As well as providing high-quality affordable log cabins (see the homepage for our great offers), we also like to help our customers construct their log cabins.
This guide on how to build a single skin log cabin shows and tells you how to make your building look perfect.
Below is the log cabin we are going to build in this guide. It is a single skin cabin. As you can see we have built this log cabin indoors, but you should construct your log cabin in it's intended position. You wont be able to move it once it is constructed.
Before you get started...
Before you start to construct your beautiful new building here are a few things that will help.
- You need a level base on which to build your log cabin. We recommend a concrete level concrete base. See section 2 below for more details.
- Please familiarise yourself with the planning permission laws, and gain planning permission if necessary.
- You need to treat your log cabin as soon as it is constructed to protect it from the elements. Ideally you would treat the cabin before you construct it. However this requires a lot of space and time. So if you can't treat it before you build, treat it as soon as you have finished building it. We recommend using Butinox 1 wood treatment which is available from us.
- It really helps to have someone else help you put the building together.
Tools
Certain tools are required to put the building together. If you are a keen DIY'er you should already have these. If you are not chat with a friend or family member who is, and see if you can borrow the tools and the person to help you construct the building.
We recommend the following tools- Cordless drill & screwdriver - You'll need to drill holes and screw screws into the holes. Cordless means no pesky cables.
- Hammer - To nail nails into timbers.
- Rubber mallet - To ease the timbers together. Never hit the timbers with a hammer as this will forever damage the wood.
- Spirit level - To ensure the base and walls are level and upright.
1. Carefully unpack the cabin and check all components are present
Your log cabin pack contains everything you need to build your cabin. Also included is a list of the items in the pack. Carefully layout all of the parts, and tick them off the list item-by-item.
2. Ensure base is level and square. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!
You log cabin needs a permanent solid base upon which to sit. We recommend a concrete base. The concrete base should be 10cms shorter and 10cms less wide than the dimensions of the cabin. This is because the cabin is measured along it's longest dimensions, which include the interlocking corners which stick out past the wall lengths.
The concrete base upon which you are going to build your log cabin MUST be perfectly level and square. If it is not the cabin will not sit properly and may become damaged and leak
3. Lay the out the green tanalised bearers for the floor to sit on
You do not want to put the lovely timber of your cabin directly on the concrete base, as the concrete base will retain moisture which will damage the timber of your cabin.
We recommend you place a layer of DPC (damp-proof course) on the concrete base first. The log cabin packs contains green tanalised bearers which will sit on the DPC, and the log cabin will sit on these bearers.
Lay the bearers out as show below, ensuring they sit on the DPC
The bearers lock together in each corner as shown below
Now screw the bearers together as shown below. Use a set square to ensure the bearers are square.
Once the tanalised frame is complete add the remaining tanalised sections inside the frame, as shown below. The outer frame supports the walls, the inner sections support the floor. Ensure all of the bearers are sitting on DPC.
4. Separate the wall components
If your cabin has four walls separate the wall components into four individual stacks corresponding with each of the walls to avoid any unnecessary confusion later on. With rectangular buildings ensure you separate the long and short sides.
5. Start building the cabin walls
The walls of the cabin are built by adding layer upon layer of timbers. The first row sits on the green tanalised wood laid earlier, as shown below. In the image below you can see that the timber on the left is laid first, so that the timber on the right interlocks over its ends. This is the principle of interlocking cabins. The end locks the side pieces into place.
Keep adding more timbers, ensuring they lock together. You can see the second layer being added below.
Continue to add more layers building the wall higher, as shown below.
6. Fitting the windows and doors
In the picture below you can see the gaps in the walls that are ready to receive the windows and door. On the right of the front section is the gap for the door. On the left of the front is an edge for the window.
Fit the door into position by slotting into place, as shown in the image below. The doors and windows slot into the walls
The image below shows the door in place. To the left of the door smaller timbers have been inserted to make the gap for the window.
The window slots into the wall just like the door, as shown in the image below. Note how the next timber is being inserted at the same time.
In the image below you can see the fitted window.
In the image below you can see the remainder of the wall being finished by fitting the end interlocking timbers. The interlocking timbers finish the wall securely.
In the image below you can see a smaller window fitted to a wall.
Screw the window trip to the outside of the window frame as shown below.
Finish the wall by adding the remaining timbers, as shown below.
7. Build up to gable ends then place ready cut roof purlins into position and fix with parts supplied
Once the walls are complete we are ready to add the gable ends, as shown below.
Secure the last wall timber with a long screw.
The finished wall is shown below.
Position a gable end and offer the roof beam up to it, as shown below
Add the second roof beam.
Add the remaining gable fixings as shown below.
Then secure the gable fixing into the timbers below
Add the remaining gable end timbers to complete the wall.
Secure the roof beams by screwing as shown below.
Add the gable fixing detail for the other side.
Then secure the fixing by screwing as shown below
8. Add the storm braces to the inside
The storm braces should be screwed on the inside walls as shown below.
9. Nail roofing boards into position
Now that the walls are complete we can add the roofing boards.
Work your way along the roof adding roofing boards and securing with nails as shown below
Add the underside roof trim to the roofing boards by screwing in from the top.
Below you can see the completed roof from the gable end
10. Fix fascia boards all around
Screw the fascia boards on to the log cabin end, as shown below
Also add any trim, such as this diamond
11. Fix the roof covering
The roof is covered with shingles that overlap. The ridge of the roof has an additional layer. Below is an example.
The roofing shingles are fixed to the roofing boards with sufficiently long nails. The shingles should be lapped so that the nail heads are covered by the overlapping singles. The bitumen adhesive on the underside will bond the shingles together, forming a watertight and continuous roofing. The image below shows the overlapping principal.
The first line of shingles should be doubled up, two layers of shingles. Turn the first layer 180 degrees so that the tabs point upward. The second layer is then installed with the tabs facing down and then continue on with the rest of the roof. See the image below.
For the ridge overlap the top layer of shingles on both sides. The ridge tile is cut down from a standard shingle using a Stanley knife. See below.
12. Fix floorboards into position
Now we add the floorboards.
Lay the first floorboard down, resting on the timbers as shown below. Then secure with a nail at each end.
In the image below you can see the floorboards resting on the floor joists
Add more floorboards, locking them together, until the floor is complete.
Finished log cabin pictures
The ceiling
The finished windows
External window view
Completed door
The completed log cabin
The completed cabin seen from the front
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