Leather in a summer house

Busby67

I plan on having a summer house that I will insulte with 20mm Kingspan board under a Shiplap finish. The base will be insulated and sit on a damp proof membrane. I will install a small stove and have mains electric. l'll have a small radiator which I'll set to come on for 2 hours each night when the weather is colde . My question is, would a leather armchair (antique Club style chair) be OK in the summer house all year round? 

-taff

Probably if it isn't in direct sunlight.

Davesnave

Surely, after spending all that money, the cost of finding out one way or the other, is marginal?

TELLIT01

Cover it when it's not in use and use leather treatment on it regularly to prevent it drying out.

Mutton_Geoff

It's not the low temperature that will harm it, it will be direct sunlight, high temperatures (above 50/60C) and damp. Running a heater for two hours a night all through the autumn/winter/spring is probably a waste of money.

Busby67

Davesnave said:

Surely, after spending all that money, the cost of finding out one way or the other, is marginal?

Not if the chair is a couple of hundred and it goes mouldy after a year?

Busby67

Mutton_Geoff said:

It's not the low temperature that will harm it, it will be direct sunlight, high temperatures (above 50/60C) and damp. Running a heater for two hours a night all through the autumn/winter/spring is probably a waste of money.

Yes, it was more the damp I was worried about than the sunligh . I can cover and treat etc but I didn't want a new green furry chair come the following spring! Would the heat not alleviate any damp issues? Thanks for taking the time to reply. 

Davesnave

Busby67 said:

Mutton_Geoff said:

It's not the low temperature that will harm it, it will be direct sunlight, high temperatures (above 50/60C) and damp. Running a heater for two hours a night all through the autumn/winter/spring is probably a waste of money.

Yes, it was more the damp I was worried about than the sunligh . I can cover and treat etc but I didn't want a new green furry chair come the following spring! Would the heat not alleviate any damp issues? Thanks for taking the time to reply. 

Not for only 2 hours a night. A thin wooden structure insulated at 20mm will soon cool down, and in closing it up you may do more harm than good. Animal housing is always well ventilated. While there is nothing likely to respire and increase moisture levels, those will depend on where you are in the UK and how high above sea level. Near where I live, residences  sometimes disappear into the clouds for a week!

In my unheated barn, most items seem to survive undamaged for years, but despite ventilation they can become damp-feeling and clammy in winter. That doesn't mean someone with a different barn would have the same experience.

I wasn't suggesting you stick an expensive chair in there right away. Any old chair or thing made of leather would do to test for a winter. If you get a bad result, you'd know to go with something different.

JJ_Egan

Green mould in the winter yes likely no matter the price .

gavin3111

Kingspan might prevent breathability, causing humidity and therefore damp with temperatures varying from warm days to cool night's. We opted for insulated roof and floor but relied on 45mm thick timber walls to provide some insulation, whilst allowing the summer house to naturally regulate humidity. The log cabin was purchased from Dunster House and they do sell better insulated examples, but the 45mm log cabin was within our budget and can be seen on YouTube;

Part 2 and 3 show the insulation.

Mistral001

Summer houses are supposed to have bamboo funiture and deck chairs and be a bit drafty.   This is more like a little house!

But seriously you will need to keep the summerhouse heated and ventilated throughout the winter if you are to avoid damp problems.  I would suggest a temperature of at least 10 degrees C.  A dehumdifier as well might give you belt and braces remembering that ventilation will need to be reduced when using a dehumidifier.