Whether you use it as an office, a relaxing space or a simple storage space, keeping your summerhouse looking good is a high priority, but what better way to improve its durability than with the addition of guttering? To ensure that your summerhouse lasts longer, look to installing guttering with the advice below.
Table of contents
- Does a summerhouse need guttering?
- How to prepare a summerhouse for guttering
- How to fit guttering to a summerhouse
Does a summerhouse need guttering?
As with any building, guttering supports the lifespan of the roof and the building itself. So by installing guttering to your summerhouse, you can help prevent water from running down the sides of the building. Without gutters, your summerhouse can be at risk of losing strength and stability in the structure over time.
Even with the use of roofing felt, the lower half of the summerhouse walls may not be as well protected as you’d expect. Especially during windy weather, which could direct the rain towards the walls as it falls towards the ground. As such, adding guttering for summerhouse use can reduce this happening and help it last longer.
Maintaining guttering can be simple too. You can find out how via ‘How to clean gutters“.
How to prepare a summer house for guttering
Similar to installing guttering on a shed, you will need to identify where you want the water to run off. Typically there are no drainage systems in place to ensure a suitable discharge of water. So you will need to do one of two things:
- Direct the water into a water butt
- Drain the water onto the ground that is sloped away from the summerhouse and nearby buildings.
If either of these options is not possible, you will need to position a downspout that extends around a metre out from the summerhouse. When the guttering has been installed this can prevent surface water from pooling.
You will also need to identify the direction of the fall before installing the summer house guttering. You can do this by placing a spirit level on the side of the summerhouse. Look at the summerhouse and note any sloping. As water flows downhill, you can use the sloping angle to identify which direction you will need for the fall.
What do you want to install the guttering onto?
This is important to consider as it is referring to the process of how to waterproof a summerhouse. Do you want to install the guttering directly onto the summerhouse wall or, instead, onto a piece of fascia board around the edge of the roof? The guttering can be installed regardless of what you choose. You can find out more about guttering via the ‘Guttering buyer’s guide‘.
Now onto the installation!
How to fit guttering to a summerhouse
Here is some guidance on how to install guttering onto a summerhouse. If you need to know the different parts of the gutter, look to our ‘Guttering buyer’s guide’ to familiarise yourself with the parts needed.
What you will need
- String or plumb line
- Marking tool (pen/pencil)
- Brass or zinc Screws (25mm x 5mm) when fitting fascia brackets
- Drain outlet
- Downpipe
- Downpipe brackets
- Stop end
- Offset bends (recommended)
- Lubricant (if the guttering is PVC)
- Hacksaw
Step one: Take a length of string or your plumb line and mark where the gutter will sit on the summerhouse, making sure to add a slight fall towards where the downpipe will be located. This will improve drainage efficiency. Ensure the position of the string/plumb line on the wall or fascia is at intervals at a maximum of 3ft – this will be where gutter brackets will be installed.
Step two: Mark the screw locations of the drain outlet or the brackets that will hold the drain outlet. Install the drain outlet where the downpipe will be located. Once you’ve done this, drill pilot holes and attach a drain outlet to the fascia or summerhouse. Make sure this is fitted no more than 50mm below the level of the roofline.
Step three: After installing the drain outlet, you will need to install the brackets that hold the rest of the guttering in place. To do this, make sure joint brackets are installed where two pieces of the guttering meet. This creates a watertight seal.
Note: You might need additional support brackets to keep the gutter secure and level. If so, mark where the support brackets will go on the guttering at 3ft intervals. You can then mark the screw holes and pre-drill them into these before attaching the brackets as necessary.
Step four: Gutter systems need a stop end placed on the guttering bracket at the far end of the downpipe outlet.
Step five: Use your hacksaw to cut the guttering to the correct lengths and, if using PVC guttering, apply lubricant to the cut ends of the guttering. This will make installing and joining guttering sections easier. Once ready, you can slide the guttering sections into place in the brackets and they should simply snap into place.
Step six: Attach the downpipe to the drain outlet using downpipe brackets on the side of the summerhouse to ensure the downpipe is securely placed. The lowest of these brackets will need to be at least 1.5ft above the surface of the ground if there are no water butts in use. Brackets above the first bracket must be placed no more than at 3ft intervals.
It’s worth noting that you may need to include offset bends in the downpipe installation to direct water away from the summerhouse and into a water butt. We’d recommend installing a 112.5 degree offset bend pointing outwards from the summerhouse with a short section of downpipe at the bottom. This will ensure water runs away from the summerhouse and does not pool next to the summerhouse building.
Need a shed for additional storage of garden equipment or other items? Check out our sheds and summerhouses via our range at Door Superstore. You can also contact our friendly customer service team for support using our helpline or live chat service for advice on your purchase or general enquiries.
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