Summerhouse / Garden Office Wood Repair - Advice please

[Al3x20]

Hey team,

Can anyone suggest how to fix up this garden office.

1. Inside: corner is cracked and you can just about make out daylight. Woodlice are roaming around!
   
   
2. The ends of some of the rear beams have rotten away.
   
   
3. Rotting of rear beams, depth 1”. Thinking Ronseal Wet Rot Hardener.

I’m also considering repainting the whole thing using Sadolin Supadec...

The summerhouse is over 5 years old but we don’t have an installation date from the previous owners.

Any help much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[JohnD]

Show us the gutters and downpipes.

 

[Al3x20]

There are none! And the top beam and top side beams have started to rot (top left of photo).

 

[Notch7]

log cabins with interlocked joints are a stupid design for this damp country -water traps should be designed out, not be fundamental to the design.

personally Id be thinking of chopping off the overlap joint and screw a 2 x 2 post internally to provide strength.

 

[JohnD]

that's the cause of your troubles then.

No point is those little decorating fixes

Do the gutters and downpipes first to prevent futire wet and rot

I'd suggest a large square post on the inside, in the corner, and large bolts to fix the boards into it to hold them straight and reinforce the corner.

When the wood has dried out and is absorbent, scrape away all the rot (a wire brush and shave hook will be useful) and drench damaged the timber with multiple coats of spirit-based wood preserver (not stain) to kill and prevent rot and insect attack.

usually around £25 per 5-litre tin. Shake and stir well before andduring use.

Cuprinol Clear Wood Preserver is good, but there are similar own-brands, some of them coloured.

I have used Wickes own-brands in the past, bu the product range tends to change every year.

Look at the labels and the safety data sheets before buying. Timber preserver is deliberately poisonous so use gloves, goggles, mask, washable overalls, and clean any splashes off your skin at once with a rag moistened in white spirit, followed by soap and water or washable hand cleaner.

Afterwards, you can fix vertical trim boards on each face of the corner to hide the damage

 

[JohnD]

personally Id be thinking of chopping off the overlap joint and screw a 2 x 2 post internally to provide strength.

yes, but I had in mind a 4" fence post or similar. The boards are very heavy.

 

[JohnD]

Because of the way the boards slot together (T&G) it will be quite difficult to take out a damaged piece and insert new. I suppose you could do small patches and cut away the inner part of the groove.