When it comes to designing your garden shed, there is no such thing as too much detail. Remember, everything that goes into the construction of a shed can affect its functionality, longevity and overall durability, so it’s best to consider all aspects of your new investment in order to choose wisely!
And amongst these is…wall thickness! It’s not the most exciting dinner time conversation topic, but is of vital importance when it comes to your shed. The thickness of your shed’s walls is all about insulation, staying warm in winter, cool in summer, and generally surviving everything that the British weather can hurl at you, so selecting the right wall thickness for your shed and your needs can prove highly beneficial, cost effective and energy efficient in the long run.
So, how thick is thick enough? The unfortunate answer to that–like the answer to most questions when it comes to choosing your shed–is: it depends. What’s the weather like where you live? Are you in Cornwall, where it rains most days of the year? Or are you in the Scottish Highlands, where it’s sunny for five minutes and then you’re lashed by a gale? Also, what are you planning to use this shed for? Are you just looking for a summer house? A tiny escape from modern life (and your family)? Or are you thinking about a serious, year-round log cabin that doubles as your new home office log cabin, where you’ll spend hours on Zoom calls while it’s storming outside?
Whatever the situation, here’s a quick breakdown of what to expect when you go into the market for a shed:
The general range of wall thickness is from 19mm (think: wooden tent) up to 70mm (think: a fortress built to outlast the seasons, the elements, and maybe even you).
Let’s start at the lower end: 19mm to 28mm walls are your lightweight option. They’re fine for summer use or short bursts of seasonal retreat, but don’t expect much in the way of log cabin insulation. When winter hits, you’ll be out there, clutching your mug of tea, bundled up in three fleeces, and regretting those thin walls.
So, for something more substantial, where you’ll want to hunker down through all four seasons—where you’re ready to turn this cabin into a home gym log cabin or maybe a log cabin home office—you’re going to want at least 44mm thick walls. This is where the Goldilocks principle comes into play: thick enough for durability and warmth, but not so heavy that you feel like you’re encased in a medieval fortress. Just right, 44mm walls give you flexibility—they’re strong, well-insulated, and versatile. A great example being our Tunstall log cabin which is a bestseller, featuring an innovative draught seal system.
And if you’re looking for something even more durable, then we can enter the big leagues: 66mm to 70mm walls. These are for the dreamers, the long-haulers, those who envision a sustainable log cabin built to withstand not just the seasons but the test of time. Want to turn your cabin into a permanent log cabin home office, where you write your memoirs or build the next big startup? Then this is your territory. These thicker logs aren’t just durable; they’re also energy efficient, as they require less energy to maintain a comfortable temperature year-round.