Timber Garden Sheds Australia
May 2022
Laura lives on a stunningly beautiful block near Mount Warning, and it was a real pleasure working on this cabin.
As is often the case, access to the site was a "little" difficult, with our 4WD getting yet another thorough workout. Due to recent floodings in the area around Murwillumbah and the Tweed River Valley the main road also had its difficulties, with many sections of the road being washed out, various road works and deviations were put in place. "Another day at the office" they say!
GROUND PREPARATIONS:
Levelling / Weed Suppression
On first arrival at the site we found that the ground had already been prepared to a large extend - the grass had been removed, and the site was reasonably level.
We finished the leveling and spread out black builder's plastic on top of the soil before spreading out brown road base on top.
Blue/grey road base was impossible to get at that time due to the road works being carried out after the recent flooding - we had to work with brown road base which is a little harder to flatten out!.
GROUND PREPARATIONS:
Road Base / Hardwood Base Frame
The most cost effective foundation is a simple hardwood base frame placed on top of road base and pavers. Due to the closeness to the ground termite protection is a must.
While the hardwood itself is pretty much termite proof we still apply one coat of CUTEK Wood Preservative all round. This will repel moisture as well keep any creepy crawlies away.
The particle borad flooring used is also Termite Treated.
The logs used for the cabin construction are also treated with several coats of the wood preservative, stained in the colour of your choice.
Taking Shape:
Despite frequent rain interruptions we managed to squeeze in just enough dry weather building time to get the cabin to a "sort of" dried-in state - even with the help of tarps if needed.
You will notice in the image on the right that we use a yellow builders' edge to align the roof boards 100% - not really needed as the roof edges are later on covered by timber anyway - this is just an example how we do things and how particular we are to ensure that you are totally happy with your new cabin.
We use the same method for aligning the corrugated iron roof sheets.
And the rains are back....
On the last day of the build the rains JUST started as we were sort-of all done.
Owner Laura had been flat strapped oiling the timbers while we installed the door and the window.
A second coat of oil always needs to be applied after 2 to 4 weeks, only then is the timber properly protected from the environment.
We also strongly recommend the application of a clear (or tinted) coat of a suitable indoor timber finish to the inside walls and window and doors.
This will avoid mold settling on to the logs during prolonged periods of high humidity, which this year (2022) has been a major issue.
Of course, if you run an air conditioner or a dehumidifier than the chances of this causing you problems are vastly reduced, but still - a clear coat on the internal walls is seen as a must.
The roof boards and beams seem to be unaffected by mold at this stage - but treating these as well definitely does not do any harm.
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