Garden Affairs Log Cabin Buyers Guide
Garden Affairs are a long established supplier of log cabins throughout the UK.
Over the last 9 years we have built an enviable reputation for the design, supply and installation of exceptionally high quality log cabins.
Over this time we have supplied and installed over 1,000 buildings throughout the UK.
A custom built log cabin need not cost any more than an off the shelf example thanks to the investment and production efficiency of our manufacturing facilities.
We always encourage our customers to come and visit our comprehensive garden building display site where you can view at first hand the quality and style of our buildings. You will also be able to discuss your needs with our skilled designers.
Our designers will work with you to develop designs that will meet all your requirements. We will then produce technical drawings and detailed quotations.
Why not view our Gallery of bespoke Log Cabin projects for a flavour of what is possible?
The best advice we can offer is to think carefully about the intended use of the cabin both now and in the future. Think about how you will furnish your cabin and how best to make use of the space available.
Whilst always considering your budget, we would advise you choose the largest building that will fit comfortably within the space allocated. It is better to have too much space than too little.
The foot print of the building is always measured as the outside wall dimensions. The width is the gable end and the depth is the eaves side or ridge side.
All dimensions are measured to the outside faces of the walls. The building will be slightly larger where the wall logs project outwards from the corner of the cabin by approx. 100 mm in each direction.
You should also allow space for roof overhangs which are normally 300 mm all the way around.For example a 3m x 4m log cabin will have a roof area of 3.6m x 4.6m.
When positioning your cabin near a boundary we advise you to leave a minimum of half a metre clearance for maintenance access.
The wall thickness you choose will be dependant upon your budget and the level of insulation you require.
We offer a choice of two standard log thicknesses. 44mm or 68mm. We do not advise using thinner logs.
For 44mm the R-value is 0.44 / 0.168 = 0.26 m2, K/W
For 68mm the R-value is 0.068 / 0.168 = 0.40 m2 K/W
The timber is regulated and dried to a moisture content of between 12 – 14% prior to machining to minimise the effects of warping.
The wall timbers are milled so that the interlocking profile is offset, this prevents the ingress of water between the corner joints.
44mm timbers have a substantial single tongue and groove and a chamfered end cut.
68mm wall logs have a double tongue and groove profile and are square cut on the ends.
The timbers are milled to produce a very smooth surface finish, this ensures that the grain does not rise when the timbers are painted.
Timbers are restricted to lengths of up to 6m long. Longer lengths can become unstable and difficult to handle safely, however, logs can be joined together to make buildings of any length.
 44mm single tongue & groove wall log |
 68mm single tongue & groove wall log |
Internal walls can be positioned anywhere within a building to produce multiple rooms and divide areas. Because the internal walls are integral to the overall structure the exact position of the walls need to be determined at the design stage.
Below is an example of a building floor plan showing the position of internal walls.
There are three types of roof available
- Ridge roof
- Mono pitch roof
- Flat roof
Ridge roofs
These are the most common style of roof and are supplied with a standard pitch of between 19 and 21 degrees. Steeper or shallower pitches are available on request.
Mono pitch roofs
These are ideal where you are trying to minimise the impact of the building within its surroundings. A mono pitch roof is also ideal for a Garden Affairs Sedum living roof to add colour and interest to your building.
Flat roofs
A flat roof is ideal when you wish to keep the height of your building below 2.5m. Our generous eaves height ensures you do not feel cramped when opting for a flat roof.
 Ridge Roof |
 Pitched Roof |
 Flat Roof |
The buildings are supplied with attractive bitumen felt shingles in a choice of five natural colours. Green, Red, Blue, Black or Brown.
The shingles are of extremely high quality and conform to the following European standards
- 89/106/EEC Construction Products Directive
- ETA-07/0263: Low bitumen mass shingles with mineral or synthetic reinforcement
Alternatively Garden Affairs can install a cedar shingle or Sedum living roof for an attractive alternative.
 Bitumen felt shingles |
 Cedar shingles |
 Sedum living roof |
The walls of the cabin sit on 70mm pressure treated foundation beams, this allows for the building to be erected without a floor for those who wish to fit under floor heating or tiled floors.
