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Log Cabins – perfect garden offices!

Cosy, compact and cost-effective log cabin garden offices from Timber Living

Insulated Garden Offices

We have the perfect solution for anyone looking for a workshop or garden office. Our log cabins are ideal buildings for all sorts of practical uses, with their solid log construction, quality double-glazing, high-level of insulation – you can create a very placid atmosphere in a timber Living log cabin garden office. Take a look at our Feakle cabin as an example.

Whatever Log Cabin size you want!

We offer all sorts of variations in our garden offices, so you can get EXACTLY the workspace you want, at the best price.

  1. A huge range of sizes, from 3m x 4m upwards to bespoke log cabins

  2. Choice of single or double doors

  3. Double glazing comes as standard

  4. Single wall or cavity wall construction

  5. A range of insulation levels

  6. Log Home Verandah maybe?

 

Contemporary Log Cabin designs

Some people like the more modern, “Shomera” style of cube garden room or garden office pod. If that’s to your taste, no problem! Take a look at our Comtemporary page to get ideas of contemporary designs. And remember that we can build whatever size log cabin you want – you don’t need to go along the traditional route, and neither do you have to pick one of the plans on offer in the website. We are quite happy to build the sie and shape of garden office you want – you just have to come along to one of our showrooms and let us kow exactly yhe details for the cabin you’re looking for, and we will get it priced up in a couple of days.

Contemporary Log Cabin Design

Bespoke Log Cabin Designs

For whatever reason, you may not find what you’re looking for in our wide range of log cabins. Perhaps the space you have available for you to build does not suit the cabins we offer, or maybe you have a particular view, and want to re-configure the windows to facilitate that. There may also be a situation where you need a reception room, changing room, treatment room, or seperate indicidual offfices for different workers. Whatever configuration you need in your garden office, we can supply that for you.

 

Log Cabin Workspaces

We have produced log cabin offices for lots of different workplaces. You’d be very surprised to see the range of businesses which our cabins are suitable for. Perhap the most unexpected building we ever produced was a changing room and canteen for workers at an abbattoir! I supose that just goes to show that our buildings are ideal for nearly eery situation! Some other previous bespoke log cabin offices and workplaces include:

 

Physiotherapy and other treatment rooms

We have provided treatment and therapy rooms for lots of different medical practitioners, from physiotherapists to accupuncturists, homeopathists, psychotherapists, mindfulness and meditation teachers, masseurs etc. These garden offices often many different rooms, including a reception area, treatment room, shower/changing room and kitchen.

 

Log Cabin Office space

Our log cabins are ideal for office space because they are so well heated, can be configured with any number of windows and doors, they are built quickly, and are very easily wired for technology.

 

Log Cabin Creche

We have supplied creche buildings nationwide. Our cabins create a beautiful, soothing atmosphere which is ideal for a creche. The speed of build is also a benefit for creche companies, which may find they need to expand within three months (as with log cabin buildings) rather than in a year or so, which is how long it would take a block building construction.

 

How long will a log cabin last?

Of course, if you’re spending money on a building in which you intend to make more money (!), you want that building to last. ANd we always tell our customers that a TimberLiving Log Lcabin will last a lifetime, as long as it is properly maintained. But maintainance of a log cabin is not a huge chore. Not at all! You will need to redo the external finishing every three or four years, depending on how exposed your log cabin is to the wind and rain. We always recommend Sikkens exterior wood stain for our cabin exteriors. This excellent product does a great job at keeping the water out, and also letting the wood of the walls breathe. Its a straightforward application, with a short rying time, cso your log cabin can be done and dusted in a couple of days.

Another secret to keeping your log cabin going over the years is hidden in the way we build our cabins, from the ground up. You require a concrete slab which is shorter by ten millimetres all round than the cabin which sits on it. This ensures that water cannot pool under the cabin, which means the wood cannot rot. An additional safety feature ith regard to this is the throated rain sill which runs all around your cabin at the base of the walls. This throated rain sill throws water off the foot of the cabin, and prevents any pooling at the cabin base. A very important detail in our log cabins!

We also include weather boards at the exterior ends of our overlapping walls. These weather boards ensure that the ends of our horizontal wall drop logs are not exposed to driving rain. If they were exposed to driving rain, there is always the possibility that rain would run along the horizontal joint, and lodge at the wall corners. This is now prevented by the weather boards mentioned above.

 

If you would like to learn more about our log cabin construction and high build quality, you should come along to one of our showrooms. Just give us a call, or come visit us in Tullow, Boyle or Carrigaline. We’d be delighted to show you around.

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Get a Log Cabin – best New Year’s Resolution Ever!

Whichever way you look at it, a Log Cabin is a great investment – quick to build, long lasting, easy to heat and a whole lot cheaper than the alternatives.

 

Beautiful Log Cabin interior

Do I need planning permission for a log cabin in Ireland?

A lot of people as us if planning permission is an issue for their garden log cabin? Did you know that that we have a couple of cabins that are under the 25 square meter planning permission limit? You could take a look at the Brittas Log Cabin, which is the favourite of our customers, or the Down Granny Flat, which is a tad smaller, but still very well laid out. And of course, we have plenty of other sizes, including our very successful two bedroom log cabin range, if you’re looking for something bigger. Just call to any of our showrooms and we’ll be delighted to help.

