Our most asked question from our Camping Cabins owners is how do you look after your BBQ Hut once it’s been installed? In particular, what do you use to treat your cabin to keep it looking as lovely as the day it arrived?
How Often Should I Stain My Camping Cabin?
We recommend treating your building at least twice in the first year (including the initial treatment by Camping Cabins), and at least once per year thereafter on its birthday; so make sure you make a note of when your Log Cabin was installed so you can throw a (painting) party every year! Each Timber Hut is made using tanalised timber which means it’s been pressure-treated (or impregnated) with a timber treatment under high-pressure. This means, in short, that your cabin has an extra level of protection from moisture & rot. To keep on top of this, make sure you’re treating your cabin annually.
What Should I Use To Stain My Cabin?
There’s a lot of choice out there, but by far the most popular with our cabin owners & the most readily available is No Nonsense Wood Treatment from Screwfix. The latter is available in 3 shades - clear, light brown & dark brown. We would always recommend trialling whichever treatment on a hidden bit of your cabin before you go the whole hog, to make sure you’re happy with it. Make sure you treat every part of the exterior wood, including the eaves.
If you were wanting to go for something a little different, some of our owners choose to go for a colour (or even two) on their cabin. If you would prefer something a bit bolder than natural wood then choosing the Cuprinol Garden Shades are perfect.
- No Nonsense Wood Treatment Clear 5Ltr | Wood Treatment | Screwfix.com
- No Nonsense Wood Treatment Dark Brown 5Ltr | Wood Treatment | Screwfix.com
- No Nonsense Wood Treatment Light Brown 5Ltr | Wood Treatment | Screwfix.com
- Cuprinol Garden Shades - Colour and Protect | Cuprinol
The Inside Of Your Cabin
Lots of our Log and BBQ Cabin owners choose to treat the floor & tray tables with clear yacht varnish; this makes cleaning easier whilst also keeping the wood protected. We advise against treating the inside of the cabin walls as the wood needs to stay breathable so that moisture can escape through the timber, and avoid condensation and mould issues. If you’re using your cabin grill regularly, moisture inside the cabin shouldn’t be an issue, as the heat inside will keep the wood moisture-free. We advise using the cabin at least weekly during the colder, damper months. Also, try not to leave your windows open all the time or for long periods of time, as due to the timber moving, the windows may change shape and become difficult to close.
Cleaning The Roof Of Your Timber Building
Should you get a build-up of moss on your cabin roof, you will want to remove this as the moss, along with any debris, will retain water and over time could cause dampness. Again this can be removed using a solution of bleach and water (50/50). The moss will turn brown and fall off naturally.
BBQ and Log Cabin Timber Care
Our cabins are made from Scandinavian Redwood, which is a slow-grown, dense timber and so there are some natural occurrences which you might see as a fault. We can assure you these things are completely normal for any timber product of this nature. You may find that your door begins to stick/swell, this is due to the building settling and the wood moving. Although we know this could be frustrating, this will correct itself once it’s had time to settle. Due to timber being a natural product, it is affected by the natural conditions around it. This can cause a natural defect such as ‘shakes’ which customers commonly mistake for cracks in the wood. Many people assume that this means the wood has become damaged and that the timber is defective, however, this is not the case, and is simply the natural product adjusting to its environment.
Your Cabin Lock
Our locks are provided by the manufacturer with the latch disabled. We often get a lot of questions wondering why we do it this way. The whole reason is to ensure your safety and your customer's safety while using the barbecue building. By having the latch disabled, you eliminate the risk of being locked out of your cabin accidentally with the fire still going. When your cabin was installed you will have received two keys, we advise one of these keys is kept in your home at all times. However, should you accidentally lock yourself out of your cabin, please contact our team and they will assist you.
Using Your BBQ Cabin
Please ensure that the ashtray for your barbecue is shut before use. If you do not shut this ash will fall onto your cabin floor which could burn it. All of our cabins come with a CO monitor in them, for your safety please check the CO levels regularly. You should light your BBQ at least once a month, or expose your cabin to a heat source in order to prevent any dampness or mould.
For the safety of your cabin, we advise that you and your customers do not leave your cabin unattended until your fire has completely gone out. Our BBQ hoods are adjustable if you wish to lower the hood for cooking or raise the hood to allow a clear view of all your cabin guests. It’s also very important to take care of the BBQ unit after each use. We suggest that the ashes/embers are removed from the grate. If marinades, fats, and oils have been used, the unit is cleaned with a mild detergent to dissolve the remnants. There are some food-approved sprays which you can use for the grate. Those sprays give protection from corrosion. You should also remove any charcoal/wood debris after each use of your barbecue to avoid dampness and rust.
Some people choose to cook directly onto the cast iron grill arm over their barbecue, however, we would suggest cooking on the stainless steel rack, as this is much easier to remove and clean. Read our Arctic Cabins blog all about what we recommend to burn on your grill fuel-wise, in our blog here.
So that’s it…your how-to guide about how to look after your Camping Cabins Log or Barbecue building. Don’t forget you can come and see the cabins in person 10am - 4pm 7 days a week at the Nottingham and Studley Show Sites, where we have an incredible range of BBQ Cabins, Log Cabins and Studio Lodges on show for you to have a look around. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
