Garden room design, build & specifications
We take great pride in how our garden rooms are designed and built. This page explores the materials, construction methods, insulation, finishes, and technical details that go into every Backyard Cabin.
Whether you’re planning a garden office, studio, or bespoke outdoor space, the information below will help you better understand the quality, performance, and design approach behind our cabins.
Discover the details behind how our garden rooms are designed and built. This section explains every key element of our cabin construction from foundations and structure to insulation, finishes, and optional extras so you can understand exactly what sets a Backyard Cabin apart.
Each decision is made with durability, comfort, and long-term performance in mind, ensuring your garden room is built to a consistently high standard.
Garden room construction & specifications
FOUNDATIONS
We typically recommend ground screw foundations due to their speed, precision, and minimal disruption during installation.
Ground screws provide excellent structural support while avoiding the mess and curing times associated with traditional concrete foundations. In many cases, installation can be completed within a single day, allowing the cabin build to begin immediately afterwards.
Where suitable, cabins can also be installed onto an existing concrete base or prepared slab.
STRUCTURE
All of our cabins are constructed using high-performance Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) throughout the walls, floor, and roof.
SIPs are renowned for their strength, stability, and excellent thermal efficiency, creating a highly insulated building system designed for genuine year-round use.
This construction method ensures your garden room feels solid, precise, and built for long-term performance.
INSULATION
The high-performance SIPs panels used throughout our cabins provide excellent thermal efficiency, helping create a comfortable, energy-efficient space designed for genuine year-round use.
Compared to many traditional timber-framed garden buildings, SIPs construction delivers improved insulation, airtightness, and long-term thermal performance.
This helps your garden room remain warm in winter and comfortable throughout every season.
ROOF
Each cabin is protected using a high-quality EPDM rubber roofing membrane, selected for its durability, flexibility, and long-term weather resistance.
We typically use premium systems such as Firestone RubberCover or equivalent high-performance materials, depending on availability and project requirements.
This seamless, joint-free roofing system helps eliminate common weak points, significantly reducing the risk of leaks while providing reliable, low-maintenance protection for many years.
INTERNAL FINISH
Internally, cabins are fully plasterboarded, plastered, and painted in matte white, creating a clean, bright, and welcoming space designed to feel more like a modern room extension than a traditional garden building.
Finished with matching skirting boards and clean detailing throughout, the interiors are designed to provide a refined, comfortable environment ready for everyday use.
LIGHTING
Low-profile, fire-rated LED downlights illuminate both the interior and porch areas of the cabin, creating a clean and contemporary finish.
Separate switching allows the internal and external lighting to be controlled independently for added flexibility and everyday practicality.
CLADDING
Our garden rooms are finished using high-quality Thermowood cladding as standard, selected for its durability, stability, and distinctive natural grain.
Thermowood is thermally modified to improve longevity and reduce movement within the timber, creating a low-maintenance exterior finish designed for long-term performance.
When left untreated, the timber naturally weathers to a soft silver-grey patina over time. For a more contemporary appearance, we also offer an optional matte black cladding finish.
FLOORING
Each cabin includes premium Karndean LVT flooring as standard, selected for its durability, low maintenance, and contemporary appearance.
Installed over a fully insulated structural floor system, the flooring provides a comfortable and hard-wearing finish suitable for everyday use, whether as a garden office, studio, or multi-functional living space.
GLAZING
Our cabins feature high-quality double-glazed aluminium doors and windows, with the choice of either sliding or bi-fold door systems depending on your preferred style and layout.
Slimline matte black powder-coated frames create a clean architectural appearance while maximising natural light and strengthening the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Designed for long-term durability and thermal efficiency, the glazing systems help create a bright, comfortable, year-round environment with a modern, premium feel.
ELECTRICS
Each cabin includes concealed internal cabling, a dedicated consumer unit, internal and external lighting, and multiple double plug sockets depending on the cabin size and layout.
All first-fix electrical work is completed during installation, including cable routing and lighting preparation, ready for final connection to your property by a qualified electrician.
WATERPOOFING
The external structure of each cabin is protected using a high-performance breathable membrane system..
This vapour-permeable layer helps protect the structure from moisture ingress while allowing the building to breathe, creating a durable, weather-resistant building envelope designed for year-round use.
HEATING
Each cabin includes a WiFi-controlled electric radiator as standard, allowing you to manage the temperature remotely for comfortable year-round use.
Combined with our fully insulated SIPs construction, this provides an energy-efficient environment designed to remain comfortable throughout the seasons.
WARRANTY
All Backyard Cabins include a 10-year structural warranty, giving you long-term confidence in the quality, materials, and workmanship of your garden room.
Personalise your cabin to suit your unique preferences and needs. Enhance and personalise your garden room with a wide range of optional upgrades.
Optional Upgrades
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Air conditioning
From £1,800
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Extra window
From £500
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Storage
From £1,000
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Ground screw foundation
From £1750
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Decking
£200 per sqm
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Matte Black Cladding
From £800
Why We Use SIPs Construction
We use Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) throughout our cabins because they offer exceptional strength, thermal efficiency, and long term stability compared to many traditional timber framed garden buildings.
The high-performance insulated structure helps create a comfortable, energy efficient environment designed for genuine year-round use, while also allowing faster and more precise installation.
This construction method enables our cabins to feel solid, refined, and more comparable to a modern room extension than a traditional garden building.
High performance, low maintenance cladding
Designed to last, naturally
Our cladding system is designed to deliver exceptional performance with minimal maintenance. Thanks to a ventilated installation method, it does not require surface treatment to perform effectively in any climate.
When left untreated, the timber naturally weathers over time, developing a soft silver-grey patina that enhances its character while maintaining durability.
Be different.
We have introduced black stained cladding as an optional extra that blend in as naturally as possible with it’s surroundings. The timber cladding is treated with a UV matt black stain helping preserve the life of your cladding.
Proven performance in all climates
This cladding system is proven to perform reliably even in challenging environmental conditions. It remains stable and consistent, showing minimal reaction to changes in humidity or temperature.
As a result, your garden room maintains its appearance and structural integrity year after year, whatever the weather.
Sustainable forests
We use Nordic PEFC certified timber, sourced from responsibly managed forests that meet internationally recognised sustainability standards.
All wood is carefully selected for strength, stability, and durability, ensuring long lasting performance while supporting sustainable forestry practices. This approach allows us to create high quality garden rooms with a reduced environmental impact.
Make a statement
Ready to create a garden room that’s designed around your space and lifestyle?
Get in touch with our team to discuss your project and explore your options.