Log homes are far from basic or simple like they once were. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a more simple style log home, however today there are many more possibilities as well. With log homes increasing in popularity and want, there are many options to choose from when deciding to build your dream log home. One of the first things you will need to think about is the style of home you are wanting, these possibilities can be endless. When building a log home, there are plenty of different logs to choose from. Once you have narrowed down the type of log home style you are wanting, you can then decide what type of logs would be the best option to fit that style. The shape and size of the logs you decide to use, will be the biggest determining factor of the style of your home.
You may have heard of milled logs before. This is one big decision to be made when choosing the logs for your home. Most log homes are made by using milled logs. Most people want a more uniform look in the home that can still have a rustic cabin feel with a modern new twist. Milled logs are great for this, it saves time and money on your build as well which is a big plus. The logs are even and precise and therefore can be stacked in any order. Milled logs are machined to create consistent size and shape and can allow for mass production of the logs. Even with milled logs there are still styles to choose from. Some styles include D Log, Square Log, Full Round Log and Sweedish Cope. D Logs are one of the most common. These logs are round on the outside, giving it the most cabin-ey feel, but at the same time being flat on the inside walls which is extremely helpful and practical for everyday living. Chinking and caulking are used in milled and handcrafted homes, but chinking is especially important in non milled log homes. With non milled logs, there are more possibilities of cracks so it is very important to properly seal those with caulk. Handcrafted logs on homes can be absolutely beautiful, but do require more work during the build and with maintenance. They are also typically more expensive and are less commonly used than milled logs. Handcrafted logs for homes and carefully selected one by one and can vary in size, diameter, etc. This is how there is more potential for cracks, making chinking VERY important. Despite hand crafted homes being more costly and possibly requiring more upkeep, you are sure to be left with a unique one of kind home.
Deciding what type of log to use on your log home, is probably the biggest and most important decision to make overall, but you are far from done with decision making. Another big decision that has many options to choose from is the type of corners you will have. Different types of corners include saddle notch, corner post, butt and pass and doventail. Corners will affect strength and be a big part in the overall look and feel of the cabin. Saddle Notch is one of the most common. With Saddle Notch each log is cut with a rounded notch to fit over the log that is below. The end result is a closely stacked line of log ends.
In Conclusion
Making all of these decisions is very exciting, but can also be overwhelming. Take a look at as many different log homes that you can in person and read up log home trends, styles and anything that you find that fits what you are looking for. You might even be able to find a log home show to attend that can help you get a proper feel for what suits you.
