Weather proofing a run. Pics?

The bane of my life right now.. The rain is pouring, the wind is howling and the run is open to the elements. Does anyone have any photos of what they have done so I can get a bit of inspiration?

I need to attach guttering to the shed as when we get a massive downpour the shed gets wet! It would be easier if the run was away from the shed but unfortunately that can't happen.
My bf thinks we need some wood by the shed, tarp attached to that and pull it over to the ground, peg it down and have extra guttering attached between the shed/run and tarp so it doesn't drip down (which is why the shed gets so wet). It is what Charley has similar with her hutch and run and works well, but being a shed it's much more difficult grrr!

Here is the run -



Here is the inside of the shed after bad rain -



The tarp I have can't really be attached now as we have fly mesh around the run (although still not finished the last 2 panels) as the only way it would stay on was with bricks and they would fall onto the mesh so it would rip the fly mesh.

It's driving me up the wall! :lol: Fortunately they're being smart and spending most of their time in the shed!

I use a tarp and wire ties (little food-bag or garden ties) but that wouldn't be suitable with the fly mesh. Your pegging method sounds best, to be honest!

Where does the rain get in to the shed?

keletkezes said:

I use a tarp and wire ties (little food-bag or garden ties) but that wouldn't be suitable with the fly mesh. Your pegging method sounds best, to be honest!

Where does the rain get in to the shed?

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I did have toggles but the wind blew the tarp around so much they were splitting. For the hutch and run now I use 3 of those things you pull pegs out of the ground with :lol: Work perfectly though, they just stick through the tarp holes and hook onto the mesh. So much better than bricks as the rain just runs off. Shame my attempt to do the same with the shed didn't work

It's just under the window, right where there is a split along the length of the shed which happened after a very hot then very cold/rainy spell last year

I found last year even in wind and gales, i used thick builders polythene, draped over the run and weighted down at both ends by slabs... It was fab, didnt leak once which was immense.....

We have to renew it this year, i only have tarp just now and its useless as it leaks

Very interested in this thread, am having similar issues although we have no shed as yet. But could you screw a wooden baton to the shed about a foot above the run, so you can then attach some sheets of corrugated plastic, ending just over the open side of the run? You could maybe then put the guttering just under the bottom and attached to the run.

You can probably tell I'm not great at diy

Also wondering if wood filler then some kind of sealant on top would sort the split.

My friend suggested silicon sealant in big gaps.. It could sort out the worst of the gaps.. doesnt look great but will serve a purpose...

My bf wants to seal it too and I think it's probably best, hopefully that helps!

That's a great idea Fee, even if we do that temporarily it will mean they have a fairly dry run and my fly mesh won't rip and be useless :lol: Just need to find an 8ft long bit of wood to put by the shed to protect the mesh!

That's a fab idea too Louise, I really want corrugated plastic and do what you said but my bf is against it because of it possibly splitting :roll: but Charley is getting two pieces on her run to stop any driving rain or harsh winds, the sides get a bit wet when the wind gets involved with the rain!

Aly&Poppy<3 said:

It's just under the window, right where there is a split along the length of the shed which happened after a very hot then very cold/rainy spell last year

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Mmm, I understand! I would use wood filler to fill it as that acts more like wood than normal sealant and will bond with the existing wood better. Or pack it with small bits of wood first if the split is very wide. Then, you could attach a windowsill maybe? That would divert a large amount of rain out and down and away, but not enough it would drown the buns! A slope of about 20° downwards would probably work, maybe 2-3" wide and along the whole window.

Fee said:

I found last year even in wind and gales, i used thick builders polythene, draped over the run and weighted down at both ends by slabs... It was fab, didnt leak once which was immense.....

We have to renew it this year, I only have tarp just now and its useless as it leaks

Click to expand...

My tarp leaks a bit too: I blame the other half for putting brambles and hawthorn on it! Still better than the cover the run came with though