Style and Design
The Axi Julia is an unusually styled wooden playhouse featuring an arched front door and windows all round. The side and rear windows can be opened and the front door features a letterbox for added interest. There's an attractive circular window to the front and the bright, pre-stained exterior makes the Julia a pretty and cheerful addition to the garden. It's quality built throughout and is guaranteed to provide hours of outdoor fun for years to come. Just have a look at the video (opens in a new window) to see just what a delightful addition to your garden the Axi Julia would be!
Materials/Construction
The Julia is constructed in 15mm Asian cedar planks from carefully managed sources slotted into a sturdy 38mm frame. The roof panels are of water resistant construction and the wood used is of a naturally durable variety featuring natural resistance to attack by insects, pest, rot and fungi. The windows are of virtually unshatterable acrylic and the window frames are of slanted design to prevent small fingers getting trapped. Windows and doors are secured by magnetic catches and the building has passed the strict German TUV test of compliance with all relevant safety standards so you can rest assured and relax while the children play.
Dimensions
Base measurements of the Axi Julia are 4' x 4' (118 x 120cm) with an accommodating ridge height of 5'8'' (170cm).
Finish/Treatment
The playhouse is finished in a colourful water based woodstain although we would recommend the application of a further protective/decorative finish at the time of assembly. The Julia comes with a conditional five year manufacturer's warranty but this is conditional upon a fresh protective finish being applied every two years.
Options
Options for the Axi Julia may include a choice of DIY finishes and an pro base shed base (Worldstores only).
Delivery/Assembly
The playhouse is delivered with all necessary fixings for assembly by the purchaser. The manufacturer's estimated assembly time is 30 minutes. You can see the full assembly instructions here (opens in a new window).
Availability
See the details of sellers and prices given above.
Our Verdict
The Axi Julia certainly isn't a run of the mill economy 4'x4' wooden playhouse. The price tag dwarfs that of most similarly sized models on the market today and you will have to dig quite deep to bring it to your garden. Having said this though, we do feel the premium price reflects the exceptional build quality and overall appeal of the Julia. Axi are well known for the quality (and price) of their playhouses and the Julia is a perfect example of this. We don't think you will find a more attractive 4'x4' wooden playhouse around and the simple yet tastefully striking colour scheme is guaranteed to add interest to the garden. There are plenty of opening windows to let in the air and light and to add interest and the letterbox in the door is a feature that will undoubtedly be used again and again - and again.
The 15mm interlocking plank construction is a step up from the 12mm tongue and groove usually found in cheaper playhouses as is the 38mm framing. The wood is pre finished too with a water based stain meaning that you won't need to apply a final decorative/preservative finish at the time of construction. This is ideal if time is tight and children are clamouring for the playhouse to be put together. While we think the manufacturer's estimate of a 30 minute assembly time is maybe a little optimistic, it shouldn't be too far off the mark. There's nothing particularly difficult about the assembly as long as you read the manual beforehand and make sure you attach the various nuts and washers in the correct order - remembering to check these for tightness on a regular basis. You can read the complete instructions here (opens in a new window) to see exactly what's involved so you can hit the ground running when the day comes! There's a useful section at the end on safety and maintenance - don't neglect to read that as well. Do note that while immediate treatment of the wood shouldn't be necessary, the manufacturer recommends the condition of the finish be checked annually and that a new coat of water based or natural stain be applied on a two yearly basis.
Normally you'd expect a playhouse roof to be felt covered and this can sometimes be a little tricky to apply properly. No such worries with the Julia's quality weather resistant roof design which should give good protection from the elements without the troubles sometimes associated with felt roofing. A definite bonus over the solid sheet board and felt roofing prevalent in cheaper models.
There should be no great safety concerns with the Julia either. The wood used in the construction is planed smooth to minimise the risk of scratches or splinters and the acrylic windows should be virtually unbreakable. We like the use of magnetic catches on the opening windows and the door to avoid children becoming trapped inside. And the Julia also uses a slanted frame construction to help avoid tiny fingers becoming trapped. The amount of windows too means children at play inside can be easily and unobtrusively supervised.
So far so good. We do however think there is one glaring omission with the Axi Julia - and that's the lack of a floor as standard. This means that you need to be careful where you site the playhouse to make sure that the ground surface underneath is suitable for play. It also means that the inside of the playhouse may not be as wind and watertight as it would be if a floor was fitted - and at the price we really do feel you're entitled to expect a floor to be supplied. Looking around the other - cheaper - 4'x4' playhouses available we see that almost invariably a playhouse floor comes as standard albeit it's sometimes a relatively low spec solid sheet one.
The other point we'd take issue with is the omission of pressure treated wood. Yes, the timbers are high quality and the construction weather resistant but again, at the price, we wouldn't have thought it unreasonable to expect pressure treatment to fortify the wood's natural resistance to the elements. That said, the playhouse isn't that large and the application of a fresh finish every couple of years isn't that big a deal.
In conclusion, we think the Axi Julia is a fantastic playhouse let down by the lack of a floor and pressure treated wood. If you can live with this - and have the budget - it certainly wouldn't be a bad buy. There aren't that many comparable models around but we do suggest you have a look at the Trigano Jardin Jane if it's available. It's not as eyecatching or as watertight as the Julia but you get a wooden floor, verandah area and pressure treatment as standard and it should cost you a LOT less.
All in all, taking account of the price and the lack of pressure treatment and a floor we've awarded the Axi Julia three and a half wooden playhouse stars. And prices do vary quite a bit. Be sure to check our pricing guide to help make sure you get a deal that's right for you.
