Once every two weeks in our series ‘Do It Yourself’ – #DIY – we give tips and tricks on the whole process from design to building to maintenance! We explain the meaning and execution of each step so that you can ultimately do everything yourself. We give you structured instructions so that you can get started as quickly and easy as possible. Can’t wait to enjoy your own summer house in your garden? Then follow us on this blog series!
Your summerhouse or log cabin doesn’t just pop up in your garden. So, let’s start at the very beginning: When choosing model types! Of course, you can simply choose a standard model from our range, this obviously requires a little explanation. What is much more interesting: With our 3D configurator you can also design your own summerhouse yourself and completely individually!
You can choose from a log cabin 10×10, log cabin 10×8 and more or design a customised size that fit’s your garden. With our 3D configurator you can design your own log cabin or summerhouse from scratch. This means you won’t own one of the standard log cabins found in other gardens. No, much better: You will own your own unique wooden summerhouse with veranda or log cabin fitting your own taste, wishes and requirements. Who doesn’t want that?
Step 1: Summerhouse or log cabin?
With the 3D configurator you have a wide range of possibilities. First, you can choose whether you want
to edit a standard model or start with an almost empty template. Anything is possible! One of the various building systems will certainly meet your wishes. The building systems are basically divided into summer houses and log cabins. We will briefly explain the biggest difference between a summerhouse and a log cabin, so that you can make the right decision. Summerhouses and log cabins are indeed very similar. The difference is mainly in the planning and the building system. Log cabins have characteristic overlapping angles as they are built with a wood stacking system.
Due to these overlapping corner joints, log cabins always have a rectangular or square shape. Summerhouses are available as different building systems and can have different shapes. Not only square and rectangular, but also pentagonal or octagonal. This makes the shape of the summerhouse more versatile than log cabins. However, the log cabin system is more advantageous in some other aspects. The strong corner joints make the log cabins more robust and durable.
The picture on the left shows a log cabin and on the right a summerhouse.
Step 2: Walls, sliding glass walls, balustrades and canopies
Once you have decided on a template, you start working on the shape and dimensions of your summer house. You can adjust the dimensions by moving the lines in the floor plan. You can also add walls, sliding glass walls, balustrades and canopies if the building system allows it. You can do this by clicking on the walls and the dotted lines of the floor plan. This shows the possibilities to add these options. If you choose a canopy, you can make it as long as you want. You can also select the number of posts and specify whether you want decorative pedestals or not.
In this step you design most of the appearance of your log cabin.
Step 3: Selecting the roof type
In the next step of the configurator you can choose which type of roof you want. There are 5 different roof types: Asymmetric roof, flat roof, pent roof, pyramid roof and an apex roof. You can only choose between the roof types specified in the configurator. For example, a pyramid roof does not fit on a log cabin. You cannot select this option in the configurator. Even at the planning stage, it is automatically clear which types of roofs you can choose from. In this step you can also choose the colour of the shingles – the roof covering. Shingles are available in five colours: black, blue, brown, green and red. If you look at your log cabin in 3D, you can see the colour of the roof change and decide which colour you like best.
Step 4: Through which door do you enter?
Your summer house or log cabin is already taking shape. You can now choose which door you want to install in your log cabin or summer house. Lugarde has a wide range of doors, so there is always a model for you! All doors with glass have HR++ double glazing. You can choose between single doors, double doors, sliding doors, folding doors and garage doors. Can’t decide which door fits with the design you’ve already created? Then click on the doors and place them in the floor plan. You can then see in 3D if you think this type of door suits your design!
Step 5: Selecting the windows
In addition to the doors, you can of course also choose whether and which model of window you want. You can choose from a variety of windows. Do you choose a window that matches the door model, or do you choose another type? Do you want fixed glazing, top-hung windows, a casement window or a tilt-turn window? Everything is possible if you design your own unique summer house or log cabin!
Step 6: Treatment and colour of the wood
Now that you have designed the entire log cabin, you can choose whether the timber should be pre-treated so that you can enjoy your beautiful summer house or log cabin longer. Of course, you can do this yourself when the log cabin is delivered, but sometimes it’s easier to have something done! You can have the wood impregnated by means of pressure treatment.
During the pressure treatment process, the agent is forced into the timber under pressure. First of all, a vacuum is created in a boiler, which is then filled with the impregnation agent. With this treatment the wood lasts the longest, but you only have the choice between brown or green colour. If you decide to spray impregnate the timber, you can choose from 4 transparent colours. So the possibilities of treatment and colours depend on the system you have chosen. Another example, we can pre-treat and stain the Prima-system.
With the Pro-system and the Panel-system for summer houses, you can choose between boiler pressure impregnation, pre-treatment or staining. The doors and windows can be stained or pre treated. This way you can give the doors, windows and posts a different colour. Your summer house or log cabin does not necessarily have to be all the same colour. For all possibilities, please have a look at your 3D-configurator. Then you will see exactly which treatment is possible for your design. The choice is yours!
Step 7: The final decisions
In the very last step, you have almost completely designed your own summer house or log cabin! In step 7 you can choose the fittings. If the design allows it, you can also add an interior floor, an exterior floor, an attic, a staircase, insulation, additional colour or impregnation. Now you have completed the process of designing your own summer house or log cabin, congratulations!
During the design process you can always see the price of your design. If you add or change something that costs extra money, you will immediately see the amount change. So, you won’t end up with any surprises! The last step gives you an overview of the options you have chosen and the corresponding amounts.
You can then send in your configuration without obligation. Lugarde will then contact you. You can also add comments if you have extra wishes for your unique design. We will be happy to help you! Would you like us to create a design for you? Ask us for a free bespoke design enquiry. Even if you need help with the design, you can click on the question mark symbol in the configurator, call us or contact us in any other way. We will be happy to help you!
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