by Mark Bailey | Nov 13, 2014 | GardenLife Magazine, How to guide
In the UK, the greatest enemies of a timber garden building are moisture, rot and wind. And in winter, of course, the nation’s garden rooms, summer houses and sheds are subjected to more wind and rain and than ever. If you want a garden building to look just as good the following spring as it did the previous September, you need to do some winter-proofing.
Most jobs on the winter-proofing list are simple common-sense rather than anything technical. First, there are some one-off jobs to do – maybe once a year; then there are a few things to check regularly throughout the winter. Without further ado, here’s our seven point plan on how to protect your summer house in winter:
1. Renew wood treatments
All timber garden buildings need to be treated against rot, moisture and insects, using wood preservative treatments. If you buy a cabin from GardenLife, we advise you to do this as soon as you construct it. Depending on what product you use, you will then probably need to top up the treatment every 3-4 years – but we recommend that you lightly sand and treat your garden room or summer house at least every second year (ideally once a year for ultimate protection). Most wood treatments need to be applied in dry weather, so ideally you will do this before the rain sets in for the winter.
2. Provide ventilation space
One way to protect your garden buildings from damp and decay is to let air circulate freely around them, so that the wood can dry out and ventilate. If you have shrubs and trees close to a summer room, cabin or shed (especially if they are evergreens), cut them back before winter so that they’re not growing right up against it – allow a good foot of ventilation space. Also cut back any trees or branches that could pose a risk to roofs or windows – strong winds could easily cause branches to rip your roof felt or crash through the roof.
3. Check window seals
If you have an older shed or summer house, check for gaps around the windows, where water could seep in. It could damage the contents of the building, as well as lead to damp problems in the timber, so fill the gaps with silicone, wood filler or timber beading before any damage occurs. Strong wind can sometimes force water between the glass and the timber, so if you spot water pooling (or dry water marks) at the foot of a window pane it would be advisable to silicone around each pane for added protection.
4. Check the roof
Roofing felt and shingles don’t last forever, and depending on how exposed the site is they may need replacing every few years . Check them annually, and fix any problems before water gets through. Also, regularly check the roof after storms or winds – they may have loosened or damaged the felt. Look for signs of water inside the building as well as just looking at the outside of the roof. If your garden building is in an exposed area and subjected to strong winds that regularly damage the roof, consider adding a layer of waterproof roof membrane before replying shingles or roofing felt – this will help keep the building watertight even if shingles or felt is ripped off by strong winds.
5. Check the drainage
If the base of your cabin is slightly uneven or doesn’t allow water to drain properly, rainwater may pool around the base of the walls. This can lead to wet rot in the timber, and cause subsidence and warping. As well as having decayed timber, you will find that doors and windows no longer close properly. Before the worst of the weather sets in, try to sort out any drainage issues and look at ways to prevent water pooling. Consider replacing paving slabs with gravel, or chiselling groves into concrete.
6. Clear out the gutters
One source of water around the base may be the roof. If your shed has gutters, make sure they are clear of leaves, so that rainwater can flow where it is meant to. Clear them regularly throughout the autumn and early winter – it only takes a few damp leaves to block gutters and cause overflows in the wrong places. And on the subject of leaves, clear away the ones around the base of the shed too. Piles of wet leaves will stop water draining, and if leaf litter is left to build up against timber walls and doors it reduces air circulation under the building and can increase the chances of rot setting in.
7. Snow clearing
Finally, if there are snowfalls this winter, clear the snow off the roof of any garden buildings. If your roof is steeply pitched, the snow will probably slide off anyway, but you could give it a helping hand. Flatter roofs may take some more work, but it is time well spent – neither the weight of the snow nor its wetness will be good for your roof.
As we said, there’s no rocket science involved in how to protect your summer house in winter; it’s just a matter of simple checks. At our end, we do as much as possible to weatherproof our cabins by using dense timber and pressure-treated foundation joists, but however good and well designed your summer house, some additional winter-proofing each year is certainly worthwhile.
by Mark Bailey | Oct 23, 2014 | GardenLife Magazine
‘Flat pack’, ‘self build’, ‘DIY kits’ and ‘self assembly’ are all-encompassing terms. They cover extremes such as a simple piece of flat pack furniture bought from the local DIY store, or an entire kit-house that you are expected to build from the foundations up.
