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Summer houses and log cabins are both garden buildings, which can be used in similar ways. Sometimes a garden room can fall into either category, but each still has its own definition.
Not sure which one to get? This guide will help you decide.
Summerhouse vs Log Cabin: What’s the Difference?
A summerhouse is meant for the purpose of leisure or relaxation. Families furnish them with armchairs or sofas arranged for conversation, enjoying garden views. They’re great for parties, playing games, catching up with friends, or watching the rain.
The term log cabin refers to the way a building is constructed and the materials used. It’s made from wooden log boards stacked on top of each other. It’s also recognisable by the way the boards overlap at the corners and form a distinctive 90-degree crisscross. Thicker than summerhouses, log cabins have a greater amount of natural insulation and high resistance to penetration by rainwater.
Most summerhouses don’t use log construction. They’re built from wooden panels instead. These panels connect using shiplap or tongue and groove cladding for weather protection. The difference is in thickness. Log boards are much thicker than those panels, and they lock together as they’re stacked to stay in place.
Which Should You Choose: Log Cabin or Summerhouse?
It depends on how you plan to use your garden building.
If you want a garden room with better insulation and year-round potential, a log cabin may be the way to go. In fact, it can double as a summerhouse if it features large windows and glass doors.
Take a look at this photo shared by one of our customers, Andrew, with the BillyOh Tianna. You can see here it has the potential, thanks to its generous floor-to-ceiling windows. Inside, he styled the space with a rattan corner sofa, soft lighting, wall decor such as frames, and a few plants.
Log cabins can also be home offices, gyms, entertainment rooms, or even better, garden bars.
For a full 360-degree view of your garden, a summerhouse is hard to beat. Here’s a great example from one of our customers, @lifewithlisajane. The BillyOh Tessa Summerhouse features tall, full-height windows along two sides. They let light pour in from every angle, giving the space an airy, open feel.
If you fancy the same model, you’ll enjoy its dual-sided design and flexible layout. You can place the doors and windows wherever they fit your garden best—the view is all yours to frame.
Round-up
Not all log cabins are summerhouses, and not all summerhouses are log cabins. Each brings something different to your garden. And if you combine the two, you get a log cabin summerhouse: the best of both worlds.
FAQ
What is a log cabin summer house?
A log cabin summerhouse has the structure of a log cabin, with thicker interlocking logs. Its design, however, takes inspiration from a summerhouse, featuring large windows and doors.
The result is a bright and open garden room in summer but warm and robust through winter.
Are there log cabin summerhouse models available?
Yes. Garden Buildings Direct offers a range of log cabin summerhouse kits. All are built with quality in mind, stylish, and ready to fit any garden setup.
