[mumofstig]

I have managed to get a shed from next door that was going to be thrown away. It is clad with feather edge board. This is dry and loose with age, so needs refixing.
Do you reckon I should fix the boards back with nails or small screws.........I can't decide between the 2 so thought I'd ask here.
what is best to treat it with? it is very dry and I want something that will preserve it a bit, not just give it a bit of colour. It was done with that green 'stuff' last year and it doesn't seem to have helped at all
I need to refelt the roof, so may line the sides as well to make it a bit more draughtproof for down the lottie

[Gwiz]

Nails for me. Easier to put in.
As for presevative, I rather like good old fashioned creosote, it smells nice too!

[Dilly Dom]

Can you still get creosote?  Some reason thought it had been banned?  But I too rather liked the smell of it.

[CDave]

You can get creosote from Agricultural suppliers. If I was using nails on very old featherboard I'd drill a small pilot hole first. Depends what size nail you are using - but there is a risk that boards will split and a pilot hole might prevent that.

[Yorkie]

It is illegal for amateurs without the correct licenses to use creosote these days, unless for the purposes of re-creosoting something previously creosoted.

It has carcinogenic properties and has been frequently discussed on this forum.

We cannot endorse or advocate the illegal use of products so please do not suggest it further.

[mumofstig]

don't worry, Yorkie, I wouldn't have used it...can't stand the smell  ..but understand the need for the comment 

[Gwiz]

At my local hardware shop, they sell a product called Creosote substitute. Works like creosote, smells like creosote, looks like creosote, and so probably is something very like creosote indeed. I'm not going to say it is creosote because I can't be bothered to argue about it, but in reference to what I said earlier, I always use that.

[jimbeekeeper]

At my local hardware shop, they sell a product called Creosote substitute. Works like creosote, smells like creosote, looks like creosote,

Does it taste like creosote??? :blink:

Only kidding!

[Gwiz]

Not tried tasting it, it's no "doubt" carcinogenic, like creosote

[noshed]

The water-based stuff you get in Homebase etc hardly smells at all and comes in nice colours. I like the green...

[Lardman]

Paint the boards with whatever "brown wood preserve"   ) you may have in the shed first,  do it a couple of times if the wood has dried out it will be very thirsty.

Im not a fan of feather edge, it tends to dry badly and oval wires pull out, Id grab a packet or 2 or annular ring nails, they'll hold better and will be far less likely to pull through when the wood drys out.

[mumofstig]

hey...I'm not a fan of feather edge, but when it's free, all prefences go by the wayside
will look at recommended nails and trawl through SILs garage to see if I can even find some kind of free preservative.....thanks all