Shed Type, Roof Size
This large apex roofed rectangular garden building reflects what many people think of when they hear ‘log cabin’, yet it has a number of advantages over many of the log cabins we review. First among these is the classic good looks attributable to the well designed combination of softwood and glazing. It’s very much a classic design, and yet we still found it eye catching.
One of the first things we noticed was just how tall and accommodating it is. This is because of the strong and rain repelling roof, which rises to a ridge height of 2.59m and has an eaves height of 2.00m. While these are tall dimensions, they’re not so tall that planning permission will be required. The overall width of the cabin is 4.00m and the overall depth is 3.00m. Because a purely rectangular design is used, the owner gets the full use of this twelve square metres of space.
Cladding, Frame and Floor
Whilst we have seen far thicker logs used as cladding in some of the cabins we’ve reviewed, the thickness of 28mm we found here is still more than enough to create a solid and reliable structure. This is helped by the use of chalet connectors on the corners whi9ch give added stability and help to protect the building from strong winds.
We were pleased to see that the floor is made of the same 18mm thick tongue and groove as the roof, as this again is very good at keeping moisture out. It’s also strong enough to take household feature, especially as it’s supported by pressure treated floor joists. We really welcomed this feature, as it gives much needed protection against the threat posed by the high moisture content typically found at ground level.
Treatment Requirements and Warranty
Whilst it was good to see that the integrated floor joists had been pressure treated, and were therefore given long lasting protection against rot, it was disappointing to see that this same treatment hadn’t been used elsewhere. Even a basic dip treatment is lacking, so this means that the wood is vulnerable to moisture of any kind. For this reason it’s essential that the customer applies a good quality wood preserver immediately after installation, and this should then be re-treated on a yearly basis. If this treatment schedule is kept up then the manufacturer offers a 10 year warranty. We were pleased to see this, but wish that it’s validity wasn’t so dependent upon the actions of the owner.
Doors and Windows
We found the double doors to be one of the stand out features of this log cabin, as with their accommodating size and central positioning they dominate the front of the building. The door width of 1.59m and height of 1.90m are both well above average, and this comes in particularly useful when moving furniture in or out.
We also liked the appearance of the doors, thanks to their attractive partial glazing. There’s lots of glass across the cabin as a whole, with four large windows bringing in light from all sides. We were glad to see that the windows all opened,upwards rather than outwards on this occasion, as this allows ventilation and makes it easy to cool down the interior.
Security Features
Key operated locks are always our favoured locking mechanism for large sheds and log cabins as they are not only tough and reliable, they look tough and reliable. This alone can be enough to deter some opportune thieves. One area where we feel security could have been enhanced, however, is in the windows mentioned above. There are lots of them, which means that unless curtains or blinds are installed passers by can see what’s inside, but they are single rather than double glazed and so lack the toughness we would have liked to see.
Optional Extras
The lack of any optional extras provided with this cabin can be taken as a sign of just how much is included as standard. One thing that we feel must be purchased however, even though it will need to be sourced separately by the customer, is a high quality wood preserver. Wood can be particularly vulnerable in its infancy, so once the cabin is erected there’s no time to wait until the first treatment is applied.
The Alpine range of log cabins all boast the use of very high quality components, and that’s certainly what we found here even down to the use of chalet connections.
Longevity of Materials
7.5/10
Whilst we appreciated the provision of a relatively long warranty period, we feel that the use of a pressure treatment across all the timbers would have added much more durability.
We’ve reviewed larger log cabins, yet this is still spacious enough to use as a home office or as an additional room of your home.
Ease of Installation
8/10
This doesn’t use the sectional assembly system that some cabins do, and yet it’s still relatively easy to lock the logs into one another one at a time. With a friend’s help, expect to take at least seven hours.
Even with a price approaching two and a half thousand pounds, we feel this represents quite good value for money as it’s well built and good looking.
Final Thoughts: Do you wish that your home was a little bigger? That you had an extra bedroom, or a games room, or even a space that was dedicated to running your own business? You don’t have to move home, with all the stress and expense that can entail, as this affordable and attractive log cabin can fulfill all of those functions and more. It’s space maximising rectangular design means that it’s versatile enough to be used for any purpose you can think of. We particularly like the way that the four opening windows create a very light and airy, and therefore welcoming, interior.
Prices around: £2299
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