The same vagueness applies when we talk about self build in the context of garden buildings, such as sheds, summer rooms or a garden office. It could refer to a self assembly DIY kit (complete with detailed instructions and pre-assembled parts), or, at the other end of the spectrum, to something you design and completely construct yourself (without any assistance or technical support).
We’ve seen some beautiful examples of the latter – from rustic log cabins in Estonia and the US, to miniature Gothic follies in British back gardens, but complicated self build projects take time, patience, and pretty advanced woodworking expertise. But because of the DIY skills required for self-build-from-scratch, we’ve also seen a few disasters too – from self-designed bike sheds that crumple at the first sign of high winds, to draughty self-built summer houses with warped doorframes and leaking roofs.
For most people, therefore, ‘self assembly’ is probably the most practical approach to building your own garden summer house. You’re more likely to end up with the garden building you daydreamed about, without the problems that can emanate from selecting the wrong timber, fittings, joints or design.
How do self assembly garden buildings vary?
There’s a huge choice of self assembly garden buildings nowadays – including summer houses, pavilions, garages, and gazebo DIY kits. They come in flat pack form, for ease of transportation and delivery, and are designed to be assembled by people with an unremarkable level of DIY experience.
The contents of these kits vary from supplier to supplier however, so it’s important to check what you actually get, the level of DIY experience that you need, as well as the tools for the job. And different designs may require different levels of expertise and manpower – assembling a timber carport DIY kit is a different kettle of fish from erecting a multi-room holiday cabin, where several people may be required for the job.
It’s unwise to generalise across all self-build kits for garden buildings, but to take the example of a typical self assembly garden room design from GardenLife, the kit would include:
- foundation joists, pressure-treated to protect from moisture and decay, and roof purlins
- wall logs, roof and floor boards, all pre-cut to the correct size
- door and window frames, again cut to the correct size, as well as windows and doors with hinges already fitted
- all fittings necessary for the assembly, including fixing materials, locks and keys, door handles
- easy-to-understand instructions for the build
Depending on the design of the garden room, the DIY kit may also include other elements such as storm braces, roof shingles, metal door sills and metal water gutters. This means that there’s no need to worry when you see the terms ‘self assembly’, ‘DIY kit’, ‘flat pack’ or ‘self build’ on one of our products; they really are designed to be built by people with basic DIY skills and tools.
If you’re still unsure about tackling the installation of a garden building, don’t worry. GardenLife Log Cabins also have a range of even easier-to-assemble garden rooms, which are modern, modular designs. These are constructed from Quick Fit framing and cladding, which are supplied pre-assembled. You can watch a video showing how two people assemble the fairly limited number of parts in one of these buildings.
What’s not included in a GardenLife self assembly DIY kit?
Another way to look at self assembly is to ask about what’s not included. A GardenLife self-assembly log cabin takes care of most of the difficult thinking such as: how to design a building that will survive British wind, rain and damp for year after year; what’s the best type of timber, screw or door hinge; or how to construct a timber roof when you’ve never built a shed before. But there are still some things you need in place already:
- a firm, secure foundation for the building
- a basic tools, including drill, screw driver, spirit level, hammer, saw and a step ladder
- wood preservative treatments, so you can treat the timber as soon as possible
- depending on the roof type, possibly some Soudal roof sealant (normally under £5 from any good DIY store)
- someone to help you erect the cabin, since we usually recommend that two people are needed for the construction
And if you don’t have those things, or are not sure about any of these elements? The answer at GardenLife is to talk to us. We can advise on foundations, wood treatments, which self build design would probably suit your needs best, and any other questions and issues.
We also offer our own construction service, if you want to omit the self-assembly element. Our team can do all the graft of assembling your summer house or garden office kit, and can even in some cases customise elements such as wood thickness, doors or windows. All you need to do is get in touch.
by Mark Bailey | Oct 10, 2014 | GardenLife Magazine
Desperate to get your kids away from the TV this half term? Here are some holiday tips
Children of the 1970s and 1980s may remember being forced to watch a TV show called Why Don’t You Just Switch Off Your Television Set and Go Out and Do Something Less Boring Instead? Various precocious children (including Ant and Dec) would suggest alternatives such as craft and magic tricks. Their ideas never seemed that interesting.
