There are a myriad of garden room suppliers out there and we often get many questions from customers asking what the difference is between a Nordic Room and them. When we started back in 2001 we mainly built in logs. Soon the market was saturated with Eastern European log cabin suppliers and we decided to change to the Scandinavian way of building in timber frame rather than in logs. 80% of Scandinavian houses are made in timber frame so taking this method and adapting it to the UK was an easy step for us, being Scandinavian. We import all the crucial elements from there and dealing directly with the manufacturers helps us to responsibly source materials. There are many new suppliers using SIP panels (Structural Insulated Panels) SIP panels are made by specialist that pre-cut all the sections for the garden room suppliers, that then sell it on to you. So what is the difference and what should you look out for in order to be able to compare quotes and suppliers?
SIP vs Timber Frame
SIP panels – Standard praxis
Two OSB boards sandwiched together with hard foam insulation between 50-100mm. The standard is to use a plaster board on the inside that then needs skimming and painting. Then a breathing membrane, batons and external cladding goes on the outside. This makes a ca 140mm thick wall. SIP panels cannot be altered once it has been produced and delivered as they all come pre cut by the SIP manufacturer.
Timber Frame – The way we construct a Standard Nordic room is the following:
For the timber frame we use 125mm thick C24 certified wall joists. We use 100mm rockwool insulation and 25mm celotex insulation between the joists and then wrap it with a Tyvek breathing membrane to regulate condensation. We then add batons to create an air gap for circulation and a 20mm thick Thermowood T&G cladding that is screwed on. Thermowood offers a nearly maintenance free surface, hardwearing that will grey with time. Continuing from the timber frame inwards; we use a Tyvek moisture barrier before we clad with an 11mm OSB board for bracing and to add structural rigidity and finally our pre painted Smartpanel wall panels to create that Scandinavian feel. The total thickness of our standard walls are 187mm. This can be upgraded to a Scandinavian+ wall where we add an extra layer of 25mm insulation, making the wall thickness 218mm. Each Nordic Room is totally hand made on site by our skilled carpenters and can be adapted to suit any shape garden and built around plants and trees.
Quality of Doors, Windows and Materials
Choose from an extensive range of standard doors and windows from our supplier in Denmark. We can also custom make any size for an upgrade cost. Made for the residential market these solid wood doors and windows feature top U-value and safety glass. They are pre-coated in the factory and come with a 10-year warranty. We only use EU certified 6 lever locks and internal security hinges and all windows are lockable.
Our standard pack consists of one double French glass door, two full glass panels either side of doors and a rectangular airing window. You can also choose and RAL colour; Our most popular is Anthracite Grey 7016.
You could also opt for slide & swing doors if you want to be able to open the room up completely.
(This option is an upgrade).
Internal Finish and Colour Choice
One of the more important aspects of creating your perfect garden space is to get the inside right – after all that is where you will spend most the time! Most suppliers use a painted plasterboard as their only option that they paint white. As Scandinavians we love using natural materials with shades of grey and sand. With our Smartpanel system we let you choose the colour scheme of our wall panelling creating your perfect space. Our floor is solid bamboo in a range of colours. Most companies use a standard 8mm laminate or offer upgrades to engineered flooring.
Extra Options to Consider
Do you need a WC, shed or perhaps an extra room inside the garden building? Make sure the company you choose are flexible enough to accommodate any extras you might need. Decking is one extra we provide almost all our clients with. Other things to consider is the electrical requirements and heating of the cabin. We import super efficient wifi controlled panel heaters from Norway as standard. We also work with 3rd party suppliers that can help with electricity and plumbing. We use drip edges on all windows and doors which is essential to avoid water entering the wall cavity. Warranty is another important aspect. We have a 10 year warranty on our Nordic Rooms and 1 year free maintenance should anything need to be adjusted.
Nordic Room – Scandinavian Throughout
Nordic Room Ltd has built hundreds of timber buildings over the last two decades sourcing all materials from Scandinavia. Our fully insulated Nordic Rooms start from £20,ooo built. For further information on our bespoke Scandinavian buildings please contact us on 01932 343 228.
