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Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly

First Added - February 27 2022
Last Updated - August 4 2022 - 11 Data Points Updated - 3 Data Points Added
Reviewed & curated by a panel of garden building experts. Using methodology 1.1

Product ID: SKU: 169596

Size: 4' x 4'

Merchants Checked: 12

Available From: 1

Wickes
£500.00
See Deal

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85
Good Ranked in the Top 6% of Playhouses.
Position 11 of 188 Playhouses - Up 49 places from previous update.
Quality of materials
Construction quality
Ease of construction
Value for money

See how our panel of industry experts helped create the impartial judging criteria used to calculate the Expert Score.

Our verdict on the Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly

The Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly comes with an apex style roof, is treated using a dip treated process [1], and makes use of en71 certified materials. The 3 windows used on this particular 4′ x 4′ use a styrene [2] glazing material (Thickness was not specified).

Base material: european softwood

Certifications this product meets:

EN71 Certified[3]

Our experts say this has 4 stand out features. A stand out feature is something found on over 70% of the top 10% of products in a particular category or is an exceptionally good feature as rated by our panel of experts.

1. The choice of roof covering (mineral felt), is also what we find that 88% of the top 10% of playhouses use.

2. The styrene window installation is known to be a great choice, and our data shows us that 94% of the top 10% of playhouses make use of this kind of glazing.

3. A dip treated treatment process lets us know that this playhouse should be expected to last for a good few years, and is used on 82% of the top 10% of playhouses.

4. The tongue & groove cladding used on this playhouse is one the best available for playhouses rated by our experts.

Below is a brief overview of how some of the key points of this playhouse fairs across the market.

Cladding

The tongue & groove cladding(walls) used here is the best form of construction for playhouse walls out of the 4 types [4] we’ve identified on same-size playhouses, that you’ll also see getting used on 35% (61 of 175) of all playhouses analysed [5], as well as being used on 47% (8 of 17) of the top 10% of playhouses [6]. You’ll also find the tongue & groove cladding showing up on 39% of 4′ x 4′ playhouses (9 in total) [7], and if we compare this item against those 9 we find it’s Expert Score is 10% higher than the average score for a 4′ x 4′ tongue & groove playhouse.

Read full analysis for cladding.

Roofing

Mineral felt is used as the roof covering. Our experts say it’s one of the best roof covering materials, and is also the only kind identified on same-size playhouses [8]. It comes fitted on 64% of playhouses and used on 88% of the top 10% of 4′ x 4′ playhouses. 57% of 4′ x 4′ playhouses (13 in total) make use of a mineral felt material as a roof covering, and when taking the average Expert Score of those 4′ x 4′ playhouses (81), the Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly is just above the average with an Expert Score of 85.

Read full analysis for roofing.

Window

Styrene windows come installed on this playhouse. As a glazing option, we rate it one of the best glazing types and is also the only type found on 4′ x 4′ playhouses [9]. This particular type of glazing is used on 77% of all windowed playhouses and 100% of the top 10% of playhouses with windows we analysed. 68% of 4′ x 4′ playhouses with windows (15 in total) use styrene windows, with this product having an Expert Score of 6% higher than the average.

Read full analysis for window.

Height

The height of this playhouse is 1390.0mm (5′) which is 1% less than the average 4′ x 4′ playhouse, giving you 3.5mm (0.0′) less headroom.

Read full analysis for height.

You Might Also Consider

We found 21 4′ x 4′ playhouses with comparable specifications. The Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly has an Expert Score that is 9% higher than average and is £59 less expensive than average. If you are looking for the best value or highest expert scoring playhouses out of the 21 with comparable specifications the following might be of interest.

Best value – If you are looking for something comparable that costs less, then you could save £240 with this 4′ x 4′ Shire Playhut Kids Wooden Playhouse. It is priced at £260, this is 92% less than this and has an Expert Score of 82, 2 points less than the Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly.

Highest Expert Score – With an Expert Score of 87 vs 85 for this product, the 4 x 4 Isabelle Snug Den Wooden Playhouse with Apex Roof, Single Door And Windows is the best 4′ x 4′ playhouse with comparable specifications, and is priced at £742, that’s £242 more than the Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly.

