Timber! 8 Facts About Log Cabin Construction You Should Know

Published on: 27 February 2019 Last Updated on: 09 August 2019
log cabin construction

Thought log cabins were a thing of the past? Think again.

Today, log cabin construction has become a chic, upscale way to build a modern home with a unique look. In fact, some people have even built high-rise buildings that pull design elements from cabin construction.

Log cabins have a solid place in modern architecture. They meld old-fashioned traditions that endure for a reason with popular modern elements like environmentally-friendly designs. Wondering what else you don’t know about log cabins? Keep reading to learn more fascinating cabin facts!

1. You Can Calculate Exactly How Many Logs You’ll Need

How many logs does it take to build a log cabin? Turns out it’s all a matter of simple math.

For example, by determining the height of each wall, then the height of each individual log, you can calculate how many logs you’ll use per wall. From there, it’s simple to add up the number of walls in a room to get the total.

Of course, other design aspects like the addition of doors or window can make things more complicated. When there’s an opening in the wall, it will get flanked by shorter logs, which can increase the total number of logs used. If the roof is built of logs, that will also change the numbers.

While you’ll want to leave it to the professionals when it comes to deciding how many logs to order, it can still be fun to try your hand at calculating the number of logs in a cabin.

2. You Can Build from a Kit:

Did you know that you can order a log cabin kit for a major DIY moment?

With a log cabin kit, you don’t have to be a pro to have a rustic cabin of your own. Most companies also offer plenty of customer service support, so you’ll know where to turn if you run into problems along the way.

It also doesn’t take a lot of extra tools to work from a kit. Most people can get the job done with just a few basics (think drills and hammers).

Since this is a more rustic form of the building, it appeals to many environmentally-savvy consumers. You’re not bringing in heavy machinery to pollute the area and disrupt local wildlife.

3. Log Homes Stay Warm:

Having trouble keeping warm in the winter? A log cabin just might hold the answer.

Wood naturally keeps heat in — that’s why wood furniture tends to feel relatively warm, even if the rest of the room is cold. Many modern building materials, from concrete to sheetrock, get cold fast. This lowers the overall temperature of your home fast.

With walls made of solid wood, your home actually soaks up and stores heat, dispersing it into the home over time. This helps your home stay warmer, while you save on heating costs.

4. Moisture Matters:

When you’re building a log home, one of the keys to success is keeping your logs completely dry.

You can actually choose to buy logs with different levels of moisture content. The lower the moisture, the better, because you won’t have to worry about what happens when the logs shrink and settle over time.

You’ll also need to take care to keep your home as dry as possible after it’s complete. This can mean installing different design elements (read more here) to keep water away from the walls.

Sturdy log cabins often include an overhanging roof or protective landscaping elements. You’ll also need to take care to keep other sources of water, like an automated sprinkler, away from the log walls.

5. Log Homes Last a Long Time:

There’s a reason many historic log cabins from 100 or more years ago remain to this day. This is one of the most durable ways to build a home that will remain sturdy for years to come.

Although American architecture doesn’t date back so far, you can find homes and churches made of logs in Europe that have stood strong for many hundreds of years. This natural building material offers the perfect balance of strength and flexibility to withstand all kinds of threats.

6. Log Cabins Work Best in Shade:

In addition to keeping your cabin away from moisture, you’ll want to build it so it’s shaded from the sun as much as possible.

Sun won’t destroy a log home, but it will mean you’ll need to re-finish the logs more often to make them last. If you can build in a shady area that’s guarded against moisture, your log cabin will require virtually no maintenance at all.

7. Log Homes Save Energy:

In log cabin construction, it’s super-important that you seal up the spaces between the logs carefully. But as long as that’s done properly, you’ll have an incredibly energy-efficient home to enjoy.

Spaces, where energy can escape, include the connection between individual logs, the space between the foundation and the lower logs, and space between the walls and roof. But when those spaces get sealed, your home will be significantly more energy-efficient than most.

The solid wood walls offer great insulation, so keeping your home warm or cool becomes far easier than with other materials.

8. Air-Dried Logs Work Best:

Drier is generally better no matter what, but if you have a choice between air-dried and kiln-dried, opt for the first choice.

Logs that get air-dried for the proper amount of time have already adjusted to the outdoor environment where they’ll be placed. This reduces settling even more because the moisture content of an air-dried log isn’t likely to change much further.

Kiln-dried logs tend to absorb more moisture when they first get placed outside. Then, as they lose that moisture over time, they’ll settle, creating a need for more home maintenance.

Will You Try Log Cabin Construction at Home?

