One common challenge when looking for a summerhouse is understanding that they’re not the same as a garden room. Some people have unrealistic expectations of a summerhouse: wanting it to function more like a garden room that’s fit for year-round use, rather than the seasonal building that it is.
In this blog, I’ll explain why a summerhouse is different from our Radiata Garden Rooms. When you’ve finished reading, you’ll understand the key differences between these buildings and know which one is right for your needs!
Do summerhouses and Garden Rooms have different specifications?
The specifications of a summerhouse and a Radiata Garden Room are very different, which affects their performance, particularly in terms of being watertight.
Is a summerhouse watertight?
No, a summerhouse is not watertight. It’s a single-skinned building, meaning it only has one layer of material making up its walls. As a single-skinned timber building a summerhouse is always susceptible to water ingress.
Water ingress happens because timber is porous, meaning that rain or moisture can seep through from the outside of your summerhouse to the interior. If this happens repetitively it can cause mould, damp or rot.
Is a Radiata Garden Room watertight?
Yes! A Radiata Garden Room features 4-Layers of construction. This wall specification creates a completely watertight building. The only way to ensure a timber building stays watertight is to have a wall specification that includes multiple layers of timber and an air cavity. Let’s see how it works:
Radiata Pine ThermoWood cladding: this is the outer layer of the garden room, which is highly weather-resistant.
Breather Cavity: This air cavity allows for ventilation whilst protecting the walls from moisture ingress.
Insulation Board: This layer keeps your garden room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
V’d Lining: This is the internal layer of your garden room, finished with Redwood cladding to give it a gorgeous polished look!
Can you use a summerhouse and a Garden Room the same way?
Due to their different designs, these buildings handle weather differently, making them suitable for different purposes.
Can I use my summerhouse year-round?
A summerhouse is not ideal for year-round use. They are single-skinned and not fully watertight, so are best for seasonal use. Their lack of insulation means that even with a radiator, a lot of warmth will be lost to the surroundings, making it difficult and expensive to heat.
Traditionally, you build summerhouses with single-glazed windows. These windows are perfect for letting in a breeze on a hot day. However, they can let in a draught in the colder months.
Can I line and insulate my summerhouse?
You can extend the use of your summerhouse by lining and insulating it! This will create extra layers of protection for the interior of your building. The benefit of lining and insulating is that your summerhouse will be more watertight and be able to regulate temperature more easily.
However, you usually line and insulate a summerhouse retrospectively at an additional cost. This means that while your summerhouse is more resistant to water ingress, it won’t match the watertight guarantee of a garden room which has initially been built with lining and insulation.
Can I use my Radiata Garden Room year-round?
We specifically designed our Radiata Garden Rooms for year-round use. We carefully chose a wall structure that included lining and insulation, and high-performance aluminium double-glazed windows and doors, to ensure comfort in every season.
Lining and insulation create a thermal space, which is easy to heat. Double glazing is important too – it keeps the building watertight and reduces draughts.
Double-glazing units are thick so they work well with the layered walls of our Radiata Garden Rooms. Whereas, the single-skinned walls of a summerhouse struggle to accommodate double glazing, limiting their use.
The combination of layered walls, insulation and lining, and double glazing offers more functionality than a summerhouse for those who need it.
How much maintenance do summerhouses and Garden Rooms need?
It’s useful to know how much maintenance a building requires so you know if it’s right for you. Summerhouses being less weatherproof than Radiata Garden Rooms, require more frequent upkeep to protect them.
How much maintenance does a summerhouse need?
Painting: You need to paint your summerhouse regularly to protect it from moisture. We recommend that our customers re-paint them every 3-5 years with Sadolin Superdec or Sadolin Quick Dry. By keeping your building painted, you’re giving it a protective layer against the rain and moisture that could potentially cause water ingress.
Ventilation: Properly ventilating your summerhouse is also crucial to keeping it happy. It’s best to air out your summerhouse after wet periods by opening the windows and doors. This helps get rid of any moisture that may have accumulated in the building, reducing issues like mould and rot.
How much maintenance does a Radiata Garden Room need?
