over previous Garden Shades rubbish, quick scrub with a wire brush, no primer, two coats. Job done. Still looks like new 10 years on.

Not cheap though.

As well as the preservative, the way you situate the lab will make a big difference to how long it lasts. How many sheds have had the floor and base rot, while the walls are still solid.
Raising it above the surrounding ground by a couple of inches will mean it should never sit in a puddle of water. Whether it is on paving slabs or concrete, make this raised base exactly the same size at the footprint of the lab, so that when the building is on it, no rain will ever land on the base. A damp proof course between the concrete and wood will help too, as long as water cannot sit on top of it.
Guttering and a water butt will also help it last longer.

I’m planning on laying out a wooden base similar to this:

To place the ‘lab’ on. I’ll make it bigger than the footprint so that it has a portion of decking in front of it!
This should make it level AND prevent water ingress into the base.

Thanks for the suggestions – I’ll look into the superdec and think about the painting options!!

DrP

Treat the sections before assembly

Whats the black corrugated stuff that’s on some shed roofs instead of felt? And is it any good?