Your garden room is supposed to be a warm and cosy solace during the winter, but is it really?
If you're considering a garden room, you might be wondering if it will be comfortable to use during the colder months and it is a great question to ask because not all garden rooms are created equal when it comes to winter weather.
If you are looking to purchase a new garden room, you can rest assured that the level and volume of insulation have significantly increased in recent years. This means that you can expect your garden room to be much better at retaining heat during winter than older models. Ergo, it will certainly be comfortable during the winter.
Key Takeaways
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Insulation is key when it comes to keeping your garden room comfortable during the winter.
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Double glazing is also important in order to keep heat from escaping.
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Position your garden room facing south, if possible.
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Make sure all of your windows and doors are properly sealed.
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If needed, add some warm furniture to the room.
To help you make a decision, we looked back through the hundreds of comments, emails, and reviews we’ve received to see if we could filter out any general trends.
Year Round Comfort
Homeowners could be forgiven for thinking the same logic applied to garden rooms. After all, not many people would want to spend much time in a garden shed during winter, would they? Sadly, not all garden rooms are particularly hospitable during the winter months. Cheaply made garden rooms, in particular, are hard to keep warm.
They are often draughty and damp, making them unsuitable for year-round use.
A bargain garden room turns out to be not so cheap when it can only realistically be used for part of the year. This is often enough to deter people from investing in a garden room, which is a shame, because a well-constructed, fully insulated garden room is extremely warm all year round.
At Cabin Master we want you to be able to use your garden building 12 months a year, not 4 months or 6 months! And you shouldn’t have to do wrap up like an Antarctic explorer to spend time there in the winter months either – a garden room from us is as comfortable and warm as you need it to be, at any time of year.
How Quality Materials Make All The Difference
The difference is in the materials we use and the way our garden rooms are built.
Base: Each of our garden rooms & offices comes with a professionally installed base that excludes damp and helps to conserve heat during the winter months.
Outer Walls: Our wooden garden rooms are constructed from sustainably forested Western Red Cedar or Scandinavian Redwood. These trees are chosen for their weather resistance and insulating properties, giving a sturdier and warmer building than cheaper construction materials, such as pine. This is one of the key differences between a Cabin Master garden room and a shed or cheaper alternative.
Insulation: Some garden rooms use minimal or no insulation. This guarantees that the building will only be usable in summer, and also shortens the lifespan of the building. We place great importance on effective, environmentally friendly insulation. Each one of our garden rooms is fitted with high quality Kingspan insulating foam, which minimises the heating requirements in winter, while giving enough ventilation to remain cool during the summer.
Inner Walls: On the interior of your garden room we install Neatmatch damp resistant MDF wall boards, which can be decorated in a style of your choosing. Sourced from sustainable, Forestry Stewardship Council approved timber, this high quality MDF acts as a natural insulating agent and keeps your garden room warm and dry.
Windows, Doors & Roof Panels: We offer a range of energy efficient UPVC double glazed doors, roof panels and windows that meet CE mark standards for heat conservation.
Floor: Our click lock flooring is designed to fit the exact dimensions of your garden room, fitting together perfectly to exclude drafts and retain heat. The perimeter of your garden room is cushioned with custom molded softwood skirting for additional insulation. If required, we can also add cushioned underlay and fitted carpets.
Heating: Our Cabin Master garden rooms can be ordered with premium electric underfloor heating provided by Varme of Sweden. This heat efficient carbon cable system is designed specifically for wooden buildings and comes with a lifetime guarantee against component failure. As our garden rooms are so well insulated they require little heating during winter, making them cheap to heat all year round.
Some of our customers also opt to install a wood burning stove in their garden room. Have a chat with one of our designers if this feature appeals to you.
How to Keep Your Garden Room Warm in Winter
Electric Heating
It's generally too expensive to run a gas pipe to your garden room, so the most common type of heating is electric heating.
We find that a few people enquire about running a gas pipe to their garden room, but it's oftentimes too impractical and costly once they start weighing up their options.
What makes it a costly option is that the installation process is usually the national grid or an approved gas transporter company that carries out the installation and this normally costs a lot of money.
Investing in an electric heating system is not only more affordable, but it's also much easier to install and maintain.
Electric heaters are convenient because you can just plug them in and turn them on, however, they can be expensive to run, if you're not careful - one way to offset the cost is to only use them when you're actually in the room.
This gives you the best chance of saving energy as you're only using energy when you need to.
