Are garden log cabins water resistant is a query we got asked all the time here at View our products.
The very short simple answer to your question is a definite yes!
Why would they not be?
Well, let’s take a look at some of the likely problems with a timber cabin which would make the log cabin not water resistant and quite frankly not fit for purpose.The main thing to appear at instantly is the roof, that’s where you would envision the main issue would start (this is not always the situation but that’s where we will start today). The main issue with the roof would be to have the felt or roof shingles to not be installed successfully. This is quite easily done if this is something you have never done before and why it should always be carried out by a professional especially if you are investing a lot of your hard earned money on a timber cabin.
• Make sure that the overlies are overlapping in the ideal way. You should always start felting at the bottom of the building and felt upwards. By doing this you ensure that the felt overlies 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 runs off it will operate underneath the felt and therefor cause a leak. This is precisely the same when doing shingles, make sure you place from bottom upwards.
• Make sure the overlies of the felt/shingles are quite generous. You don’t want them to be just barely overlapping because this could cause rainwater to get between the felt sheets and this will cause a leak
• Make sure 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 pin in the middle,possibly two rows but again this depends on the quality of the felt. Failure to put enough felt pin in there could result in the felt blowing off during a bad storm which would then leave your building subjected to leakages.
• It is in addition important that when you reach the overhang of the building with the felt you attach 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 cause early rotting of the building and in some scenarios cause the roof to leak around the top corners of the building as water could build up.
• Make sure you use the right size fixings. If the roof boards on your building are let’s say 10mm, you don’t want felt nails of 16mm. Doing this would cause the felt nails to come completely through the roof. This would not appear cosmetically pleasing and would in addition be a real opportunity of a leak 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 leak.
• The most commonly ignored area on a timber 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 precisely what you should do and I would strongly recommend at least once a year or if you notice a leak. Because log cabins are not built as high as the normal house and the felt and shingles aren’t quite as tough and sturdy as a typical house tile they require a little more attention. They are subjected to more elements on a daily basis because they are lower, this can result in a number of things from falling debris from trees, or another instance would be a children’s toys getting thrown up there which would all cause damage to the felt/shingles. Not to mention lots of bird droppings can rot the felt if it is in an area where natural rainwater can not penetrate it to create a natural run off and cleaning system (for instance if your log cabin sits under a tree).
Timberdise place all of our log cabins, we do this because we know you are investing a lot of money into a timber 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 sure it is installed successfully. We’ve been out to repair log cabins in the past built by non-skilled people and if the building is not put together successfully then number one it won’t be safe but in addition it could cause a failure in the building to be water resistant.
A prime instance of this would be that the logs haven’t been assembled successfully on the walls. This would then cause the log cabin to differ from the design as it was intended to be. At this point when the roof was installed there might be voids between the roof and the wall. Spaces could in addition 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 reconstruct it.
This is why Timberdise place all of our log cabins so you don’t have this to worry about. As you can envision if there is an opening in the wall or an opening 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 in addition want to bring attention to the floor a second. Having your log cabin installed 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 at any place that is at risk of flooding as just like the house that you live in. If the water level rises and there is no getaway 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 sure 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 rainwater could penetrate the inside of the cabin, which again is easily fixed by applying sealants.
Additionally, sometimes especially during the winter months, condensation can develop inside a cabin. This is normal due to the cabins not having any insulation fitted, it is not a leak and can be quite normal. We recommend at Timberdise to get a dehumidifier if you have power access in there and leave it operating during the colder months. This will help take humidity out of the air and further increase the life-span of your cabin.
If you adhere to all the above tips you should have a leak free cabin for the duration of its life-span which can supply endless fulfillment and relaxation. Don’t forget prevention is far better than the treatment.
