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Summerhouses
A Summerhouse sits perfectly between a shed and a garden room. Unlike a shed, which is for storage, a summerhouse is a glazed garden sanctuary designed for relaxation, reading, and entertaining during the warmer months. While they lack the full insulation of a garden office, our collection focuses on high-grade joinery—featuring 44mm+ interlocking logs or premium tongue-and-groove cladding—to create a draft-free, beautiful space that enhances your garden's aesthetic value.
Summerhouses — Are They Worth the Investment?
Summerhouses transform your garden into a year-round retreat, and yes, they are absolutely worth it. A quality summerhouse adds 15–20% to your property value while giving you an extra room that costs 60% less per square foot than a traditional extension. If you need a more robust building for permanent 365-day use, consider our insulated Garden Rooms, but for relaxation during the warmer months, a summerhouse is the ideal choice.
Long-Term Value That Beats Extensions
Spend less, build faster. Traditional extensions cost £1,800–£2,500 per square metre and take 3–4 months. A summerhouse costs £800–£1,200 per square metre and installs in 1–2 days. For smaller gardens, our Corner Summerhouses maximise space without dominating your lawn. No planning permission is needed for most sizes (under 2.5 m high and at least 2 m from boundaries).
Tongue and Groove Timber Construction — Built to Last Decades
The construction method matters more than most people realise. Unlike standard Garden Sheds which often use overlap cladding, our summerhouses use Tongue and Groove. This interlocking system forms a weathertight seal that overlap cladding cannot match. Water runs off the surface instead of seeping between boards, which is why tongue and groove summerhouses last twice as long as cheaper alternatives.
Why We Chose This Range
“We strictly avoid 'overlap' or 'feather-edge' construction for our summerhouses. While fine for sheds, overlap timber warps and lets in drafts, which ruins a relaxation space. We choose ranges like Power and Palmako because they use interlocking tongue-and-groove timber. This creates a sealed, flat wall profile that keeps the wind out and looks like a proper room, not a tool shed.”
— Matt, Founder of Greenhouse Stores🔧 Matt's Installation Tip: The "Winter Swell"
Wood is a natural material that absorbs moisture in winter (swelling) and dries in summer (shrinking). It is normal for summerhouse doors to stick slightly in a wet January.
Do not plane the doors immediately! Wait for a dry spell. For log-cabin style summerhouses, ensure you never fix shelving across multiple wall logs. The logs need to move up and down freely; screwing them together will cause gaps to appear as the building 'hangs' on your shelf screws.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Summerhouses
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Are summerhouses worth the cost?
Yes. They add 15–20% to property value, cost roughly 60% less than an extension per square foot, and last 25–30 years with minimal maintenance. Versatile use (office, gym, studio, entertaining) without planning permission or major disruption.
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How long does a summerhouse last?
A well-built summerhouse lasts 25–30 years with proper care. Heavy-duty framing and tongue and groove construction ensure structural integrity. Retreat every 3–4 years and keep the base ventilated to maximise lifespan.
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Do I need to paint my summerhouse?
Yes. Even pressure-treated timber needs a UV-protective coating to stop it turning grey. We recommend a high-quality solvent-based wood preservative or exterior paint applied within 3-6 months of assembly to seal the timber against moisture ingress.
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Which is better: Summerhouses vs Garden Rooms?
For value and natural light, summerhouses win: 30–40% glazing versus 20–30% for many garden rooms. Garden rooms have lower U-values and more polish, so pick them if you need daily, year-round use. For most, summerhouses deliver 80% of the benefits at 40% of the cost.
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What is the difference between tongue and groove and shiplap timber?
Tongue and groove interlocks for a tight, weathertight seal, offering up to 95% better weather protection than shiplap's overlap. There is far less water ingress, warping, or gapping. Shiplap is cheaper initially but usually lasts 15–18 years versus 25–30 years for tongue and groove.
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