T&G shed walls... rain water seeping in grooves. Solutio

[Cocat2517]

Hi
I have recently put up a shed in my garden. It is the ore-constructed type where the wall panels are ready made and just need assembling together. The walls are tongue and groove boards.

However I have a slight problem. The T&G boards have been poorly put in place and many have slight gaps running the length of them. The tongue part has been pushed into the groove, but not all the way in, leaving a kind of exposed "shelf" where rain water gathers and appears to be drawn up into the join and sling the inside damp.

Sorry it's kind of hard to explain without photos, but basically what's happening is water is seeping in through the T&G board joins.

I need a solution to make it watertight. I've tried several coats of water based wood protector paint. I could use some sort if exterior polymer/ silicone sealant and fill every joint (would take a long time and ruin the look?).

One idea I had, was to get a good powder exterior filler that resists shrinking & cracking and mix it with the paint to create a paintable filler paste to paint into the grooves to seal them up. However would this only dry and crack when the boards expand & contract in the changing seasons?

Thanks for any help!

Pete

 

[Cocat2517]

Should also mention there are lots of knots in the wood and despite several coats of wood protector paint the rain water seeps in through the knots!

 

[scbk]

It shouldn't really be a problem, as the walls as vertical so should 'shed' the water easily.

Fitting a gutter may help.

 

[Cocat2517]

It shouldn't really be a problem, as the walls as vertical so should 'shed' the water easily.

Fitting a gutter may help.

It shouldn't be a problem, but sadly it is! The water is seeping in, in about 35 places (mostly knots in the T&G panels) on one wall alone! Maybe a good oil based wood paint will help the water run off before it can seep in. Any recommendations for this?

Have a gutter on front and back, but roof isn't sloped on sides so no need for a gutter there.

Thanks!
Pete

 

[big-all]

pictures please would be really helpful but suspect your solution will be new cladding

 

[Cocat2517]

I've considered re-cladding with new T&G boards as an option, but will be quite expensive. What about cladding over the T&G with 6-9mm plywood, treating it and sealing off the edges?

I tried the idea of mixing exterior powder filling with paint to make a thick pasty paint and painting it into the grooves. I did 2 coats, let it all dry and coated it with a coat of wood paint. It held out against the recent rain and is dry inside.

The exterior filler I used "resists shrinking & cracking" bit I'm wondering what will happen during the season changes when the T&G boards expand & contract, will the gaps just open up again, or are fillers like this flexible enough to wi stand a little movement?

I used Polyfila Exterior Filler... http://www.diy.com/nav/decor/decora...s/fillers-putty/fillers/-specificproducttype-
exterior_fillers/Polycell-Trade-Polyfilla-Exterior-Filler-PC4020000-Grey-9254281?skuId=9261980

 

[big-all]

t&g ship lap much much much better product
9 years on and no water penetration off any sort 3rd treatment off the outside this year to keep it watertight

i now have full insulation and a woodburner

http://s21.photobucket.com/user/bigall2005/slideshow/

 

[ntb]

If you're not bothered by the aesthetics, just cover it with roofing felt.

 

[Cocat2517]

If you're not bothered by the aesthetics, just cover it with roofing felt.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I'm quite bothered with aesthetics though, so don't really want to cover it in felt.

 

[scbk]

I would think it would be easier to extend the overhang on the roof than re-clad!

Is the shed in a very windy spot?

 

[ntb]

Give what you have already done, asking the supplier to replace as defective is probably a lost opportunity now so the only real option is to take it apart and redo it. You may be able to reuse the timber if you are careful and lucky but if they've used ring shank nails it would be easier to just replace the lot.

A second option is to clad it with feather edged (treated) boards.

The other option is to extend the roof out to cover the sides but then you will have to re-felt it.

 

[big-all]

adding a gutter if it hasn't got one will reduce the rain by a substantial amount
both from rain off the roof extra overhang giving protection