The buildings are available with a high quality 19mm tongue & groove timber floor together with skirting cover strips for where the floor meets the walls. The floor can then be painted or stained if required.
This is the main area that most log cabin companies can fail on.
High quality doors and windows are vital for comfort, security and the longevity of your building. You can be confident in the performance of our range of single or double glazed doors and windows offered in a wide variety of sizes and styles.
Unlike many log cabin companies, Garden Affairs double glazed doors have a height of 2m to avoid stooping when entering.
Single glazed doors and windows
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 Security hinge |
Double glazed doors and windows
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 Door handle |
Roof lights
Our buildings are ideal for the installation of Velux roof windows. We offer a standard size of 78cm x 55cm centre pivot windows with a natural pine timber finish. Other sizes are available upon request.
 Velux window exterior |
 Velux window interior |
The door locks are fitted with Winkhaus X-Pert S Profile Cylinder with ‘anti-bump’ protection that have been designed with domestic properties in mind.
It uses an open profile section which means that duplicate keys can be obtained very quickly from any locksmith on the High Street.
The X-pert S Profile Cylinder recently underwent comprehensive ‘anti-bump’ tests conducted by the UK Locksmiths Association in October 2007, Adam Jackson, Director of UK Locksmith
Association quoted “Due to the design of the cylinder and the anti-pick pins we could not bump the cylinder open”. His overall verdict of the X-Pert S Cylinder:
“We found this lock to be of extremely high quality and with superb durability”.
Features:
- 5 tumbler pins on each side
- Core pins made of resistant hard bronze for protection against drill attack
- Single unrestricted profile, ideal for homeowners
- X-Pert S exceeds EN1303 requirement for number of cycles
- Supplied with 3 keys per cylinder
- BSEN1303:2005 8 digit code 16 – 0 C20
Single glazed doors and windows are fitted with AXA security hinges. The hinge has a concealed spigot that prevents the hinge from being opened even if the pin is removed.
Double glazed casement windows are fitted with multi point espagnolette locking systems and robust fully adjustable hinges.
Fully working decorative shutters are also available for most windows.
 Security hinge |
 Multipoint locking |
 Window handle |
An internal porch is an ideal place to shelter from the elements when entering or exiting a building. They can also help to break the line of a building making it more architecturally interesting and attractive.
Larger porches make great relaxing or entertaining areas whilst providing shelter and shade.
Porches can be up to 300cm x 350cm in size.
 Log cabin porch |
 Log cabin porch |
An overhanging canopy at the front of a cabin adds protection from the elements and can help reduce the glare of direct sunlight.
Canopies that project by up to 1.2m are self supporting by the upper 3 levels of logs. Canopies over 1.2m depth require supporting posts this is included in the price. The price for the canopy includes extra felt shingles.
 1.2m canopy |
 2.0m canopy with posts |
A Veranda can either be incorporated into the main structure of the cabin roof or attached to the walls of the cabin to create a wrap around veranda.
Verandas are available with the option of robust balustrades, decorative bow arches and smooth planed pressure treated decking boards.
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The standard wall height of our log cabins is a generous 225cm to the eaves. This can be increased by raising the walls one log at a time. Each wall log is 13.5cm.
When fitting mezzanine floors or when attaching verandas to the cabin it may be necessary to increase the height of the building by several logs.
Roof & Floor Insulation
If you are intending to use your cabin all year round we recommend installing roof and floor insulation. This is highly effective in helping to keep the building cool in summer and warm in winter.
Roof Insulation
Garden Affairs recommend a cold roof insulation process that eliminates the danger of condensation forming between the timbers and the insulation.
The insulation is mechanically fixed to the outside face of the tongue and groove roof boards to retain the attractive appearance of the building from inside.
We use a high performance double foil backed ridged polyeurathane insulation board. The same type of insulation as you would use in a modern loft conversion.
