Garage

[Hedd_Jones]

as noted. It takes a long time for a concrete base to dry out. Ive got a seven in what is basically two garden sheds nailed to each other end on end. one of the shed is a lap type one. The other T&G. It even has a OSB floor.

Its the driest shed i've got

[Nigel Ricardo]

I bought a new tongue and groove wooden garage last November, as I wanted it to look as new timber I treated it with 2 coats of Barrettine clear wood preserver from Toolstation, water just runs off rather like glass treated with Rainex.

[Tiger]

Thanks for all the suggestions.
As soon as the storms finish and the wood is dry I will seal it.

[Chris KC]

Step 1 with damp problems is to determine whether it's leakage from outside or condensation from within.

[Martin Prior]

Hi Tim.

As I think you know, timber buildings are the other half of our activities.

Wood is a particularly suitable material for garages, as the timber should draw moisture out of the air, keeping the inside very dry indeed.

Don't attempt to seal the timber; this will only make matters worse.

How recently was the concrete floor laid? Does it have a damp-proof membrane?

Had the weatherboards been allowed to dry thoroughly before use? Tanalising injects a huge amount of water into the timber; we normally leave tanalised boards drying for at least a month in warm weather before using them.

Do the boards lap over the edges of the base?

What is the roofing material?

Feel free to phone or email me. Too late to sell you a building, but I'm happy to help if I can!

[Tiger]

Martin
Many thanks for a comprehensive reply.
My cladding was supplied soaking wet,I left it drying inside for 3 days.
However during the construction we had a massive amount of rain/storms which wet the timber.
With the current weather intermittent rain it is difficult to know what to do.
However since your comment “not to seal” I will wait and hope for better weather.
If at a later date I apply a sealer to the outside is it possible for the timber to dry from the inside ?
Regards
Tim

[Martin Prior]

It sounds as though wet timber is at the root of your problem. 

If you can, leave the building with the doors (and windows, if fitted) wide open for as long as possible over the rest of the summer.  Hopefully, you won't experience excessive shrinkage.

Once the timber is fully dried out, treat the exterior with a solvent-based preservative such as Cuprinol or Ronseal.  These days, you'll only find this at a proper builders' merchant - DIY stores only sell the useless water-based equivalent.  

I would seal the concrete floor, but again, give it a few weeks to dry properly.

If you have a timber roof, that should be fine.  If it's made from something like corrugated steel or plastic, I'd consider lining it with plywood.

Hope this helps!