 

Log-term Benefits of Log cabins

We have been building log cabins in Ireland for over twenty years, and that is why we’re only too pleased to offer a ten year guarantee with all of our cabins. The quality of the timber used in the cabins (Norway Spruce from Siberia) is so good, that your cabin will last a lifetime, as long as it is well treated. The timber grows very slowly, since there are only three months of real growth per year. This means that the wood-grain is extremely tight, compared to Irish gron timer. Tight wood-grain means no warping, twisting, or bending of the log cabin timbers, keeping your log cabin draught-free and leak-proof for the duration!

 

Cheap and easy to heat log cabins

Because your log cabin is so well insulated, there will be no problem when it comes to cozyness and heating bills. We use high-quality insulation in the floors, walls and roofs of our cabins, and if you’re interested, we can actually increase the level of insulation. Also, the cabins are relatively air-tight, which means there are no draughts that might take away any heat from inside.

 

What heating system for your Log Cabin?

You can use any form of heating to warm your log cabin- oil /gas / wood pellet boiler with radiators, stove (with or without back boiler), electric radiators, heat pumps – the list is endless.

 

Are log cabins built quickly?

Its unbelievable how quickly we can build a log cabin. You could have your cabin built and ready to move in to in four weeks, if you had all your ducks lined up, but it is not unreasonable to expect to be ready to move in to your log cabin after two months.

In week on, we build the outside walls, and in week two we do the insulation and the inside walls. Your electrical and plumbing work is done at the same time, so after two weeks (depending on cabin size, of course) you’re ready to put in your kitchen and get decorating. No bother!

 

So, why not start the year off properly with a visit you one of our showrooms? Give us a call at 05991 81039, and we’ll organise an appointment straight away!

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Log cabins or block built homes?

Log cabins or block built homes – which is best?

People often ask “Should we build log cabins or block built homes? What’re the major differences between them?”

Where do we start?  

  • Log cabins are cheaper to build, and if that doesn’t make you look more carefully at the log cabin option, we don’t know what will!

  • Log cabins are quicker to build. You can have a standard two-bedroom log cabin built in four weeks.

  • Log cabins are MUCH better for the environment. When you look at the carbon footprint of concrete or the heating inefficiencies of block-built houses, you’d wonder why we build with concrete at all!

  • Log cabins are healthier to live in. Regulated temperatures, fewer cold spots and damp potential all add up to a much cosier, healthier environment than a standard, block-built house.

 

 The legacy of block built homes

If you’re Irish, you were probably brought up in a block built home, or something even colder! Like a stone-walled farmhouse with two-foot thick walls, and single glazed windows which were covered in condensation every winter morning! But there’s no point in building using this thoroughly outdated technology. Block building is really not a very sensible way to build, and the main reason it continues in Ireland is that there’s a lot of expertise in block building, and there is serious infrastructure established for the production and delivery of concrete blocks, cement and all of the ancillary tools required to build with them.

But we often challenge people to give us three good reasons to build in block instead of timber. Once people get past the fact that we’re used to block, and block is very sturdy (so is timber, by the way) they are lost for a third good reason!

Which is cheaper? Log cabins or block built homes

Log cabins are cheaper to build for a number of reasons: you don’t need a number of people on-site for weeks building a wall block by block. So, the cost of labour is reduced, and that leads to a significant saving on the overall project. The cost of materials is also significantly lower than that of concrete and steel build buildings. The amount of energy that goes into producing concrete obviously leads to an increase in cost for concrete and steel products. it doesn’t take a genius to understand that this extra cost is passed on to you, the consumer.

 

“Which are built quicker – log cabins or block built homes?”

Because your log cabin is produced in a high-tech factory and all of the pieces are cut to size to the millimetre: there is no need for on-site adjustment to delivered pieces. They all just slot into place! If you ever see a log cabin being built, you will be stunned at the speed in which they go up. And a building that is built quickly means less damage to the grounds around the building, less repeated movement of heavy machinery, less refuse, litter and rubbish that can gather over time. There are lots and lots of benefits to a quick build.

And of course, a quicker build means reduced labour costs. This is a major advantage. Compare the amount of labour cost of a block-built house – EACH block having to be handled multiple times, concrete to be applied to EACH block, EACH block placed perfectly vertical and horizontal and squared off, NUMEROUS blocks having to be cut for corners, doorways and windows… It’s a ridiculous way to build, when you think about it!

 

Log cabins are environmentally friendly

 

If you were asked “which was more environmentally friendly, log cabins or block built homes?”, it would not take you long to decide! The carbon footprint of concrete and steel production is HUGE! Nobody with any concern for the environment would ever build a block built home. In fact, it is the opinion of this writer that block build houses should be banned under the latest building regulations. What is the point in building an A2 rated house to save carbon emissions over time, if that same house has produced years equivalent of carbon emissions in its production? Pure madness!

After water, concrete is the most widely used substance on the planet. But its benefits mask enormous dangers to the planet, to human health. If you’re trying to decide between log cabins or block built homes, here’s an article from the Guardian on the impact of concrete on the environment, if you need any more convincing. Concrete: the most destructive material on Earth It’s really remarkable to read about concrete. And unbelievable to think that concrete production is responsible for 8% of global CO2 emissions.

