Tiger Nova Log Cabin (19 mm) – Expert Review

The TigerFlex Nova is one of those buildings that looks simple at first glance but reveals its purpose the longer you think about how people actually use their gardens. In many ways, it’s the apex-roofed counterpart to the Aperta: the same slimline footprint, the same modular construction, the same 19 mm interlocking logs — but with a traditional apex roof rather than a pent.

That roofline makes a surprising difference. The Nova instantly feels a little taller, a little more open, and a touch more “cabin-like” than the Aperta. The ridge height sits at just over 2.3 metres, which brings a sense of vertical space to what is otherwise a very narrow, 6-foot-deep footprint.

And that footprint is the key to understanding the Nova. It’s not trying to be a garden room. It’s not trying to be a full-sized summerhouse. It’s trying to fit in places where almost nothing else will — and still look good doing it.

The TigerFlex System – Practicality Before Romance

The Nova sits within Tiger’s wider TigerFlex ecosystem, a modular approach where the cabin arrives in ready-made wall sections. You can position the double doors and four opening windows wherever you like, which is invaluable for awkward gardens: if a tree blocks one side, you simply move the windows. If your access path is to the left, move the doors. Few cabins at this price offer this level of configuration.

This also means the building can be shipped quickly. Tiger keep large stocks of the modular packs wrapped and stored at their facility, ready for dispatch. If you’re trying to get a structure in place fast — something that fits a strict 6-foot width — the Nova immediately jumps up the shortlist.

The compromise, as with all TigerFlex models, is that these are panel-based cabins, not full log cabins. The walls are still interlocking 19 mm timber, but they are reinforced sections rather than uninterrupted log walls. The result is a building that is stronger than a shed, tidier and more modern than most cheap summerhouses, but not as heavy or as monolithic as a 28 mm or 44 mm cabin.

Light, Air and the Feel of the Space

If the Elysia is the security-focused model and the Aperta is the bright pent workshop, the Nova is the “little snug” of the range — a tiny, airy, pleasantly lit space that works best when you know exactly what you want to do with it.

The full glazed double doors are surprisingly generous for a building this narrow, and the four portrait opening windows do two things extremely well:

1. They let in a genuinely impressive amount of light.
   The behaviour will be nearly identical to the Aperta and Copia. We measured around 33–37% light retentioninside those models. The Nova’s glazing configuration should deliver similar results.
2. They make the small footprint feel less enclosed.
   A narrow building with poor lighting feels like a corridor.
   A narrow building with lots of glass feels like a small but usable room.

And in the warmer months, having four independent opening windows gives you control over airflow — a small detail, but one that helps enormously with comfort.

Construction Quality – Stronger Than Expected, With Honest Limitations

The Nova uses:

• 19 mm interlocking logs
• 12 mm tongue-and-groove floor and roof boards
• 4 mm toughened glass
• 28×44 mm framing
• Black mineral felt roof covering (standard)

It is, by any fair benchmark, well made. Tiger’s machining on these logs is clean, the doors and windows have a noticeably higher quality feel than you find in mass-market sheds, and the fascia work gives the building a tidy, contemporary edge.

But it also behaves like a 19 mm modular building — and buyers must understand what that means. Timber this thin will move more with seasonal moisture changes. The brochure warns about swelling and contraction, and after reviewing multiple TigerFlex cabins over the years (including the pent-roofed Moda at Otley), we’ve seen this firsthand. The logs sometimes show slight easing or minor warping as the building settles.

This isn’t a flaw in the design — it’s simply physics. If a buyer wants immovable rigidity, they need a 44 mm or 70 mm cabin. For a small, flexible, affordable garden structure, the Nova’s behaviour is normal and acceptable.

Structural Performance – Predictable, Acceptable, and Purpose-Built

Based on our measured data from the Moda and other TigerFlex cabins:

• Floor deflection under a 75 kg load tends to be around 2–3 mm
• Wall flex under a 75 kg lean is around 4–5 mm

In a building with this footprint, those numbers are entirely in line with expectations. It is far stronger than a cheap shed (many of which flex more than 10 mm), but nowhere near the stiffness of a 44 mm log cabin, which usually sits in the 1–3 mm range.

Importantly, because of the modular reinforcement system, the longer Nova models (12×6 and 18×6) do not become weaker. Each 6-foot module is structurally self-contained. The trade-off is the small internal upright sections between modules, which eat a few centimetres of internal width — but the gain in rigidity is worth it.

Thermal Reality – A Seasonal Building Best Used With Intention

Let’s be honest: the Nova is not a winter cabin.

With 19 mm logs, no insulation, and a roof felt rather than roofing shingles or steel, this is a spring-and-summer building that can be used in autumn if you don’t mind a jumper. A heater will warm the air, but the building won’t retain the heat the way a thicker log cabin does.

That doesn’t make it bad — it just makes it purpose-specific. Think of it as:

• A reading nook
• A craft room
• A tiny art studio
• A garden “escape pod”
• A miniature workshop
• A good-looking, glass-fronted upgrade from a wooden shed

It is not, however:

• A full summerhouse
• A full home office
• A building you’ll comfortably spend hours in during winter
• A social room for more than two people

The Nova shines when you use it intentionally and within its limitations.

Who the Nova Is Perfect For

The Nova works beautifully if you:

• Have a strict 6-foot width available
• Want an attractive, glass-fronted cabin instead of a shed
• Need fast delivery and simple configuration
• Want lots of natural light in a small structure
• Need to control where the windows and doors sit
• Want a mini “snug” or hobby space
• Prefer the look of an apex roof
• Don’t need year-round warmth

Where it struggles is with:

• Comfort in cold months
• Furniture-heavy layouts (the space is simply too narrow)
• Office setups with monitors, chairs and desks
• Large-scale summerhouse-style seating
• Buyers who expect the solidity of a 44 mm cabin

The Nova is best when chosen deliberately — when a buyer says, “I only need a tiny space, I love the glass, and this fits my garden perfectly.”

Final Verdict – A Charming, Niche Cabin With a Clear Purpose

The TigerFlex Nova won’t be right for everyone, and it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s a bright, attractive little apex cabin, ideal for gardens where width is limited and where the owner wants something more refined than a shed but less expensive or imposing than a “proper” log cabin.

Its flexibility is its big selling point: you put the doors where they work, you place the windows where the light is best, and you get a building that looks good in a tough footprint.

But it is niche.
You have to know what you’re buying and why.

Used correctly, the Nova can be a delightful mini-escape — the kind of space that becomes a quiet part of the garden you look forward to stepping into. Used without that understanding, it may feel too small or not warm enough.

If you need something narrow, bright, configurable and quick, the Nova is an excellent option. If you need something larger, warmer or more rigid, Tiger’s 28 mm and 44 mm cabins remain the gold standard.