Whether you build it yourself or hire the professionals, log cabin construction can give you a durable, unique, cozy home that you’ll love. These tips will help you plan ahead for the best possible cabin construction.

Once you build a log cabin, it’s time to decorate the inside! For a rustic look that matches perfectly, try these cork board ideas.

Read Also:

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Best Table Saw

10 Tips to Pick the Best Table Saw for Home Improvement Projects

No doubt, table saws are a piece of an indispensable tool for any professional woodworker.  Are you are looking to buy a new table saw to execute a particular project or you want to replace the one you have before with a regular saw? It is essential you acquaint yourself with the most recent improvement that has been introduced to the saws to enhance their efficiency and accuracy. Take it; table saws aren’t just a simple tool. Even ace woodcutters often experience difficulties maintaining a tone with the fast changes going on in the industry. 10 Tips to Pick the Best Table Saw for Home Improvement Projects We present here the 10 top tips that can aid your selection of the best table saws for home improvement projects: 1. Examine the Saw Blade Design : The blade of any table saw is one of the most critical components you should consider. There are quite some things you need to know about the structure of the table saw blade. You must also mind the interrelated parts such as the tooth arrangement and the number of teeth. Check for the thickness of the blade and ensure that it will not break during use. We’ve gone past the era of thin metal blades that are very prone to twisting and snapping off. Good blades are now fabricated from the best grade of durable carbide, coated with laser-cut covering for complete safety, sharpness, and accuracy. The sharpest blades use advanced laser-cut plates that dampen vibrations and secure stability in high-tension cutting. 2. Check Table Saw Motor : Another thing to consider when buying the best table saw is the motor. You might be familiar with the term “horsepower” rating of the table saw. However, the drive employed by the engine to send the power to the blade is another essential factor to consider when sourcing for the ideal table saw to purchase. For instance, as a rough estimate, the table saw motor units delivering up to 2 horsepower can conveniently cut a 2-inch thick board. Should you need to saw thicker boards, you can go for a bigger motor, that uses around 250 volts, that can deliver higher force and torque for critical woodwork projects. 3. Consider the Table Saw Fence : Conventionally, woodworkers believe that the fence that comes with a table saw is its lifeline. By merely equipping a table saw with a durable one, the brands are deemed better than others. The primary use of the fence is to aid the blade is rotating along the width of the board while cutting it. The best table saws will certainly advocate for a flexible fence as it is an essential component, making it possible to achieve a transverse and longitudinal bending anytime needed. Sometimes, it might be difficult to bend the fence, use the lubricant to overcome the friction. 4. Check the Miter Gauge : The importance and use of miter gauge are crystal clear. It is primarily a piece of shielding device cased in the miter slot. The chief part of the miter gauge is made up of a crescent-like section that rotates among several angles enabling cuttings at different angles. It also comes with a bevel lock that enables it to be adjusted to desirable angles. The straight end of the gauge must align perfectly along with the board and passed towards the blade to give perfect angled cuts. 5. Dust Control : Table saws have diverse ways of packing up and eliminating the dust emanating from the cutting of the wood. You can buy a saw with a port attached to the rear end, coupled to a vacuum. This will usher the dust to the base of the table saw. Some other table saws feature a shroud that shields the blade and this will re-channel the dust that gathers over the table saw. The ideal table saw is the one that incorporates these two features to give you the best dust control. You can also lookout for a slanting shaft that will aid in re-channeling the dust to the significant dust compartment. 6. Safety Features : That the table saw is a power cutting tool implies that it can cause serious harm should an accident occur. Therefore, it is necessary to look for brands that feature a range of safety mechanisms. For example, you can check for the brands with flesh detection techniques, which halts the rotation whenever your finger touches the blade of the saw. It is equally important that you look for the anti-kickback components which are safety devices that hinder the stock from being flung in along your path. 7. Magnetic Switch : Even as this might look like a vestigial feature, it is imperative. Just as it sounds, it is a switch regulated by a magnet that turns off the saw automatically if power is taken while you are cutting. This makes the table saw safer, as opposed to the conventional saw that will remain switched on even while electricity is cut off and can come up when electricity supply is restored, wreaking great havoc in the process. The magnetic switch keeps the saw off in cases of power outages and prevents unintentional starts. 8. Portability : Perhaps you plan to be using your table saw at more than one job site, then toy may want to look at how portable it is. The implication of this is that you may need to check the overall fabrication and measurements of the table saw to be cork sure it is the ideal one for your workshop size. If it comes with a stand, select the one that can be easily folded and one whose wheels are working. 9. Precision and Neatness of Cut : The primary reason anyone will be purchasing a table saw in the first instance is to get perfect cuts without much stress. When selecting the ideal table saw, make certain you chose the one that can rip through boards easily. As for the precision, you need to make sure that the miter gauge is perfect to make bevel cuts, crosscuts and straight ones with ideal accuracy. 10. Drive Belt Fabrication : The last tip on our list to be considered when buying the table saw is the drive belt. The drive belt transmits power from the electric rotor to the saw blade.  Make sure it is sturdy and strong enough to transmit the rotation as required. Image credit: https://www.bobvila.com/ Conclusion : There are some things to consider when shopping for +a table saw. However, we have listed ten things to consider before hitting the market for purchase. We sincerely believe this tips will guide your investment and help you in buying the ideal saw for you. Read Also : Leather Furniture Is An Essential Improvement For Any Home Or Office Basic Idea Of Power Tools For Home Improvement First Home Renovation Ideas And Tips

