What Makes a Dorset Log Store Special

All our timber products are made of Swedish Redwood that has been treated against fungal and insect attack by the Tanalith-E® process (pressure treatment), a modern, environmentally friendly treatment to prolong the life of your new purchase.

We therefore offer a 15 year warranty with all Dorset Log Stores against fungal attack and rot. This modern treatment means that, because there are no harmful chemicals involved, this timber can be disposed of through landfill or by burning as any other untreated timber.

Although the timber is pressure treated and ready for life outdoors you still need to care for the timber to ensure long life e.g. removing moss, lichen or algae growth, and we recommend that a wood oil like Restol is applied to the timber annually.

All our timber is Swedish Redwood, a slow-grown timber from the very north of Sweden. We source this timber ourselves from one family mill so we can ensure and maintain quality and standards. Our supplier carries certification from the Forest Stewardship Council of Great Britain (FSC).

The sides and base of your Dorset Log Store are made of planed, ex-1" (ex-25mm) thick timber on a sturdy framework. The base is made of ex-1" framed timber mounted on strong bearers, to support the considerable weight of the logs.

There is a ¾" (19mm) gap between each board to ensure an adequate airflow to remove the moisture from your logs in the shortest possible period.

For all our Timber Stores we use plated & painted Decking Screws and Stainless Steel Fixings during construction and assembly. The Decking Screws are double plated and then painted. This protects the metal from galvanic corrosion with the copper salts in the pressure treatment. We dont use normal unpainted screws that are only plated because they will start corroding straight away. This also occurs in Cedar and Oak timber.

We have made sure the roof of your log store is designed to shed the rain and shelter your logs.

We offer different roof finishes to suit your home and the aesethically pleasing look you want to achieve.

Many of the Log Stores we offer can have this option and you can select this when adding your Log Store to the basket.

On the right here you can see close ups of the roof types and you will find more images with each Log Store design to show the finished effect.

The T&G Shiplap Timber Roofs are made of ex-1" (ex-25mm) slow-grown Swedish Redwood tongue and groove shiplap. This is machined in Sweden especially for us to our own profile specification and then pressure treated for longevity. It really is the best of this type of timber that money can buy!

Our Slate-effect Tiled Roofs are made from a BBA certified polyester resin composite, approved for use on residential houses. These are screwed to a 12mm marine plywood base. We think these are so effective and you really would not know they were not Welsh Slate until you touch them.

Our Cedar Shingle Roofs are Canadian Western Red Cedar, and again, BBA certified for use on houses and fully treated against insect and fungal attack. These are also secured to a 12mm marine plywood base. They will give a nice rustic effect to your log store.

The fixings for our roof boards are made of stainless steel, again to protect against corrosion. Galvanised fittings will corrode in Tanalised timber and the brown streaks you see on ordinary sheds and fences are evidence of this corrosion.

For the new 2018 Stronghold Range of Stores we use Hand-Curved Steel Roofs that are produced specifically for our designs. The steel is galvanised and then polyester coated in dark grey to last for many years. We add a plastic trim to the edge of the roof to to give a nice finish.

For the new 2018 Patio Stores we have found a very tough recycled polypropylene option. This is very strong, yet lightweight, solid sheet in a silver grey colour.

Your Dorset Log Store should be placed in an area with good airflow to ensure the efficient drying of your firewood. It should ideally be stood on a firm, well drained surface; coarse gravel is an excellent surface for this. Failing this, a concrete base that is well drained or paving slabs will also be fine.

Avoid placing the wood store on grass or soil surfaces if you can, however, if this is unavoidable you can put pieces of slate or concrete slabs, for example, between the bearers and the grass it will be very beneficial to ensuring the longevity of the bearers.

This is to ensure that the bearers are not sitting in water or on wet grass for long periods of time. The bearers of the base of the log store also need to be evenly supported across the whole base. Your logs and the store may weigh several tons when full, and wet!

Your Dorset Log Store carries a 15 year warranty against rot and fungal attack to the timber; however, this does require you to follow the above criteria particularly pertaining to the airflow and drainage of the ground it is standing on. The timbers are all pressure treated but do need to be cared for to ensure maximum life.

Your logs should ideally be open to the elements at the front of the store to aid air flow and leave at least a 2inch (5cm) gap between the back of the log store and wall. The open side does not have to face the sun as it is all about air movement, not direct heat.

If we do make doors for your Dorset Log Store these are mainly to be used to create a storage area for tools, equipment, kindling etc. Sturdy, smelter-galvanised, Brenton bolts are fitted to these doors so they can be padlocked if required. Adjustments to any bolts and fastenings may need to be made over time as timber will shrink and expand over the seasons.

Our pressure treated timber has a slightly green finish to the wood when first manufactured, but after exposure to sunlight this will quickly tone down to a golden brown/silvery grey hue. This in no way affects the longevity of the timber in your Store, it is a natural process.

If you wish to paint or stain your log store you can do so, we suggest the use of micro-porous stain or paint to ensure that moisture cannot become trapped in the timber structure of your Dorset Store.

If you would like Dorset Log Stores to paint your log store for you, please call 01300 345916 and we can discuss colours and give you a quotation, or email timber@dorsetlogstores.co.uk.

We would use Dulux Aquatech Professional paint, or Farrow & Ball, if you would like us to paint the store for you. If wishing to paint the store yourself then we can also recommend good quality brands like Sadolin and Cuprinol.

We do advocate following our Timber Care Advice to ensure you get the best life from your Timber Garden Store.