Buying a log cabin is a major purchase, so it makes sense you’d want to get it right. The best place to start is by knowing what you intend to use it for. If you want all-year-round use, it’s a good idea to go for thicker cladding. That’s what we’re going to look at here – the use of cladding, the different options available, and the advantages thicker cladding might have.

Things to consider when choosing cladding

You’ll soon realise cladding comes in many thicknesses and finishes. That means no matter what you want, chances are you can find something suitable. Cladding determines the look of your finished log cabin. The wood used will behave in different ways once it weathers. Do you want wood that will change very little in appearance, and will accept a stain or painted finish, or something that will weather beautifully as time goes on?

Budget is another thing to consider. How much can you spend on your cabin? Investing in the best you can get is always the best course of action, especially if you intend to use it throughout the year.

Examples of size and cladding

Adley Newhaven With Veranda

It’s also good to get a balance between the size of the cabin and the cladding used. This Adley Newhaven Log Cabin, complete with veranda, measures 3.3m by 3.4m and includes 19mm cladding as standard. Meanwhile, you could make the leap to the Rowlison 4.4m x 3.3m Garden Office Log Cabin, which has 28mm cladding as standard. This has 19mm tongue-and-groove for the floor and 16mm for the roof.

Suppose you want something smaller, yet with thicker cladding? Perhaps the Greenway 4m x 3m Gisburn Log Cabin would suit. This offers 44mm cladding with 18mm thick roof and floor, so you can see the variations here.

Greenway 4.85m x 3m Darwin Log Cabin

Another Greenway option is the Ettrick Log Cabin, measuring 4.8m x 2.8m and presenting double doors midway along one side. This has 44mm cladding and thus is ideal for use all year round if you wish. It also has 18mm roof and flooring in place.

If your budget stretches further than that, check out the Adley 6m x 3m Insulated Garden Room. This represents an excellent investment, with fully insulated roof, floor and walls. This cabin also includes full double glazing so when winter comes you can be confident that this cabin will keep the heat in.

Can you insulate the floor and roof of your log cabin?

Log Cabin Insulation

You’ll notice the above examples have thinner cladding for the roof and floor in most cases. However, we know heat rises, and if you want to make the most of your cabin throughout the year, you’ll want to prevent that heat loss.

Fortunately, this can be done by insulating the roof and floor of your cabin, no matter what design you invest in. Since most of the heat will be lost through these two areas, you should factor insulation into the overall cost of your new cabin. It’s possible to buy insulation kits to get the job done, or you can purchase the materials on your own. Either way, make sure you allow for a membrane to prevent damp from getting into your cabin. You can then cut insulation boards to size to fit into the gaps on the floor and the ceiling. These can then be covered by wood panels which can then be decorated as you see fit.

How to choose the right cabin for you

Obviously, your budget will play a key role here, but you should always choose the thickest cladding your budget will allow for – balancing it with the need to choose the right size of cabin, of course. Allow some of your budget to cover the insulation if you intend to use your cabin as often as possible – particularly if you want to work in there throughout the year.

As you can see, cladding is one of the most crucial elements of any log cabin. It may look good, but not all cladding is identical. The thickness plays a key role in how your cabin will perform over time. Adding good-quality insulation makes it even more appealing when you come to build the cabin and finish it so it is ready to use and enjoy.