Are garden log cabins waterproof is a query we got asked all the time here at timberdise garden log cabins .
The concise simple answer to your query is an unquestionable yes!
Why would they not be?
Well, let’s take a look at some of the conceivable troubles with a timber cabin which would make the log cabin not waterproof and fairly frankly not fit for purpose.The main thing to look at as soon as possible is the roof, that’s where you would imagine the main problem would commence (this is not always the scenario but that’s where we will commence today). The main problem with the roof would be to have the felt or roof shingles to not be placed successfully. This is fairly easily done if this is something you have never done before and why it should always be carried out by a professional most especially if you are putting in a lot of your hard earned money on a timber cabin.
• Make sure that the overlies are overliing in the correct way. You should always commence 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 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 works off it will operate underneath the felt and consequently trigger a water leak. This is just 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 trigger rain to get between the felt sheets and this will trigger a water 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 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 in addition vital 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 trigger early rotting of the building and in some cases trigger the roof to water leak around the top corners of the building as water could build up.
• Make sure you use the correct size fixings. If the roofing boards on your building 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 look cosmetically pleasing and would in addition be a real chance of a water 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 water leak.
• The most frequently ignored area on a timber 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 just exactly what you should do and I would strongly recommend at least once a year or if you notice a water leak. Because log cabins are not built as high as the normal house and the felt and shingles aren’t fairly as tough and resilient as a typical 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 good example would be a children’s toys getting thrown up there which would all trigger 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 penetrate it to create a natural run off and cleaning system (for good example if your log cabin sits under a tree).
timberdise garden log cabins mount 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 happens is to take care of the installation and make sure it is placed 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 trigger a failure in the building to be waterproof.
A prime good example of this would be that the timbers haven’t been built successfully on the walls. This would then trigger the log 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. Openings 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 garden log cabins mount all of our log cabins so you don’t have this to worry about. As you can imagine 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 water leak which is what we want to avoid at all costs.
I in addition want to bring focus to the floor covering a second. Having your log cabin placed 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 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 getaway for it then the log 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 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 rain could penetrate the inside of the cabin, which again is easily fixed by applying sealants.
Additionally, at times most especially during the winter months, condensation can happen inside a log cabin. This is normal due to the cabins not having any insulation fitted, it is not a water leak and can be fairly normal. We advise at Timberdise to get a dehumidifier if you have electric access in there and leave it operating during the cooler months. This will help take moisture content out of the air and further increase the life-span of your cabin.
If you stick to all the above ideas you should have a water leak free cabin for the duration of its life-span which can supply indefinite enjoyment and relaxation. Don’t forget prevention is much better than the treatment.