Log Cabin Installation Hints, Tips and Essentials.

Log Cabin Installation Hints, Tips and Essentials.

Foundation

It is imperative that the foundation is flat, level and of sufficient size.

(*** It is important to note that any deviation in the cabin foundation will transfer to the log cabin and will affect the solidity of the floor, the smooth operation of the doors and windows, the alignment of locking mechanisms, place undue strain on the cabin corner connections and also create an uneven level of the wall / gable connection.***)

Product layout preparation

It is recommended that once the cabin joists have been positioned on the foundation, the wall elements are poisoned adjacent to area they will be installed and stacked in reverse order as they will be needed. This will ensure that limited viewing of the wall plans takes place and windows etc will be installed at the correct height. Please keep an eye out to ensure that walls with storm rods must have pre-drilled holes at the end of each log.

(*** A little time spent on the product layout now will save huge amounts of time and limits the chance of error when construction takes place. This also confirms you have everything you need to complete the shell***)

Starting construction

Ensure the foundation beams are centred correctly as per manufacturer plans. (Should you wish to use a DPC, please install above and below the foundation joists) Starting with the half logs, lay the 1^st row of wall logs ensuring the cabin joists at each end are set slightly inwards to allow a drip edge to form by the grooves under the log. Pre-drill and screw the corners. Once 3 or 4 logs high, it is imperative you measure the diagonals. This is the only way to ensure the building is fully square. 

(***Failure to do this will create ill fitting floor boards, roof bards and fascias***)

Build up

Ensure the tongues and grooves of the logs are free from debris, and that the knocking block supplied is used to protect the tongues. Once the gable and roof purlins are installed please ensure they are fixed into position.

Storm Rods

Please insert the storm rods, tighten all fixings and cut away any excess rod material.

(***If this is left too long, when the building settles it will push up and push through the roof***)

Floor and Roof Boards

Ensure that a 10mm expansion gap is left at the start and at the end. It is imperative that each floor and roof board is not butted up too close to the next board and must be fixed with 2 fixings per board per joist.

Shingles

(***Before applying the shingles, ensure that the eaves fascia is installed to give the full area required to be covered***)

Please follow the build guide as to how to start and finish your tiling. It is imperative that you nail the shingles on in the location shown in the below image. This ensures that it not only holds the shingle you are on, but also that of the one directly underneath. Each shingle will the end up with a double row of nails holding it down.

Door and Window Fascia.

It is imperative that any door and window fascia is fixed onto the frames only and not into any logs.

(*** Any nails penetrating the logs will stop the natural settling process and create gaps between wall logs***)

Settling and Fixtures

A typical log cabin can expand and contract up to 50 mm across the 4 seasons. It is therefore imperative that nothing is fixed to restrict this movement. Electrical conduit is the most common item to cause issues. This needs to be installed to allow for this movement i.e. expandable joints and surplus cable or elongated fixing holes to allow the conduit to move with the walls.

Treatment & Sealant

Treatment should take place as soon after installation as possible. Treatment must be of a micro-porous nature to allow the timber to protect and breath. Once fully coated and dried, silicone sealant must be applied from eaves to foundation in the external corners to bring the wind proof corner connection joints to weather resistant.

Visit our Website for more information and our full product range: www.lillevilla.co.uk

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Email: ben@lillevilla.co.uk

            info@lillevilla.co.uk

Phone Number: 01245 400202

Adjusting Your Doors and Windows For Your Cabin

Adjusting doors and windows on your cabin.

Due to the cabin be made from wood, and wood reacts to the elements expanding and shrinking, this can effect the position and opening of doors and windows, please download our instructions on how to adjust the doors and windows in order to correct these issue.

This can be found on our frequently asked questions page.

DOOR HINGE ADJUSTMENT FOR YOUR LOG CABIN

Your Lillevilla log cabin will require some adjustment to the door and window sets as the cabin naturally expands and contracts from season to season.  This will be more apparent shortly after installation as the cabin settles initially under its own weight. Please find below a set by step guide on how to make these adjustments.

It is important to lift the doors or remove them to take the weight off the hinge whilst adjustments are made. Failure to do so will round off the adjustment point.

Figure 1 Door Hinge image

Adjustment points 1 & 3 (You will have only one of these types)

Adjustment 3 is located under the plastic top cap. These two adjustment points make the same adjustment and allow for the door to be raised and lowered within the frame set. Please ensure both upper and lower hinges are adjusted equally.

Adjustment points 2

Please loosen the screws located into the door.  Adjustments shown as 2 are connected to packing plates at the back of the hinge. This adjustment moves the plate between the hinge and the door which in turn moves the doors closer together or further apart. 

 

WINDOW HINGE ADJUSTMENT FOR YOUR LOG CABIN

The window is held on by a a two part ball joint hinge. The lower part of the hinge is screwed securely into the window frame, making this part unable to move. The top half is screwed straight into the window and sits on the ball joint on the lower half. This top half is the adjustable portion.

Removing the window from the frame

Removing the window from the frame is a simple enough task but can be heavy depending on what window it is. So for safety please be cautious and brace yourself. To remove the window from the frame  all that is needed is to open the window to a 90 degree angle and lift.

The adjustments can only be made once the window has been removed from the frame. 

Adjusting the window

There is no exact way to adjust the window. As the cabin settles during the seasons occasionally the windows may need to be adjusted. To adjust the window all that is needed is to spin the top part of the hinge either clockwise or anti-clockwise until the window fits snugly in the frame. Unfortunately this can take a bit of time to get right so persistence is the key.

As usual if there is any problems or if you are stuck please feel free to call the office during our Monday to Friday working hours, 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Visit our Website for more information and our full product range: www.lillevilla.co.uk

Facebook:  

Email: ben@lillevilla.co.uk

            info@lillevilla.co.uk

Phone Number: 01245 400202

 

Caring for you log cabin

Caring For Your Log Cabin

All our products are made from Spruce grown from inside the Arctic circle, giving a denser wood meaning the this is ideal for building. 

When we deliver our products they will arrive untreated and need some protection for the wood to maximise the preservation of the wood. A good article to read is about wood preservation is from Wikipedia - wood preservation.

We work with a brand called Butinox and this will treat your log cabin for at least five years creating a protective coating over the cabin and stopping any kind of rotting.

you can use this site

www.woodcaredirect.co.uk

and use discount code: wcd_LI_1414 on the checkout process for a 5% discount. The product comes in a range of different colours to suit your needs and match the environment that you cabin is situated.

 

All our products are fitted with double glazed windows and doors in order to keep the warmth and are fitted Georgian style opening windows. The cross hatching is designed to easily be removed to make it much simpler and quicker to clean the widows and doors.

windows and doors with Georgian style bars		Image with bars removed

The other big issue with log cabins is the damp seeping up from the ground, like all modern houses our log cabins come with a damp proof membrane, to help protect it from laying ground water. 

If for any reason you have had an issue with rot, then please give us a call and we should be able to supply with spare boards in order to replace the rotten boards. If your product is under 5 years old and has been treated we will offer this free of charge (terms and conditions will apply).

As standard most cabins are supplied with a sheet felt roof which lasts a minimum of around two years before any degrading may occur. The optional upgrade for the roofing which we offer is a tougher hexagonal felt tile which lasts a up to 15 years before wear and tear starts to set in. When this does happen, unlike the standard roof, you can just replace the worn tile with a new one rather than replacing the entire roof.

With care our cabins can last a good long time.

Visit our Website for more information and our full product range: www.lillevilla.co.uk

Facebook:  

Email: ben@lillevilla.co.uk

           info@lillevilla.co.uk

Phone Number: 01245 400202