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Sustainable Living

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:52:57 GMT

How to make your garden sustainable.

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Tanalised Timber

kelvin@cheshiresheds.co.uk (Kelvin Newman) — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:42:41 GMT

Tanalised Timber and how it is processed.

Tanalised timber and pressure treated timber are actually exactly the same thing. They both refer to wood that has been specially treated with a mixture of chemicals to make the timber more durable and long lasting. This treatment is done under pressure which forces chemicals into the wood (thus “pressure treated” wood), and generally involves a chemical called Tanalith E (thus “tanalised” wood). Tanalith is a brand name of the chemical, the actual chemical used in the process may be a relation of Tanalith E, but one that gives the same result.

Wood that has been tanalised or pressure treated will be more resistant to rot, fungus, mould, and insects, as well as hardier in extreme weather conditions.

How Long Does Tanalised Timber Last?

That’s difficult to say since a lot will depend on how timber is treated. A shed that’s on top of a windy hill in a very cold climate might not last as long as one in the sheltered corner of a garden. But circumstances aside, tanalising timber should mean that the wood is rot proof for a good number of years.

How Do I Treat Tanalised Wood?

You do not have to treat tanalised wood, though it is recommended for a couple of reasons. Firstly, your timber will last longer if you choose to do some maintenance. Secondly, tanalised or pressure treated wood tends to change colour over time. If you wish to avoid wood turning grey as it ages, then treating it will help.

It’s recommended that you treat your timber with a tanalised timber treatment that you can buy at most DIY stores. This treatment simply paints on over the wood and is simple to use. For the first year of ownership, you shouldn’t need to do anything. After that, an annual coat of treatment will keep your timber looking good and mean that you get much more wear out of it.

Can I Paint Tanalised Wood?

Absolutely! Painting tanalised wood not only makes your garden look great but also gives the timber an added layer of protection, which can only be a good thing. However, you do need to be careful when painting pressure treated timber.

You cannot paint freshly tanalised wood, since moisture in the timber will mean that the paint won’t stick properly. You’ll need to buy some pressure treated wood preservative and paint that on to seal the wood first. These preservatives do vary, so make sure to read the instructions. These instructions should tell you when it’s appropriate to paint on the preservative, how many coats you need, and how long you need to wait before applying paint.

Is Tanalised Timber Waterproof

Tanalised timber is not waterproof, so it is still subject to the natural expansion and contraction as the moisture content in the surrounding atmosphere changes. It advised that a water repellent (clear or colour) treatment is applied to not only maintain the appearance of the building but also to help to exclude moisture being absorbed by the timber surfaces and causing it to leak.

How horses can help with mental health and other illnesses.

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 08:22:09 GMT

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It’s been a well-known fact for decades that horses are amazing animals for our wellbeing. they acquire qualities unique to other animals. They are not only beautiful and fun animals, but they are also known to understand and respond to human emotions. This is why equine assisted therapy (EAT) Has been so popular for years more so in the last 2 after coronavirus ripped through the world stopping normality for most of us.

Studies across the world demonstrate that spending time with horses can help us think more positively and make us happier.it is also vital that we appreciate these magical animals by ensuring that their living situations match their natural instinct. Looking after your horse will ensure that it looks after you and that is where I believe the chemistry happens.

Horse riding can also be the perfect solution for exercise to help us stay healthy, both physically and mentally. With the added benefit of physical contact with our horse. Having a long horse ride in the countryside will expose your mind to outside surroundings, helping your mind wind down it will reduce heart rate, blood pressure and other stresses then feelings of anger and fear are reduced, then you can find your calm self and enjoy.

Even if you have never been horse riding this should not stop you.as riding lessons are a great way to build our self-trust and understand these amazing animals, boost confidence and is a great way to get us back out in the fresh air.

Here at Cheshire stables, we are not just a business but we are a close knit family with multiple horses being owned throughout. And have seen firsthand the joy horses bring to our lives and livelihood.

Mental health awareness helped with equine assisted therapy..

Working from Home versus the Office.

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 08:06:21 GMT

Now covid restrictions have ended the number of people still working from home is considerably larger than before the pandemic.

The benefits of working from home are well documented – no more (often long) commutes, no travel costs, reduced over heads, increased productivity and more flexibility being some of them. Technology has made it possible for us to stay connected to the office and communication between colleagues can be more effective with less interruptions than can happen in the workplace. Employers have also benefitted from allowing staff to continue to work from home either on a full time or office/home split basis not just due to the reduced costs and increased productivity, but it has been suggested there are fewer sick days taken from people working from home which can only be good for both the business and staff wellbeing.

