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H and I are thinking of purchasing a log cabin home. Anyone own one or know anything about them? We are looking, but not really sure as to upkeep and other incidentals associated with these type homes. Any input is appreciated.

Commenting only because building one of these for our forever home is our ulitmate goal.

I am interested in the responses. I think log cabins are beauitful and would love to own one someday.

count me in. On a lake somewhere....

Pluses: romantic, rustic, relatively easy to build, psychologically warm.

Minuses: difficult to heat. To cool. To insulate. To remodel. To expand. To redecorate. You better like the look of log walls, 'cause you can't change them unless you cover them up. Termites. Woodpeckers.

I'm jaded since I was cheated by my contractor when I built mine, and I never actually got to live in it.

Also more expensive to insure - if you are in wildfire country very hard to insure and also more difficult to mortgage. Had log house plans for 20yrs but switched to conventional construction because of all this.

OK are you talking like building a new one, or finding an old one?
I ask because they quite different.

We moved into what is now nearly a century old log and mortar home when I was a kid. The whole main level of the home has tounge and groove 1x6 wood walls. The up stairs had plaster walls that have since been gutted and redone with drywall.
Being that it was old the windows were drafty, and there were quite a few leaks. So not really energy efficient. Although we redid the interior room by room, and it is quite the awesome house now.
The elderly lady that my father purchased the house and property from had a newer log house built in the late 70's. It was quite a bit smaller, and my H and I lived in it for a about 6 months as caretakers when she went into a home. It had good windows, and open walls, so you could see the logs from the inside, the great room, kitchen, dining room was all open and the rafters were visible, so minimal insulation, and therefore not very cost efficient to heat or cool.
As far as the upkeep on the exteriors of either, they do require a staining,or wood sealer of some sort every few years (5 or so). The interior walls get dusted regularly in both homes, and wiped down with murphys oil soap about once a year.

Please don't get me wrong....I love the look of a log cabin.

But...................

They are the Mt. Everest of maintenance.

Every three to five years you have to have the logs re-caulked and re-stained.
Even though the logs are "dried", they will still crack.
You MUST get the interiors sealed before you move in. Even then the logs are dust magnets. And doing the Murphy's soap thing is a pain in the ass.
Unless you like the look of electrical conduit running along the bottom of the wall, the electrical wiring has to be drilled into the logs and that is VERY expensive.
Insulation????? Yes....the logs provide some insulation and if you live in a moderate climate (Zones 5 - 10) you will be OK. Anything North in snow country and you spend a lot on heating and cooling.
You have to really decide on where you want to hang pictures. Logs have curves and bumps, plus you can't spackle the holes up and re-paint.
Pray you NEVER have a busted water pipe. Drywall can be replaced, but not logs.
You absolutely MUST have the house sprayed for bugs every year. Learn what termite nests look like and keep an eye out for them.
Woodpeckers LOVE log cabins............... And so do Red Squirrels and bats.

k9

Speaking of bats an woodpeckers so do momma Racoons. We actually had overlapping roofs from the house and a porch roof. Made a nice dry safe place for a momma coin an her babies. We couldn't use our deck that summer !!!

Loads to think about. We are looking to purchase not build. Not going north of Nashville.

I knew I came to the right place for input

A small t/j, I'd love to build my own cob home.

http://www.motherearthliving.com/green-homes/hobbit.aspx?SlideShow1
http://www.cobcottage.com/

[This message edited by cayc at 6:00 PM, April 28th, 2014 (Monday)]

I have one. Wxh built it for me. I love it. It's very cozy.

When we built it, we drilled for the electrical- no conduit on the walls. I also sanded and stained ever fucking log so as not to attract dust( the inside of the logs are flat). It is super cheap to heat and cool.

The big maintenance for me is exterior staining. I do it every other year. It's a ranch, so it takes me 2 full weekends.

My interior walls are plaster to break up all of that wood.

Any questions, pm me.

I don't remember which show it was so you would have to do a search, but I saw a program about 3/4 years ago about combo homes. Part log cabin and part modern. They were beautiful and had the cozy of log cabin, but less of the headaches of them. Better on insulation (being it's Nashville probably not much of an issue), termite damage, etc.
You may want to check into it, some might already be built.
Good luck.

When I found out about the infidelity, I bolted to a log home (always a dream) that was a rent to own. It was small, two floors, one bathroom but it was exactly what I needed at the time. I can only describe it as a womb that embraced me and my child in our time of need. It had a metal roof and I loved the sound of rain on it. It felt so strong and secure (which was just what I needed) that no matter how strong the storm outside, inside it felt safe with a warm glow and just a pitter patter of noise from the storm. I still look so fondly back on that time. It was just what I needed (and my child). Eventually I realized the town and schools weren't what I was looking for and we returned to the town/home we left. But I would move back to that log cabin in a heartbeat if I could! it was Canadian made and built if that helps. Solid as a rock.

@positively: Yes, that is exactly the way H and I feel. Tired of urban/suburban life. Time to make a change.