Exploring some options. Any of you that have any experience with log homes, give me the good, bad, and ugly on them. Any recommendations on a good company that designs/builds them?
Exploring some options. Any of you that have any experience with log homes, give me the good, bad, and ugly on them. Any recommendations on a good company that designs/builds them?
My parents had one before they divorced, beautiful but maintenance nightmare. My mom said she loved that house but never again.
The Good:
Strong, well built, sound proof, fairly efficient, beautiful
The Bad & Ugly:
Maintenance, Maintenance, and did I mention maintenance
I feel sure efficiency is lost if proper maintenance is not maintained. They make a vinyl log siding, just a thought.
People up here spend noticeably less time up here if they went with a log home. Especially their kids. Pretty dreary feel on the inside as beautiful as they are on the outside.
I assume you know Gable is still in business. I looked into it a while back. But one thing I liked about them was that they used Cypress.
Had a college roommate who's dad was in the business. He said a good builder was more important than where you got the logs from. As in a builder that knows log homes.
Me and Frank can ride with you to Asheville and help you spend some money.
https://www.thelogandtimbershow.com/
Unless the thing is full of big windows to let in a lot of natural light, they don't feel very homey on the inside.
Besides the bee problem, what does the maintenance entail on a log home?
"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12
"Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord." Hebrews 12:14
Y’all must have some experience with some shit shitty built homes. We bought this one in 2002,it was built in 1992. Almost no issues except I had to replace a lot of chinking which was not applied properly when the house was built. I have stained my house one time since then, however I’m getting ready to re-stain the rear wall which gets a lot of sun exposure. Carpenter bees have never attacked the logs, only the non log components and that was very limited.
A log home needs to have the chinking applied correctly, which is not hard, even I can do a damn good job of it. The logs need to be about a foot off the ground, and porches are a big help in helping the stain last a long time. Water is the enemy of any wood and log home are no different. I would have another log home in a heartbeat!! The maintenance horror storries are not a result of a log home per se, but shoddy construction or ignorance as to how to best build one. I'm not alone in this. I know several people who have log home and love them with very little mainteance needed. Appplied CORRECTLY, chinking should last a lifetime and never need to be touched again for the most part! Btw, if anyone needs chinking repaired I would be happy to help or get you on the right road. I learned a lot at a Permachink class years ago. It really is pretty damn easy to repair/replace!
I would say my house is just about as maintenance free as a brick house. It just depends on the type of stain and how the house was manufactured.
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Last edited by LabLuvR; 09-12-2019 at 05:00 PM.
RIP Kelsey "Bigdawg" Cromer
12-26-98 12-1-13
If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.
Missing you my great friend.
PART II
Stain: When people speak of problems with maintenance, most of the time it is a stain issue or chinking. I addressed chinking above. Let's talk stain.
Restaining a log home and how often can depend on several variables. The type/brand of stain, the color of the stain and the way it is applied. The log home manufacturers usually use a honey colored or lightly colored stain. That type of stain will have to be redone a lot more often than a darker stain such as is pictured in my house above.
The log home suppliers usually try to sell Sikkens or some other very expensive stain, designed for "log homes". I think it is partly a scam. I have always used Olympic stain on my house with great results and it's a hell of a lot cheaper than the "log home" stains.
Proper application of stain is critical for a long lasting time frame. Some people spray a stain on, but that is the cheap and quick way to do it. Stain for a log home is much better applied via brush and back brushed.
Covered porches help protect the stain from UV light degradation. Really no different than any other home situation. So consider porches or wide overhangs to protect the logs and stain.
Finally, I will say it again. A log home can be an awesome experience with built by someone who knows what the hell they are doing. Otherwise, like any other structure there can be issues. Don't let the experience of a few, deter you from owning a log home.
Last edited by LabLuvR; 09-12-2019 at 05:12 PM.
RIP Kelsey "Bigdawg" Cromer
12-26-98 12-1-13
If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.
Missing you my great friend.
RIP Kelsey "Bigdawg" Cromer
12-26-98 12-1-13
If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever.
Missing you my great friend.
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