TEN of the best ways to protect your garden shed from winter's severe weather have been drawn up by BillyOh.com, the online garden building and furniture retailer.

The company says regular upkeep is the key to avoiding costly damage. Here are BillyOh.com’s ten tips to winter-proof your shed:

1. A lot of sheds are sold untreated, so you can decorate them to your own taste, but treatment will protect them from harsher weather. Oil-based treatments, for example, soak into the timber and give long-lasting UV protection.

2. Place your log cabin or shed at the highest point in your garden. If your plot is flat, use bricks or a platform to raise it at least two inches off the ground, and use a gutter to direct any water away from your shed.

3. Place the building away from trees to avoid leaves falling onto the roof and blocking the gutter or drains.

4. Check the inside and outside of your shed roof and resolve problems such as rusty nails, black mould, sagging materials or dark spots.

5. Toughen up your shed door hinge by replacing screws with nuts and bolts. Secure the nut to the bolt with superglue on the inside of the door.

6. Seal windows both inside and out, and draught-proof your shed by installing foam insulating tape.

7. A major cause of rot in garden sheds is rising damp caused by ground water being absorbed into the floor. To stop unwanted moisture, maintain a barrier between the ground and the floor of your shed.

8. If you’re not likely to use your shed in winter, open the windows and doors every now and again in dry weather to increase air flow and get rid of stagnant, moist air.

9. Keep perishables such as paper, cardboard and material off the floor and walls of your shed, to allow the timber to breathe.

10. The darker months are the perfect time for thieves to creep into your back garden, so deter criminals by investing in a hasp and a strong padlock, or even fit an alarm.