6′ x 5’6 Shire Cubby Playhouse

Shed Type and Roof Size

We were impressed with the look of this playhouse at first sight. From the decorative wooden swirls of the roofline to the timber railings under the canopy, it’s obvious that Shire have provided real attention to detail. It not only looks pleasing to our eyes, we’re sure that it will look fun and exciting to children as well, particularly if it’s been painted in their favourite colour.

The dimensions put this into the mid-sized category of the playhouses we review, with a width of 1.92m and a depth of 1.72m. The apex roof, which is made of OSB covered in felt and which does a good job of repelling rainwater, is taller than many that we see, and gives a ridge height of 1.66m and an eaves height of 1.23m. This means that there’s lots of room for play and fun inside, but there’s also 16” of canopy outside which gives outdoor play opportunities as well and an area to sit and relax in the shade on a sunny day.

Cladding, Frame and Floor

We like to see playhouses that give the same importance to cladding as sheds do, and that’s why we were pleased to find that the walls were made of shiplap tongue and groove cladding. The thickness of 12mm is amongst the thickest that we see on the playhouses we review, and means that once assembly is complete the building feels very solid even in windy conditions.

We were just as impressed by the floor, as it too is made of the same 12mm tongue and groove. This makes it stronger and thicker than most floors that we see, and should make it more durable as well however much it’s used over the years.

Treatment Requirements and Warranty

With such high quality cladding being used, we would have expected this playhouse to come with a long extended warranty against rot. Unfortunately, however, the manufacturer has only given the statutory one year warranty. This is due in part to the use of a basic dip treatment which also means that the customer is expected to apply their own preservative treatment within three months of installing the building. As the wood is supplied unpainted, exterior quality wood paint will also have to be applied to prevent the timber from looking silver, tired and aged.

Doors and Windows

The single hinged door has an opening width of 0.64m and a height of 1.15m which are both slightly more than we usually see on similarly sized playhouses. There are two other things we liked about it: the glazed diamond shaped panel in the middle, and the magnetic latch that stops the door from swinging open once it’s been closed.

As well as the diamond in the door, there are too large windows to its side, featuring an eye catching criss cross pattern. What we liked most about them is that they feature safety styrene glazing which although clear to look through won’t smash if a stray ball or toy hits it. We were also impressed that they are fully opening, and so can be used to supply ventilation and fresh air.

Safety and Security

The use of styrene glazing should be a real reassurance to parents, thanks to its tough shatterproof qualities, as should the fact that the shed is certified to British standards for child safety. With no security features other than the magnetic latch mentioned above, however, you may want to add a secure locking system to it.

Optional Extras

We found the windows very attractive as they are, but it was good to see that they can be made even more decorative with the use of an optional extra window box or two. These can not only be filled with beautiful flowers, they can help children learn about nature and about caring for plants. Another optional extra, available at the price of £37.99 is a boules game. This, we feel, would be ideal to be played from under the shaded protection of the canopy, and it really is a fun game that all ages can play.