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What to look for when buying a Log Cabin

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 :

  • What size log cabin should I buy

  • Can I get planning for a Log Cabin

  • Can I get Finance For a Log Cabin

  • How easy is it to maintain a log cabin

  • What should I look for when buying a log cabin

  • How long will a log cabin last

  • 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!

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3 Benefits of Timber Buildings

If you are thinking of buying a log cabin building for your garden you will be joining thousands of others who are catching on to the growing trend of owning a building that brings you that bit closer to nature.

Scandinavian style comes at no extra cost

Log cabins and log houses have been selling like hot cakes because they allow owners to extend their living spaces and provide an alternative space to relax outside the home.

But besides their natural qualities there are plenty of otherlog home benefits to consider, including the following…

 

1. Log cabins are quick and easy to build

A log cabin can be erected in a number of weeks, rather than months. They’re also produced in high-precision factories where most of the work is done, which reduces site time and costs. Unlike other buildings you won’t need to by lots of additional building materials and dig deep foundations.

 

2. Wood is excellent at keeping heat in

What timber should a log cabin be built with? Wood is a naturally breathable material which is great at keeping heat in and allowing air to circulate. While some houses can have damp problems timber buildings allow moisture to escape which prevents damp problems.

 

3. Scandinavian style comes at no extra cost

Timber buildings come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be used for all kinds of activities. From garden rooms, to garden offices, bespoke log cabins and contemporary log cabins, timber buildings are extremely versatile and with heating you can use them all year round.

 

What wood is used for log cabins?

Log cabins Timber interiors are soothing

Your log cabin should be built with high grade, slow growing timber. At Timberliving, we use Arctic-grown Norway Spruce. These trees are over a century old, and are very slow-growing. Their slow growth means that the wood grain is particularly tight. This means that there will be no warping, bending or twisting of timbers in your cabin walls, floors or roof.

Irish-grown Norway Spruce is not suitable for log cabin construction, because in the Irish climate, these trees grow extremely fast (up to four times the speed of Arctic circle trees, which only get about four months of growth in a calendar year.). With Irish trees, their fast growth means the grain is a lot looser, which will lead to deformation over time if used in construction. Because our cabin production is so precise, we need to use the much harder Arctic timber. Softer woods will have rougher ends and profiles, which might lead to problems with the building in the future.

 

Are log cabin homes a good investment?

 

Money is money! And when it comes down to the nuts and bolts of it, there is no doubt that a log cabin is the best value for money you will find if you are planning on building, pound for pound. We have had so many people come to us in our showrooms in Tullow, Boyle and Cork asking “where’s the catch?” when they compare our prices with local builder’s prices for building an equivalent block-built structure.

So, why are log cabins cheaper, you may ask. Well, there the labour cost of having a block layer outside in all waethers, building up block by block, and someone running the mixer, while our walls just fall in to place, since they are precision-cut in the factory. A building that takes us five days to build will take a couple of months, minimum, if it is being built with blocks and mortar. There’s also extra labour costs when the electrician has to go into a block-built building and start chasing out those freshly laid blocks in order to fit his wiring and switches. Crazy!

Material costs are lso a lot lower for log cabins. There is a high energy and production cost in producing cement blocks, never mind the cost of transportation!

So, to answer the question, “YES! log cabins are a GREAT investment!”

The Environmental Benefits of Log Cabins

Its very frustrating for us in the log cabin industry that the environmental and sustaiable benefits of log cabin building and living are not more recognised and appreicated by the powers that be in Ireland. Planners can be quite picky in certain areas when it comes to log cabin building, when, in reality, the government should be widely encouraging the building of timber buildings. The carbon footprint of a timber building is miniscule compared to that of a building built with concrete and steel. A UK report a number of years ago, Toawrds a Low Carbon Economy, stated that the one most effective measure that the UK Government could take to improve their carbin footprint would be to ban block built houses, and build everything with timber.

