There’s one quick answer – QUALITY!
If you’re buying a log cabin, you want quality – quality timber and door/windows materials, quality manufacturing , quality insulation,and quality installation. And most importantly of all, you want quality design – in the look of your log cabin, and in the engineering.
What are the problems with log cabins?
When you’re viewing your log house, keep a close eye on the finishing.
Do all the corners match exactly?
Poorly matched corners can be an indication of a number of things, from minor innacuracies in production, to settling faults. If there are any issues with the corners (both vertical corners, and junctions where the walls meet the floor or roof), walk away.
Are there any rough-cut ends?
Rough cut ends mean that the timber sent from the factory was either innacurate or damaged. Damage can happen on a building site, so one rough cut edge is forgiveable, but if there are many, this indicates either that the factory don’t know what tey are doing, or the guys who built the cabin don’t know what piece goes where. Too many roughly cut or hand sawn timber ends should make you very nervous.
How solid are the doors and windows?
All of the windows and doors should, of course, be double-glazed: your windows should be tilt-and-turn, and your exernal doors should have five-point locking. And everything should feel extremely solid. The quality of external doors and windows is extremely important, as they have to remain solid while facing the warmth of the interior while at the same time putting up with the cold extremes of winter. Any sign at all of looseness in new windows and doors should be screaming “let’s get out of here!” to you.
Are there any nice timber log cabin details?
Nie tmber details, generally around the windows and doors, or at the roof beams, demonstrate the manufacturer’s interest and dedicatin to producing a quality living environment, and the value of these should not be underestimated when assessing the log cabins available in the market. Quality touches in your log cabin will be appreciated over the years as you notice them and appreciate them, while a log cabin with a “bare bones” interior is not going to generate much love or pride for the owner.
Get a Double wall log cabin, with insulation
You will need insulation in your log cabin– a three inch thick (75mm) timber wall is not sufficient in the Irish climate. I guarantee you there will be condensation and damp problems if you build in this way. And once that happens, the only way to fix it is with exterior insulation. Also be sure that there is freedom of movement between the interior and exterior walls. During the winter, the exterior will be cold and damp, while the interior will be warm, and in the Summer, you will have a cool interior and a warm exterior – your timber will expand and contract according to temperatre and humidity. Watch the video above, which explains Timber Living’s Log Cabin wall construction detail.
Rockwool or PIR (Kingspan) Insulation?
Always look for at least 100mm insulation in the walls and roof, if you want to keep your heating bills in your log cabin down. And very importantly NEVER ever use rockwool under your floorboards! You’ll get condensation from the cold surface of your slab, which will be soaked up by the rock wool, and your floor will be FREEZING!
Log CabinWall Height
It might not be obvious, but the height of your walls is very significant to the feel of your log cabin. Many log cabins have low walls, to save on materials, time and money. But the problem is that the roof is lower, and the feeling of openness you get in a Timber Living log cabin is not there in our competitors.
When people visit our log cabin show houses, their first impression is always VERY positive, but often times, our visitors cannot put their fingers on WHY the room feels so good. Its because our roofs are high, and there is NO claustrophobia. You won’t get that in any other log cabin in ireland.
How Long Can You Live In A Log Cabin?
This is a question that has been asked over and over again, for obvious reasons, nd the answer is “you can live in a log cabin for a lifetime” as long as you maintain the wood well. And that is not a difficult thing to do. Exterior treatment every three or four years, dependint on the exposure to wind, rain and sunlight, if easy and cheap to do, and will keep your cabin going for decades. There is a sixty year old timber home 500 yards up from the Timber Living Log cabin showhouse in boyle. It used to be the club house of the local golf club (since moved to another location), and the timber on the exterior of the building is still as good as new. it has clearly been well maintained, and it proves that tese building will last a lifetime. (Come and see it for yourself!)
How long do log cabin homes last?
This is pretty much the same question as the one above, but people ask for different reasons, and do different searches in Google, so, in the interest of answering everyone’s questions, and informing the public as to the benefits of log cabin living, we have included the question here again. And, as you may have already read, they last a lifetime. We confidently predict a minimum lifespan of fifty to sixty years, if the log cabin is well-maintained. Boats are built of timber, and last because of the proper treatment, so there is no reason why a log cabin should not last for decades.
What do I need to know before buying a log cabin?
There are a number of things you will have to think about if you are considering buying a log cabin, and we have answers to all of your questions. Most of the asnswers should be available in these blog posts, but we would be delighted if you would call to our show houses in Tullow, Boyle or Cork so we can answer your questions directly.
So, whether you’re wondering about :
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What size log cabin should I buy
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Can I get planning for a Log Cabin
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Can I get Finance For a Log Cabin
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How easy is it to maintain a log cabin
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What should I look for when buying a log cabin
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How long will a log cabin last
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What heating system can I put in to my log cabin
Just give us a call, make an appointment, and come and see us and our showhouses. If you’re thinking about buying alog cain, a trip to Timber Living Log cabins makes a shed-load of sense!
