What it’s Like to Live in a Log Cabin
If you’ve never known anyone who lived in a log cabin, you probably have a vision of an old-time building which is a little more than a windbreak providing shelter for occupants. The truth is, log cabins have come a long way in the last century or so, and they can now be as modern and updated as any owner would like to have them. Living in a log cabin is a different experience for everyone who owns one, but there are some universal advantages which everyone appreciates. At the same time, there are a few drawbacks to living in a log cabin, and we’ll point out what some of the pros and cons are below.
Advantages of living in a log cabin
Probably the number one benefit of living in a log cabin is the rustic charm it provides, as well as the feeling that you are closer to nature. Given that it’s almost entirely constructed of wooden logs taken directly from nature, you really are very close to the natural setting inside your home. In addition, you won’t find a log cabin in a neighborhood of traditional houses all crowded together. In the majority of cases, log cabins are built in a rural area, away from other homes and in a beautiful setting.
A great many people feel more secure living in a log cabin, because it shelters them from the hustle and bustle of daily life outside. The safety factor can make people feel much happier and content with their living style. Log homes are also built to last, and if they are properly maintained, they will always outlive their owners. There are even some log cabins which are 200 or 300 years old, and not only are they still standing, but they’re still in use today.
If you’re someone who is very environmentally-conscious, you can’t go wrong by building a log cabin. Most of the products used to construct a log cabin come directly from the environment, and they don’t use much in the way of typical building products like mortar and concrete. Another great thing about log cabins is that if you can’t find a design that really speaks to you, it’s very easy to have a log cabin custom-built in exactly the style and shape that you’d like to appreciate for decades to come.
Disadvantages of living in a log cabin
First of all, a log cabin is not an inexpensive proposition, even though it looks as though it can be constructed cheaply. Depending on how modernized you choose to make it, a log home can be just as expensive as a more traditional type home. In addition, most log homeowners have to buy the land on which it’s constructed, and then purchase all the necessary appliances and furniture as well.
Log homes rely on the insulation properties of the the logs themselves to keep the inside of the home a moderate temperature. This can be a positive or a negative aspect of log homes, depending on how you wish to look at it. A kind of built-in hazard which is inherent to log homes is the fact that all that wood presents a powerful appeal to bugs, termites, woodpeckers, and other critters. That means you have to deal with them in order to make sure your home isn’t being degraded little by little each year.
It would also be necessary to re-stain and re-seal your log home approximately every three years, in order to protect the logs from weathering and the powerful rays of the sun. There is always going to be more maintenance necessary in keeping up a log home, as opposed to a more traditional one. That can actually increase the cost of a log home significantly, and it’s something that any new homeowner must be prepared for.