Garden shed restoration

We love to use the products we stock to see how well they work and to ensure we can give our customers the best and most accurate advice.

We'll walk you through all the steps Steve took to turn his garden shed from weathered and bland to sturdy, vibrant, protected from the outdoor elements and visually welcoming. The goal was shed restoration rather than a quick makeover.

View the full video on our youtube, where you can see products and application methods.

'Before' photo of a garden shed, showing how it looked pre restoration

'After' photo of a garden shed, showing complete restoration

Shed Restoration step-by-step

1. Beginning

   Steve's shed, although not rotten, was very dry and hadn't been treated for a long time. After noting it was good quality and generally in good condition, he decided it was worth a restoration and preservation (rather than a quick makeover) in order to prolong the life of the shed. Initial photos show how weathered and dark the shed was and all in all unappealing, especially in an area of the garden where the outdoor dining area is.

2. Reviewing the imperfections

   The next series of images show the cracks and splits in the wood as well as exposed nail holes and knots which would all need to be addressed. The cracks had led to water getting into the wooden panels which over time the constant expansion and contraction had caused breakdown and degradation of the wood.

3. Sanding

   After initial testing, Steve decided to sand off all the remaining old finish/product to get back to a good stable surface.

4. Filler

   Next, 'Toupret Wood Filler' powdered filler was used to fill in the smaller cracks and nail holes. A 'slurry' of the product was made up to a brush-able consistency to enable speed on application. Using this smoothed out the surface and sorted the small to medium imperfections in the wood. This was applied by brushing it over with an old brush.
   

   

   

5. Sanding, again!

   Once the filler was all brushed over and dried, Steve lightly sanded it back to a nice smooth finish revealing all the filled imperfections and a new restored surface ready for final product.
   

   

   

6. Osmo oil protection and finish

   Next was choosing a product and colour. Osmo Country Shades was used due to its high UV resistance, great coverage and microporous finish. It is a heavily pigmented oil and has no need for a primer so can be applied straight onto the wood. It has exceptional durability and, being an oil, it sinks well into the wood. This was applied with a sturdy synthetic bristle brush once the filler and wood was dry. Ideally apply in temperates +10°C to 35°C. The dry finish is safe for humans, animals and plants! Check out our other post on exterior Osmo products by project: https://www.relicsofwitney.co.uk/post/osmo-exterior-products

7. Colour and oil application Steve chose the Osmo Country Shade 'Cucumber', but there are many colour options to choose from and sample boards of these colours in our shop. The first coat sunk into the wood well and the second coat gave the full depth of colour. The product looks especially shiny to begin with but dulls to a beautiful satin sheen after a few weeks as the product cures and hardens.
   

   

   

   

8. Final result The finished project achieved the goal of restoring the shed, using products to preserve it properly and withstand all weather conditions. Best of all, it used what was there rather than removing and buying new. The outcome? A beautiful shed (less of an eye-sore) making the space look welcoming and fresh.

*Please note no images in this blog post have been edited or enhanced, all colour discrepancies are due to natural lighting changes both indoors and outdoors (although we are grateful for the sunshine making an appearance in our 'after' images).