 

Log cabins create a healthy environment

 

Log cabins are healthier to live in

Which would you say generates a more healthy interior environment, log cabins or block built homes? Of course its log cabins, once they are well built, well-insulated and draught-proofed, and built with a double wall.

Because of the absence of plasterboard walls, there is very little dust in a log cabin. The natural wood walls resonate with our own natural needs. They exude a warmth that you will not get from plasterboard. They even reflect sound in a very natural way, smoothing off louder, harsher sounds and helping everyone to relax!

Everyone who walks into a Timber Living showhouse automatically feels cosy and at home. In fact, people often stop at the door of our show houses for a minute, just to take in the calm atmosphere, as it is so unfamiliar to them. So many people have said to us when they walk into one of our show houses “it’s just like going back to nature.”

If you’d like to experience this for yourself, you should come to visit us at our show cabins. We have a two and three-bedroom cabin showrooms in Tullow. We have a two-bedroom cabin in Boyle, Co Roscommon, and we have a three bed at our showhouse in Carrigaline, in Cork. You’ll get all of the contact details on our website our the Timber Living Show Houses page.

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How Long Can You Live in a Log Cabin?

One of the most common questions we get asked is how long can you live in a log cabin. For some people, a log home is simply a place to get away from it all – a holiday home replacement for a mobile home, a garden office, a playhouse in the garden or a handy annexe in the garden for guests to stay at the weekend.

Residential Log Cabins

But of course, residential log cabins are quite common in Ireland, and you can certainly live very comfortably in a log cabin in Ireland. They are perfect for long-term residential living. When anyone asks us “So is it possible to make a log cabin a permanent home?” of course the answer to this question is a definite “yes”!

How long can you live in a log cabin - blog
So nice to come home to this log cabin

 

What is the lifespan of a log cabin?

Because we in Ireland are not familiar with log cabins (they are not part of the “vernacular” as the planners would say) it is perfectly understandable for people to be unsure of the longevity of a log cabin. After all, if you’re planning to spend over twenty thousand euros on a building, you are right to ask all of the questions that cross your mind, and you need to be sure and feel secure that, with the amount of money you’re spending, that your investment will last. So, will a log cabin last twenty years, fifty years, sixty years?

Log cabins can last sixty years or longer.

If you treat the timber in your log cabin properly, there is no reason for it not to last a lifetime. After all, boats have been made out of wood for thousands of years, and, once they are treated properly, they last and last. Or think about every front door in the country when we were kids was made of wood too.

The important thing is to keep your timber dry. That is why we build our cabins on bases that are actually smaller than the wood that sits on top of them! It is important that the log cabin overhangs the base on which it sits so that water cannot pool under the wood. That is why you cannot build your log cabin on a concrete or tarmac yard – you must raise yourself up off the ground, and out of the puddles!

Take a look at the video below, which explains how log cabin bases and foundations work.

How long can you live in a log cabin – this video give a few reasons why our log cabins last a lifetime.

How long can you live in a log cabin in your garden?

If you have stumbled across this blog, the chances are you may be considering buying a timber home or log cabin. Although, it is most common amongst our customers to build at the back of an existing property. This often simplifies the planning process and decisions that have to be made about planning.

Many of our customers have identified a site and either don’t have the funds to build a conventional house or they simply love the idea of living in a log house and love all of the benefits that come with that:

  • the lower cost of building a log cabin
  • the speed of the build,
  • the sustainability of any log cabin building,
  • how easy it is to heat a log cabin
  • the style and cosiness of a log cabin
  • that one feels closer to nature

Log Cabin Insulation

Living permanently in a log cabin home is actually perfectly possible as long as the correct level of insulation is installed and you fit double glazing etc.

Because of the new planning regulations NZEB (Near Zero Energy Buildings), if you go for planning you will be required to increase the insulation in your log cabin to a minimum of 6 inches. This thickness will vary depending on the type of insulation that you use.

Draught-proofing a log cabin

There is also the issue of air-stripping or draught-proofing your log cabin. This is a very simple process when it comes to log cabins because the construction of the buildings is so straightforward. Air-stripping of a building gets difficult when it comes to awkward construction details with many superfluous edges, such as bay windows or dormer windows. And all of these extra junctions can lead to a complicated, and ultimately unsuccessful job. But with your log cabin, the straightforward designs mean that air-stripping or draught-proofing is also straightforward and problem-free.

Log Cabin Planning Permission

The important thing to note before making your log cabin a permanent home is to make sure you get planning permission if required. Your engineer will also have to sign off on any building for which you apply for planning, so it is important to talk to us before you go any further in your planning process. But do not be put off. It is still possible to get planning for a log cabin. And we are developing different wall structures that will still be cheaper than conventional builds, but will still provide the insulation required, and will be very durable, environmentally friendly constructions.

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Log Cabin Finance available on our log cabins

Once you’ve seen the wisdom and value in buying a log cabin, you’ll be eager to get going and complete your purchase. Of coure, a log cabin is not a cheap purchase, and most people will have to organise finance for their new log cabin. There are lots of different ways to finance your new log cabin. Credit Unions are a very popular option with a lot of our customers. Another way is through a long term loan from Flexifi. Timber Living Log cabins have teamed up with FlexiFi, who offer finance on our log cabins.

