You also need the right knowledge to deal with planning and building regulations:

Critically you will also need to ensure you can answer questions about moisture, log settlement and wood protection, to look after your investment too:

These are just a few of the many questions you must know the answers to. If you are not confident in answering some of these questions, then I would highly recommend you educate yourself on these key areas, and many other log facts. There are many different products out there and you need to make sure you get the right one for your needs. Glossy brochure can look very attractive, but the basic truth is the product itself must be right! By guiding you through all the information surrounding log cabins, you can be sure that when you choose yours, you have made the right decision!

Having personally managed all aspects of log projects, from planning and design, to construction and maintenance, I want you to be armed with all the essential facts. Although the work I personally undertook was predominately based in the UK and Europe, I also worked with companies in North America. There are different types of log cabins in different parts of the world, but largely the principles behind them remain the same. So if you want to know everything you need to know about log buildings, please read on…..

All the various aspects of log cabins found on this website are summarised below:

Log Homes

Your home is probably your single biggest investment and as a place you will spend the biggest part of your life, it is hugely important! Find out what areas should you spend special attention to and you can enjoy a living environment that few others in conventional homes, can dream of!

Kits
There are more and more small log cabin kits on the market these days. We’ll cover the main types that are available and how to assess if they are really suitable for your requirements. You will need to find out about quality and also decide if you can construct if yourself, or leave it to the experts.

Log Cabin Holiday

Being a particularly relaxing environment to live and blending into the rural environment make log cabins ideal for holidays. If you are thinking of building a single holiday chalet or doing a large log cabin holiday development, you need to know what to look out for. Also you may want to try a cabin holiday first and would like to know where to find some.

Garden Cabins

Garden cabins have become extremely popular recently. Whether you want a little extra room for leisure activities, more living accommodation, or somewhere to work from, there are many options. Get some ideas and find out why garden cabins can be an easy answer to your need for more space!

Luxury Cabins

We all like a bit of luxury but quality is often more than skin deep. We take a look beyond the obvious to see how deep the quality run and how to make sure you get real value for money. As with most things in life you tend to get what you pay for, but sometimes it is lots of small details, which can make a big overall difference.

Cheap Cabins

The budget end of the market has seen huge growth and there are many cheaper cabins for more occasional use available. Discover if a cheap log cabin is what you really want, or would you be better spending a little more? While everyone has a budget, remember to compare like for like and don’t get sucked in purely by the bottom line price.

Designs

A crucial and sometimes much overlooked area of log cabins. Whilst naturally the visual appearance is very important, we reveal why certain design aspects are critical in the long term success of your log cabin.

Construction

Should you consider doing this yourself or not? Constructing your log cabin correctly is imperative in order for it to stand the test of time. Wood is a natural material and will react to it’s prevailing weather conditions and environment. Find out what aspects you must pay a lot of attention to.

Log Cabins UK

Log Cabins in the UK have been a fairly recent phenomenon. Compared to Scandinavia where log cabins have been around for a log time, cabins in the UK have been only seen in any numbers in the last 20 years or so. We’ll explain some of the differences this location may make and what type of log cabins are most popular.

Scandinavian Cabins

Log buildings have a long history in this part of the world and there are good reasons why so many good quality cabins come from here. Discover why this area has so many log manufacturers and see what some of the differences you may find with their log cabins.

American & Canadian Cabins

In North America they do have similar log cabins to Europe, but also they have some which are quite fundamentally different. The more rustic whole log type of cabins you will find here as well, are extremely impressive in many cases, but if you go down this road, you should be aware of certain issues that will need careful consideration.

Log Offices

Working from home is a trend which is set to increase, with frustrating commutes worsening and online communication improving. A log office provides a great working environment, providing a sense of calm in a stressful world. Well take a look at the sort of things you will need to provide a suitable and efficient work space.

Mobile Log Cabins

Another growing trend in recent year is mobile log units. These are particularly popular on holiday parks and can come literally fully functioning and ready to use. Being mobile also have certain planning advantages in some countries, although this may restrict the size of unit you can get. Find out more about mobile unit in this section.

Manufacturers

There are hundreds of log manufacturers from dozens of countries. Do you know who is good and what there products are really like? Well the manufacturers location globally may well give you some good clues, but do you know exactly where your log are coming from? Learn more about log manufacturers….

Buying a Cabin

There are 2 areas to investigate here. Firstly most people will be concerned about buying a new cabin so we will look into this in more detail. Secondly there may be some of you who are interested in purchasing and second hand log cabin, to either use as it is or maybe with a view to disassembling and constructing it again. If this is the case please find out how feasible this really is.

Benefits

There are many reason you should live in or have a log cabin for a variety of uses. In this section we will explore why log houses are good for your health. They are also extremely good for the environment and if you want to improve your carbon footprint, then find out how you can do this.

Log Timber Types

There are many different types of timber out there which are used to make logs. The quality of timber varies considerably and you need to know if this matters for the type of usage you are planning to have. We will reveal how even a complete novice can get a good idea of what the timber is like.

Log Types

Should you choose round or square logs? What thickness do you need? Do you need planed or laminated logs? What methods are used to join the logs? Some of the very important questions you need to answer in order to choose the right log cabin.

Insulation

Log buildings are very thermally efficient, but will you need insulation or not? Look into what you will need and the various different areas that can be insulated. Also find out about different types of insulation and how this may affect the budget.

Interiors

You will spend most of your time inside your log home, so you must get this right. Some people love all timber, while others like more conventional interior finishes or to mix it up a bit. Your choice here can significantly affect your overall budget and you must be aware of any fire treatments which may be required, as these are very expensive.

How to Choose

Are you getting bogged down in all the details of log buildings and don't know what to choose? Well let us help you identify the key areas, so you can focus clearly on the most important things. Also make sure you compare intelligently between different products, as it is easy to overlook what is not included in a package!

Planning

This is an areas which will certainly be country specific. However we can give you some general advice and then more detail in the locations we have dealt with in the past. For some countries, like the UK, this is a critical aspect of the viability of your log cabin project.

Building regulations

Again like planning your local building regulations or code, will vary according to your location. You need to find out about requirements early on, so you get no nasty surprises further down the line, which can seriously affect your project bottom line.

Foundations

What are the different types and how do the costs vary? Well there are a lot of ways to do foundations and you need a suitable design. Find out some of the fundamental principles and how to make sure you cabin stays properly supported over the years.

Painting

A good paint is essential to look after your investment in the long term. Make sure you use the right type of paint and make sure it is applied properly, with the correct preparation. Repainting is also very important to look at the wood, so have a plan for repainting so it doesn’t get forgotten!

Maintenance

Good maintenance is crucial on a log buildings. As logs shrink and expand a little with the prevailing conditions, joints can not be sealed in the same way as a conventional house. With a little time and care you can protect the integrity of your log structure and avoid the harmful effects of water ingress into your precious logs, or openings in the log walls.