Tuindeco log cabins and garden rooms are produced with great care and expertise, in modern workshops, using high-quality Scandinavian spruce with a moisture content of 14–16%. Because Tuindeco's log cabins are made of all-natural building materials, small bends, shrinkage seams or small cracks on the surface of the wood may occur. Knots are also characteristic of spruce.
- Always make sure you have a good, level foundation and building surface. We can supply the foundation (with drainage) as an optional extra, or you can make your own with edging stones, paving tiles, railway sleepers or a brick foundation. If you have also purchased a wooden floor, you can support the floor joists, which should be spaced around 50 cm, with tiles. You can also hammer in a hardwood stake next to it. A wooden floor can be installed first, or afterwards, when the log cabin has already been built.
- Before you start, lay down all the elements for each wall on the corresponding side. Sorting out the wooden elements saves a lot of walking and makes assembly easier.
- Make sure the wall boards fit together properly. Use a bit of wood or a rubber mallet to tap the boards firmly together. Check that the construction is still square during the first layer and after stacking the first five layers. At a height of five boards, you can lower the door and frame into the doorway. The wall boards under the window are usually ten boards high. Once you have stacked up to window height, place 3 or 4 more boards next to the window and lower the window frame into the opening. The top of the window is 3–5 cm higher than the door.
- When you have reached the correct height for all walls, place the ridge pieces on the front and back wall. It is now easy to install the roof beams in the right place. Note: The log cabin will still settle a few centimetres.
- The roof is covered with tongue and groove sheathing. It may be handy to provisionally nail a board to the front, back and middle to help you set the cabin exactly square and plumb. When attaching the roof sheathing, take into account that you should leave ± 2 mm between the planks to allow for the movement of the wood. You will have to cut the last roof boards to size; start by laying the boards in the front. Once all the boards have been nailed down, you can finish the roof with the roof trim and fascia boards. Nail on the diamond finial at the top of the ridge.
- Start nailing on the roof shingles at the bottom, following the instructions on the packaging.
- Once the log cabin is assembled, use the screws to attach the window frames. Screw into the bottom board to allow for movement in the wood.
- To avoid damaging the glazing bars when attaching the glazing beads, it is best to attach the glazing beads to the frame before installing the bars. When the glazing bars are supported by the glazing beads, they are less likely to break.
- Due to the movement of the wood, you may need to adjust some components to get a good fit.
- For log cabins with a canopy of 170 cm, you will need a corner bracket to attach the centre post to the ridge board. Ensure that the posts have a solid foundation, using adjustable feet or post spikes, for example. This also applies to log cabins with a side canopy.
All Tuindeco log cabins are delivered with an extensive construction manual. The manual provides detailed descriptions using graphical representations and offers various tips and tricks to simplify the build. Watch the video below to get a good impression of the construction of a Tuindeco log cabin.
Necessary tools:
- Handsaw
- Tape measure
- Utility knife
- Drill
- Rubber mallet
- Pliers
- Screwdriver
- Circular saw
- Cordless drill
- Piece of scrap wood
- Spirit level