You can apply here: FlexiFi Apply Here

Log Cabin Finance Options

Financing a log cabin is a great idea!Think about it – a two bed log cabin will cost you €28,000 upwards. Now, if you’re currently paying (say) €600 a month in rent to your lovely landlord, that means you’re handing over over seven grand a year, and with nothing to show for it at the end of the day. Fice years rent, in this exampple, is €36,000! Thirty six thousand euro! That makes absolutey NO sense. Imagine the cabin you would have after five years and thirty six thousand euro!

So, we can agree that you’ll easily pay back your log cabin with whatever you’re paying for rent at the moment. But before you jump in and make a purchase, you need to think about the BEST place to get your money.

Where can you get finance from?

Getting finance is never easy, but for a log cabin, it never made so much sense. Building a log cabin is going to cost about half of the amount that a block built house costs, so its a no brainer. And, you’ll pay for your cabin with (probably) less than whatever you’re paying for rent at the moment. Payback might be over 5 years or more, but, its all do-able, and all good. But where to get the finance?

  1. Credit Union (Always the best place to start.)

  2. FlexiFi

  3. Family / Friends. (If you don’t ask, you’ll never know. People are often delighted to be able to help…)

  4. Banks. (Unlikely that you’ll have much success here, but, depending on your standing, you might be able to sort something out.)

Credit Union Finance for Log Cabins

A lot of people have a few misconceptions about Credit Unions, and it is no harm to clear these up for you right now. The most important thing you need to know about Crefit Unions is that:

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A CURRENT MEMBER OF A CREDIT UNION TO GET A LOG CABIN LOAN FROM THEM!

Did you know that? I bet you didn’t! Its always a surprise for people to learn this. Now, not all Credit Unions will give loans for log cabins, and there my be difffernt loan levels, depending on the individual credit union, and the prospective customers financial record, employment status, credit rating and level of savings. But there is definitely no harm in going to your credit union and asking them about finance for your log cabin. They’re definitely the most open financial institution when it comes to log cabins, according to our customers experiences over the last coule of decades.

 

Log Cabin Finance from Flexi Fi

I’m sure you’ve heard of Flexi-Fi? They seems to be everywhere, from Harvey Norman to the Cycle Superstore! Flexi-Fi are a finance company, and we actually pay them a fee to offer their services to our customers, so it means that its difficult forus to offer discounts to cutomers who are using Flexi-Fi. Nevertheless, discount or no, if you can get your loan from Flexi-Fi, you’re still going to be way better off after five years, with the keys of a beautiful TimberLiving log cabin in your hand, than you would have been by paying rent for those sixty months!

 

Its easy to apply for finance for your log cabin

Flexi-Fi make it as easy as possible for you to apply for a loan for your log cabin. All you have to do is click on this link. You’ll be taken through the brief process once you go through.

If you apply for a loan over 5 years, you will have to pay €775 a month, which, if this amount is something you can fford at the moment, means you’re already a step closer to owning your own cabin already! And you’re also a lot clsoer to living mortgage free, AND rent free! WOW!

 

Payment Schedule on your Log Cabin

If you make the eminently wise decision to buy your log cabin from Timber Living, we always ask for a deposit on the date of order. This usually amounts to about 15% of the final price for the cabin. SO, for a €28,000 cabin, we would look for a deposit of €4,000. After that, we look for three more payments. The second payment is for €16,000, payable when we arrive on site with the cabin. Another payment of €4,000 is due when we get the cabin to roof level. The final payment of €4,000 is due when we complete the cabin build and are ready to leave the site.

All of these details can be finalised with Fergus or Valerie at Head Office when you order your TimberLiving Log Cabin.

 

Come and see us at one of our showrooms and we can advise you further.

we have a wide range of designs and plans avialable on our website: = One Bedroom Log Cabins = Two Bedroom Log Cabins = Three Bedroom Log Cabins

We are also delighted to deliver Bespoke Log Cabins, if you have a particular design in mind.

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How to paint your log cabin

Rule Number One: don’t paint – stain!

Yes – putting paint on the exterior of your log cabin is a no no. Your wooden house has to breathe – you cannot let moisture get trapped within your wood. So we always recommend using a high quality wood stain, like SIKKENS.

 

Can you paint a log cabin exterior?

Can you paint a log cabin exterior? is is a great question, and one of the questions we are asked all of the time. People get confused between PAINT and STAIN. The main difference between the two in=s that paint will seal the timber, while a stain will let the timber breathe. It is important not to seal your timber, since that can trap any moisture within the wood, and moisture and wood are not good bed-fellos! You can get mould forming, and rotting will occur too. Not a good situation for the log cabin owner!

 

Cavity wall log cabins

We offer high quality, well engineered double cavity walls in all of our log cabins. This means that our cabins have an insulated cavity, a minimum of 100mm or four inches (this can be expanded if desired) , and that will ensure a warm, dry, easy to heat and mould free log cabin interior. Remember,though, that the timber faces of the walls within the cavity cannot be painted or treated, so any moisture that might get in their in moist winter air needs to be able to escape. If you paint the exterior of your cabin, you will trap this moisture within the cavity wall, and that can lead to issues further down the line.

 
 

Log cabin paint colours

Sikkens, a timber paint and stain manufacturer based in the Netherlands, offers “A Rainbow of Colours for your log home”. Below is am image from their website of their Joinery Colour Classics.