The ThermoWood cladding is treated with heat and steam which protects it from rot, insects and moisture. This means your Radiata Garden Room can be left untreated if you wish.
You can choose to leave your Radiata Garden Room to weather naturally, or to oil it to maintain the tone of the timber. Left untreated the cladding will lighten to a pale blond, and eventually turn silver. This is the lowest-maintenance option for our Radiata Garden Rooms.
If you choose to oil your Garden Room you can coat the building with Osmo UV Protection Oil (shade Light Red Cedar) around three weeks after installation. Then you can re-oil your Radiata cladding once a year, making sure to clean the building first with Osmo Decking Cleaner. This will slow down the weathering process and help maintain the dark tone of the timber.
Unlike summerhouse maintenance, our Radiata Garden Rooms don’t rely on re-coating for protection against moisture, allowing you to choose a maintenance level that suits you.
Ventilation: It’s best practice to regularly ventilate your Radiata Garden Room, but ventilation is less crucial here because moisture can’t ingress through the walls.
This post is part of our Radiata Garden Room Buyer's Guide
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How long do summerhouses and Garden Rooms last?
The lifetime of a summerhouse can vary significantly, depending on the quality of the building and how well it’s maintained, whereas the lifetime of a Radiata Garden Room is more predictable.
How long does a summerhouse last?
At G&M, customers tell us that their summerhouse is still going strong after having it since the early nineties. However, these buildings were made to a very high standard and have been meticulously cared for.
A well-built summerhouse, made from good quality materials can last you at least 20-30 years if it receives regular maintenance.
However, a cheap summerhouse made from poor-quality materials will likely experience water ingress issues within the first couple of years. Even with proper care a poor-quality summerhouse will only last around 5-10 years and will quickly show signs of wear and tear.
To secure yourself a good quality summerhouse that is built to last, use our Summerhouse Buyers Checklist!
How long does a Radiata Garden Room last?
Our Radiata Garden Rooms were designed with longevity in mind. This is why they come with a 30-year guarantee!
The external cladding is made from Radiata Pine ThermoWood, which has an impressive 50-year lifespan. Additionally, our roofing options feature a 20 or 30-year guarantee, depending on which model you choose.
Thanks to these robust materials, a Radiata Garden Room gives you peace of mind, so you don’t have to worry about replacing it anytime soon.
How much do summerhouses and Garden Rooms cost?
As we’ve learned, a summerhouse and a Radiata Garden Room vary in specification and performance, so it’s probably not much of a surprise that they come at different costs.
How much does a summerhouse cost?
The cost of a summerhouse can vary significantly depending on factors such as its specification, the type of timber used, and whether you buy it from a manufacturer or a supplier. Here’s a breakdown:
When we sold summerhouses, our prices ranged from £3,655 – £6,646 (depending on size and shape). These were made from 19mm Scandinavian Redwood, which is a high-quality timber.
However, there are cheaper alternatives available. You can find a summerhouse for as cheap as £750 from a supplier.
Ultimately, the cost of a summerhouse all depends on the quality and longevity you want from it. A high-quality summerhouse is going to cost you more than a mass-produced one from a supplier.
How much does a Radiata Garden Room cost?
Our Radiata Garden Room prices range between £11,949 and £16,947 depending on the size and model you choose.
While this is about twice the cost of a high-quality summerhouse, a Radiata Garden Room gives you more value due to its year-round functionality and watertight construction.
Is a summerhouse the same as a Radiata Garden Room?
By now, you can see that even though a summerhouse and a Radiata Garden Room may look similar, they are very different!
A summerhouse is ideal if you’re looking for a seasonal retreat to enjoy in the warmer months. But remember that a summerhouse won’t be fully watertight and requires regular maintenance to stay looking fabulous!
On the other hand, a Radiata Garden Room is great if you want a space that you can use all year round. Its watertight and insulated design means less maintenance and more functionality.
Start your project today if a Radiata Garden Room seems like the perfect space for you! Still unsure about which option is best? Our team is here to help you figure it out. Book a no-obligation Consultation here to start your garden building journey.
