Are Garden Log Cabins Rainproof?

Are garden timber cabins waterproofed is a question we got asked all the time here at See range here .

The 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 issues with a log cabin which would make the timber cabin not waterproofed and fairly honestly not fit for purpose.The main thing to seem at as soon as possible is the roof,that’s where you would envision the main complication would begin (this is not always the situation but that’s where we will begin today). The main complication with the roof would be to have the felt or roof shingles to not be placed properly. This is fairly easily done if this is something you have never done before and why it should always be carried out by a qualified professional most especially if you are spending a lot of your hard earned cash on a log cabin.

• Make sure that the overlies are overliing in the ideal way. You should always begin felting at the bottom of the building and felt upwards. By doing this you guarantee that the felt overlies on top of the piece of felt that is further down the roof. This will guarantee there is a natural run off of the water,if you begin felting at the top of the roof and you put the overlie from the bottom pieces over the top of the felt higher up when the rain operates off it will operate beneath the felt and therefor cause a leak. This is exactly the same when doing shingles,make sure you mount from bottom upwards.

• Make sure the overlies of the felt/shingles are fairly generous. You don’t want them to be just barely overliing because this could cause rainwater to get between the felt sheets and this will cause a leak

.• Make sure you use 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 attach in the middle,possibly two rows but again this depends on the quality of the felt. Failure to put enough felt attach in there could result in the felt blowing off during a bad storm which would then leave your building exposed to leakages.

• It is additionally 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 beneath the overhang of the roof as this limits the natural run off of the water. This can cause premature rotting of the building and in some cases 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 roofing system 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 seem cosmetically appealing and would additionally be a real possibility 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 frequently overlooked area on a log cabin building is the felt or shingles on the roof. This is primarily 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 exactly what you should do and I would strongly recommend at least once a year or if you notice a leak. Because timber cabins are not built as high as the typical house and the felt and shingles aren’t fairly as tough and sturdy 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 trees,or another good example 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 excrement 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 good example if your timber cabin sits under a tree).

See range here mount all of our timber 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 guarantee this takes place is to take care of the installation and make sure it is placed properly. We’ve been out to repair timber cabins in the past built by non-skilled people and if the building is not put together properly then number one it won’t be safe but additionally it could cause a failure in the building to be waterproofed.

A prime good example of this would be that the logs haven’t been constructed properly on the walls. This would then cause the timber cabin to differ from the design as it was intended to be. At this point when the roof was placed there might be spaces between the roof and the wall. Voids could additionally appear on the walls of the timber cabins themselves and in some situations if the initial build of the timber cabin was so bad you would have no choice but to take down the timber cabin and rebuild it.

This is why Timberdise Garden Buildings mount all of our timber cabins so you don’t have this to worry about. As you can envision if there is a void in the wall or a void between the roof and the wall this would leave the log cabin open and it would most definitely leak which is what we want to avoid at all costs.

I additionally want to bring focus to the floor a second. Having your timber cabin placed 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 log 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 timber 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 log cabin you fit the relevant sealants around the doors and the windows. The log cabins don’t come with these fitted as standard,this is so you can treat the log 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 log cabin,which again is easily fixed by applying sealants.

Additionally,occasionally most especially during the winter months,condensation can take place inside a cabin. This is typical due to the log cabins not having any insulation fitted,it is not a leak and can be fairly typical. We encourage at Timberdise to get a dehumidifier if you have electrical access in there and leave it working during the chillier months. This will help take water out of the air and further increase the life of your log cabin.

If you follow all the above suggestions you should have a leak free log cabin for the duration of its life which can offer infinite enjoyment and relaxation.Keep in mind prevention is much better than the cure.