Insulation Is Key
If you purchased your garden room via a professional garden room manufacturer and retailer, the odds are it was fitted with high-quality insulation.
Garden rooms are required to have a U-value of 1.8 or less, which means that they're very good at keeping the heat in.
In fact, the majority of garden room owners say that, in their experience, their garden rooms have been known to get too hot during the winter, which could likely be down to the fact that garden rooms are incredibly well-insulated.
If you do find that your garden room is too hot during the winter, there are a few things you can do to cool it down. One is to open the windows or ventilate the room with an electric fan.
Another option is to install a ceiling fan, which will help circulate the air and keep the room from getting too stuffy.
Finally, if you have a wood-burning stove, you can open the doors to let some of the heat out - just be mindful not to let too much heat escape, or you'll risk going from one extreme to another!
In short, insulation is key when it comes to keeping your garden room comfortable during the winter.
At Cabin Master, we use Kingspan™ thermal insulation boards in our garden rooms, which have a U-value of 0.18. This means that our garden rooms are some of the best-insulated on the market!
Double Glazing
Just like the windows on your home, garden room windows need to be double-glazed in order to keep heat from escaping.
If your garden room doesn't have double glazing, you might find that it's draughty and cold during the winter. In extreme cases, condensation can even form on the inside of the windows.
To avoid these problems, make sure that your garden room has double-glazed windows. This will help keep the heat in and the cold out.
You can also install curtains or blinds to further insulate your garden room. Just be sure to open them during the day to let some light and natural heat in from the sun.
South Facing
Where possible, try to position your garden room so that it's facing south.
This might seem like a strange tip, but it actually makes a big difference.
South-facing garden rooms receive the most sunlight during the day, which helps keep the room warm.
They also tend to have better views, which can make spending time in the garden room even more enjoyable.
This is a bit of an oxymoron because to be able to have a south-facing garden room would mean that the garden would need to be north-facing!
Ensure All Of Your Windows And Doors Are Properly Sealed
If you are purchasing a new garden room, then this is a given, however, if you have an older garden room, it is definitely something that you should check.
Make sure that there are no cracks or gaps around the windows and doors. If there are, heat will escape and cold air will be able to get in.
You can use weatherstripping or caulk to seal up any cracks or gaps - be thorough so that your garden room is as well insulated as possible.
By doing this, you're guaranteeing that your garden room will be comfortable and cosy all winter long.
Add Warm Furniture
If you're a bit of a minimalist, this might send your brain into a spin, however, adding a few pieces of furniture to your garden room can actually help keep it warm during the winter.
Furniture such as sofas, armchairs, and coffee tables, block drafts and help to keep the heat in. So if you find that your garden room is a bit chilly, try adding some furniture to see if that makes a difference.
No need to go overboard, though - you don't want your garden room to feel like a furniture showroom!
In addition, you could add a few soft furnishings such as blankets and throws to make the garden room feel even cosier.
To be honest, we placed this last on the list because it's one that will be less effective if not used in combination with all the other tips on this list.
If you do find that your garden room is still a bit too cold, adding some furniture and soft furnishings might be just what you need to make it feel more comfortable during the winter months.
Related: 7 Fabulous Garden Room Furniture Ideas
In Summary
Whether you have an old or new garden room, there's really no need to worry about it being too cold during the winter.
Just follow the tips on this list and you'll be sure to stay warm and toasty all season long.
And, there you have it: Our top tips for making sure your garden room is comfortable during the winter. Don’t forget, insulation is key!
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
We would be more than happy to assist you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I heat my garden room in winter?
For winter heating in a garden room, electric underfloor heating is a top choice. It's energy-efficient and provides consistent warmth across the room. You can control it easily with a thermostat. Another option is a wood-burning stove, which adds a rustic charm and cozy warmth but requires proper installation and safety precautions.
Are garden rooms cold in winter?
No, garden rooms are not inherently cold in winter. When well-insulated with quality materials like Kingspan foam and equipped with energy-efficient windows, a garden room can be as warm as any other room in your home, even during the coldest months.
How do you heat a summerhouse in winter?
Heating a summerhouse in winter can be effectively done with electric underfloor heating, which is both efficient and easy to control. Wall-mounted electric heaters are another practical choice, offering quick and reliable heating that can be regulated with a thermostat.
How can I heat my shed cheaply?
If you're on a budget, electric panel heaters are a cost-effective and easy-to-install option for heating your shed. Infrared heaters are another choice; they are energy-efficient and heat objects directly, making them effective for long-term use.
