Alton Chatsworth Octagonal Summerhouse 6x8 User manual

08/17

2
6’ x 8’ Cedar Summerhouse
Assembly Instructions
Contents:
Introduction
Base Preparation
Overview
Floor Assembly
Side Assembly
Door Installation
Roof Assembly
Side Cloaking
Fixing to base
Roof Felting
Fascias and capping
Slatted Roof Installation (optional)
Top Cap and Finial
Casement stay set-up
Cabin Hook Fitting
Architrave Fitting
Window Trim Fitting
Weather Strip Fitting
Parts Lists
Section
-
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Page
3
4
5
6
7-12
13-14
15-23
24
25
26-28
29-33
34-37
38
39
40-41
42
43
44
46-47

3
Thank you for purchasing your new Alton summerhouse. We recommend you familiarise
yourself with the instructions and read all safety information before you commence assembly.
This instruction manual is also available online at www.greenhousepeople.co.uk in the
technical help section should you need to reprint it. Should you require any additional advice
you can always call us on 01782 385409.
Safety Warning
 Glass and timber can potentially cause injury. Please ensure you wear protective goggles,
gloves, headgear and suitable footwear when assembling the building.
 Please remember that glass is fragile and should be handled with extreme care. Always clear
up and dispose of any breakages immediately.
 Do not assemble the summerhouse in high winds.
 For safety reasons and ease of assembly, we recommend that this summerhouse is assembled
by a minimum of two people.
 Please clear all lying snow from the summerhouse roof as it can cause the roof to buckle or
collapse.
Site Preparation
 When selecting a site for your summerhouse, it is vital that you choose as flat and level an
area as possible.
 A concrete or slabbed base will provide the most solid foundation for your summerhouse. A
slabbed base would be our preferred choice as this helps with drainage.
 Avoid placing your summerhouse under trees or in other vulnerable locations.
 To minimise the risk of wind damage, try to select as sheltered a site as possible, e.g. beside a
hedgerow or garden fence.
Additional Considerations
 If you have arranged for someone to install your summerhouse for you, please check that all
components are included. Most parts are numbered and can be identified by a stamp or
removable label. Alternatively, the components can be identified by lengths detailed in the
packing list in your main cardboard box.
 Remember this is a natural timber product, the wood may soak up some water and some
staining may occur. Your summerhouse is factory dipped in a clear spirit based preservative.
We recommend that you re-apply some clear treatment annually particularly on the most
exposed areas. If you want to avoid this and give your summerhouse a more permanent
finish you could apply an oil based product (refer to manufacturers recommendations for
recoating).
Introduction

4
B
A
It is necessary to leave sufficient working room
around your summerhouse when you're putting
it up and also to allow for the possible need to
replace a piece of glass or for further wood
treatment. If possible try and leave a space of 2ft/610mm around the summerhouse.
Note that the door opens outwards so you should not have any higher ground or obstacles outside
the front of the summerhouse.
Choose a site where the summerhouse is relatively easy to get to and convenient to bring a supply of
electricity to.
Finally, and most importantly, choose a site where your Alton summerhouse will look right so that it
will complement your garden.
Base Preparation
Slab Base Size (Recommended)
Note: The base should always be larger than your
building.
The measurements given in ‘A’ and ‘B’ should
only be used as a guide.
Summerhouse
Width
Summerhouse
Length A (mm) B (mm)
6 ft - 1931mm 8 ft - 2482mm 2440 2730
SOIL
50mm
5 : 1
3’ X 2’ Slab (2” thick)
(910mm X 610mm)
Recommended
Note: If a membrane is used
this may hinder drainage.
1

5
30mm Panel Pin
(Stainless Steel)
50mm Countersunk (Stainless Steel)
80mm Countersunk (Stainless Steel)
Fixing felt
25mm Countersunk
(Stainless Steel)
12mm Clout Nail
02-1675 EV0336 02-1680 EV0332 EV0334
60mm Countersunk (Passivated)
02-5110
Used on side
cloaking and
fascias
Fixing roof
bracket and
finial
Used on floor
and side
panels
Fixes ply roof
panels
Fixes soffits
and roof bars
to the eaves
(Yellow in colour)
40mm Pan Head
(Stainless Steel)
11/2inch Countersunk
(Zinc Plated)
EV0333
02-1814
Used on
wooden
trims
Fixing
ironmongery
Overview
Set the base out in the exact position you
want the finished building in, its much easier than trying to
move it when it’s built!
Follow the manual and assemble the sections as recommended.
When screwing through one piece of timber into another it is always recommended to
pre-drill the first piece. This will prevent the timber from splitting which could be unsightly.
Read through the rest of this manual before starting, you are less likely to miss something doing this
and you will have a better understanding of how it all works.
If any glass is broken during construction or afterwards you will need to carefully remove the
beading on the inside of the building to replace this. You can either call our customer service team
for a quote or source it locally. The glass size in the windows is 321mm x 378mm and in the door is
235mm x 378mm.
To build your new summerhouse you will need the following tools:
Spirit Level Pencil
PZ2 Screwdriver Bit Cordless Screwdriver (2 would be ideal, 1 to drill and 1 to screw)
4mm Drill Bit Hammer
Step ladders x 2 Hand Saw
There are 7 different types of fixings used in the construction of the summerhouse. These are as
follows, with examples of where to look out for them:
2

