Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Question about care of log homes

  1. #1

    Question about care of log homes

    Always been a dream of ours to live in a log cabin with a mountain view. Now that we are on the verge of being able to do that, we have the doubters trying to invade.....saying things like log homes are soooo much work to maintain and care for, there is no insulation, the bugs can crawl right through the cracks in the logs, they are more expensive to build than a regular house etc, etc. thoughts on this ? We think it's hogwash but don't want to be foolish either.

  2. #2
    LHBA Member StressMan79's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Brickleberry NP
    Posts
    2,536
    Quote Originally Posted by Lorrie View Post
    Always been a dream of ours to live in a log cabin with a mountain view. Now that we are on the verge of being able to do that, we have the doubters trying to invade.....saying things like log homes are soooo much work to maintain and care for, there is no insulation, the bugs can crawl right through the cracks in the logs, they are more expensive to build than a regular house etc, etc. thoughts on this ? We think it's hogwash but don't want to be foolish either.
    Absolutely true. Build a kit home, you'll pay much more for a buggy home that needs stain/sealant every 5 years.

    Build a BnP w/ your own hands @ a huge discount, won't be buggy, cold, etc.
    Last edited by StressMan79; 03-07-2016 at 08:03 PM.

  3. #3
    LHBA Member rreidnauer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Allegheny highlands
    Posts
    10,913
    ^ What he said.

    Can't wait until you realize just what forum you've had the fortune of stumbling into.
    All my bad forum habits I learned from LHN

    Rod Reidnauer
    Class of Apr. 9-10, 2005
    Thinking outside the vinyl sided box

  4. #4
    LHBA Member
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Charlotte, NC
    Posts
    1,078
    Quote Originally Posted by Lorrie View Post
    Always been a dream of ours to live in a log cabin with a mountain view. Now that we are on the verge of being able to do that, we have the doubters trying to invade.....saying things like log homes are soooo much work to maintain and care for, there is no insulation, the bugs can crawl right through the cracks in the logs, they are more expensive to build than a regular house etc, etc. thoughts on this ? We think it's hogwash but don't want to be foolish either.
    Well, you do have to maintain the log home, but you have to do that with a conventional stick frame house as well. Trim/shutters need painted, vinyl siding can fade and warp, CFS will need repainted, and brick/stone is one of the most expensive veneers going, low maintenance but you are stuck with the color you picked unless you want to paint and repaint it over the years. Log homes take maintenance, but people that say that it's "soooo much work" generally haven't contemplated how much work they do or hire out to maintain their stick frame house.

    There is some insulation, but I don't see this as a negative. It's not like people freeze to death in a log home because they skip the insulation.

    I have never lived in a house that didn't have bugs in it. If your friends/family do, let me know, because I'd like to contact them and figure out what I have been doing wrong all of these years.

    As for cost, it's all relative, so it's impossible to say. Sure you can build an expensive log home, but there are expensive stick frame houses out there as well. Trying to compare pound for pound is comparing the cost of apples to steak. Sure you can do it, but it doesn't really help you decide if you want to buy the apples or not.

  5. #5
    LHBA Member rocklock's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Aiea, Hi or when it's warm Camano Island, Washington
    Posts
    2,250
    Blog Entries
    3
    The cost of a log home is greater than a stick frame. Why? My foundation must support 150,000 pounds of wet logs. Its called thermal mass. The greater the mass the more heat is absorbed then returned. Which is why my upstairs bedroom is always comfy. And I do have insulation between the logs.

    Logs do have insulation properties but the thermal mass is a very cool feature.
    Dave
    --> The unaimed arrow never misses....
    --> If can, can. If no can, no can... Hawaiian Pidgin
    2011 video http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/open...a413d0d0a&sb=1
    2006 to 2009 video http://s154.photobucket.com/albums/s274/flintlock1/
    If you are gonna be dumb, you better be TOUGH!

  6. #6
    LHBA Member rreidnauer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Allegheny highlands
    Posts
    10,913
    Yeah, the kit log home craze really created a bad reputation for real log homes. My neighbor complains about his kit log home. (drafts, hard to heat, etc) My building department practically cringed when I said I wanted to build a log home, knowing most kits can't pass energy standards. No wonder, with only 4 or so inches of wood in kits, what would you expect? Once I explained I was NOT building a kit, and planning on logs with a minimum 12" diameter, things went much more smoothly. I was really surprised that they didn't give me any trouble when I made no provisions for settling, as you would for a typical kit.
    Last edited by rreidnauer; 03-08-2016 at 01:30 PM.
    All my bad forum habits I learned from LHN

    Rod Reidnauer
    Class of Apr. 9-10, 2005
    Thinking outside the vinyl sided box

  7. #7
    LHBA Member BigD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Location
    North Slope Uintahs (Wyoming)
    Posts
    254
    Hi Lorrie,
    My wife and I had the exact same mentality that you had a couple of months ago. We took the class in Vegas a few weeks ago. It was great. ALL of our questions were answered and many many more questions that we didn't even know we had.

    Certainly, to each their own. Some will prefer a stick built home, some will want to have a 'log' home from a kit. My wife and I came away from the class with a very clear idea of what we wanted.....a log home, low debt, a project that we could do together.

    For us.....taking the class was worth it if nothing else than to help us to decide the building style we wanted.

  8. #8
    LHBA Member edkemper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    So Central Oregon
    Posts
    2,743
    Blog Entries
    1
    BigD,

    Isn't it amazing what one little two day stay in Vegas can do for one's future? It's great every time we add new family.
    edkemper

    Class: Valentine's Day weekend 2009

    Feel the Bern!

  9. #9
    LHBA Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    Southern Kentucky
    Posts
    1,060
    maintenance? Let's see...we stained some of the decks a few years ago...we stained some of the doors-8 years ago...I think I painted something last year...

    I guess it depends on whether or not you have a kit home or a real home

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •