Style and Design
Manufactured in quality materials the Snug is a pleasing compact wooden playhouse with three windows and a prettily decorated door which will delight any child and provide hours of fun in the garden. It's also available in a Tower version with an optional slide.
Materials/Construction
The Playhouse is clad in 12mm tongue and groove shiplap with 8mm solid sheet roofing and flooring. The roof is finished in sand felt and the windows glazed in 2mm styrene. The 27 x 32mm floor joists are pressure treated and run from front to rear.
Dimensions
Externally the Snug measures 3'11'' x 3'9'' (1.19 x 1.11m) with an internal play area of 3'8'' x 3'6''. The maximum roof height is 4'7'' externally with an eaves height of 2'8''. The door opening is 2'0'' x 2'10''.
Finish/Treatment
The playhouse is dip treated in a brown preservative prior to delivery. A final decorative or protective coating will need to be applied by the purchaser and renewed on a regular basis. The example in the illustration has been finished in appealing cream and brown.
Options
Various options are available from suppliers including installation services, playhouse bases, tools to aid assembly and DIY finishes/treatments.
Delivery/Assembly
The Snug playhouse is delivered in a flat pack ready for assembly by two people in around 3 to 5 hours excluding decoration time. It's not difficult to put together - you can see a highly detailed installation video here (opens in a new window).
Availability
See the details of sellers and prices given above.
Our Verdict
We think the Snug is one of the best value wooden playhouses of its size. With its stylish front and side windows, flower motif, peephole in the door and scalloped fascia the Snug's appearance is undoubtedly attractive and for the price you get a decent quality of build with pressure treated floor bearers into the bargain.
The 12mm tongue and groove cladding on a 28 x 28mm frame with double framing at the corners should give you a robust structure, well able to withstand the rigours of play while overall we like the safety features of the Snug. The planed and rounded timbers will help prevent scratches and splinters and there's also a child safe door (featuring finger gaps at the edges) and, of course, shatterproof styrene windows. The fact that there are three windows in all means that not only will the playhouse have a bright interior, but it will also be possible to supervise play inside unobtrusively.
As the floor supports are likely to be in constant contact with the ground it's good to see that they come pressure treated. This will help protect them from rot and fungal attack longer than wood which is only surface treated. Note though that the remainder of the playhouse is dip treated only which means that you will need to take the time to apply a suitable preservative/decorative treatment at the time of installation. We'd recommend that this be done immediately prior to assembly as this should make it easier to get to any difficult to reach areas before they become difficult to reach. The Snug lends itself well to decoration in bright cheery colours so it's an opportunity to use your imagination!
Once its been decorated the playhouse won't take long to put together. It comes in pre-formed panels and construction is relatively straightforward. Waltons have produced a detailed and very helpful construction video (opens in a new window) which lets you see not only exactly what's involved but also gives you a great idea of the standard of construction. There's not much not to like with the Snug which compares well with the other 4' wide wooden playhouses in the same category which you'll find on the market today. You can see them on our 4' wide wooden playhouse page - but remember that with some of these the floor is an optional extra.
On the subject of floors, we would prefer to see the Snug feature a more substantial floor than the 8mm sheet flooring supplied. You may find you need to install additional bearers to add strength and you will either have to buy these pressure treated or give them a thorough treatment with good quality preservative prior to fixing. This and this alone costs the Snug a star. For the remainder of the construction and overall appeal and value we can't really fault it.