 

Log Cabin Timber is an insulator

One of the often-missed benefits of log cabin building is that the walls are made up of an insulating material – wood! (If only the same could be said of concrete, then there would be a lot of VERY warm houses in the country…) Instead of concrete walls that draw heat OUT of a room, timber walls keep heat in the room, reducing the overall heatloss, and also reducing the heat demand. And timber is a carbon sink – as a carbon-based product, the wood in your log cabin contains and holds a lot of carbon, thus keeping it out of the atmosphere.

 

Log Cabin Walls are Easy to Work

Its yet another great benefit of log cabins that its very strightforward putting up shelves, pictures and anything else you might want to put on the walls. And because of the inherent strength of the tightly-grained wood, there is not muh you can hang on your wlls that is too heavy for the walls to hold.

In the showhouse in Boyle, we have a 60L water tank suspended from the wall in the hallway.

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Log Cabin Maintenance

A Log Cabin is a great investment – very cost-effective, quick to build, easy to heat and environmentally friendly (what other building construction type has a lower carbon footprint!). And, at TimberLiving we have such a wide range of cabins, from small one-bedroomed to BIG three-bedroom log cabins, so you can be sure you will get exactly what you’re looking for. And they look SO good once they’re built! 

You may be considering the purchase of a log cabin but someone has put you off by highlighting some of the following myths. But don’t be put off – maintenance is a lot easier than you might think.

Beautiful, low-maintenance Log Cabin Exterior

Log cabin maintenance often gets talked about as a potential drawback compared to building a house from other materials. You will be surprised to find however that on balance, a log home will cost you a lot less in the long run. Wood is a remarkable material, and once it is treated well, it will last a lifetime. (They build boats out of wood, after all, and have done so for millennia. As long as the wood is treated properly, it will last and last.) Most of the ill-informed myths you hear about log cabin maintenance stem from stories where cabins have been badly built, badly treated or poorly maintained. Any of the following myths are as much down to people not looking after their wood properly as to anything bad about building a timber house.

 

Myth 1. Prepare yourself for a lot of maintenance work

If you build your house and follow the recommendations of any of our staff at Timber Living Log Cabins, then you can reduce any maintenance potential issues significantly. The exterior needs to be treated only every three to four years – just like any house!

Myth 2. Log homes attract mould

This myth is actually true in some cases. We have seen cabins with a lot of extensive mould, and you will definitely get mould in your log cabin if it is incorrectly built. Your log cabin needs a cavity wall and some decent insulation. (We offer 100mm cavities, filled with insulation, as standard.)

Do not buy a single wall (75mm or 90mm thickness, as offered by some companies) cabin, unless you intend to insulate either the interior or exterior of the wall. The reason these single-wall cabins get mould is due to the warm moist air inside the cabin coming in contact with the cold surface of the wall. The dampness settles on the wall and mould appears. Oftentimes, the mould only appears behind presses and other unseen spots, because the heating in the room warms the exposed walls, but the walls behind the presses remain cold, leading to mould forming.

Any house type can suffer from mould. The important thing is to keep your log home insulated and double-glazed while allowing air to circulate. Wood also happens to be naturally good at allowing air to circulate.

 

How do you maintain a log cabin?

 

The main element of Log cabin maintenance is the exterior “painting”. We talk about painting a log cabin, but actually, you need to use a solvent-based stain rather than paint on your log cabin. Paint is a sealant, and your log cabin timber needs to be able to breathe. Moisture is not good for wood, and painting a log cabin seals the surface and will trap any moisture inside your cabin. There are a number of different wood stain suppliers available.

 

Best exterior paint for log cabins

We highly recommend SIKKENS wood stains as the best exterior paint for log cabins. This is a Dutch product which is widely used and highly recommended. Their HLS Plus product is a solvent-based, highly translucent wood stain. Its low viscosity makes it ideal for use on bare timber.

 

Dulux is the distributor, and you should be able to get it in your local hardware store. Normally, they have a basic range available in-store, so ask behind the counter for the colour charts. They will probably have to order directly from the suppliers. They also recommend two coats of standard preservatives before any work is done, especially concentrating on any wood ends, where a lot of preservatives will be soaked in.

