Dismantling a garden shed: How to do It safely
Whether you’re dismantling your wooden shed because it is on its last legs or removing it to make room for a brand new one, dismantling a shed should be approached safely and methodically. Rushing any aspect of the disassembly can cause accidents to occur, especially if your shed has started to rot and fall apart.
Follow our step by step guide on how to dismantle a shed safely and easily.
Remove Hazards
Make sure you remove all obvious hazards before you embark on your shed removal. This includes taking out any rusty or broken fixtures and screws, broken glass or rotting timber. You should also dispose of any excess debris in and around your shed, essentially giving yourself a clean and uncluttered space to work from.
Windows and Doors
Start by removing all doors and windows, this will make the disassembly of the rest of the shed much easier. For windows, you can use a crowbar to nudge the glass out of the frame, obviously being careful as you do this to avoid breaking the glass. Doors may need to be unscrewed at the hinge mounts, and all metalwork (hinges, locks etc) will need to be removed. Once all windows and doors are removed, move them away from the shed so that there is no risk of tripping over them or breaking them as you continue to work.
Roof
Next, it’s the roofs turn. First, take away any roofing felt, shingles or tiling on the roof carefully. Then, using a screwdriver or crowbar, start removing any screws. You will also need to unscrew the L-brackets that hold the roof brace to the sides of the shed. Once this is done, the roof should be easy to take off. The roof is heavy so be careful as you lower the material onto the floor, perhaps recruiting a second pair of hands to help. Also, be aware that the roof is the part of the shed that holds the structure together, so be careful as you remove each section to make sure the walls don’t fall down.
Walls
Now it’s the walls turn. These will most likely be held together by nails, both inside, outside and on the floor, where the base of the shed frame is attached. Start by removing these nails, beginning on the outside and working inwards. Or, for slightly older sheds, you may simply just need to use a crowbar to prize the wall slats apart. For extra support you can construct a temporary timber support that can be dug into the ground to hold sections of the walls whilst you break down others.
Floors
Finally, you should be left with the flooring. This should be easy to dismantle and remove.
Once your shed removal is complete, stack all material in a safe place within your garden, ready for disposal, and start assembling your brand spanking new garden building, choosing from our range of high-quality sheds at GBC Group.
Posted by Matt Jordan
