Once a week we give important tips about building a summerhouse in our new series: “What makes a quality summerhouse?”. Our architects and wood professionals explain the most important details when you want a summerhouse to last as long as possible. From material choice to final assembly, we’ll be covering everything. So by following our posts you can become an expert on wooden summerhouses too!
When constructing a summerhouse, you should pay attention to several things. It’s important to start thinking about these before you begin building your summerhouse. Our blog series offers a good start. We have already given you tips on how to pick the right wood type and the perfect construction system. When choosing a construction system, it’s especially important to use as few screws as possible. This is very important for a durable summerhouse, because the wood must be able to work. When choosing wooden windows and doors, you should also realise that these will work. The things you should take into account will be explained in this blog.
High-quality wood and the right finish
The quality of the wood is essential. Wood of poorer quality which hasn’t been kiln dried will bend and rot faster than wood of high quality which has been kiln dried. As a result of bending, cracks will appear between the window frames and the walls. Water can enter the summerhouse and it will leak. Spruce of high quality is ideal for windows. It is also recommended not to make the windows and doors out of solid wood but out of laminated and finger-joint wood. Laminated wood consists of small wooden parts glued together. When doing this, the growth rings of the different parts must be placed in opposite directions.
This prevents the wood from bending. The finger-joints make the construction extra stable.
Double glazing for insulation
Good insulation is important for windows and doors too if you want to enjoy your summerhouse for many years. Double glazing is an important part of insulation. It isn’t essential but necessary if you want to prevent the summerhouse from being damaged by weather conditions. When the windows and doors aren’t sealed properly, moisture and rot can appear quickly. Draughts can also be prevented with double glazing. In this way, the warmth is kept inside for longer and the summerhouse can also be used on colder days.
If you want to protect plants from frost in the winter, double -glazing is recommended as well. But double -glazing alone can’t completely stop draughts. It is also important to incorporate high-quality draught strips. This means that even the smallest cracks will be sealed airtight. In addition, the draught strips are sound-absorbing.
Adjustable hinges
As we’ve mentioned before, wood works. This is why there’s a risk that the windows and doors will start to bend. To avoid this, it is important to make sure that the windows and doors are made of laminated wood and are finger-jointed. A quality summerhouse is the goal. If you follow these tips, you are already very close to achieving one. Adjustable hinges on the windows and doors provide added value. Your summerhouse is exposed to different weather conditions every day. Minimise the risk by using adjustable hinges for your summerhouse.
Solid wood of sufficient strength
When selecting the windows and doors, ensure that the laminated solid wood has a certain thickness. In general, it can be said that a stronger window always means better insulation. With a thickness of 45 mm, you can assume these are high-quality products. Lugarde even offers doors and windows in a thickness of 56 mm. This means you can be sure that you have made the best decision for your summerhouse.
Three-point locking for burglary protection
A three-point lock on the doors offers the right protection against burglary. This is particularly important when you’re storing expensive garden tools, expensive furniture or have products of personal value in your summerhouse. A burglary occurs every two minutes, so protect your belongings and your summerhouse against burglary.
Conclusion
In general, it can be said that you have to do a lot of research and work, even when installing doors and windows. In addition to using sufficiently strong laminated solid wood with finger-joints, make sure that the windows are double-glazed and have a high-quality rubber seal. Since wood works, it is wise to use adjustable hinges. It’s also a good idea to consider getting a three-point lock on the doors. Lugarde offers a large selection of matching windows and doors.
Stay tuned for the next post of this blog series. Different roof shapes will be discussed in future articles. In these, we will introduce you to many different options. What kind of roof is right for you? Apex roof, flat roof, pent roof, pyramid roof or asymmetrical roof? Discover what makes each type of roof special and what to pay attention to. There will be a separate post for each roof type in the coming weeks. The first post will be about the apex roof. Discover the different roof types in these blogs!
More blogs of this series
#1 Why the choice of the right wood is essential #2 Constructions systems – what you should consider
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