In case you’re working out of house within the house however don’t need the hassle and expense of constructing an extension, a log cabin could also be a comparatively fast and simple resolution.
One of these construction could make a really perfect home workplace, playroom, workshop or video games room, offering a gorgeous outdoor retreat in addition to including curiosity and worth to your home. Listed here are just a few sensible pointers for anybody contemplating a log cabin:
What is the distinction between a log cabin and a summerhouse?
Log cabins share some options in widespread with summerhouses however are bigger, extra substantial buildings created from a lot thicker timbers. Their partitions are constructed up utilizing interlocking precision-cut logs which slot collectively so tightly that no fixings are required. Flooring and roofs are usually constructed from close-fitting tongue and groove timber, leading to sturdy and watertight constructions appropriate for an entire vary of makes use of.
The logs are normally created from kiln dried wooden. This course of extracts moisture from the timber to a exact degree, which reduces warping and minimises the chance of splitting.
What are the details to search for in a log cabin?
Not all log cabins are the identical. Wall density can vary from round 28mm as much as greater than 50mm, and flooring are normally between 19mm and 28mm thick. Some cabins are double-glazed, making them usable in all weathers, whereas others might solely have single glazing, so test before you purchase.
As for roofs, most are round 19mm thick and accessible with a alternative of overlaying. Felt shingles are broadly thought-about essentially the most engaging, however you can too get corrugated bitumen panels and felt sheeting.
Think about the form of the constructing as nicely. Log cabins with pitched roofs are usually taller than these with flat or sloping roofs, which might typically restrict the place you’ll be able to place them in your backyard. And conventional chalet-type constructions with roof overhangs typically take up extra floor house than fashionable minimalist designs, so keep in mind to permit for this when measuring up.
Do you want planning permission for a log cabin?
If you’re considering of erecting a small indifferent constructing reminiscent of a log cabin, shed or solar room in your backyard, you’ll not usually want planning permission. These are the details to keep in mind:
1. You aren’t allowed to position a constructing past the entrance wall of your house – in different phrases, within the entrance backyard.
2. Not more than 50% of the land across the unique dwelling might be taken up with outbuildings or extensions – so you probably have a small again backyard, measure fastidiously to verify there may be sufficient house left over for a cabin earlier than you commit your self.
three. Top is a significant factor. If the cabin is lower than 2.5m tall at its highest level, you’ll be able to place it inside 2m of your boundary – in any other case, you’ll have to place it additional away.
Do log cabins need to adjust to constructing rules?
Constructing rules are safety guidelines that govern how nicely a construction is constructed. They will not apply in case your log cabin is lower than 15 sq. metres in dimension and accommodates no sleeping accommodation. Even when the cabin is between 15 and 30 sq. metres, it’s going to normally solely have to satisfy constructing rules whether it is located lower than 1m out of your boundary.
Nonetheless, if you’re hoping to make use of the cabin as a granny annexe, visitor room or vacation let, then it should adjust to constructing rules as a result of it’s going to embody sleeping accommodation. This is applicable to any dimension of cabin and is all the way down to safety causes. Extra data is on the market on the federal government’s Planning Portal website log cabins scotland.
The place’s the most effective place for a log cabin?
Put the cabin on a degree a part of the backyard. Go away a superb hole throughout the constructing so you’ll be able to attain the partitions to use remedies or perform repairs, and keep in mind to permit for roof overhang when measuring the house accessible.
Do not place the cabin the place it’s going to block out your neighbours’ light, and pay attention to planning guidelines – if the constructing is greater than 2.5m tall, you shouldn’t place it inside two metres of the boundary.
Think about the course of the solar, as chances are you’ll not need daylight beaming straight in if you are going to use the cabin as an workplace. Take into consideration comfort too. In case you’re planning to put in electrical energy within the constructing, placing it close to the house will make it simpler to attach an influence provide.
What base do you want for a log cabin?
Good foundations are very important for any backyard constructing. If the bottom is not sturdy sufficient, or is even barely uneven, the partitions will ultimately warp.
For enough help, it is best to place the cabin on a 150mm thick concrete base. A paving slab base ought to be ample for smaller cabins of lower than 30m², so long as it’s utterly degree. Attempt to make the bottom precisely the identical dimension because the cabin for a neat look.