SIKKENS Joinery Colour Classics

So, what do they say about their timber stains collection?

Joinery Colour Classics (JCC) combines the most popular opaque and translucent colours in Europe in one comprehensive collection.

Finally, the Joinery Colour Classics give log cabin owners a standardised collection of the most popular wood coatings in the whole of Europe – with perfectly matching coverings and hues. The Joinery Colour Classics are ideal for coating of dimensionally true wood parts for exterior applications.

 

They also offer a range of colours, expanding the choice for log cabin owners. This new range is called “Never Ending Impressions”.

SIKKENS Never Ending Impressions

SIKKENS Never Ending Impressions NEI collection, developed at the Akzo Nobel Aesthetic Center, shows the entire spectrum of harmoniously balanced colours of subtle to vivid expressiveness, ideal for TIMBER LIVING log cabins, garages and garden offices exteriors..

Preventative wood protection and a naturally beautiful colour collection are typical features for SIKKENS translucent coats.

This leaves more room for creative freedom and the implementation of the very personal taste in colour on your log cabin. If SIKKENS is good enough for Walt Disney and McDonald’s, then it just might be good enough for you!

Where to get your log cabin colours?

Sikkens is available at all Pat McDonnell Paints Stores (Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny, Athlone and Tralee) www.mcdonnellpaints.ie

You should also be able to get them from you local hardware store. Many stores offer a basic range of Sikkens stains, but you may need to order specific coours through the Dulux rep that deals with your ocal shop. A note of caution – the colour charts they offer are not very accurate, because different stains will come out with different shades, depending on the timber they are applied to. This is due to the translucencs of the stain itself, and cannot be helped.

unfortunately, you will need to buy a couple of the smallest pots with different colours, and try them out on the log cabin timber. (Make sure the lads from Timber Living leave you some clean timber onto which you can apply your samples). These samples are not the cheapest (it cost me about €15 a tin!), but you want to get the job right at the end of the day.

 

How many coats of stain does my log cabin need?

Before you apply any stain to your log cabin, you should apply two coats of ordinary wood preservative. This is a quick job, but it is important. Once that is done, you will need three coats of Sikkens. Read the instructions carefully. Sikkens offer one product that is especially for cabins with high exposure to sunlight. It has UV protection built in. Normally, this is not required in Ireland, but have a good chat with the Dulux rep and read the technical information supplied by Dulux before you proceed.

 

And feel free to give us a call to discuss this further, or visit one of our showrooms to see the real thing.

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What to look for when buying a Log Cabin

There’s one quick answer – QUALITY!

If you’re buying a log cabin, you want quality – quality timber and door/windows materials, quality manufacturing , quality insulation,and quality installation. And most importantly of all, you want quality design – in the look of your log cabin, and in the engineering.

What are the problems with log cabins?

 

When you’re viewing your log house, keep a close eye on the finishing.

Do all the corners match exactly?

 

Poorly matched corners can be an indication of a number of things, from minor innacuracies in production, to settling faults. If there are any issues with the corners (both vertical corners, and junctions where the walls meet the floor or roof), walk away.

 

Are there any rough-cut ends?

Rough cut ends mean that the timber sent from the factory was either innacurate or damaged. Damage can happen on a building site, so one rough cut edge is forgiveable, but if there are many, this indicates either that the factory don’t know what tey are doing, or the guys who built the cabin don’t know what piece goes where. Too many roughly cut or hand sawn timber ends should make you very nervous.

How solid are the doors and windows?

 

All of the windows and doors should, of course, be double-glazed: your windows should be tilt-and-turn, and your exernal doors should have five-point locking. And everything should feel extremely solid. The quality of external doors and windows is extremely important, as they have to remain solid while facing the warmth of the interior while at the same time putting up with the cold extremes of winter. Any sign at all of looseness in new windows and doors should be screaming “let’s get out of here!” to you.

Are there any nice timber log cabin details?

Nie tmber details, generally around the windows and doors, or at the roof beams, demonstrate the manufacturer’s interest and dedicatin to producing a quality living environment, and the value of these should not be underestimated when assessing the log cabins available in the market. Quality touches in your log cabin will be appreciated over the years as you notice them and appreciate them, while a log cabin with a “bare bones” interior is not going to generate much love or pride for the owner.

Get a Double wall log cabin, with insulation

You will need insulation in your log cabin– a three inch thick (75mm) timber wall is not sufficient in the Irish climate. I guarantee you there will be condensation and damp problems if you build in this way. And once that happens, the only way to fix it is with exterior insulation. Also be sure that there is freedom of movement between the interior and exterior walls. During the winter, the exterior will be cold and damp, while the interior will be warm, and in the Summer, you will have a cool interior and a warm exterior – your timber will expand and contract according to temperatre and humidity. Watch the video above, which explains Timber Living’s Log Cabin wall construction detail.

Rockwool or PIR (Kingspan) Insulation?

Always look for at least 100mm insulation in the walls and roof, if you want to keep your heating bills in your log cabin down. And very importantly NEVER ever use rockwool under your floorboards! You’ll get condensation from the cold surface of your slab, which will be soaked up by the rock wool, and your floor will be FREEZING!