The 2010s version would probably involve switching off Snapchat or the PlayStation, but otherwise the parental agenda remains similar: enticing the kids away from the screen and into the great outdoors during school half term. GardenLife have therefore pulled together some holiday ideas that parents (and their children) have recommended; hopefully they will be of use this half term, and during future school holidays. So without further ado, here are some ideas on how to keep kids entertained during school holidays:
Best holiday activities for under-sevens
If you want to drag a younger child away from CBeebies, create them their own garden playhouse – some garden canes and a big bed sheet will work a treat, or if the budget allows, how about a wooden playhouse for more prolonged enjoyment? Paint it in the bright colours that bedeck children’s TV programmes, and theme it according to the child’s current obsession – whether that’s pirates or Peppa Pig.
The other attraction of a playhouse is that children can spread out their toys without colonising your sitting room, and spillages won’t ruin your sofa. Kids love tree houses too, but not all of us have trees big enough to support one (or the DIY skills to build one). The perfect solution is a playhouse on stilts!
Best way for kids to burn off energy outdoors
Opinions vary about trampolines. Children tend to be enthusiastic, but adults worry about safety. Most accidents happen when more than one person is on the trampoline, so set some basic rules about how it is used. One thing that isn’t debatable however, is that using a trampoline is great exercise!
Best garden entertainment (other than a trampoline)
If you don’t like the noise from a trampoline, how about a kids timber play frame? They’re safer than a trampoline, but more interesting and sociable than a single slide or swing. Adding an element such as a tower or a ladder greatly increases the possibilities for pretend games, and if installed on a lawn or rubber play mat then they are extra safe. Be on the lookout for play equipment built to European safety standards EN71-1 and EN71-8, and if you’re environmentally conscious, check for the FSC symbol. All GardenLife play equipment meets such safety standards and is FSC certified, being built from sustainably managed timber.
Best for a break from taking selfies
Parents tend to like the idea of projects, and children will buy into them as long as they don’t sound too worthy. As nearly all kids have mobile phones with cameras, a photography project can be as quick or protracted as you like, with ideas such as:
- a photo safari in the country, the local park or just the garden
- a challenge to take photos of 10-20 different types of insects, birds, flowers or anything else
- a family photo competition for the best nature/wildlife photos
- a competition to take the most unusual photo (such as textures or unusual views)
Best ideas for a change of scene
Camping holidays are great, but vulnerable to weather. And many of the best camp sites are booked weeks in advance. Far easier is some spontaneous backyard camping (or glamping). Children can sleep out alone, without parents getting in the way, and there’s no need for them to struggle with camping stoves or carrying their own food. They simply turn up in the kitchen for breakfast.
If you want to push the boat out, you could always invest in a barbecue hut. The kids would love something like this come rain or shine, plus adults can take over in the evening and use the hut for BBQs and parties.
Best way to sell the idea of a walk
Most children find walks boring unless there’s a purpose or some entertainment. Team up with friends who have a dog, and that’s the entertainment taken care of, especially if it likes fetching balls. Older children may even be may able to earn a few pounds by doing some occasional dog walking for friends – an even better way to persuade them to go outside. Alternatively combine the photography project mentioned above with a hike outdoors.
If you want other ideas for ways to get children outside, take a look at the National Trust’s great list of 50 things to do before you’re 11 ¾.
by Mark Bailey | Sep 15, 2014 | GardenLife Magazine
There may be too many property programmes on TV, but the annual Shed of the Year competition, just finished on Channel 4, is worth watching. It’s feel-good TV, a tribute to British eccentricity and resourcefulness. It’s also a tribute to the joy of the ‘project’– whether it’s a mosaic of 50,000 shells in an air raid shelter, building a pub in your garden, or pursuing a dream of building the perfect birdbox.
How do you build a Shed of the year?
Many of the buildings in Shed of the Year are self-built, using salvaged materials. But not all of them. The winner of the 2014 Summerhouse/Cabin category was a flatpack cabin, turned into a beautiful ‘Caribbean retreat’ through paint colours, fabrics, plants and holiday mementoes. So a cabin from our website could be a great starting point for a future Shed of the Year entry.
It could also be a great starting point for a new job, hobby or way of life. As Sid, a shed graffiti artist who won the Workshop category in Shed of the Year 2014, said, ‘A shed has given our family a whole lot of freedom … it’s a nice lifestyle we’ve got’. Sid also said, ‘Sheddiness is all about being different, individual and quirky’. And even if you don’t have the time, tools or skills to build your own Gothic folly, a flatpack garden cabin can still be unique and personal.