Our standard roof insulation will provide an approximate U-value of 0.38 (W/m²K)
Thicker insulation options are available for customers wishing to comply with current building regulations. Because the thickness of insulation required to comply with building regulations is affected by various elements, it is not possible to state standard sizes.
Floor Insulation
Our double foil backed ridged polyeurathane floor insulation helps to keep your cabin warm by stopping cold air rising up from the base. The insulation also acts as a vapour barrier to prevent moisture rising from the floor.
Our standard floor insulation will provide an approximate U-value of 0.35 (W/m²K)
Wall Insulation
The majority of our customers find no need to opt for wall insulation. The thickness of the wall logs combined with our roof and floor insulation is more than adequate for their needs.
If you do require wall insulation this can be provided, however, due to the design of the buildings any wall insulation must be correctly installed to allow for natural movement of the timbers. Please contact us for further information.
 Floor insulation |
 Roof insulation |
Once we have designed your perfect cabin we will provide you with a detailed quotation for the building, installation and any other options you may require.
All our log cabins can be supplied for self assembly. Each building is supplied with a set of detailed instructions and building plans. The buildings are supplied flat packed on sealed pallets with a kit bag containing all the necessary screws and fixings.
Installing a log cabin can be very enjoyable if you can rope in a bit of help. You have the reassurance that you can pick up the phone to Garden Affairs and talk through any problems with staff that are fully trained and have hands on experience in all aspects of the construction process.
Installation Service
If the self assembly route is not for you and you just want total peace of mind, Garden Affairs own skilled teams of uniformed fitters will assemble your building with the minimum of fuss and in the shortest amount of time.
Please note that for complete quality control we DO NOT use sub-contractors for any of our installations.
Please visit our customer testimonials page.
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 Floor plan |
Our buildings are manufactured from premium grade Northern European Pine. This provides the very best timber for this type of application.
Northern European pine is grown in the Scandinavian countries of Sweden, Norway and Finland where the extreme cold makes growth rates much slower. This produces a very stable timber with a tight grain giving the timber a greater density than faster growing varieties.
All the timber comes from managed forests where the strict regulations of PEFC (Program of Endorsement of Forest Certification) ensure that more trees are planted than are chopped down. For further information please visit their website www.pefc.org
Garden Affairs will provide you with a comprehensive customer information pack at time of order which will give you more information on the types and quantities of finishes you will require.
Before applying a colour finish it is important to firstly treat the timber with a good preservative. This helps reduce the risk of blue stain or fungal attack and helps to reduce movement within the timber. A good preservative makes an ideal base for the application of paint or stain colour finishes.
Our recommended products are less harmful to the environment, easier to use, offer quicker drying times and best of all will out perform most solvent based finishes.
Garden Affairs offer an on site clear preservative treatment service which will leave your building very well protected with the timber sealed and ready for painting. Our preservative treatment is a water borne system that reduces the risk of harm to both pets and plants.
If you prefer, why not have your cabin factory treated with a medium oak stain? The factory system ensures that all the timber both inside and out is fully coated with the preservative stain.
Fire retardant treatment for wood
For log cabins that require Euro class B Spread of Flame we recommend HR-Prof.
HR-Prof is a clear water based solution that is absorbed into the surface of the wood. It is easy to apply and has non-flammable properties which restrict ignition and spread of flame. It also offers excellent preservative properties as well and can be fully over-coated with wood treatments as mentioned above.
For further details visit www.fireretardantuk.com Fire Retardant UK Ltd.
Our standard log cabin delivery is direct from the factory on an articulated lorry which measures:
Height 4m
Width 2.5m
Length 18m
Weight 30,000kg fully loaded
The lorry will also carry a forklift to off load the pallets.
The building will be delivered and off-loaded by the driver who will position the pallets either at the side of the road or on your driveway where possible. From order to delivery usually takes between 4 - 6 weeks. We endeavour to give a weeks notice of the delivery date with an estimated AM (7.00am – 12.00 noon) or PM (12.00noon to 7.00pm) delivery slot.
If you foresee any delivery or access problems please let us know prior to order so that we can make alternative delivery arrangements.
 Delivery lorry |
 Forklift driver |