Log CabinWall Height

It might not be obvious, but the height of your walls is very significant to the feel of your log cabin. Many log cabins have low walls, to save on materials, time and money. But the problem is that the roof is lower, and the feeling of openness you get in a Timber Living log cabin is not there in our competitors.

When people visit our log cabin show houses, their first impression is always VERY positive, but often times, our visitors cannot put their fingers on WHY the room feels so good. Its because our roofs are high, and there is NO claustrophobia. You won’t get that in any other log cabin in ireland.

 

How Long Can You Live In A Log Cabin?

This is a question that has been asked over and over again, for obvious reasons, nd the answer is “you can live in a log cabin for a lifetime” as long as you maintain the wood well. And that is not a difficult thing to do. Exterior treatment every three or four years, dependint on the exposure to wind, rain and sunlight, if easy and cheap to do, and will keep your cabin going for decades. There is a sixty year old timber home 500 yards up from the Timber Living Log cabin showhouse in boyle. It used to be the club house of the local golf club (since moved to another location), and the timber on the exterior of the building is still as good as new. it has clearly been well maintained, and it proves that tese building will last a lifetime. (Come and see it for yourself!)

 

How long do log cabin homes last?

This is pretty much the same question as the one above, but people ask for different reasons, and do different searches in Google, so, in the interest of answering everyone’s questions, and informing the public as to the benefits of log cabin living, we have included the question here again. And, as you may have already read, they last a lifetime. We confidently predict a minimum lifespan of fifty to sixty years, if the log cabin is well-maintained. Boats are built of timber, and last because of the proper treatment, so there is no reason why a log cabin should not last for decades.

 
 

What do I need to know before buying a log cabin?

There are a number of things you will have to think about if you are considering buying a log cabin, and we have answers to all of your questions. Most of the asnswers should be available in these blog posts, but we would be delighted if you would call to our show houses in Tullow, Boyle or Cork so we can answer your questions directly.

So, whether you’re wondering about :

  • What size log cabin should I buy

  • Can I get planning for a Log Cabin

  • Can I get Finance For a Log Cabin

  • How easy is it to maintain a log cabin

  • What should I look for when buying a log cabin

  • How long will a log cabin last

  • What heating system can I put in to my log cabin

 

Just give us a call, make an appointment, and come and see us and our showhouses. If you’re thinking about buying alog cain, a trip to Timber Living Log cabins makes a shed-load of sense!

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3 Benefits of Timber Buildings

If you are thinking of buying a log cabin building for your garden you will be joining thousands of others who are catching on to the growing trend of owning a building that brings you that bit closer to nature.

Scandinavian style comes at no extra cost

Log cabins and log houses have been selling like hot cakes because they allow owners to extend their living spaces and provide an alternative space to relax outside the home.

But besides their natural qualities there are plenty of otherlog home benefits to consider, including the following…

 

1. Log cabins are quick and easy to build

A log cabin can be erected in a number of weeks, rather than months. They’re also produced in high-precision factories where most of the work is done, which reduces site time and costs. Unlike other buildings you won’t need to by lots of additional building materials and dig deep foundations.

 

2. Wood is excellent at keeping heat in

What timber should a log cabin be built with? Wood is a naturally breathable material which is great at keeping heat in and allowing air to circulate. While some houses can have damp problems timber buildings allow moisture to escape which prevents damp problems.

 

3. Scandinavian style comes at no extra cost

Timber buildings come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be used for all kinds of activities. From garden rooms, to garden offices, bespoke log cabins and contemporary log cabins, timber buildings are extremely versatile and with heating you can use them all year round.

 

What wood is used for log cabins?

Log cabins Timber interiors are soothing

Your log cabin should be built with high grade, slow growing timber. At Timberliving, we use Arctic-grown Norway Spruce. These trees are over a century old, and are very slow-growing. Their slow growth means that the wood grain is particularly tight. This means that there will be no warping, bending or twisting of timbers in your cabin walls, floors or roof.

Irish-grown Norway Spruce is not suitable for log cabin construction, because in the Irish climate, these trees grow extremely fast (up to four times the speed of Arctic circle trees, which only get about four months of growth in a calendar year.). With Irish trees, their fast growth means the grain is a lot looser, which will lead to deformation over time if used in construction. Because our cabin production is so precise, we need to use the much harder Arctic timber. Softer woods will have rougher ends and profiles, which might lead to problems with the building in the future.

 

Are log cabin homes a good investment?

 

Money is money! And when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of it, there is no doubt that a log cabin is the best value for money you will find if you are planning on building, pound for pound. We have had so many people come to us in our showrooms in Tullow, Boyle and Cork asking “where’s the catch?” when they compare our prices with local builder’s prices for building an equivalent block-built structure.

So, why are log cabins cheaper, you may ask. Well, there the labour cost of having a block layer outside in all waethers, building up block by block, and someone running the mixer, while our walls just fall in to place, since they are precision-cut in the factory. A building that takes us five days to build will take a couple of months, minimum, if it is being built with blocks and mortar. There’s also extra labour costs when the electrician has to go into a block-built building and start chasing out those freshly laid blocks in order to fit his wiring and switches. Crazy!

Material costs are lso a lot lower for log cabins. There is a high energy and production cost in producing cement blocks, never mind the cost of transportation!

So, to answer the question, “YES! log cabins are a GREAT investment!”

