Tips for Buying a Log Cabin for your Garden
The actual price that you pay for having log cabins built will not only depend on its size, but also the logs used to build it. Some cabins will be constructed using handcrafted logs and can prove to be extremely expensive. Whilst if you are looking for a cheaper alternative then select one that is made using hand milled logs instead.
It is important therefore before you actually decide on getting such a cabin built you know the difference between milled and handcrafted logs. Generally, those that are milled have been prepared using either a sawmill, a lathe or a planer. This then ensures that each log will be cut to a specific profile or shape. As you will soon discover milled logs have a far more uniformed shape and size to them compared to handcrafted ones.
Logs, which are milled to help extract moisture from them, will either be allowed to dry in the air or be placed in a kiln. The time it takes for the exact amounts of moisture to be removed depends on the size of the log and the method of drying used. But by extracting moisture from the wood helps to prevent too much shrinkage occurring once, the cabin has been constructed.
Because the wood will have been either planed, sawn or lathed the surface of the logs will be smooth. Plus in many cases, they will also have a tongue and groove joints so actually putting the logs together is much easier. This means that building the cabin is a lot easier and will often take a lot less time to complete. However, if you want to retain that rustic look to your cabin the outer face of the log can retain its rough bark coating.
Generally, the wood that is used for milled log cabins comes from trees such as cedars, pines or spruces as well as firs. The least expensive type of milled log cabin is one that has been made using either pine or spruce. Whereas if you are willing to pay more then the option is to go for one made from cedar.
As for handcrafted logs, these will have been prepared by being hand peeled using either a drawknife or through the use of water. The actual logs themselves when being prepared are green and will only have been cut and hauled a few days or weeks before. Unlike milled logs these are allowed to air dry only as kiln drying is a very expensive process, as these need to be dried whilst they are still their full lengths after cutting.
The types of trees that are most favoured for handcrafted log cabins are the Douglas fir, Pine and Spruce. However, there are some log cabin companies who prefer to use woods such as Oak, Juniper, Cyprus and Alpine Fir (also known as True Firs).
We mentioned previously that what you pay for having log cabins built not only depends on the types of logs used. But will also depend on the size of the cabin that is being built. A much larger cabin will cost far more simply because it needs to have more time spent built constructing it, plus more logs will also need to build it. If you do intend to have a large log cabin built, then go for milled rather than handcrafted logs if you also want to save money.
