Building Archives – Page 5 of 12 – Log Cabin Homes Magazine

Comparing Bids from Builders

by Log Cabin Homes Magazine | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To

There are some do-it-yourselfers out there who take on the task of building their own log home. But the average log home buyer needs to find a builder or general contractor to build it. This person takes all of the package components that you purchase and crafts them into your home. It is a very detailed and meticulous job that requires a true professional with excellent building experience and communication skills. Yet finding this person takes as much research as it did to select the right log home co…

There’s a System to This

by Charles Bevier | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To

When buyers are ready to make their dream home a reality, some think that choosing a log and timber producer will be as easy as rolling off a log. We are talking about trees here, right? How difficult can this be? But what they discover is that modern log and timber homes are much more than just randomly stacked logs. Specific tree species, crafting, sealing, and fastening techniques and the engineering principles behind them are combined to form a building system. This building s…

Floorplan for Your Lifestyle

by Laura Stapleton | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

Artistic architectural elements, a spectacular view, or even classic décor elements can combine to create a home of unspeakable beauty and functionality. But one element knits it all together: the floorplan. Whether the floorplan is selected from a design book or created as a one-of-a-kind design by a homeowner and architect team, it tells a story about a family and how they live in a home. “The way your home is laid out is very important. All the little details can make a huge impact on your home, so t…

Timber!

by Jennifer Donahue | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, Entire Home, Exteriors, How-To

The different types of construction and terms used to describe log and timber homes can be confusing to home buyers, especially when it comes to timber frame and post-and-beam homes. While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there are important distinctions between the two types of construction, and key questions to ask when you are planning your own home. “There are some basic similarities to post-and-beam construction and authentic timber framing,” says Stephanie Jo…

Find a Log Home Producer & Builder

by Bridget McCrea | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

The most beautiful log homes in the world all share a common bond: they started with excellent producers and builders who not only knew what they were doing, but who went the extra mile to make sure the homes exceeded their owners’ expectations. To make sure your log home falls into this category, there are a few easy steps you can take during the planning stages. For starters, you’ll want to put the time and effort into finding a producer and builder who understand your vision, wants, and needs a…

Designing Your Log Cabin Home

by Tommi Jamison | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, Designing, How-To

When planning your perfect log cabin home, there are many decisions that must be researched. Whether you are contemplating the idea of a log home or beginning the design process, the end result can vary greatly depending on the multitude of choices made. The choice of wood species is one of the biggest and first decisions to make. Next, you must consider corner styles or joint methods, chink or no chink, and which drying method best suits your needs. You also need to learn t…

Minimizing Maintenance for Your Retirement Years

by Wyatt Myers | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Maintaining

A beautiful log home—it’s a great dream for anybody to have for their retirement years. Now imagine if that home required zero maintenance: No painting, no toilet repair, no worries … talk about a beautiful dream! Of course, a home that doesn’t require any maintenance really is a dream. But what you can do is take steps during the planning process for your log home that will minimize maintenance in the long term. And that’s a dream that everybody can live with. To help us come up with the best planning …

Building Your Log Cabin Home

by Mike Haskew, photos courtesy Rocky Mountain Log Homes | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To

Building a log home is, quite simply, an adventure. And nobody should undertake an adventure without adequate preparation. When Jock Davidson, owner of Daniel Boone Log Homes, considers the process of building a log home, he advises, “The nature of home building, particularly log homes, is usually more art than science. No two log homes are exactly the same, and therein lies the art. The single biggest pitfall that homebuyers face is unrealistic expectations. The home will invariably take longer to buil…

What You Need to Know – Selecting a Producer & Builder

by Karen Doss Bowman | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

Sam and Gale Easter, self-described “loggies,” are enthusiastic about living in the log home of their dreams. But during the planning stages for the house, the couple took time to carefully research log home companies and builders. They were looking for professionals that would not only turn out a quality product, but who also would deal with them fairly and honestly. “The company we chose answered all our questions right up front,” says Gale, now owner of Roanoke River Vall…

A Cabin in the Woods

by Donna Peak | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, Designing, How-To, Planning

A log home is a beautiful complement to any setting, no matter if it’s poised out in the middle of a wide-open prairie or hugging the shoreline of a lake or ocean. But there’s just something irresistible about a cabin in the woods. Nestled among the trees, a log cabin home or weekend camp against a deeply wooded backdrop just seems at ease and, well, right. When designing and building your dream woodland log cabin home, there are a few factor…

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

by Jennifer Donahue | Photo courtesy of Appalachian Log Homes/Roger Wade | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

Using reclaimed and recycled materials when building your home is not just a good way to be kind to the environment—it’s a great way to save money and add visual interest to your home! Reclaimed materials make your home truly unique while keeping materials that still have a little bit of life left out of landfills. There is a difference between reclaimed and recycled materials. Recycled materials are reprocessed and often turned into an entirely different product, while reclaimed materials are reu…

Comparing Bids from Producers

by Bridget McCrea | Jul 9, 2021 | Building, How-To, Planning

“Getting comparative bids when looking at log homes is very important, unless you are very well versed in log home materials and construction practices,” says Tom Kuhns, president at Kuhns Brothers Log Homes Inc., in Milton, Pennsylvania. “In fact, getting bids is actually a part of the learning process. No two log home companies are alike. Each company has different ways of doing things and different qualities and quantities of products so you need to decide what is best for you.”&n…