READ MOREDetails
Plan Moving Houses

Plan Moving Houses Ahead: 7 Essential Tips

Stressing about an upcoming move? You don’t have to be. By planning for the plan moving houses ahead, you can take the majority of stress out of the picture and reduce the time you spend on the process. While you should always be ready for a couple of setbacks, the key parts of your move are bound to go smoothly. Whether your move is two months or two weeks away, there is still time to prepare. In this article, you’ll learn how to simplify the moving process, save time and money, and start enjoying your new home as soon as possible. Read on! Essential Tips For Plan Moving Houses: 1. Make a Plan Make a plan moving houses and put it down on paper/app. Your moving plan moving houses should include the timelines for the move, a packing plan, organizational reminders, important phone numbers, notes to family members, reminders where things are packed, and anything else that comes to your mind. Any move is a complex process that requires remembering numerous things. Don’t try to keep them in your head because you are bound to forget something important. You can write things down in a notebook or take advantage of one of the popular moving apps. You can consider: Move Advisor OfferUp Shortly Wunderlist Sometimes it’s easier to keep written notes in front of you rather than using an app. But it depends on your preference. You can do both! 2. Determine the Cost The most stressful part about the move is facing extra expenses. That’s why it’s vital to make accurate calculations beforehand. Don’t allow any of the costs to come as a surprise, and you’ll take the majority of the stress out of the move. Even if you decide not to hire professional movers, you could face formidable expenses. Moving costs add up quickly. When spending money on the move, don’t forget to keep your receipts. You may be eligible for income tax reductions. Costs to consider are: Hiring a moving company or renting moving trucks and storage containers Boxes, tape, padding, markers, stickers, and other packing supplies Cleaning of the residence Vehicle maintenance for long-distance moves Old residence bills “just in case” money to cover unexpected expenses and emergencies during the move Once you have all of that calculated, add 5%. It’s always possible to miss something. 3. Choose a Moving Company Perhaps the most important decision you will take during the entire process is choosing a moving company. While a simple Google search can throw up multiple results, it is best to do your own research. Premium and trustworthy moving companies like H2H Move allow for hassle-free experiences, trained and skilled professionals, and ensure that there are no damages to your goods and properties. Choosing a moving company shouldn’t take forever, but you must do it in advance. Numerous companies offer their services in your area. Selecting the right one could take some time. Your ideal mover should: Have headquarters in the city you are moving from Provide packing services if necessary Have all the necessary certifications for moves in your area and beyond Have a sufficient number of movers and trucks to accommodate the move Be free on your move date According to experts from torexmoving.ca, it’s important to contact movers a couple of weeks in advance so you can choose a convenient move date. Weekends are a busy time for movers so if you want more flexibility, consider moving on a weekday. 4. Notify Others About Your Move Notify everyone who needs to know about your upcoming address change. Make a list of organizations that you need to warn about your move. Change your address at the post office (you can do it online) and forward your mail for at least a month. Make sure all service providers for electricity, gas, water, cable TV, garbage, and internet know about your move. You don’t want to end up in a dark house without the internet. Sign all the necessary contracts for the new residence in advance. Try to avoid any cabling or hooking up the day of the move. This could add to the chaos of the process. Notify the DMV, insurance companies, banks, post offices, and any companies that send you mails or bills. Don’t forget about your family and friends. Besides this, you can visit this site for the best mail services in the US, you can check the usps hours, locations near you, and all kinds of information here. 5. Ask for Help Even if you are planning to plan to move houses to hire professional movers, you can use some help from family and friends. Before the moving day, they can assist you with packing, lifting heavy objects, patching up nail holes, painting walls, cleaning, watching your children and pets while you are busy with other matters, and much more. If you are planning to get your friends involved, consider setting the move up for a weekend. This way your assistants won’t need to take time off school and work. As soon as you set the move day, call up your friends. Make sure you ask them for help in advance so they can make plans for moving houses for yourself. Don’t forget to incentivize. Even though your friends and family are likely to be happy to help you, they’ll appreciate some care on your part. Some pizza and beer can do the trick. 6. Clean Your New Residence Cleaning your new residence may seem counterproductive. After all, you are about to bring a bunch of new stuff inside, have people walking around, dust settling everywhere, and more. However, after you’ve installed furniture, you won’t have a chance to clean out dirty corners anymore. While cleaning your new home, inspect each room. Such problems as broken tiles ripped wallpaper and the like are much easier to fix when you have full access to them. As soon as the house is cluttered with your things, the job becomes much tougher. Consider cleaning the old residence as well. You don’t have to go all out scrubbing the walls, but leaving the old house in dire straits shows a lack of respect for the new owner. 7. Label Your Boxes Labeling is vital to fast and easy unpacking. Make your labels as detailed as possible. Don’t rely on your memory. During the move you have to keep so much stuff in your head, it’s easy to forget something. Make sure to put your labels on the sides of the box rather than on top. Boxes get stacked on top of each other, making reading the top label impossible. Final Thoughts Planning your move takes a couple of hours for your plan to move houses. Meanwhile, it can save you plenty of time, nerves, and money. Take advantage of these tips to enjoy a fast and safe move. Read Also: How to Survive Your First Year of Living Independently 7 Helpful Tips During an Emergency Moving Process