High Wind Area – If you live in a particularly exposed or high wind area then having a playhouse with a thicker cladding and higher than average frame thickness can be preferable. We found at least 3 playhouses that have a combination of features that can make them more suited to higher wind areas.
4×4 Mercia Snug Childrens/ Kids Wooden Garden Playhouse
3’x5′ Tigercub Hideout House | Playhouse
4′ x 4′ Shire Playhut Kids Wooden Playhouse

Coastal Consideration – If you live in a particularly wet or harsher environment such as by the coast then you might want to consider something with a more robust pressure treatment or something made from metal or plastic, both materials that are particularly suited to such harsh environments. We’ve found at least 3 playhouses that have a combination of features that can make them more suited to higher wind areas.
BillyOh Childs Potting Shed Playhouse
BillyOh Bunny Max Playhouse
4 x 4 Isabelle Snug Den Wooden Playhouse with Apex Roof, Single Door And Windows

Public-Facing – Extra security measures might be more of a concern if you’re placing your building in an area that is more public-facing than a garden. Features such as security windows or even having no windows at all, and the ability to lock all opening doors are usually much more important when you have something that is more public-facing. We found at least 3 playhouses that have options that you might find a better fit if this is a concern you have.
3’x5′ Tigercub Hideout House | Playhouse
4′ x 4′ Shire Playhut Kids Wooden Playhouse
4′ x 4′ Shire Hide Kids Wooden Playhouse

More Child Friendly – If you have children and you are looking for something that has that little extra in terms of durability then tougher glazing options might be a better option. Here we have at least 3 other options that will fill those needs.
4×4 Mercia Snug Childrens/ Kids Wooden Garden Playhouse
Mercia 4 x 4ft Wooden Snug Playhouse with Assembly
3’x5′ Tigercub Hideout House | Playhouse

Product Details

Building Type
Playhouses, Small Wooden Playhouses, Wendy Houses, Wooden Playhouses
Metric Size (Meters)
4' x 4'
Material
Wooden
Roof Style
Apex
Number of Windows
3
Cladding Type
Tongue & Groove
Treatment Type
Dip Treated
Number Of Doors
1
Glazing Material
Styrene
Roof Covering
Mineral Felt
Finish
Unpainted
Depth (Imperial)
3"
Depth (Metric)
1130.0mm
Height (Imperial)
1390.0mm
Height (Metric)
1390.0mm
Width (Imperial)
3"
Width (Metric)
1190.0mm
External Area Coverage
1.34 m2
Weight
80 kg
Assembly Service Required
Yes
Accreditations
EN71 Certified
Building Type
Playhouse
Window Size (Metric)
nan x nan

Comparisons of Similar Sheds

si-002-001-0041_honeysuckle-playhouse-with-tower-insitu-minGPID_5000049036_00SI-002-001-0072-Pent-Playhouse-Lifestyle-DO-paintedwheel6-x-8-6-x-6-2-verandah-hideout-wooden-playhouse-with-apex-roof-single-door-and-window-tg-verandah-L-8776375-50879659_1si-002-002-0001_snug-playhouse-insitu-min
Expert Score 8380808385
Price £819.99£830.00£449.99£1,599.95£289.99
Size 8' x 7'4' x 10'6' x 5'6' x 8'4' x 4'
Brand MerciaMerciaWaltonsFun TimeMercia
Material WoodenWoodenWoodenWoodenWooden
Cladding Thickness 12mm12mm1mm12mm12mm
Guarantee 10 Years10 Years10 Years10 Years
GoGoGoGoGo
Joel Bird

Joel Bird

Profile

Our resident shed building expert Joel was the 2014 winner of Channel 4’s Amazing Spaces Shed of the Year having beat over 10,000 applicants to win. He returned to the show the following year as a judge. He is also the author of The Book of Shed and has designed & built over 50 small bespoke garden builds. Joel has appeared on various TV or Radio shows include George Clarkes Amazing Spaces, Alan Titchmarsh Love your Garden, Chris Evans Breakfast Show and BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live.

Meet the experts

Sources

Merchants Checked

12 different sources were used to research information on this product, and 1 contained information that we were able to use to compile the data used on this page.

