Log Cabins LV

Very happy with our Clockhouse Studio Cabin – We did a self-assembly of a Clockhouse detached Studio about a year and a half ago. Our local distributor did warn about the potential shrinkage and expanding problems others have reported earlier, so we did take some steps to avoid them. He said the problem should be largely addressed now in the factory by them cutting a slightly larger gap in… Read more

the logs that go immediately over the doors and windows. The gap will naturally close up as the timbers dry out and the roofline lowers. When assembling I intentionally did not screw some of the door and window surrounds into the horizontal logs so the walls can naturally shrink or expand as the humidity and dryness of the timber changes over time. The roofline did lower about an inch as the timber dried out in the first year but the windows and doors are not affected.

Also we were advised to install on a perfectly level 100mm concrete slab. Doing this avoids potential issues due to soil movement or not quite level foundations.

Other advice I would have are to:

- paint with the recommended termite /fire retardant treatment first then a few layers of regular exterior paint to ensure the pine is fully sealed from the elements

- For Australian conditions get it with a colorbond roof. Those tar shingles seen in web site images might be ok in Europe or the US but would not be durable for our climate.

- Add your own additional insulation bats under the floorboards and between the sarking and Colorbond roof

- Plan to also add your own gutters and downpipes. Our council insisted on this with plumbing to existing stormwater.

- Install any electrical wiring under the floor and roof before they are installed and terminate them at a junction box so an electrician can connect it all up later. Consider where TV points, network cabling and lighting will be needed and run conduits for those.

- Ensure you have any complying development certificates in place before ordering. The clockhouse cabin I installed was 600mm too high (at 3600mm) to be considered as a shed which is exempt. I had to lodge it as a detached studio, which is ok for the Complying Development cerification process in NSW assuming your property and site meets all the criteria.

- As the roofline did drop about an inch or more as the timber dried out, any attached downpipes will need to have some flexibility for movement in the bend angles so they can also accommodate minor shrinkage as the walls lower.

Bit of a mixed experience – Probably fall in between the other reviewers, always good intention and willingness to help, but ultimately left disappointed by the execution. I would still encourage other people interested in a cabin to consider this option, due to its value/design options and ability to create a great space, but important to ensure standard wood thickness (to minimize warping/leaks) and appropriate painting (or as otherwise applicable) of wood.

Not something I would spend money on – As a structural engineer with 30 years experience I was recently asked to review one and I did not have much positive to say about it. Primary problem I saw was that the 'logs' grow and shrink with moisture change and this severely warped the walls over time (6 months in this case). The reason for the warping is that timber growth in the logs … Read more

is restrained by window surrounds. The timber grows and shrinks across the grain not along the grain, hence the differential.

Logs were also splitting as they dried. Roof hold down provisions were also found to be woefully inadequate and in the case I looked at and doors and windowed were jamming or unclosable. Window and doors are actually quite decent quality but if the foundation design is not up to scratch on a clay foundation you can expect problems. With more thoughtful structural design, proper foundation design, controlled seasoning, improved paint/termite treatments and larger overhangs these could be made to perform well.

The guy on the website suggests you paint it with one coat of a clear product for termite treatment, rot prevention and fire retardant. He does not mention that your hair will also grow back, but I consider that is implied. A waste of perfectly good softwood in the case I looked at.

Quality, sturdy, product with great service staff – We were at first reluctant in committing to a cabin being built overseas but the company owner, Craig Wheeler, assured us that this was not a con. Thank goodness he was right. From initial enquiry to build it took 5 months, but boy was it worth it. This is a quality imported cabin and Craig himself attended my home and built it. I have nothing but praise for the company and its employees. Well worth considering if you are not in a rush.