Man leaning against a wall If you've been watching Kevin McCloud's“Man Made Home” on Channel 4, then you probably have a mild case of log cabin obsession by now. It's a great programme which follows Kevin and chums as they build an eco-shed retreat (which is frankly more of a grand log cabin by the end) on a woodland plot in Somerset. All the wood and materials were sourced from the nearby woodland or salvaged from scrap yards. Everything else was made by hand.

Building log cabins in the woods, from scratch, is probably a little beyond most of our abilities and resources. Luckily, there are many flatpack log cabins to choose from.

But how practical is a log cabin? Can it be used throughout the year, even in autumn and winter?

Put simply, a log cabin is an extremely versatile garden building which can, indeed, be used throughout the year. Potential uses include home gyms, playrooms, or even garden offices. Most of our models include double glazing as standard which keeps in the heat in and bathes the space in natural light. The walls are made of logs; opt for a log thickness of 44, 52 or 70mm and the cabin should keep you cosy as the weather starts to drop.

 

Log cabin heating options:

Wall and Floor Insulation for Log Cabins

Dining table inside a log cabinThe wall of your log cabin might be thick, but the floor and roof are generally thinner. This poses a problem when wanting to heat the space at the height of winter. Around 70 % of heat in a log cabin is lost through the roof and floor, so it makes sense add insulation to these areas.

We sell solid boards containing foam, which don't diminish the look of your log cabin but do improve its heat retention. This will not only increase the efficiency of your heating system, but will reduce your heating bills.

 

Log Cabin Underfloor Heating Solutions

Underfloor heating for a log cabinThere are numerous heating systems you can use in your log cabin. By far the easiest option is an underfloor heating system. These take up less space and feel great underfoot, making for a very comfortable environment – all year round.

An underfloor heating system runs at a considerably lower temperature that a standard home radiator which makes it cheaper to run. It's purpose designed digital thermostat helps to provide a uniform heat throughout the log cabin floor.

 

In essence, we can all get close to Kevin McCloud's idyllic vision of a log cabin retreat, with a great deal less effort. With timber for our log cabins coming from well managed woodland sources, you can rest assured that your log cabin won't cost the earth.

If you'd like to learn a bit more about log cabins, why not take a look at the helpful videos below? They're packed full of useful information.

Then explore our exciting range of log cabins, here.

Have you got a log cabin? What do you use it for? And, do you use it throughout the whole year? Let us know in the comments section down below - we'd love to hear your thoughts. Remember, should you have any questions about heating a log cabin, our cheery, UK-based customer service team are always more than happy to help. See you soon for the next instalment of the Buy Sheds Direct blog!