This Classic Log Cabin Design is Perfect for Vacation Living

Classic Log Cabin Features

This D style cabin building has the cabin feel many people are looking for with large beams, a vaulted ceiling, and an open loft. The classic cabin building is located near Duck Creek Village for easy year-round use. This log cabin building is for sale and priced at $275,000; the lot is nicely wooded with aspen, fir and pine trees. The main floor has two master bedrooms with a full sized bath. The loft features a large sleeping area, a full bath and a living area to accommodate many guests. This classic wood cabin is located in Duck Creek Village, Utah.

Using Sustainable Wood for Cabin Construction

When building your wood cabin each tree species of logs will have pros and cons in regards to its strength, rot resistance, and insulation value, so you'll want to remember to compare those points when choosing your tree species for your cabin building. If you want to save money and be kind to the environment, you can also consider building your log house with standing dead trees. Standing dead trees make great cabin building logs, and there is very little commercial demand for it, so this type of wood is often free or very inexpensive. Building with standing dead timber will save you plenty of money, save the trees from being wasted, and save a live green tree from being chopped down for your log house.

Treating Logs for Longevity

Depending on the type of logs you use, you will want to treat the logs for your cabin building. Borate wood preservatives are made from naturally occurring minerals that are helpful at preventing things such as fungus, rot and wood boring insect infestations. Borates are considered to be safe for humans, and they are even used in some laundry detergents to help clean clothes. You can create the logs with a borate solution after peeling and again after the log walls are up. Wood stain is another optional step in your log house and can help your logs maintain their color. A wood stain with UV protectant can help prevent UV rays from turning your logs a greyish color over time. If you choose to apply a wood stain, you should keep it up with additional maintenance coats every few years. It's important to know that each wood stain will look a little different depending on the species of log that it is applied. You can sample wood stains with some scrap pieces of logs from your site, and see how different stains look when dry.

Foundation Considerations for Log Cabins

The foundation is where you will begin your log house build. The foundation needs to hold up the weight of your log house. One of the biggest factors to consider when deciding on a cabin building foundation type is whether you will be building the foundation yourself or hiring a subcontractor to pour the foundation for you. If you are doing the foundation yourself, or if you are building the foundation in a very remote location without concrete trucks then the log house foundation will most likely be pier blocks. These are poured concrete blocks that stick up out of the ground at a minimum of 18 inches. The most popular foundations to subcontract are the traditional stem wall foundation and crawlspace foundation, or a full basement foundation. Either of these foundations will do the job and can be designed to lift your logs 18 inches above the ground.