Today, log cabins are a symbol of simple, timeless, wholesome living. Gone are the days when they were limited to small abodes built with logs to protect families from weather elements.
They’ve evolved into more contemporary, luxurious structures with all the amenities you’d find in a modern home. They can serve as winter/summer vacation lodges, playhouses, gyms, homes offices, and even year-round homes.
With such multi-functionality and rustic appeal, more homeowners are considering installing log cabins in their gardens.
But with the costs of building a log cabin in mind, is it a worthwhile investment?
More importantly, how should you go about building a log cabin in your garden?
Read on to find out:
Why You Need a Log Cabin in Your Garden
Here are some of the advantages of owning a log cabin in your home:
1. Customization that Suits Your Lifestyle
One of the biggest advantages log cabins have over other types of garden buildings is the degree of personalization they provide. Whether you’re looking to build your home office, studio, gym, or a man cave, you can customize your log cabin to suit your lifestyle needs.
Even better, you can diversify your log cabin’s uses by going for multi-room options. This way, you can designate different areas of the structure to different uses.
However, the various usage options call for different features. For some uses such as a gym, you may need to upgrade to a heavy duty floor. Fortunately, log cabins allow you to easily upgrade roofs, floors, and log thickness to accommodate different usage requirements.
You simply can’t get this kind of customization and flexibility with other garden buildings.
2. Cheaper Storage/Living Space
Of all the viable ways to create living or storage space in Ireland, log cabins provide the cheapest cost per square meter. Thus, if you’re looking to extend your home’s living space, your search should start with a log cabins Ireland manufacturer—and not a construction company.
With a log cabin, you don’t need to buy or rent extra space. You can simply use your backyard. Better still, if your cabin’s roof height is below 2.5m, you won’t need planning permission.
3. Energy Efficiency
The materials used in the construction of log cabins are natural insulators. This allows the cabin to stay cooler during summer and warmer during the cold days of winter. That way, you can enjoy all-year usage without overspending on an AC unit.
4. Environmentally Friendly Building
The main material used in the construction of log cabins is timber. Being a renewable all-natural material, your log cabin is an environmentally friendly construction. And since the building doesn’t require a lot of temperature regulation, your carbon footprint is also minimized.
5. Designs Options That Complement Your Garden’s Aesthetics
There’s a multitude of design and style options to choose from when it comes to log cabins. Therefore, if you’re looking to erect a functional structure that’ll also complement the theme of your garden, your creativity is the limit.
For instance, if you’re looking for an old-school theme, a traditional log cabin with an apex design would be the perfect choice for you. For a homeowner with a modern garden, you can never go wrong with a pent style cabin with large, modern windows. Additionally, you can add a touch of European culture to your garden with a Scandinavian-style cabin.
Factors to Consider When Building a Log Cabin
When building a log cabin, consider the following:
Weather Conditions
If you live in an area with dangerous weather conditions, you need to keep that in mind when selecting your building materials and construction techniques.
Research the different sealing techniques, wood species, and foundation types. Pay attention to the pros and cons of each, noting the differences in the quality of building materials and construction methods. With that information in mind, make the best decision for your log cabin.
Insurance
Insurance companies don’t treat log and timber homes the same way as conventional houses. In fact, many don’t provide coverage for log houses, and it’s up to you to choose a provider who’s familiar with insuring log cabins.
Reputation of Prospective Builders
Some people have the skills to build log cabins. Kudos, if you’re one of them. But if you lack the skills, resources, or skills to do that, its recommended to buy a prefabricated log cabin.
But when doing this, you need to be careful with the kind of builder you choose. You need your service provider to be certified, trustworthy, and most importantly, able to provide a guarantee of quality. That way, you can be sure that you’re protected against any risks and deficiencies in your log cabin.
Type of Kits
While pre-designed kits add convenience to log cabin construction, they can also present some challenges when it comes to design options.
Since the pieces provided in kits are intended to perfectly fit together, there’s little room for creative alterations. As such, if you’re going to use a kit, ensure that it has the kind of design you’re looking for.
Also, keep in mind that all kits aren’t equal. Some only provide the timber and logs, while others come with interior walls and other construction items. So before you settle on a particular kit, be sure to check what’s included in the package.
Cabin Treatment Options
There are four types of treatments you can use to ensure maximum cabin durability:
Oil-Based Treatments
These provide long-lasting UV protection for up to five years.
Water-Based Treatments
These treatments don’t need a primer and can be directly applied to the wood.
Pressure Treatment
This provides deep treatment for pre-cut timber by allowing preservatives to soak deeper into the grains.
Solvent and Spirit-Based Treatment
This requires stirring before applying an even coating of the treatment onto the wood using a brush. It offers protection for up to three years.
Assemble a Log Cabin in Your Garden With Log House
If you’ve decided to build a log cabin in your garden, you’ll need experts to do the job right.
When it comes to residential log cabins for sale, Log House is the type of provider you need. We have tons of experience in building all kinds of log cabins and log houses using the highest quality Scandinavian pine. Our services are reasonably priced, and we provide a 10-year guarantee of quality for your peace of mind.
Contact us today to get your project started!
Have you read our article:How to create the ultimate man cave log cabin