The following merchants were checked on the 06 August, 2022 to see if they stocked this product.

Wickes – 19576 products checked, found 1 match.
Waltons – 231 products checked, found no matches.
B&Q – 78905 products checked, found no matches.
ManoMano UK – 922302 products checked, found no matches.
Wilko.com – 21232 products checked, found no matches.
Homebase – 35509 products checked, found no matches.
Buy Sheds Direct – 1635 products checked, found no matches.
sheds.co.uk – 1999 products checked, found no matches.
BillyOh – 1244 products checked, found no matches.
Garden Buildings Direct – 1284 products checked, found no matches.
Shedstore – 1373 products checked, found no matches.
Tiger Sheds – 635 products checked, found no matches.


1. Dip Treated: Dip treating is a temporary protective base coat treatment that is mainly designed to help protect the building during transit and for around one month after it is assembled. This water-based treatment is the least time-consuming and cheapest type of wood treatment. It involves dipping the wood in a protective water-based preservative and then leaving it to dry. The action of dipping is where ‘dip treatment’ comes from.

A dip-treated garden building is not considered fully treated with wood preservatives; it’s vital to re-treat your dip-treated building, preferably with a solvent-based (or oil-based) wood treatment. Then re-treat it on an annual basis using a solvent-based (or oil-based) wood treatment.

If you don’t want to treat something on an annual basis then a pressure treated wooden building might be a better option, this is where the wood undergoes a process called tanalisation (pressure treatment) during production. This is where the timber is submerged in specialist wood preservatives (such as Tanalith E, this is actually the origin of the word ‘tanalisation’), the wood then goes into a high pressure vacuum tank to draw out excess moisture and air and force in the preservatives. This deep penetration of the exterior wood protects it from the elements and all forms of insect attack. Wood treated this way can last many years without being re-treated. The Wood Protection Association has a good article/video on this. 

2. Styrene (Polystyrene (High Impact) HIPS): Styrene as it is commonly known or High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS) is a very versatile form of plastic. It has a very wide range of uses but for garden buildings styrene is typically used as a budget option for windows.

Styrene is a shatter-resistant material, which is why it is ideal for situations where safety needs to be considered, such as playhouses. This benefit can be offset by a few other drawbacks, unfortunately styrene has a tendency to yellow over time (the technical term is Photoyellowing and it is caused by prolonged exposure to UV Light), the degradation of its polymers over time also causes it to become more brittle.

Another drawback of styrene is its thermal coefficient of expansion (it is 80 x 10-6), this is higher than most other glazing options. This means that as the material heats up and cools it can contract and expand more than other glazing options. This cycle can lead to a loose fit of windows over time.

According to data from the British Plastics Fedaration the physical properties of Styrene (Polystyrene (High Impact) are that it is not very good when exposed to high heat with a maximum continuous use temperature of between 60 to 80 °C. This is coupled with the fairly low range the Notched Impact Strength data shows of 10.0 – 20.0 Kj/m². 

3. EN71 Certified: If something has an EN71 certificate then it means that the childrens toy meets with the British Standards Institution (BSI) implementation of the European Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, enacted in the UK as the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011.

This explains how manufacturers should meet the requirements of the regulations, stating how toys should be manufactured and tested and the safety warnings they must carry. Areas the regulation focuses on are making sure toys cannot stab, trap, mangle or choke. Checking the fire safety of high-risk products such as play houses. Along with ensuring children aren’t at risk from elements such as lead, cadmium and mercury along with other potentially dangerous substances, such as solvents and preservatives. 

5. Global cladding data sourced from: All tongue & groove playhouses 

6. Top cladding data sourced from: Top 17 tongue & groove playhouses 

7. 4′ x 4′ cladding data sourced from: 23 4′ x 4′ tongue & groove playhouses 

8. Roof covering types identified: mineral felt 

9. Glazing material types identified: styrene 

Product ID: SKU: 169596

Size: 4' x 4'

Merchants Checked: 12

Available From: 1

Wickes
£500.00
See Deal

Support WhatShed: by making a purchase after clicking a link above, a portion of the sale supports this site.