So while we can all see there are advantages for working from home it doesn't suit everyone. Some employees might prefer the routine and structure that a workplace environment provides them along with the interaction with other colleagues. Someone living on their own for example may find home working isolating without the face-to-face contact of a workplace. Support required to complete the job role may feel harder when not working alongside a manager or other colleagues. Not having the physical space required to create a suitable dedicated working area can have a negative effect as can household/ family life interruptions.

A hybrid approach can provide a solution, splitting time between home and the workplace and while the kitchen table became a temporary office the need for a dedicated workspace is on the up.

A garden office/building can provide a dedicated workspace and come in lots of shapes and sizes so you can choose one that doesn’t overwhelm the space you have available. https://beaverlogcabins.co.uk/garden-buildings/garden-offices/

Spring 2022 in Northern Hemisphere will begin on Sunday20 March

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:49:56 GMT

Sunday 20 March and ends on Tuesday 21 June

March 20 ^th is the start of Spring or Springtime as it is also known. Longer days, lighter nights and some better weather will soon be with us (we hope). Personally I favour the meteorological calendar as spring starts on March 1 ^st – the sooner the better for me.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/seasons/spring/when-does-spring-startcalendar

So with the promise of better weather a lot of us start to look towards venturing out more and also spending time in our gardens and personally I can’t wait.

“Spring” while referring to the season also lends itself to the ideas of renewal, rejuvenation and regrowth and where better to put that in to practice than in your garden.

Whether you are green fingered or not, a lot of enjoyment can be had by spending time outside in the garden and it can be good for both our physical and mental health . It can also help you to get fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle whilst making your garden a lovely environment you will want to spend time in.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/health-and-wellbeing/articles/why-gardening-makes-us-feel-better

To make the most of the space you have available (large or small) we have a range of buildings including Tool and Bike storage, Apex and Pent sheds and Summerhouses . Our advisors can help you to choose something that is both practical and stylish for your garden.

For all your garden building needs please visit www.cheshiresheds.co.uk

Raw material prices are set to increase to UK record levels.

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 14:40:08 GMT

Just when we all thought things are getting better and prices of raw materials are stabilising.

Due to the horrific Russia Ukraine conflict, raw materials are set to hit a record high and beyond.

We don’t buy Russian wood or products and ethically will not take any Russian goods offered to us.

We all know of suppliers who take big volumes of Russian wood, we also know they are scrambling and actively searching for alternative supply routes.

Latvia is also implementing huge hits on price increases (up to 30 – 40%).

There will be pressure on the industry with both stock, supply and prices certainly affected moving forward, however we are committed and will continue to offer support to you throughout 2022 and beyond. We continue to source from regions which we have good trading partnerships with.

Fact - Russian wood (with immediate effect) is no longer (legally) available to the market which is pushing everyone to buy from other contries and this is having a huge affect with supply and demand.

Cheshire Stables are in a strong position and will manage whatever changes are ahead.

We will do our best to keep the cost affordable without compromising the quality we are well known for.

So please dont read this as a sales ploy we are very committed to our customers and hope you buy smart.

The jet stream is moving closer to the UK putting the country in line for further big storms

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 10:51:08 GMT

The jet stream which has brought storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin in the space of a week, has sped up considerably in the past 140 years putting the UK in line for increasingly severe storms in the future, a study has found.

The jet stream is a fast ribbon of air which flows around the globe at about ten thousand metres above the Earth’s surface and plays a key role in storms and temperature patterns.

Researchers have found that it sped up by 10 miles per hour, or 8 per cent, to an average of 132mph between 1871 and 2011, driven by climate change.

Furthermore, they found that while the winter jet stream over the North Atlantic, Europe and Asia has always moved about, it has gradually moved northwards during that period, by about 205 miles (330 km), taking it closer to the UK.

“A stronger jet stream makes storms more powerful and its orientation roughly determines the track of the storm,” Samantha Hallam, from of Maynooth University in Ireland.

“Significant increases in winter jet latitude and speed are observed over the North Atlantic, Europe and Asia.

“These changes are consistent with the decreasing temperature and increasing pressure gradients observed between the equator and the Arctic over the period, and likely associated with the warming Arctic winters,” added Dr Hallam, who worked on the research in her previous role, as a PhD student at Southampton University.

This is the longest regional study of the northern hemisphere jet stream and the trends observed are potential indicators of climate change, this was published in the journal Climate Dynamics.

We need to now act to ensure our livestock is safe and Stables and Shelters are not destroyed in future storms.

Speak to our sales team to discuss measures that can be taken to help against the ever changing UK weather.

Please ensure you take out reputable insurance on all of you external equestrian buildings.