Log Cabins
When people think of a log cabin they frequently think of a small rustic building that is somewhat primitive. Those things might be true of the log cabins of the 1800s that reflected the hardship of the time period. However, today’s log cabins, or log homes, are spacious elegant homes that offer all the latest technologies and eco-friendly devices that other more contemporary looking houses have to offer.
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Log cabins come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and plans. However, there are two basic types of log home construction, either handcrafted log cabins, or milled log cabins. A handcrafted log cabin home is made of logs that are peeled and notched by hand and frequently the logs are shaped to fit into another specific log. A milled log cabin is made of logs that are all cut and shaped in uniform sizes so when they are stacked they fit easily together. There is a significant difference in prices between a handcrafted log home and a milled log home. Handcrafted log homes require much more labor due to the handcrafted construction.
Handcrafted cabins usually require chinking, a mortar-like material, that is used to fill in the gaps between length of the logs. Most milled log homes do not require chinking though some have it simply as an appealing aesthetic feature.
No matter which type of log home you choose, when it is properly designed and constructed it should be very energy efficient and cost effective for heating and cooling. Log homes have a natural thermal mass from the bulk of the solid log walls. The log walls of the house warm up and then radiate the warmth back into the rooms of the home so that the heating source isn’t required to work so hard. The same is true of cooling the home in the summer months. It is very important that the contractor and builders know the insulating value so they can use the best construction practices to properly size and seal the building.
When you know what style of log home suits your taste research companies that provide that style of log home. Ask if the log cabin builders company is able to create custom log home plans in-house, or if they only produce log cabin kits. Ask for references and be sure that you visit log homes that the builder has constructed. See the outside of the home as well as the log cabin interior and ask the home owner plenty of questions about working with the building company. Be sure that the builder’s quality of work will meet your expectations for your log home.