READ MOREDetails
Keep Your Bathroom Clean

How to Keep Your Bathroom Clean All the Time

It's frustrating to have a messy bathroom. You want to maintain the place, but it always looks terrible. You can't keep things the same. Changes need to happen. Given that we're at the height of a pandemic, you have more reasons to maintain the bathroom clean. These are some tips to help you. Involve your family members: You shouldn’t be the only one taking care of your bathroom. Your entire family uses it, and everyone should have a role in keeping it clean. You can even involve your children by assigning them easy tasks. Eventually, they will learn how to clean the place and be responsible. Invest in bathroom improvement: If you invest in bathroom improvement, space will look amazing. Imagine if you considered the many options for complete suites for a new bathroom. Anyone who enters the bathroom will feel fascinated. Your family members will also feel bad if they don’t spend time cleaning it. Once the appearance changes, the attitude of the people using it will also change. A number of homeowners lose sight of the fact that simply improving the drainage can go a long way in helping keep it clean. For example, standing water in the shower area can be splashed around as it slowly gets drained. However, if the process was better, there would be less accumulation. This would prevent splashes on the walls and make the bathroom dirty. Interior designers suggest using easy drain products to ensure that the bathrooms stay clean, even when there are kids in the house. Don’t wait until the weekends: Another reason why your bathroom looks messy is that you wait until the weekend before you decide to clean. You can start with small and easy tasks that won’t take long to finish. For instance, you can keep the floor dry. You can also empty the bin regularly. In doing so, your bathroom will look great. The problem with waiting until the weekends is that mess starts to pile up. As a result, you spent hours cleaning the bathroom, and you can't keep it in excellent condition. Create rules:  If you already feel exhausted maintaining your bathroom, you have to inform your entire family members. Let them know that they can’t continue with their terrible behavior when using the bathroom. There should be rules for everyone to follow and consequences for not following the rules. It’s the best way to instill a sense of responsibility. You might hear complaints at first, but it’s natural. Eventually, your family members will realize that everyone needs to be responsible for maintaining the place. The rules shouldn’t only apply to the bathroom but the entire house. Install a heated floor: Another reason why your bathroom looks messy is that it's damp. You shower in it, and it's natural for it to be wet all the time. However, if you install a heated floor, you can keep the floor dry without mopping it. You also prevent the growth of mold and mildew. It might be costly to install, but you won't regret the decision. If you decide to pursue these changes, it might take time before seeing results. Be patient in trying to involve your family members. Once they feel the impact of having a clean bathroom, they will cooperate. You also have to take note of the strategies that work. Consider doing them regularly. Having a clean bathroom is necessary to keep everyone safe and healthy, and you should do everything to maintain it. Read Also: Considerations When Choosing the Ceramic Tile Bathroom Mirror Decorating Ideas To Style Your Bathroom Considerations When Choosing the Ceramic Tile Bathroom

READ MOREDetails