If you are thinking of having a garden room installed at your home, there may be all sorts of issues to consider. These usually include matters such as its size, location, purpose (or purposes), as well as the question of how this fits with your budget.

All of these are important considerations that we have covered in depth in other articles. But there is also the matter of what material to use. 

Among the materials you could choose are:

  •  Wood
  • Composite materials
  • Steel

As we make garden rooms from steel, it is important to consider why this is and what the advantages are of this material. In particular, it is worth noting that the pros outweigh the cons, not least as the supposed downsides can be far more easily countered.

What Are The Advantages Of Using Steel In Construction?

There are several benefits of using steel instead of wood that can be applied to almost any structure. These include:

  • It is quicker to make
  • It is more robust and durable
  • Greater fire resistance
  • It is not susceptible to rot or biological decay caused by mould, lichen, moss or wood-consuming invertebrates.
  • It is made with precision and is not subject to natural variations

This means that when you get a garden room made of steel, you know it will last. Like stainless steel, it will be coated so it does not rust, while the greater strength and lack of vulnerability to any biological hazard mean you can trust it to stand the test of time.

Why Is Steel A More Eco-Friendly Construction Material Than Wood?

However, some may identify even more benefits to using steel instead of wood.

For example, wood is often posited as the ‘natural’ and organic choice, whereas steel is an artificial alloy made in an energy-intensive process, supposedly making it less eco-friendly.

This argument ignores the environmental advantages that steel has. In the first instance, it is one of the easiest materials to recycle. This means that, decades into the future, when the time comes, the steel in your garden room can be recycled.

Indeed, the steel used in the frame of your garden room will itself be mostly, if not entirely, recycled, having previously been used in things like cars or machines. At the same time, by not using wood, deforestation is reduced.

The benefits of not using composite materials can be even greater, as they can include plastics, which are harder to recycle and, when released into the environment, cause extensive damage and littering.

These considerations all favour the use of steel in all sorts of buildings, not just garden rooms. But what, some may ask, of the cons? Are there disadvantages?

Do Arguments For Using Wood Instead Of Steel Stand Up To Scrutiny?

A chief argument for using a material like wood is that it is a natural insulator, while another is that it has strong aesthetic qualities, especially if you want to mimic the appearance of a log cabin.

These may seem like compelling arguments, but there are important things to consider in relation to this:

  • Wood is higher maintenance, so you will have to work hard to maintain the aesthetic look and structural integrity of such a garden room, dealing with weathering and biological hazards as you go.
  • It won’t last as long
  • There are many ways of insulating a garden room, although this may not be a major consideration anyway if you only want to use it as a summer house.

How Can You Combine Wood Veneers With Steel In A Garden Room?

If you do like wood, you can always use this as cladding inside or outside the garden room, either as actual wood or a veneer.

In the latter case, this may prove very practical as it can be tougher and lower maintenance. This is the principle that underpins the use of laminate as an alternative to hardwood floors, something you may consider when it comes to the flooring you have in your garden room.

Garden rooms can certainly be used for many purposes, but the steel structures we use can accommodate any of them. Whether it is a summer house, a workspace, a home gym, a games room, a mini bar, a man cave or multiple uses, steel frames will work very well.

Besides this, steel frames offer design flexibility. We have a range of our own designs, but if you want to come up with your own, we can produce a steel structure that will match it.

Over time, you may want to vary how you use your garden room or change it altogether. However you wish to use the room, you will find that steel serves you exceptionally well for many years, offering versatility and standing the test of time.