Log Cabin vs Garden Room vs SIPS Garden Office

"Garden room", "log cabin" and "garden office" often get used as if they mean the same thing. They don't. The way each one is built decides how warm it is, how much work it takes, and how it looks after ten years. This guide compares the three main types we sell, so you can pick the right one for how you'll really use it.

The three types at a glance

Log cabins

A log cabin is made from solid timber logs that slot together at the corners. Our log cabins use 44mm logs, which are sturdy and full of character. Models such as the Power Apex Retreat come with double toughened glazing, uPVC doors and windows and an EPDM rubber roof. There are also chalet-style cabins and cabin garages.

Good to know:

• Delivery is free. Every log cabin arrives on a pallet, lifted off the lorry by HIAB crane onto your kerbside.
• It's a kit. You build it yourself or book an installer. Ask us and we'll help you find one.
• Insulation: a solid log wall isn't the same as an insulated wall. For year-round office use, most people insulate the floor and roof at least.
• Timber moves: solid logs expand and shrink a little with the seasons, so cabins are designed to allow for it. Regular treatment keeps the timber in good shape – see our timber care guide.

Best for: hands-on buyers who want a natural timber look and a lot of space for the money. More in our log cabin wall thickness guide.

Insulated timber-frame garden rooms

A garden room in this sense is built like a small timber-framed house: a frame, cladding on the outside, insulation in the walls, and a lining inside. Our Vista Collection garden rooms are built this way. They're fully insulated, double glazed and designed for year-round use, with a 10-year warranty.

• Installed for you, subject to a site survey to confirm your base and electrical connection.
• Ready to use: some models come with electrics and heating included. Check each product page for the exact specification.

Best for: anyone who wants a finished, comfortable room without building it themselves. See our Sovereign buying guide, which covers the Vista Collection.

SIPS garden offices

SIPS (structural insulated panels) have insulation bonded between two structural boards. The panels are the structure and the insulation in one, which makes the building very airtight and quick to keep warm. Our SIPS option is PentHaus SignatureSIPs. PentHaus also offers two timber-frame options: ToughFrame PRO, with rigid PIR insulation in the walls, floor and roof, and ToughFrame, a shell with weather-tight cladding but no insulation or internal linings.

• Your size, your layout: every PentHaus building is designed using PentHaus's own online tool, so you choose the size, layout and finish.
• Built for wiring: PentHaus buildings have composite cladding, and SignatureSIPs buildings also have built-in channels for cables. ToughFrame and ToughFrame PRO don't have wiring channels.
• Timing: typically around 3 weeks to make and deliver, plus around 3 days' assembly on site.
• Warranty: the ToughFrame PRO and SignatureSIPs structures carry a 10-year structural warranty.

Best for: a full-time home office, or a room that needs to fit an awkward space. See our PentHaus buying guide.

Things that apply to all three

• Base: every one needs a firm, level base, usually concrete for a room you'll use all year. See choosing and preparing a base.
• Height: within 2m of a boundary, the whole building must be no more than 2.5m high to stay within permitted development in England. A raised base adds to the height. Read our planning guide.
• Electrics: power to a garden building should always be installed by a registered electrician. Our garden office buyer's guide covers electrics, internet and heating.
• Size: a single desk fits in around 2.5m × 2m. For a sofa or a second person, look at 3m × 2.5m or larger. See our sizing guide.

Quick decision guide

• "I want it warm in January and I don't want to build it." A Vista garden room.
• "I've got an odd-shaped space and want a proper office." PentHaus.
• "I want the most space and a real timber feel, and I don't mind some DIY." A log cabin.
• "Mainly summer use." A summerhouse may be all you need.

Common questions

What's the difference between a log cabin and a garden room?

A log cabin is built from solid interlocking timber logs, and the log wall is the structure. A garden room is usually a timber frame that's clad outside, filled with insulation and lined inside, much like a small house. Garden rooms are normally insulated from the start; log cabins usually need insulation adding for year-round use.

What is a SIPS garden office?

SIPS stands for structural insulated panels: insulation bonded between two structural boards. The panels are the structure and the insulation at the same time, so the building is warm and airtight from the start. Our SIPS option is PentHaus SignatureSIPs, designed to your own size.

Which is warmest in winter?

An insulated garden room or a SIPS building, because insulation is built into the walls, floor and roof. A 44mm log cabin can be comfortable all year too, but most people add insulation to the floor and roof at least.

Which is quickest to get up?

It depends on who builds it. Vista Collection garden rooms are installed for you. Log cabins and PentHaus buildings are self-assembly kits, so the time depends on you or your installer. PentHaus typically takes around 3 days on site once the parts arrive.

Do any of them need planning permission?

Usually not in England, if the building is single storey, used for purposes incidental to the house and within the permitted development limits, including 2.5m maximum height within 2m of a boundary. Sleeping accommodation normally needs permission.

This guide is general information, not professional or legal advice. Specifications vary by model, so always check the product page, and check planning and building regulations with your council.