The individuality (sometimes called "personality") of logs rests on their irregularities remove the irregularity and you remove the character. It also removes a less tangible value: aesthetics. Or it could remove the ecological appeal of building a log cabin. To protect machine-peeled walls, you may need to treat the wood every few years with chemical sealants. Ī home for $7,500? Why would anyone choose not to use a kit? Read on - then make your own decision. Labor is a major factor if you build the cabin yourself, you don't have to pay anyone else to do it. Others cost the same as conventional houses. Some kinds of log cabins might be as little as $7,500. Price can also be appealing - but this depends very much on the size and floor plan, which materials and method you use and how much upkeep the cabin requires.
Two story log cabin floor plans windows#
You'll know that the kit's floor plan and engineering are relatively sound, and its doors, windows and roof will have to meet certain specifications. A cabin might be no larger than a spacious studio apartment, taking up only 500 square feet (46.5 sq m) of ground it can turn a small or odd-shaped lot into a perfectly usable piece of ground.Ī kit can also ensure that your construction passes muster with the building code.
Kits can include options such as wood stoves, solar panels and composting toilets that help you live off the grid in comfort.Īdaptability is a major advantage of log cabin kits. Many dealers are green certified, and some engage in extensive reforestation efforts. And, on the subject of ecology, it's worth mentioning that log walls have better heat retention than many other building materials. The absence of heavy equipment means you may be able to construct your cabin with minimum impact to surrounding trees and wildlife. If you have a basic set of tools - a ladder, a hammer, a power drill - you may already have most of the equipment you need. You'll have access to a customer-service line in case you make a mistake. Working from a kit lets you accomplish that within a manageable framework, even if you're not a master builder. On the next pages, we'll look at the good, the bad and the ugly of log cabin kits. You'll also need to pick a corner style options include saddle notch (familiar to everyone who ever played with Lincoln Logs), dovetail and butt-and-pass. Some are cut in the Appalachian square style. Some are D-style - flattened on one side. Rather than fit logs together perfectly for their entire length, a chinked construction uses another material to fill in the gaps between the logs. īy contrast, a chinked method of construction retains the irregularities in the logs. The spaces between logs are also more vulnerable to termites, mice and other pests. If it splits, even slightly, it may settle into a new position, threatening the integrity of the wall above it. The log is more prone to splitting at the apex of the V. The V can introduce some structural problems.
A cross-section of the log looks like a pie from which a large piece has been removed. But the Canadian method uses uniform, V-shaped grooves. The Canadian chinkless method assembles logs in much the same way as the Scandinavian chinkless. The point of this bite-shaped groove is to create a log custom-fitted to the log below it. A cross-section of a coped log looks like a cookie from which someone has taken a small bite. In a Scandinavian chinkless cabin (sometimes called Swedish cope), each log has a shallow, rounded groove, or cope, running the length of the log. In virtually every method, logs are notched or shaped so that they fit together with a sound, airtight seal for stability, even weight distribution and insulation. Take some time to learn about the different methods of log cabin construction.
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