What on earth is the ‘Wobble Test’?
At Garden Shed Reviews we talk about the wobble test in most of our reviews, so we thought it was important to put together a brief article explaining what it is, why it is important and why you should take it so seriously!
The Wobble Test is a fundamental test invented by Garden Shed Reviews way back when. It is a critical test for all shed builds and a foundation which we can benchmark sheds and garden buildings on. We think it is important that when you are building a shed or garden building you get accustomed to how it works, how to ensure you do it correctly and understand the importance of it.
Basically, the Wobble Test ensures that the shed is built as the manufacturer intended. We appreciate that unless you have been personally trained by us in how to perform the Wobble Test you may not know whether or not the shed should pass or not. That is why at Garden Shed Reviews we do that for you. If in our article we give the shed or garden building on review the Wobble Test pass mark then you know what to look for. Upon completion of your build if the shed doesn’t pass the Wobble Test you know you have done something wrong and need to re-visit the build.
It involved approaching the shed or garden building from several sides and points and giving it a firm Wobble! If the shed doesn’t stand up to the firm but fair Wobble then there is a good chance it’s not going to last. Below we outline exactly how the test works.
How the Wobble Test works
Step 1
Stand at the corner of the front right of the shed, place a firm hand at the joint of the roof and side pieces and give the shed or garden building a firm but fair Wobble. Not too hard that you are trying to be the Big Bad Wolf, but not a feeble Wobble like you are waking someone from their sleep. The shed needs to stand up to the British weather which can be windy and testing, we are giving it an initial test that it will stand up to this!
Repeat this to all four corners of the newly erected shed.
Step 2
Standing at the front of the shed place your hand under the front of the roof, take hold with a firm hand and again begin the wobble. You should feel the roof and front panel solid and stand up to the Wobble Test.
Step 3
This is the final part in the Wobble Test. In this step, we test each door in turn. If this is a wooden shed, hold the door at the non-hinge side give it a good solid Wobble, ensuring it doesn’t flex on its hinges and move. If this is a metal or plastic shed there will be slight movement but make sure it is within tolerance.
Now what?
So you have finished the Wobble Test! Congratulations, fingers crossed the shed or garden building passed with flying colours, if not it should now be clear what needs adjusting, which panels, which screws need tightening, etc. Our famous Wobble Test has been designed, tried and tested to ensure you can identify issues quickly and easily in the post build phase.
So if all went well what’s next? Well, it is simple. You go inside, make a cup of tea and stand to admire your new creation. Tell anyone who’s passing, anyone, who visits and anyone in the house to come and admire your creation. You have just built this amazing structure, it will be a feature of the garden for years to come and you should be proud of your achievement.
The grand finale
Not always but with most of the sheds and garden buildings, we review you find that the manufacturer has included a couple of spare screws and fixings. These are to be treasured, kept on a mantle piece or shelf in your house. When people ask what on earth they are and why they have pride of place. You can take them outside, show them your creation and explain how proud you are of your achievement.
Training
If you feel you could benefit from official Wobble Test training, please get in touch. Our team will be happy to go through the test in full with you and ensure you are performing it correctly.