The Environmental Benefits of Log Cabins

Its very frustrating for us in the log cabin industry that the environmental and sustaiable benefits of log cabin building and living are not more recognised and appreicated by the powers that be in Ireland. Planners can be quite picky in certain areas when it comes to log cabin building, when, in reality, the government should be widely encouraging the building of timber buildings. The carbon footprint of a timber building is miniscule compared to that of a building built with concrete and steel. A UK report a number of years ago, Toawrds a Low Carbon Economy, stated that the one most effective measure that the UK Government could take to improve their carbin footprint would be to ban block built houses, and build everything with timber.

 

Log Cabin Timber is an insulator

One of the often-missed benefits of log cabin building is that the walls are made up of an insulating material – wood! (If only the same could be said of concrete, then there would be a lot of VERY warm houses in the country…) Instead of concrete walls that draw heat OUT of a room, timber walls keep heat in the room, reducing the overall heatloss, and also reducing the heat demand. And timber is a carbon sink – as a carbon-based product, the wood in your log cabin contains and holds a lot of carbon, thus keeping it out of the atmosphere.

 

Log Cabin Walls are Easy to Work

Its yet another great benefit of log cabins that its very strightforward putting up shelves, pictures and anything else you might want to put on the walls. And because of the inherent strength of the tightly-grained wood, there is not muh you can hang on your wlls that is too heavy for the walls to hold.

In the showhouse in Boyle, we have a 60L water tank suspended from the wall in the hallway.

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Log Cabin Maintenance

A Log Cabin is a great investment – very cost-effective, quick to build, easy to heat and environmentally friendly (what other building construction type has a lower carbon footprint!). And, at TimberLiving we have such a wide range of cabins, from small one-bedroomed to BIG three-bedroom log cabins, so you can be sure you will get exactly what you’re looking for. And they look SO good once they’re built! 

You may be considering the purchase of a log cabin but someone has put you off by highlighting some of the following myths. But don’t be put off – maintenance is a lot easier than you might think.

Beautiful, low-maintenance Log Cabin Exterior

Log cabin maintenance often gets talked about as a potential drawback compared to building a house from other materials. You will be surprised to find however that on balance, a log home will cost you a lot less in the long run. Wood is a remarkable material, and once it is treated well, it will last a lifetime. (They build boats out of wood, after all, and have done so for millennia. As long as the wood is treated properly, it will last and last.) Most of the ill-informed myths you hear about log cabin maintenance stem from stories where cabins have been badly built, badly treated or poorly maintained. Any of the following myths are as much down to people not looking after their wood properly as to anything bad about building a timber house.

 

Myth 1. Prepare yourself for a lot of maintenance work

If you build your house and follow the recommendations of any of our staff at Timber Living Log Cabins, then you can reduce any maintenance potential issues significantly. The exterior needs to be treated only every three to four years – just like any house!

Myth 2. Log homes attract mould

This myth is actually true in some cases. We have seen cabins with a lot of extensive mould, and you will definitely get mould in your log cabin if it is incorrectly built. Your log cabin needs a cavity wall and some decent insulation. (We offer 100mm cavities, filled with insulation, as standard.)

Do not buy a single wall (75mm or 90mm thickness, as offered by some companies) cabin, unless you intend to insulate either the interior or exterior of the wall. The reason these single-wall cabins get mould is due to the warm moist air inside the cabin coming in contact with the cold surface of the wall. The dampness settles on the wall and mould appears. Oftentimes, the mould only appears behind presses and other unseen spots, because the heating in the room warms the exposed walls, but the walls behind the presses remain cold, leading to mould forming.

Any house type can suffer from mould. The important thing is to keep your log home insulated and double-glazed while allowing air to circulate. Wood also happens to be naturally good at allowing air to circulate.

 

How do you maintain a log cabin?

 

The main element of Log cabin maintenance is the exterior “painting”. We talk about painting a log cabin, but actually, you need to use a solvent-based stain rather than paint on your log cabin. Paint is a sealant, and your log cabin timber needs to be able to breathe. Moisture is not good for wood, and painting a log cabin seals the surface and will trap any moisture inside your cabin. There are a number of different wood stain suppliers available.

 

Best exterior paint for log cabins

We highly recommend SIKKENS wood stains as the best exterior paint for log cabins. This is a Dutch product which is widely used and highly recommended. Their HLS Plus product is a solvent-based, highly translucent wood stain. Its low viscosity makes it ideal for use on bare timber.

 

Dulux is the distributor, and you should be able to get it in your local hardware store. Normally, they have a basic range available in-store, so ask behind the counter for the colour charts. They will probably have to order directly from the suppliers. They also recommend two coats of standard preservatives before any work is done, especially concentrating on any wood ends, where a lot of preservatives will be soaked in.

 

Treat your Log Cabin Exterior with Sikkens

A wide range of log cabin wood stain colours are available. The only problem with Sikkens is that they don’t offer cheap trial pots, so you will have to invest in a few of their smallest tins. But be sure that you do trials – the colour charts are not very accurate. Because the stain is translucent, the type/colour of your wood will affect the final colour of the building.

 

How often should I “paint” my log cabin?

