Imagine this, you’ve finally picked out your perfect log cabin but are preparing to lock it up for the winter because it’s got no insulation or heating?!
Terrifying!
Don’t miss out on the cosiest months to cuddle up and watch the snow fall in your garden, or spend time in your new log cabin or shed working on that project that you’ve been meaning to get to over the holidays.
Insulating a shed or log cabin does more than just make it enjoyable through the year, it also protects its contents: your tools, old photos, old furniture, whatever you’ve got in there and helps it last the test of time.
So, don’t hesitate, insulate!
Prepping Your Log Cabin
Before you head off to the nearest hardware store, let’s talk prep. It’s essential to plan the insulation beforehand to ensure that you’re doing the best job of keeping the cold out and the heat in, and vice versa for the summers.
Find the Gaps: Take a walk around your log cabin and check for drafts or damp spots. Feel a chill? Smell something funky…slightly, urm…mouldy? Well, then these are your first targets!
Seal the Gaps: Grab some caulk and weatherstripping, and get sealing. Around windows, doors, and the roof especially. Before you start putting the insulation in make sure that there are no sneaky gaps anywhere on your structure. Typically, with an apex roof shed, water may penetrate at the peak of the roof, where the joists meet each other as there is will always be a join. However, in a pent roof shed it is likely that water will enter through the lower side of the roof where it meets the sidewall of the shed or log cabin. This is because water will naturally run-off in this direction.
Choosing Your Insulation (Your Log Cabin, Your Choice)
There are many options when it comes to log cabin insulation and while we encourage you to do some more research into these choices taking into consideration your particular abilities and requirements, here is a brief breakup of the pros and cons of what’s out there.
Fiberglass Insulation: This is an affordable and effective choice, but handling it is unpleasant and a bit dangerous if you haven’t done it before. You will need to wear gloves and a mask when installing it and will also definitely have to cover it up after installation
Foam Board: This is a solid option for keeping moisture out and the warmth in. If installed properly you might not even need a vapour barrier with this one. Think of it like investing in a good thermos—works well and lasts long.
Spray Foam: If you’re going all in, Spray Foam, is the luxury option. It expands to fill every crack and crevice, finding all the gaps and making your new log cabin airtight. But it is a bit trickier to install and you might want to call in a pro.
There are a few other options out there like mineral wool, cellulose and plywood panels but the trick is to just see what might be the easiest and most realistic for you to install in your log cabin, while keeping in mind what might be the best for your shed considering the weather conditions in your garden year round.
Insulating the Walls
With the selected insulation in hand, you can begin to tackle the walls of your log cabin first, and get this out of the way to get a hang of the process and start see what your shed feels like with a snuggly layer on it.
- Measure the Wall Studs: Your insulation goes between the wall studs, i.e, the beams that are in place to provide structural support for the building and are spaced out evenly across the log cabin. So, measure the space between them to make sure your materials fit and cut the insulation to do the job. Remember, insulation is less about precision and more about snugness, so you want your insulation to be packed tight, leaving no room for gaps or crevices through which cold air or precipitation can come through. It’s alright if it doesn’t look perfect, it’s going to be covered up anyway!
- Install the Insulation: If you’re using fiberglass batts, press them into the gaps between the studs, and secure them if needed with insulation netting. If you’re opting for foam boards, cut them to fit, and seal the edges with spray foam or caulk.
- Cover It Up: Fiberglass definitely needs covering, and most insulation will look neater if you hide it behind something uniform. However, this is totally up to you and your aesthetic vision for your log cabin. You can opt for something basic with plywood or even get creative with fabric panels.
Insulating the Roof (Because Heat Rises and Escapes Upwards)
Don’t forget to look up! Heat rises and if you don’t have a well insulated roof, then the warm walls are not going to make that much of a difference.
If you’ve got beams or joists in your roof, insulate between them just like you did with the walls.
However, if your roof is vaulted or oddly shaped, spray foam is your best friend as it’ll fill every gap and stop cold air from sneaking in. We always recommend that anyone purchasing a log cabin like the Pemberey considers roof insulation because of the high peak design.
Our incredibly popular Tunstall log cabin is a perfect example of how you can take the indoors outside and create an affordable home escape, so don't compromise on cosiness and make sure you're keeping the heat in.
Insulating the Floor
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that there’s not much worse than cold feet, metaphorically and otherwise, and insulating the floor of your log cabin is intrinsically important to keeping all that ground moisture out of your log cabin and ensuring you have a sturdy foundation over the course of time.
You need to get under the floorboards to slip your insulation between the joists. Foam boards work great for floors. You can also use fiberglass here, if you are alright installing it, because it will anyway be shielded by the floorboards and you don’t have to worry about adding an additional layer to cover it up.
For some, they may look to enjoy time in their log cabin in the evenings when the temperature drops and this is why insulating the floor is vital. Some may choose to use their cabin as an extension of their home, cabins such as our Glentress log cabin bring a real feeling of luxury and can be a perfect retreat without leaving your property.
However, whatever you choose will need to be topped off with a Vapour Barrier to prevent any moisture from creeping up through the ground.
Vapour Barrier
When insulation is the aim, moisture, of any kind, is the enemy. And even great insulation won’t be able to do the job if it gets wet, this is where the coat of armour aka the vapour barrier comes into play.
Cover all your insulation with polyethylene sheeting or any other vapor barrier material so that you will never have to worry about your insulation getting damp and rotting, which can cause more problems than necessary. Overlap the vapour barrier material at the seams to make sure nothing can seep through, this will ensure that everything is kept dry, and will allow your insulation to work its intended magic.
Troubleshooting Your Insulated Log Cabin (Just in case)
Even with everything done perfectly, there is always the possibility of things going wrong, so, here is a list of some of the most common issues and how to easily resolve them.
Condensation: Notice damp spots? This is most likely caused by condensation due to a gap in your vapour barrier, this can easily be patched up using more sheeting or tape, but the trick is to catch it and fix it early.
Drafts: If cold air is sneaking in, double-check the seals around your doors and windows. It’s easy to have missed something early on or for a new gap to have sprung up during construction. The secret is to not let your log cabin's newly installed insulation get wet and adhesive weatherstripping can fix this in no time.
Cold Spots: Uh oh, is there a spot on your floor that feels like standing on the North Pole? Depending on the type of insulation chosen and the way in which it was installed, uneven insulation could easily be the culprit. Take apart the floor boards again and give it a look, you might just need to loosen up the fibre glass.
Moisture Damage: This is an important one. Always be on the lookout for moisture damage, because moisture can breed mould, and that can cause long term damage to your log cabin. So keep an eye out for any signs of dampness, and if you spot one, investigate it immediately in order to protect your shed and your insulation!
So there you have it. Your cabin doesn’t have to be just a storage dump through the winter and a haven only through the summer. With proper insulation that you can easily install yourself, it can be a cosy retreat, a warm workshop, or even a…Christmas cottage! Insulation protects your tools, keeps your belongings safe, and gives you a space that’s usable all year long and, most importantly, for many more years to come!
So, if you’re a log cabin or shed owner coming upon the winter, remember,
Don’t hesitate, insulate!