Log cabins have been an integral part of American history since before America was America! Building a log cabin was the favorite choice of early settlers. Down to this day log cabins continue to a popular choice in America.
It’s not hard to understand why log cabins are so popular either. Just looking at one seems to relax oneself. They are synonymous with taking some timeout and relaxing in some mountain, lake, or river.
As beloved as log cabins are it is surprising that most Americans have never considered buying or building an authentic log cabin. Many believe that it is too expensive to build or maintain, others think that log cabins are just for vacationing and not conducive to day to day life. Is that the case? Read on to find out. The answer just may surprise you!
Reasons to Buy or Build a Log Cabin
This article will explain why log cabins are actually a practical and reasonable choice. We will go over some of the main reasons that living in a log cabin is well worth it! By the end of this article you just may be ready to buy one! 😉
Log Cabins are Energy Efficient:
Many are surprised to hear this, but log cabins are very energy efficient. Much more so than most traditional houses. True they don’t have insulation, but they don’t need it. Wood is naturally warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Due to the thickness of the walls in a log cabin the wood can do its job very well!
Of course the log cabin must be built properly in order to take advantage of the energy efficiency. But, when it is built right there are not many styles of construction that can compete as far as energy efficiency goes!
Log Cabins are Easy to Maintain:
Many people steer away from log cabins because of the popular notion that they are hard to upkeep. The truth is that the typical log cabin is very easy to maintain.
The biggest fear seems to be treating the wood regularly. However, this is no big deal. There are state of the art wood treatment options out there that work great and last a long time. I would prefer this over having to paint a traditional house every few years. Vinyl siding might be a little easier to maintain, but who wants vinyl siding???
Log Cabins are Easy to Troubleshoot:
The construction techniques of log cabins are very simple and there is not much that cab go wrong. If something does start to go wrong it is very easy to spot and fix before it becomes a big problem.
This is mostly thanks to the fact that the walls are solid, so basically there is no were for problems to hide! For example, there are several tricks to keeping termites away from your log cabin. However, if they do somehow get past the protection they will be very easy to spot. They can hide for years inside the walls of a traditional framed house. However, there is nowhere for them to hide in a log cabin!
The same goes for plumbing and electric problems, since the walls are solid plumbing and electric is installed differently and can usually be easily accessed when needed.
Log Cabins Last a Very Long Time:
Some people claim that log cabins will only last a few decades. This may be true if abandoned in the woods, however, when maintained cabins will literally last centuries.
If you don’t believe me you can visit many historic log cabins that have luted centuries. The oldest log cabin in America, for example, is in New Jersey (maybe not where you expected it to be 😉 ). The cabin was built by Finnish settlers in the mid 1600’s! The second oldest log cabin in America is only a couple decades newer, and there are several others that can be visited from the 17 and 1800’s.
So, yes log cabins do last a long time!
Log Cabins are a Great Investment:
Real estate is a risky business, however, with log cabins it is much less risky! As we have seen log cabins are easy to upkeep and maintain in good shape. We have also seen that they can last for centuries. But, there are more reasons that they are good investments.
Log cabins historically go up in value a lot quicker than traditional housing. They are works of art and when done right are appreciated much more than a traditional house.
The “curb appeal” of log cabins makes them much easier to sell. In general log cabins sell much, much quicker than traditional houses of the same value. In general the emotion that a person get when seeing a log cabin and walking through one is very strong.
All of the above make log cabins a very enjoyable and stable investment opportunity!
Log Cabins are Pieces of Art:
Log cabins are beautiful and take true craftsmanship to build. Anyone can quickly throw up some sheetrock, venal siding, and cheap carpet in a conventional home. But, it takes real art and craftsmanship to build a log cabin.
The craftsmanship, art, and beauty of log cabins are apparent to all ages and backgrounds. I honestly have never seen anyone stand before a well built log cabin and say that they didn’t like it!
The video below does well in illustrating what is involved in building a real wood cabin. Take a moment to watch it, I think you will enjoy it!
In Conclusion:
To resume we have seen that log cabins are energy efficient. They are easy to maintain and troubleshoot. When taken care of they will outlast any of us, possibly even staying around for centuries. They make a great return on investment and are easy to resell. Log cabins are also a beloved part of American history and evoke strong emotions in almost anyone who sees or spends time in them.
Can all of that be said about traditional conventional housing? Not hardly! Log cabins are well worth investing in. I hope that I have satisfactorily answered the question posed in the title of this article and I wish you a great day!