Log Cabins BUYER’S GUIDE AWARD LEISURE www.awardleisure.com LOG CABINS ... WOOD TYPES PINE - NORTHERN EUROPEAN WHITE WOOD Pine is known as a redwood, it’s widely used for a lot of things we use daily. No doubt you will have some pine furniture at home. Pine isn’t as dense as Spruce and therefore it does absorb water quicker. It’s the cheaper of the two types of wood we can use to construct a log cabin. Pine is mainly used in the garden for fencing, posts, furniture and play equipment. This is because it is less dense. It would normally be pressure treated to guard against rotting in the long term. It also tends to have looser knots and more of them, it also changes colour with sun light to a darker colour. It’s also not as structurally strong as spruce and has wider ring growth. WHAT IS A SPRUCE - NORTHERN EUROPEAN WHITE WOOD We like Spruce, it’s a white wood and there is no distinction between the LOG CABIN? heartwood and the sapwood. Knots are round and are of a similar colour to the surrounding wood. This gives a wall log a uniform colour and texture. It also does Throughout Europe, the log cabin is a very popular not warp as much as pine. The best Spruce is grown in fertile, old sea bottom fixture in gardens, usually replacing traditional workshop soils in a colder climate, this is the timber we prefer as it’s stable, strong and does sheds and summer houses. They are also becoming not warp too much. It also looks really good but does cost more than pine. extremely popular as holiday accommodation. CEDAR Log cabins have come a long way from the simple Bronze Age structures offering basic accommodation. 21st century You will automatically have protection from bugs or insects when you have residential log cabins and garden log cabins are of a high your home built from this material. Pine does not provide the same insect quality and such buildings are seen all over the UK. protection. Cedar is also very resistant to rot. Because the wood produces its own preservatives, it will be much more durable. Your cedar log home will remain looking The log cabins available today are fully illuminated beautiful for a much longer amount of time than could be achieved with pine. and aesthetically pleasing and are also popular for needing less maintenance and being energy efficient. Cedar wood contains a lower water content than pine and it acclimates much They are also fitted with double-glazed windows, more quickly. What does this mean for your home? Wood with high water reinforced doors and present an individual with a cosy content will be much more prone to rot, cracking, splitting and other damage. and warm living experience throughout the year. Your cedar log home will be more durable than pine in this manner as well. They serve a multitude of purposes, such as gymnasiums, The rating for how a wood transfers heat is called an R-Value. The higher the home offices, spa retreats, gazebos, for storage solutions or R-value that your home has, the more energy efficient it will be. Cedar has a much as wooden garages. But the best part is that even today they higher R-Value than pine, making it the more efficient option for your home. retain their appeal and have that rich, classy and rustic feel that make them completely different from traditional houses. As Because Northern White Cedar is 100% renewable, you will not be doing any the needs of society change, we will see them acquire a more damage to the environment by using it for your own home build. In fact, the luxurious and comfortable look and feel. But log cabins have cedar forests offer high quality growth, providing a better environment and proved to be such a versatile building that its future is secure. a better habitat for the indigenous wildlife of the Northern Maine area. 2 3 The ONLY thing that matters is the type of timber used, the quality of it, where it is from and where it is cut from within a log. Moisture content makes a WOOD ... HUGE difference to the timber used in a log cabin. Windows and doors, fancy locks, glazing and roofing are very superfluous and will not have QUALITY MATTERS any bearing on the quality or longevity. The timber is the important part and in our opinion one of the most important qualities to consider when you are researching or buying a log cabin. Our products are manufactured from high- quality kiln-dried spruce. Long cold winters and short summers, characteristic to our region, bring about a slow growth rate of timber, providing it with longevity and durability. We value highly the aesthetic aspects of spruce – its fresh light hue and small knots. Let’s assume you’re out to buy a log cabin, do not be fooled by an offer that is too good to be true! You will be buying a cabin made from logs cuts from any available superfluous tree, and the poorer sections as shown opposite. These cuts are softer wood with higher moisture content. They are likely to twist, crack and shrink. Because it is less dense, it will be pressure treated to guard against rotting in the long term. It also tends to have looser knots and more of them, it changes colour with sun light to a darker colour. It’s also not as structurally strong as spruce and has wider ring growth. In other words, it is better suited to be used for fence posts and decking. 4 5 4. GUARANTEE? 6. SUSTAINABILITY? The type of timber used for a If you want to buy timber with a 7 TOP THINGS TO garden building affects how long it clear conscience, knowing you’re not will last. Slow-grown timbers are damaging forests and the wildlife denser than fast-growing trees, so that live in them, look for garden CONSIDER ... are more durable. Other details also buildings with the FSC-certified icon. boost longevity: for example, using laminated wood for doorframes, and The timber for these products pressure-treating foundation joists. will come from sustainable and 1. HOW BIG? well-managed sources. A cabin should be big enough to Also ensure you check the size evolve with your needs - for example, of the roof purlins; if you want to to go from children’s playhouse to invest in a garden building that can 7. DIY? entertaining space. But it shouldn’t be be enjoyed for decades to come, Not all of us are DIY enthusiasts with out of proportion to the rest of the ensure you pick a building that has time on our hands. So check out how garden, create too much shade, or be thicker roof purlins running from easy it will be to construct the garden more space than you can furnish. apex to apex (it’s a straightforward building that you buy. Is it designed to mark of quality and durability). To help visualise how a building will be built by someone with DIY skills? sit within your garden use tent pegs We recommend to always buy Does it need specialist equipment, or is or canes to mark out its dimensions. slow grown spruce to ensure professional installation recommended? . quality and longevity. If you’re looking for more straightforward 2. HOW THICK? construction, much of our modern garden building range feature pre- We have a detailed timber wall 5. assembled wall and roof elements; thickness guide to help you choose ROOF & FLOOR? ideal for a hassle free build. the best log thickness for your garden, If the gradient of the roof is very but if you plan to only use a building different to other nearby buildings, As a rule, most of our garden on summer days, then timber up then your cabin may not blend buildings can be erected by two to 28mm thick should be fine. in well. Try to get a rough match people with a decent level of DIY in terms of roof gradients. experience and a basic tool kit, For summer evenings or spring days, and it’s only the large chalet style 34mm timber should be sufficient, but As a rule cabins come with either felt buildings and log cabin homes that for all-year-round use, look for 44mm or or felt tiles (known as shingles). Felt require professional installation. preferably 70mm logs. The log thickness is supplied by the roll and although is always shown in millimetres (mm). waterproof, is thin and has to be attached to the roof via wooden strips. High winds and its lack of 3. WINDOWS? durability will provide up to a 2 Choose windows according to how year life span (if you are lucky). you plan to use a building. Plexiglass windows keep costs down, but offer Felt roof tiles are a great solution and less insulation than glass. Single glazing are thicker, more aesthetically pleasing REMEMBER is warm enough for summer and spring, and easier to attach to the wooden but double glazing provides more roof. They are more expensive, but THERE IS A warmth for all-year-round cabins. will last you up to 3 times longer. There are different styles of window DIFFERENCE (such as large single panel, divided panels and tilt and turn opening BETWEEN CHEAP mechanisms) so you can choose the best option for the use of your cabin. AND CHEAPLY MADE 6 7 Log cabins available today are aesthetically pleasing, fully illuminated and very energy efficient.