First of all, you don’t paint your log cabin, you stain it. (See above). Depending on the location of the log cabin, and exposure to the elements (sunlight as well as harsher wind and rain) you will need to re-stain your log cabin every three or four years. Sikkens has a specific stain for UV protection, which can be used as one of the three coats required. You should apply this if your cabin is located in a sunny spot. Read their spec sheets carefully!

 

How Long will a Log cabin Last?

A good question! And the best answer we can give is that a log cabin will last a lifetime, as long as the wood is treated well. The picture below is of a 500-year-old timber-built house we saw in Brittany when on holidays over there.

We build our cabins so that they overhang the concrete base by 10mm all around. We also run a throat-ed rain sill all around the bottom of the cabin. In this way, water will never pool under the cabin. This is a crucial detail, and the most important one in ensuring the longevity of our log cabins. 

 

Log Cabin Maintenance Checklist

What are the main things to check when maintaining your log cabin? 

  • Stain the exterior every 3-4 years

  • Check that all walls are free from contact with soil/stones etc.

  • Ensure gutters are free from leaves/blockages and operating well.

  • Maintain mastic seals around windows.

Best exterior paint for log cabins

We highly recommend SIKKENS wood stains as the best exterior paint for log cabins. This is a Dutch product which is widely used and highly recommended. Their HLS Plus product is a solvent-based, highly translucent wood stain. Its low viscosity makes it ideal for use on bare timber.

Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus is a low-build satin basecoat and wood stain for most exterior woods. It can be used as both a basecoat and a finishing coat depending on the project you are doing.

https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/…

It is resistant to UV, surface mould and algae, peeling and cracking. The wood grain remains visible and it can be over-coated with Sikkens Cetol Filter 7 Plus.

It is an ideal product to use on softwood, hardwood, plywood, block board and particle board, such as cladding, fascias, architraves, timber frames, fences, and sheds.

Preparation

Wood to be treated with Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus should be clean, dry and free from surface dirt, debris and surface coatings such as paint or varnish.

Degrease any exposed bare timber surface by wiping with a cloth dampened in a suitable solvent.

The use of ‘knotting agents’ is not recommended with translucent finishes as they are not always fully effective in sealing in resin, the presence of knots is often highlighted and adhesion of coatings can be impaired.

When filling, be sure to use fillers specifically designed for use with timber. General or all-purpose fillers may not be suitable.

Applying Sikkens HLS Plus

Always do a test area before starting any project to test adhesion and final finish. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the tin at all times.

Ensure that Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus is stirred thoroughly before and periodically during application use to ensure a consistent finish.

Application temperature should not be below or exceed 5 – 30℃ and a relative humidity of 85%.

New timber

Where a superficial application of wood preservative to softwood and hardwood is deemed necessary, ensure that the wood preserver used does not contain any wax and has fully dried before applying Cetol HLS plus.

Note: Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus cannot be used on substrates which have had water-repellent wood preservatives or pre-treatments applied i.e. products that contain wax, oil or silicon.

Where possible, the first coat should be applied all around prior to fixing. Only use non-ferrous screws, nails and fixings. Denib using a fine-grade nylon abrasive pad or a fine-grade (P240 or finer) wet or dry silicon carbide abrasive paper, in the direction of the grain. Do not break through the surface coating. Take care to ensure that all sanding/denibbing dust has been removed from the surface prior to applying additional coats.

Note: Where any damage or deterioration has occurred as a result of exposure to the factory coating for longer than 3 months, affected areas should be thoroughly sanded back to a sound substrate.

Damaged or decayed timber

All damaged or decayed timber must be removed and replaced, cutting at least 25mm into sound timber. When splicing in new sections of timber, consideration should be given to the use of timber species whose natural durability is sufficient. Brush and apply two coats of a suitable wax-free wood preserver. Ensure timbers are thoroughly treated, especially any end grain sections, and are fully dry before splicing in. Secure with non-ferrous fixings and fill all voids surrounding the spliced-in area with a suitable exterior wood filler.

Apply 2 finishing coats of Sikkens HLS Plus. For best results, it is necessary to keep the interval between applications of these coats limited, not exceeding 1 month.

Depending on the condition of the finish, clean, degrease and sand thoroughly. Repair defects with Cetol HLS Plus in the appropriate colour and apply one full coat of Cetol HLS Plus, overall. Transparency Maintain the translucent appearance of Cetol HLS plus over a longer period. It is recommended to use Cetol Clearcoat LB or alternatively use lighter colours, 077 or 006 for maintenance applications.

Product Coverage

Coverage greatly depends on the wood species under treatment, the surface condition, the method of application and conditions during application. Under normal conditions, coverage will be between 10 to 14 square meters, On rough-sawn timber the coverage is significantly lower (e.g. 7 – 10 square meters).

Equipment Cleaning

Application brushes and equipment should be cleaned immediately after use with White Spirit.
Storage

Keep this product tightly sealed at all times and stored/transported in an upright position. Store in a dry place at temperatures between 5 – 30℃. The shelf life for this product is a minimum of 24 months in original and unopened packaging.

Drying Time

Sikkens HLS Plus is touch dry after 4 to 6 hours and recoat between 18 to 24 hours. Air temperature and humidity may affect drying times.

The only problem with Sikkens is that they don’t offer cheap trial pots, so you will have to invest in a few of their smallest tins. But be sure that you do trials – the colour charts are not very accurate. Because the stain is translucent, the type/colour of your wood will affect the final colour of the building.