Start with flat pack or self assembly
How about building your very own perfect garden bar, for cocktails, home-brew, or family barbecues?
The Cumber flat pack garden bar, with its fold-down counter, can be customised in various styles from beachcomber to 1950s Americana, and our Lochy self build garden pub also has a large serving hatch at the front, and is popular as a garden drinks bar. And one of our customers is using the Lovat summerhouse as an elegant drop-in Pimms Bar at a holiday park.
Or perhaps you have just retired and finally have time to devote more time to a hobby? Take a look at Tweed Extra with windows on eight sides and 360-degree views – it would make a wonderful hide for watching birds and other wildlife in comfort, or an observatory for amateur astronomers. Or Grace, with a large covered area where a shed graffiti artist like Sid could use spray paints without fumes building up, but without having to worry about rain.
Customise an existing garden building
Adding further scope for individualism is the fact that at GardenLife we can customise many of our designs. This includes adding windows, increasing window sizes, or increasing wall thicknesses. We even have a full bespoke design service if you want to personalise further.
So think of the designs on our website as just the start of a process. Just because a design is labelled as a summer house, it doesn’t mean you have to use it as one. And if you see a cabin that is almost what you’re looking for, but not quite, then ask us about customising it.
And most of all, let your imagination run free. When you see a garden building on a website, it’s sometimes hard to visualise how you could personalise and decorate it. So use events like Shed of the Year or the GardenLife Pinterest page for inspiration – whether you prefer the ease and convenience of a flat pack design or want to search in a skip for materials to upcycle, you’ll find some amazing ideas.
by Mark Bailey | Aug 18, 2014 | GardenLife Magazine, How to guide
The vast majority of GardenLife’s buildings come with a pressure treated timber base, but one of the fundamental rules for any garden building is that you need firm, level foundations onto which you can secure your base. If the ground beneath the summer house or log cabin is uneven, the screw holes on the walls may not meet up properly, and the walls may distort, with individual timbers opening up or bowing outwards.
Uneven or unstable foundations can store up future problems too. Subsidence may cause timber walls to warp, making doors and windows fall off square. You may also experience problems with leaks and damp.
So, preparation is everything when it comes to choosing the best foundations for a summer house or log cabin, and there are various options available, the main ones being:
- concrete
- paving slabs
- timber decking
Unfortunately each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, so there is no single right answer, and some foundations suit different garden building types and sizes.
Concrete foundations for a summer house?
The usual advice for concrete is to put a 7-10 cm layer of concrete above 7 cm of compacted hardcore. Having the foundations raised slightly above the ground level encourages water to run off rather than pooling around the base of the summer house. If you’re planning on buying a smaller summer house, concrete foundations may be a little excessive as you may be able to use paving slabs or decking instead. Concrete foundations are however suitable for larger, heavier timber garden buildings such as log cabins and more sizable garden offices.
Pros: Concrete foundations are permanent, stable and non-shifting – this is especially important for larger buildings. It also allows for very sturdy anchor points to which you can secure the timber base. The concrete can also provide the floor for workshops, storage sheds and garages (which can make the purchase of a garden building cheaper, as there’s no need for a timber floor).
Cons: Concrete is not an eco-friendly option as its production causes a significant release of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas). Other disadvantages include the fact it is relatively expensive compared to other bases (especially if you have it laid professionally). And finally, it does not allow water to drain away, so the timber at the base of the cabin may suffer damp problems. Nevertheless, despite the problems, concrete foundations are a popular and low-maintenance option for log cabins, and the potential problems with damp timber can be avoided with careful maintenance of the building and sensible treatment of the timber.
Paving slab foundations for a summer house?
Paving slabs can be laid on a base of sand and cement, with anchor points at the corners. The slabs should be evenly laid, and firmly butted together. Having them raised slightly above ground level will help water to run off. Paving slabs are best suited to smaller garden buildings and are not recommended as a foundation option for large log cabins.
Pros: A foundation of paving slabs is relatively easy to lay, and they can make an attractive patio area in front of a summer house or log cabin. Like concrete, they are low-maintenance, and stable, however, they are easier to remove than concrete if you want to redesign the garden.
Cons: Like concrete, paving slabs don’t allow water to drain away, so there can be problems with damp if rain pools around the building. However, using wood preservation treatments on your summer house can protect against damp and rot. If the ground below the paving slabs is not stable (if they’re placed directly onto grass, gravel or soft soil), they may subside, causing problems with warping.
