Here at The ShedBlog, we have been hearing about a lot of unconventional methods of vermin proofing lately. We decided it might be time to chime in and let you know why most of these are a terrible idea and could void your steel warranty! Here’s what to avoid to vermin proof properly.
Steel Wool
Using steel wool to “Plug” the profiles of the wall sheets is an opinion we have seen thrown around a few times. While this is a “quick fix”, it’s also a very temporary solution. Steel wool is not designed for the humidity and conditions at the bottom of a shed wall. Steel Wool rusts and will cause staining and accelerated corrosion. Stainless Steel Wool is not compatible with Colorbond or Zincalume steel. It will cause “tea staining” if exposed to water and will accelerate corrosion to the wall sheeting due to a phenomenon known as “galvanic corrosion”, especially if you have penetrations nearby. Vermin such as birds and mice will also pull materials such as steel wool out.
Expanding Foam
Expanding foam is a popular choice among DIYers and quick fixers, and we can’t figure out why. In theory, it sounds great, just point, spray and forget. The side of this coin that rarely gets a mention is the mess, the clean-up, having to trim the expanded foam, the brittleness once it has sat in heat and cold a few times and the ease with which rats and mice will chew it to pieces. It may work for a little while but we guarantee the quick fix will create a much bigger problem when it comes time to clean it off and try something else. Expanding foam may void your warranty as Bluescope Steel refers to contact with chemicals other than approved substances as a deal breaker.
Pouring the slab inside the wall sheets
This is one we have been hearing a lot lately and it is possibly the worst option for your new shed and will cause the most significant damage to your new shed. Concrete corrodes shed walls, with the walls being installed before the concrete they are exposed to extremely fast corrosion caused by the wet concrete reacting with the steel. This is most often seen with cheaper shed quotes and sub-par shed builders. The savings made in the beginning will be negated well and truly when you have to replace shed wall sheets due to corrosion. As well as this, once the concrete sets, it shrinks leaving a gap around the perimeter of your shed for dirt, dust, vermin, water and embers to enter your shed. It’s a cheap and nasty option used to cut corners and save costs and should 100% be avoided.
Mrs. C’s Shed had the slab poured inside it and it was rough around the edges and blown out under the sheeting and gaps still remained.
Mrs. C said… “I’ve included photos below to show what we’ve done (wish I’d found your website first). We’ve glued ‘aluminium – right angle’ around the bottom edge as it was very gappy and we used builders grade Sikaflex adhesive/sealant and pop rivets to secure it…. because of this, I’m most interested in your Retroseal Rural product as it seems the best solution to fix the gaps. Also, I need something for the roof /wall area”
Foam infills
While foam infills are readily available for a multitude of shed wall profiles and sizes, they are not a quality solution. There is no guarantee that they will fit snug due to wall sheeting stretch. They might “come close” but is close enough, good enough to vermin-proof your shed? While also having an inadequate fit, they are extremely soft, meaning vermin can chew through them with ease. Foam Infill, often degrade fast, get pulled out by vermin and if they hold water, will cause damage to your sheeting and flashings.
Mr B from the Gold Coast said… “I’ve recently had a 12x12m shed built and tried the foam infill stuff out from Bunnings, unfortunately, it doesn’t work as the gap is just slightly too large from the concrete slab to the wall. I found your product online and it looks great”
Bitumen Paint
Bitumen paint is one of the more particularly nasty options used to vermin-proof or waterproof a shed. While it seems innocent and a good fix for the issues, it is possibly one of the worst options. Adding bitumen paint to your wall sheets will void your sheet warranty. If any corrosion, paint cracking etc were to occur on your wall sheets, you would be liable for the full cost of replacement, which as you know, is no small amount! Bitumen paint is also not an effective waterproofing option unless it is applied correctly which includes surface preparation and knowledge of petroleum-based paints. Bitumen paint is extremely difficult to get a neat finish on and will always look out of place on Colorbond wall sheets.
Mr A.H said “Hi, I have a water issue with it seeping in through the bottom as the sheets of tin are sitting on top of the slab. I have used silicone, bitumen paint etc. but still have issues. I was wondering if the Retro Seal would help with this problem. or something else you would recommend?”
As you can see from the stories and images above, vermin proofing is no easy feat and is absolutely best supplied by professionals. ShedBlog has a wide range of products to suit almost any application. They are proven time and again to be effective, reliable and easy to fit for most DIYers.
Take a look at the full range and see how ShedBlog can help you renovate, repair, rebuild or extend your steel building.
