Are garden log cabins water resistant is a query we got asked all the time here at See range here .
The brief simple answer to your query is an unquestionable yes!
Why would they not be?
Well,let’s take a look at some of the plausible issues with a log cabin which would make the log cabin not water resistant and fairly honestly not fit for purpose.The main thing to appear at immediately is the roof,that’s where you would visualize the main trouble would start (this is not always the case but that’s where we will start today). The main trouble with the roof would be to have the felt or shingling to not be set up correctly. This is fairly easily done if this is something you have never done before and why it should always be tackled by a specialist particularly if you are putting in a lot of your hard earned cash on a log cabin.
• Make certain that the overlaps are overliing in the correct way. You should always start felting at the bottom of the building and felt upwards. By doing this you ensure that the felt overlaps on top of the piece of felt that is further down the roof. This will ensure there is a natural run off of the water,if you start felting at the top of the roof and you put the overlap from the bottom pieces over the top of the felt higher up when the rain works off it will work underneath the felt and therefor bring about a leakage. This is just exactly the same when doing shingles,make certain you install from bottom upwards.
• Make certain the overlaps of the felt/shingles are fairly generous. You don’t want them to be just barely overliing because this could bring about rain to get between the felt sheets and this will bring about a leakage
.• Make certain you use more than enough felt nails. Ideally you want to be spacing the felt nails around 6 inches apart from each other. Always do this on both sides of the felt and dependent on the quality of the felt you are using possibly put another row of nails in the middle,possibly two rows but again this depends on the quality of the felt. Failure to put enough felt nails in there could result in the felt blowing off during a bad storm which would then leave your building exposed to leakages.
• It is also important that when you reach the overhang of the building with the felt you tack the felt to side of the roof but DO NOT tuck the felt underneath the overhang of the roof as this limits the natural run off of the water. This can bring about early rotting of the building and in some cases bring about the roof to leak around the top corners of the building as water could build up.
• Make certain you use the right size fixings. If the roofing system boards on your building are let’s say 10mm,you don’t want felt nails of 16mm. Doing this would bring about the felt nails to come completely through the roof. This would not appear cosmetically pleasing and would also be a real possibility of a leakage in the building. They way felt is now designed,there should be a watertight seal around the nail but throughout the seasons with wear and tear this may fail resulting in a leakage.
• The most generally overlooked area on a log cabin building is the felt or shingles on the roof. This is mainly because we can’t see it most of the time and it’s a lot more difficult to get up there and have a look,but this is just exactly what you should do and I would strongly recommend at least once a year or if you notice a leakage. Because log cabins are not built as high as the normal house and the felt and shingles aren’t fairly as tough and durable as a normal house tile they require a little more focus. They are exposed to more elements on a daily basis because they are lower,this can result in a number of things from falling debris from plants,or another example would be a kids’s toys getting thrown up there which would all bring about harm to the felt/shingles. Not to mention lots of bird droppings can rot the felt if it is in an area where natural rain can not pass through it to create a natural run off and cleaning system (for example if your log cabin sits under a plant).
timberdise garden log cabins install all of our log cabins,we do this because we know you are investing a lot of cash into a log cabin and you want it to be around for a long period of time. So the best way we can ensure this occurs is to take care of the installation and make certain it is set up correctly. We’ve been out to repair log cabins in the past built by non-skilled people and if the building is not put together correctly then number one it won’t be safe but also it could bring about a failure in the building to be water resistant.
A prime example of this would be that the logs haven’t been built correctly on the walls. This would then bring about the log cabin to differ from the design as it was intended to be. At this point when the roof was set up there might be spaces between the roof and the wall. Openings could also appear on the walls of the log cabins themselves and in some situations if the initial build of the log cabin was so bad you would have no choice but to take down the log cabin and rebuild it.
This is why Timberdise Garden Buildings install all of our log cabins so you don’t have this to worry about. As you can visualize if there is a space in the wall or a space between the roof and the wall this would leave the cabin open and it would most definitely leak which is what we want to avoid at all costs.
I also want to bring focus to the floor a second. Having your log cabin set up on a proper ground base is a must. That could be a Timberdise ground base,concrete base or a paved area. As long as they’re flat,level and solid you should be ok. Be mindful of where you put the cabin,don’t put it anyplace that is at risk of flooding as just like the house that you live in. If the water level rises and there is no escape for it then the log cabin will flood,that is regardless of how thick and tight your logs are.
Lastly let’s talk about sealants around the windows and doors. Make certain after you have treated your cabin you fit the relevant sealants around the doors and the windows. The cabins don’t come with these fitted as standard,this is so you can treat the cabin first and then apply the sealants afterwards. By not fitting the doors and windows with sealants then there’s a chance rain could pass through the inside of the cabin,which again is easily fixed by applying sealants.
In addition,at times particularly during the winter months,condensation can materialize inside a log cabin. This is normal due to the cabins not having any insulation fitted,it is not a leakage and can be fairly normal. We recommend at Timberdise to get a dehumidifier if you have electrical access in there and leave it working during the colder months. This will help take moisture out of the air and further increase the lifespan of your cabin.
If you stick to all the above suggestions you should have a leakage free cabin for the duration of its lifespan which can supply unlimited enjoyment and relaxation.Always remember prevention is much better than the treatment.