Are garden timber cabins water resistant is a question we got asked all the time here at See range here.
The concise simple answer to your question is a definite yes!
Why would they not be?
Well,let’s take a look at some of the possible problems with a timber cabin which would make the timber cabin not water resistant and fairly frankly not fit for purpose.The main thing to appear at instantly is the roof,that’s where you would imagine the main issue would commence (this is not always the case but that’s where we will commence today). The main issue with the roof would be to have the felt or shingling to not be set up properly. This is fairly easily done if this is something you have never done before and why it should always be tackled by a qualified professional especially if you are putting in a lot of your hard earned money on a timber cabin.
• Make certain that the overlaps are overliing in the correct way. You should always commence felting at the bottom of the structure and felt upwards. By doing this you guarantee that the felt overlaps 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 commence 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 run beneath the felt and therefor trigger a leakage. This is exactly the same when doing shingles,make certain you place 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 trigger rainwater to get between the felt sheets and this will trigger a leakage
• Make certain 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 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 structure exposed to water leaks.
• It is additionally important that when you reach the overhang of the structure with the felt you pin 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 trigger early rotting of the structure and in some cases trigger the roof to leak around the top corners of the structure as water could build up.
• Make certain you use the correct size fixings. If the roof boards on your structure are let’s say 10mm,you don’t want felt nails of 16mm. Doing this would trigger the felt nails to come completely through the roof. This would not appear cosmetically appealing and would additionally be a real possibility of a leakage in the structure. 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 typically forgotten area on a timber cabin structure is the felt or shingles on the roof. This is generally 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 suggest at least once a year or if you notice a leakage. Because timber cabins are not built as high as the normal house and the felt and shingles aren’t fairly as tough and sturdy as a normal house tile they require a little more attention. 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 instance would be a children’s toys getting thrown up there which would all trigger 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 pass through it to create a natural run off and cleaning system (for instance if your timber cabin sits under a tree).
Timberdise place all of our timber 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 guarantee this takes place is to take care of the installation and make certain it is set up properly. We’ve been out to repair timber cabins in the past built by non-skilled people and if the structure is not put together properly then number one it won’t be safe but additionally it could trigger a failure in the structure to be water resistant.
A prime instance of this would be that the timbers haven’t been built properly on the walls. This would then trigger the timber cabin to differ from the design as it was intended to be. At this point when the roof was set up there might be openings between the roof and the wall. Openings 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 garden log cabins place all of our timber cabins so you don’t have this to worry about. As you can imagine 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 additionally want to bring attention to the floor surface a second. Having your timber cabin set up on a proper ground base is a must. That could be a Timberdise ground base,cement 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 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 escape for it then the timber cabin will flood,that is regardless of how thick and tight your timbers 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 log 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 pass through the inside of the cabin,which again is easily fixed by applying sealants.
Also,occasionally especially during the winter months,condensation can take place inside a log cabin. This is normal due to the log 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 operating during the chillier months. This will help take wetness out of the air and further increase the life of your cabin.
If you adhere to all the above recommendations you should have a leakage free cabin for the duration of its life which can supply endless pleasure and relaxation.Keep in mind prevention is better than the treatment.