Timber decking foundations for a summer house?
It’s possible to build your cabin on foundations made of secure, level timber decking, with a weed-proof membrane between the ground and the timber. The timber must be pressure-treated to withstand damp. Concrete anchor points at the corners can be used to secure the building, or the pressure treated timber base can be screwed directly into the decking foundations. Timber decking is attractive and works well with summer houses and log cabins of most sizes.
Pros: The decking can be used to create a verandah area, so it can look highly attractive. Ridged decking allows water to run off, helping prevent damp problems around the walls of the building. The space underneath the decking allows air to circulate and prevents damp from rising.
Cons: Timber decking may not be suitable for larger cabins. A small area of decking in front of a summer house may not cost much, but to extend decking under an entire garden building (where it will be completely hidden) can push the price up. Even with pressure-treated timber, regular maintenance and wood treatment will be necessary, with an annual wash a treatment with decking oil necessary.
If you are considering purchasing a timber garden building and need some advice on the best type of foundations for a summer house or log cabin, get in touch and we’d be happy to help!
by Mark Bailey | Jul 30, 2014 | GardenLife Magazine
Modern log cabin DIY kits take traditional timber designs and make them easier, cheaper and more convenient
Friends in the US sometimes talk about their plans to build a traditional log cabin, either as their main home or a holiday home. It seems to be part of the American dream – along with owning land and a great pick-up truck.
The cabins my friends in the States hanker after usually look like something out of Huckleberry Finn or Little House on the Prairie, with whole logs and maybe a wooden stoop or a covered porch. And, impressively, they plan to build them from scratch – sometimes even sourcing the logs themselves.
It’s admirable but quite an undertaking. It requires not only huge DIY skill and ambition, but also extensive amounts of workspace – not something we have in the average British garden.
Traditional log cabin style
The practical and visual attractions of traditional log cabins are indisputable. With good-quality timber, they’re warm, well-insulated and robust. And treated with preservatives and maintained properly, they’re highly durable.
A ‘traditional log cabin’ can take many forms. It could be a sturdy US-style log cabin – somewhere to grill steaks or mess around with fishing equipment. Or an Alpine chalet with steeply-pitched roof to prevent snow build-up. Or a Nordic-style barbecue hut with an internal grill and sauna-style benches round the edge. The designs may originate overseas, but they travel well: they all look great in a British garden.
Modern log cabin construction
Modern log cabins add some state-of the-art convenience to the tried-and-tested appeal of traditional cabin designs, especially when they are supplied as a DIY kit. I’m sure Pa from Little House on the Prairie would have welcomed the weatherproofing that comes from laminated door frames or rubber window seals. Or the convenience of tilt-turn window mechanisms and 3D door hinges.
I’m equally certain the Saami reindeer herders in Finland who ‘invented’ the barbecue hut (or kota) centuries ago would have leapt at the chance of some double-glazing, or an extractor that stops the build-up of smoke from the barbecue grill.
And developments such as wifi have extended the uses of the modern log cabin. For example, a traditional log cabin design can now accommodate a very twenty-first century digital business or home office.
Modern log cabin DIY kits with traditional style
The other great advantage of modern log cabins is ease of construction. I’ve seen various books and courses about designing your own traditional log cabin or garden building, and what always strikes me is the overwhelming range of choices you have to make, right down to what sort of screws to use. These choices are as off-putting as the amount of time and DIY expertise required.
Modern log cabins take all the best ideas from traditional cabin building, such as using real timber, but then they strip away the obstacles. If you buy a GardenLife log cabin DIY kit, (including the popular log cabin style garages) all the fixings and components are supplied, so there is no need to spend days in hardware stores, trying to source the right screws, bolts, latches, locks, shingles, floor beading or other elements required to build a cabin in your own back garden.
Moreover, with modern log cabin DIY kits, all parts are pre-cut and fit together with perfect accuracy. So, the cabin just takes a day or two to build, rather than eating up a few months’ or even years’ worth of weekends. It’s an altogether easier, cheaper and more practical way to achieve the daydream of building your own log cabin – whether you want designs like Tyne, Whiteadder or Erne, which wouldn’t look out of place in the backwoods of North America, or something like the Scandinavian style Kim or Greta barbecue huts.
Traditional log cabin construction photo credit: http://www.outdoors.org (photo taken by by Gary Dethlefsen)
