Buying a Home Log Cabin - What you need to know
The actual price that you pay for having log cabins built will not only depend on its size, but also the logs used to build it. Some cabins will be constructed using handcrafted logs and can prove to be extremely expensive. Whilst if you are looking for a cheaper alternative then select one that is made using hand milled logs instead.
It is important therefore before you actually decide on getting such a cabin built you know the difference between milled and handcrafted logs. Generally, those that are milled have been prepared using either a sawmill, a lathe or a planer. This then ensures that each log will be cut to a specific profile or shape. As you will soon discover milled logs have a far more uniformed shape and size to them compared to handcrafted ones.
In addition, what you will often find that milled log cabins are ones where the wood has been either air or kiln dried. This enables the right amount of moisture to be extracted from the wood before they are used to build a home with.
Because the wood will have been either planed, sawn or lathed the surface of the logs will be smooth. Plus in many cases, they will also have a tongue and groove joints so actually putting the logs together is much easier. This means that building the cabin is a lot easier and will often take a lot less time to complete. However, if you want to retain that rustic look to your cabin the outer face of the log can retain its rough bark coating.
In most cases, the trees from which the wood for these types of logs used are pines, spruces, firs as well as cedars. For a cheap but well built milled cabin, buy one made from either pine or spruce. However, if you have a little more money in your budget then consider getting one made using cedar instead.
Above we have explained something about what milled logs are, now we will provide you with some information regarding handcrafted ones. These will be prepared using either a drawknife so the wood will be hand peeled or they will be water peeled. In most cases, the wood will still be green, as the trees from the which the logs are being produced have only been cut for a few days or a week. Where as milled logs can be either air or kiln dried, with handcrafted ones the only way is to extract moisture is through air-drying. There are unfortunately not enough kilns around which are large enough to accommodate these logs.
Just like with milled log cabins those who make handcrafted ones like to use pine and spruce trees. However, there are some log cabin manufacturers who prefer to use either Douglas fir, Oak, Juniper, Cyprus or Alpine Fir (True Firs) instead.
As mentioned the cost you pay for buying and having log cabins constructed will not only depend on the way in which the logs have been prepared. You also need to take into consideration the size of the cabin you are having built. The bigger the cabin then the more labour intensive and the more logs will be needed in order to build it. If you want to save money but would like a large cabin then you are better off going for milled rather than handcrafted logs.
Tags: Recreation and Leisure
Tags: Recreation and Leisure
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