6
Floor Assembly
Begin by laying out the 3 floor sections face down on your prepared area. Slide them together
making sure the outside edges line up. Drill pilot holes with the drill bit provided and fix with 60mm
passivated screws at the points shown by the arrows in the diagram below.
Diagram 1
Diagram 2
Once fixed together, with help, turn the base over and move into position. It is crucial to get the
base flat and level as this will affect how your building goes together and how well your windows
and doors will operate.
ABA0002
ABA0002
3
ABA0004

7
Side Assembly
The positioning of the side panels is
entirely flexible and can be decided as you
fit them, so for example if you want an
opening window in the rear corner of the
building you can. This instruction manual
will show the standard layout.
Take the first panel and position it at the
rear of the building, get a helper to hold
this in place while you position the next
panel (diagram 3).
Diagram 3
ABA0027
4
Diagram 4 Dia. 5
Diagram 5
Drill pilot holes with the 4mm drill bit
supplied at each point shown by the
arrows on diagram 4. Make sure the
panels line up perfectly on the inside
before fixing with 60mm passivated
screws (diagram 5).
Do NOT fix the side panels to the floor
yet as this will make construction hard
later in the build.
ABA0025
ABA0025
ABA0027

8
Side Assembly
When fixing the panels bear in mind which faces will be most visible when you walk into the
building. Try to keep the screw heads on the least visible faces where possible.
Diagram 6
4
ABA0025

9
Side Assembly
If you have followed the standard panel layout you can now fit a window section. Again it is up to
you whether you chose a fixed window or opening window section. If the opening window is next
to the door it does have the potential to knock into the window frame when open. If the cabin hook
is used correctly this shouldn’t be an issue.
Diagram 7
ABA0026F
4

10
Side Assembly
Continue to fix the panels as you have been doing...
Diagram 8
ABA0026F
4

11
Side Assembly
Diagram 9
When fixing two window
sections together you should
drill your pilot hole through the
frame as normal, just be extra
careful you don’t drill into the
window frame on the other side.
Then fix with 60mm passivated
screws.
ABA0026V
4
Dia. 10
Diagram 10

12
Side Assembly
Diagram 11
With all the side sections in place you
can now install the door. Remember
not to fix the sides to the floor yet.
4

13
Door Installation
Diagram 12
Diagram 13
Dia. 13
Before you can install
the door section you
need to fit the door
handle. Slide the
spindle through the
lock to give you the
position of the handle
on the door. Fix the
handle with the 3.5 x
25mm countersunk
screws supplied.
ABA0041
EV0608
5

14
Door Installation
Slot the door section into position, drill pilot holes shown by the arrows below and fix with 60mm
passivated screws.
Diagram 14
6

15
Roof Assembly
6
AB0020
Diagram 15
AB0014
You can now start to construct the roof. First you should fix the ridge infill (AB0014) to one of the
ridge sections (AB0020). Drill three pilot holes in the infill section and fix with 40mm pan head
screws. The infill should be level with the notches on the underside of the ridge section and extend
beyond the ends by around 15mm (diagram 16). Drive the screw in slightly so that the screw head is
flush with the surface.
Diagram 16
15mm
Keep surfaces
flush

16
Next you can attach the two ridge brackets EV1004. Line the tab up with
the grove on the underside of the ridge bar (diagram 18). Slot
the two parts together, drill a pilot hole and fix
with 50mm countersunk screws.
Diagram 17
Dia. 18
Diagram 18
Now attach the other ridge section to the assembly, again drill
pilot holes and fix this with 50mm countersunk screws.
AB0020
EV1004
Diagram 19
Roof Assembly
6

17
Now attach four roof bars on
the outer most tabs of the
ridge brackets. Drill pilot
holes before fixing these
with 50mm countersunk
screws.
Diagram 21
Diagram 22
AB0010
Add the last bracket (EV1006) to the middle of the
two ridge bars, drill pilot holes and fix this in place
with four 50mm countersunk screws. Make sure this
is central to the two ridge sections.
Diagram 20
Dia. 22
Roof Assembly
6

18
With help lift the roof assembly onto
the sides. Don’t fix this down until
all the roof bars are in place.
Now slot the rest of the roof
bars into position. Fix them to
the ridge brackets as you go.
Diagram 23
Diagram 24
Roof Assembly
5
AB0011

19
With all the roof bars in place you should then drill 2 pilot holes in the bottom of each roof bar. This
should go vertically down so that the screw goes into the corner bar of the side frame. The diagram
below shows a good position for the hole (diagram 25). Before fixing with an 80mm screw make sure
the heel of the roof bar is tight up to the side section on the inside of the building.
65mm
Diagram 25
Roof Assembly
6

20
Door Installation
5
AB0055
With all the roof bars installed
you can fit the soffit boards.
These are fixed to the top of
the side panels (diagram 27).
Push the soffits tight up
against the underside of the
roof bars. Screw position
shown in diagram 28.
Diagram 26
Diagram 27
AB0055