Caring for your

Greenhouse

A greenhouse from Gabriel Ash doesn't need lots of care, but to make sure that your greenhouse lasts many years we have collected some useful tips.

Western Red Cedar Maintenance

As with any structure made from timber, good airflow and allowing the timber to dry out periodically is key, so routinely clearing any debris that has built up on the outside of the Greenhouse must be carried out in order to allow water to drain away fully and the wooden profiles to dry out.

Typically, with all timber buildings in general, some minor adjustment may be required to windows and doors to ensure their correct function due to settling over time.

General cleaning should be carried out regularly. We recommend twice a year, beginning and the end of the growing season, using warm water with a mild detergent (pH neutral solution) with a non-abrasive cloth to remove any dirt, soil and debris, whilst frequently changing the water.

Under no circumstances should aggressive, alkaline or acidic cleaners be used. After cleaning, rinse thoroughly with clean water, avoid using a hosepipe and completely saturating the timber.

Powder Coated Aluminium Profiles Maintenance

The powder coated aluminium profiles should require very little maintenance, using warm water with a mild detergent (pH neutral solution) with a non-abrasive cloth to remove any dirt, soil and debris, whilst frequently changing the water. Under no circumstances should aggressive, alkaline or acidic cleaners be used. Do not use steel wool or scouring pads on powder coated surfaces. As with all gutters, the gutter profiles will need clearing of any leaves or other debris periodically to prevent blockages.

Toughened Safety Glass Maintenance

The toughened glass requires no maintenance apart from cleaning when the glass is looking grimy to improve the appearance, using warm water with a mild detergent (pH neutral solution) with a non-abrasive cloth to remove any dirt, dust, or sand. Once you have finished cleaning the glass, use a soft microfibre cloth to buff the glass until it is dry to prevent smearing. A regular non-abrasive cloth will also work.

Stainless Steel Fixings Maintenance

Stainless steel is easy to maintain as it is resistant to scratches and corrosion, and it is easy to clean by simply wiping using a non-abrasive cloth with warm water and mild detergent (pH neutral solution) to remove any grime that has built up over time restoring it to its original appearance.B

Unlacquered Brass – Screws & Washers

The natural bright and polished finish will deteriorate once the product is exposed to the elements and regular cleaning with a soft cloth and quality brass polish is required if you wish to keep the natural appearance as it will naturally dull over time. The intervals between cleanings will vary according to location and usage but a wipe with olive oil on a cloth after polishing will help to increase the length of time before the next cleaning.

Lacquered Brass – Hardware

Regularly dust and periodically using warm water with a mild detergent (pH neutral solution) with a non-abrasive cloth to remove any dirt, dust, or sand. Lacquers are not a permanent finish and will wear off at a rate equivalent to usage and location, there can be no guarantee of its permanency or longevity.Once the lacquer has broken down if you wish to restore, remove the hardware from the Greenhouse, use acetone thinners to remove any remaining lacquer, it can then be polished and re-lacquered. Alternatively, leave the lacquer to naturally break down and maintain as explained in 'Unlacquered Brass - Screws & Washers' above.

Autovent Maintenance

The Autovent has two strong stainless-steel springs which assist in closing the vent when the wax cools. The springs also act as a safety mechanism. Should the vent be subject to a strong gust of wind on a day when the vent is open then the piston will disengage, causing the vent to shut. Once the winds have passed it is necessary to reset the Autovent manually.This can be done by lifting the flap by hand (working against the force of the springs) and realigning the piston rod with the hole in the bracket that is attached to the aluminium flap.

This video will take you through steps on how to care for the wood. It explains the properties of Western Red Cedar and how best to treat it should you wish to. Otherwise like most of our customers you will simply let is silver down.

This second video is with regards to the maintenance of the pistons. Pistons have a working life of about 2-5 years, after that they will need changing. However this video will show you how to check for dislodging of the needle and how to change your piston.​​​​​​​

This video explains how to fit your new Gabriel Ash blinds. We do find that over time the tensioning of the blinds can become slack and need re-tensioning. Follow this simple video and you will find your blinds will be restored like new.