8 Things to Look for When Buying a Log Home

 

1) Low Foundations

                The foundation of your log home, like any other building, is fundamental to its construction. Check to make sure that the logs along the bottom exterior wall of the home aren't too close to the ground. Logs in contact with the ground are often subject to extra environmental wear from moisture rot and insect damage.

2) Sloping Floors

                Over time, log homes settle as moisture evaporates from their timbers. This moisture loss results in a cycle of shrinking and settling that can sometimes lead to uneven, sloping floor surfaces. Uneven floors are an indication that the timbers were not adequately seasoned and dried prior to construction. Be on the look out and bear in mind that sloping floors might also signal other issues in the foundation.

3) Roof Overhangs

                Many log homes feature roofs with large, overhangs and deep, broad eaves. This type of roof design doesn't just serve an aesthetic purpose. It also helps to protect the exterior walls of the home from the effects of weathering. This will help to keep your log home looking newer, longer. In general, the bigger the overhang the better.

4) Porches

                Porches can work in conjunction with those long roof overhangs to keep moisture well away from the exterior walls of a home. Likewise, many log homes are constructed with porch space in mind. Consider these porches an added bonus when looking for a log home, both in terms of comfort and utility.

5) Gutters and Drainage

                Your log home will likely need more than a few large roof overhangs to effectively divert moisture. A well designed gutter and drainage system is of vital importance to the longevity of your home. Make sure downspouts are directed away from the foundation, and always consider the influence that the grade of your land will have on drainage.

6)  Carpenter Bees

                Insects are some of the foremost enemies of log homes, and carpenter bees are perhaps the worst offenders. Carpenter bees burrow into the exterior of log homes in order to incubate larvae. Wood peckers, in turn, are drawn to the larvae and will soon proceed to peck their little brains out all over your home. Keep an eye out, both for the cavities drilled by the bees, and for damage from wood peckers. Both are tell-tale indicators of carpenter bee activity.

7) Do-It-Yourself Work

                Back in the second half of the 20^th century, when log homes were especially “in vogue,” a number of manufacturers produced do-it-yourself kits for ambitious folks who wanted to build their own log homes. Unfortunately, many of these enterprising souls were unfamiliar with the finer points of home building, and so they wound up with finished products of rather questionable quality. Watch out for haphazard utility installation and substandard finishing work that might suggest unprofessional construction.

8) Flame Retardants

                Sometimes, log homes are treated with flame retardant products that help to reduce the risk of fire. Be sure to ask about these products when shopping around for a log home. Not only will they keep you safe, they can also help to lower your homeowner's insurance premiums.

These are just a few things to look out for when buying a log home. For more information about log homes, please feel free to call our toll free number, visit our website, or come in to Schroeder Log Home Supply today!

A Log Cabin Christmas

Of course I am biased, but I don't think there is any structure that illustrates a traditional, American Christmas better than a seasonally decorated log home. The Christmas tree, cedar boughs, and green garland complement a rustic log structures' unique grains, knots, and natural wood character.

What makes the setting even more idyllic is a flickering fireplace in the picture adorned with stockings and candles. Perhaps it's the logs' nostalgic connection to the heritage of our nation, or maybe it's a reminder of the humble, rustic setting of the First Christmas with the Savior's birth in the stable; maybe it is the certain coziness about log homes fending off winter's chills (provided the cracks and joints are sealed well!). Whatever it is that summons the semantics, Christmas and log homes are practically made for each other.

Indeed, there is even an illustrated book with the title The Log Cabin Christmas and a book of historical pioneer romances called A Log Cabin Christmas. One of the frontier's favorite authors, Laura Ingalls Wilder, even talks about the pioneer Christmas in Little House in the Big Woods. There is a great children's adaptation with illustrations of it called Christmas in the Big Woods. Log homes and a traditional American Christmas both have close ties to the forest. From cutting down one's own Christmas tree and cedar boughs, to choosing a yule log, to traveling "over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we go," there is no denying that a traditional Christmas is best presented in a rustic scene.

There is an historic log church in Coleraine, MN, and for years it has been tradition to have an annual Christmas in the Country concert of carols, folk tunes and bluegrass music which would make the window sill candles and audience's hearts dance together with nostalgia. The money raised from each concert goes into the preservation fund to keep the treasure in its grandeur. An Internet search yields many other log churches around the nation that also host special Christmas services, programs and concerts within their sanctified log walls. In Grand Marais, MN, a musical artist hosts a series of Log Cabin Concerts in his own home. Michael Monroe and his Log Cabin Concerts are a great way to experience folk music infused with a rustic log setting, even if you don't live in a log home of your own. Search the regional news and events, and you will see log buildings old and new all over the nation that host holiday events in their country charm.


Whether it's spent in a log home, a log cabin concert, or trip over the river and through the woods, I hope you find a way to connect with the nostalgic and rustic side of this holiday season. Have a very merry log cabin Christmas from us at Schroeder Log Home Supply.



Photo retrieved from http://publicdomainclip-art.blogspot.com/2009/01/log-cabin-in-winter.html