Most people think that log cabins and houses are always weekend getaways situated in woody, forest areas. But the fact is that ninety percent of log homes (homes made fully of wood) are primary residences of owners - with over eighty percent situated in and around metropolitan regions. Wood is an excellent natural resource for building homes. It is self-renewing, and harvesting wood causes less damage to the environment than extracting minerals and metals. It is easy to work with compared to brick, stone, concrete, glass, steel or aluminum. The average log homebuilder takes five times longer than a traditional homebuilder to research and build his home. Log homebuilders must decide about budget, finance, where to build and how to build - and especially about log species, size, profile and so on. Log homes are of two types - hand crafted or manufactured. Handcrafted log homes are done by expert craftsmen who strip, shape and custom fit each log in its place. This is usually very expensive and time consuming. Modular or manufactured log homes are prefabricated homes made of smooth, uniform milled logs that come numbered and packaged. These are easy-to-assemble modular log homes. A milled log is one which has been put through a saw mill. In milled logs, the wood has traditionally been pine, spruce, fir, or cedar, with pine being the cheapest and cedar being the costliest. Modular log homes keep insects and bad weather away. A well designed log home will not let humidity accumulate, attract insects, or decay. Logs ability to absorb heat keeps the weather outside from coming inside. The choice for species of log is based on personal preference. White pine is abundant, easy to work with, has excellent insulation properties and is light on the wallet. Western red cedar is highly valued because of its longevity and resistance to insects and decay. The cost of a modular log home is much lower than a handcrafted log home. It also compares favorably with a traditional, stick-built home. Modular log homes can be altered, and additions are easy to make. In all, log homes beat concrete stick-built homes in beauty and character. |
