Are garden timber cabins waterproof is a query we got asked all the time here at Timberdise Garden Buildings.
The very short simple answer to your question is an unqualified 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 timber cabin not waterproof and quite honestly not fit for purpose.The main thing to appear at right away is the roof,that’s where you would envision the main complication would begin (this is not always the scenario 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 installed properly. This is quite easily done if this is something you have never done before and why it should always be tackled by a qualified professional most especially if you are investing a lot of your hard earned money on a timber cabin.
• Make sure that the overlaps 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 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 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 runs off it will work under the felt and therefor lead to a leakage. This is exactly the same when doing shingles,make sure you install from bottom upwards.
• Make sure the overlaps of the felt/shingles are quite generous. You don’t want them to be just barely overliing because this could lead to rain to get between the felt sheets and this will lead to a leakage
.• Make sure you use ample 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 exposed to water leaks.
• It is also essential that when you reach the overhang of the building with the felt you nail the felt to side of the roof but DO NOT tuck the felt under the overhang of the roof as this limits the natural run off of the water. This can lead to early rotting of the building and in some situations lead to the roof to leakage 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 lead to the felt nails to come completely through the roof. This would not appear cosmetically pleasing and would also be a real chance of a leakage 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 leakage.
• The most typically forgotten area on a timber cabin building is the felt or shingles on the roof. This is typically 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 quite as tough and durable as a typical 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 trees,or another good example would be a kids’s toys getting thrown up there which would all lead to harm to the felt/shingles. Not to mention lots of bird excrement can rot the felt if it is in an area where natural rain can not pass through it to create a natural run off and cleaning system (for good example if your timber cabin sits under a tree).
timberdise garden log cabinsinstall 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 sure it is installed 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 also it could lead to a failure in the building to be waterproof.
A prime good example of this would be that the timbers haven’t been built properly on the walls. This would then lead to the timber cabin to differ from the design as it was intended to be. At this point when the roof was installed there might be gaps between the roof and the wall. Gaps could also 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 reconstruct it.
This is whyTimberdise install all of our timber cabins so you don’t have this to worry about. As you can envision if there is a gap in the wall or a gap between the roof and the wall this would leave the log cabin open and it would most definitely leakage which is what we want to avoid at all costs.
I also want to bring attention to the flooring a second. Having your timber 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 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 timbers 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 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 rain could pass through the inside of the log cabin,which again is easily fixed by applying sealants.
In addition,at times most especially during the winter months,condensation can materialize inside a log cabin. This is normal due to the cabins not having any insulation fitted,it is not a leakage and can be quite normal. We encourage at Timberdise to get a dehumidifier if you have power access in there and leave it working during the chillier months. This will help take moisture content out of the air and further increase the lifespan of your log cabin.
If you follow all the above ideas you should have a leakage free log cabin for the duration of its lifespan which can offer endless fulfillment and relaxation.Keep in mind prevention is much better than the treatment.