 

Treat your Log Cabin Exterior with Sikkens

A wide range of log cabin wood stain colours are available. The only problem with Sikkens is that they don’t offer cheap trial pots, so you will have to invest in a few of their smallest tins. But be sure that you do trials – the colour charts are not very accurate. Because the stain is translucent, the type/colour of your wood will affect the final colour of the building.

 

How often should I “paint” my log cabin?

First of all, you don’t paint your log cabin, you stain it. (See above). Depending on the location of the log cabin, and exposure to the elements (sunlight as well as harsher wind and rain) you will need to re-stain your log cabin every three or four years. Sikkens has a specific stain for UV protection, which can be used as one of the three coats required. You should apply this if your cabin is located in a sunny spot. Read their spec sheets carefully!

 

How Long will a Log cabin Last?

A good question! And the best answer we can give is that a log cabin will last a lifetime, as long as the wood is treated well. The picture below is of a 500-year-old timber-built house we saw in Brittany when on holidays over there.

We build our cabins so that they overhang the concrete base by 10mm all around. We also run a throat-ed rain sill all around the bottom of the cabin. In this way, water will never pool under the cabin. This is a crucial detail, and the most important one in ensuring the longevity of our log cabins. 

 

Log Cabin Maintenance Checklist

What are the main things to check when maintaining your log cabin? 

  • Stain the exterior every 3-4 years

  • Check that all walls are free from contact with soil/stones etc.

  • Ensure gutters are free from leaves/blockages and operating well.

  • Maintain mastic seals around windows.

Best exterior paint for log cabins

We highly recommend SIKKENS wood stains as the best exterior paint for log cabins. This is a Dutch product which is widely used and highly recommended. Their HLS Plus product is a solvent-based, highly translucent wood stain. Its low viscosity makes it ideal for use on bare timber.

Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus is a low-build satin basecoat and wood stain for most exterior woods. It can be used as both a basecoat and a finishing coat depending on the project you are doing.

https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/…

It is resistant to UV, surface mould and algae, peeling and cracking. The wood grain remains visible and it can be over-coated with Sikkens Cetol Filter 7 Plus.

It is an ideal product to use on softwood, hardwood, plywood, block board and particle board, such as cladding, fascias, architraves, timber frames, fences, and sheds.

Preparation

Wood to be treated with Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus should be clean, dry and free from surface dirt, debris and surface coatings such as paint or varnish.

Degrease any exposed bare timber surface by wiping with a cloth dampened in a suitable solvent.

The use of ‘knotting agents’ is not recommended with translucent finishes as they are not always fully effective in sealing in resin, the presence of knots is often highlighted and adhesion of coatings can be impaired.

When filling, be sure to use fillers specifically designed for use with timber. General or all-purpose fillers may not be suitable.

Applying Sikkens HLS Plus

Always do a test area before starting any project to test adhesion and final finish. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the tin at all times.

Ensure that Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus is stirred thoroughly before and periodically during application use to ensure a consistent finish.

Application temperature should not be below or exceed 5 – 30℃ and a relative humidity of 85%.

New timber

Where a superficial application of wood preservative to softwood and hardwood is deemed necessary, ensure that the wood preserver used does not contain any wax and has fully dried before applying Cetol HLS plus.

Note: Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus cannot be used on substrates which have had water-repellent wood preservatives or pre-treatments applied i.e. products that contain wax, oil or silicon.

Where possible, the first coat should be applied all around prior to fixing. Only use non-ferrous screws, nails and fixings. Denib using a fine-grade nylon abrasive pad or a fine-grade (P240 or finer) wet or dry silicon carbide abrasive paper, in the direction of the grain. Do not break through the surface coating. Take care to ensure that all sanding/denibbing dust has been removed from the surface prior to applying additional coats.

Note: Where any damage or deterioration has occurred as a result of exposure to the factory coating for longer than 3 months, affected areas should be thoroughly sanded back to a sound substrate.

Damaged or decayed timber

All damaged or decayed timber must be removed and replaced, cutting at least 25mm into sound timber. When splicing in new sections of timber, consideration should be given to the use of timber species whose natural durability is sufficient. Brush and apply two coats of a suitable wax-free wood preserver. Ensure timbers are thoroughly treated, especially any end grain sections, and are fully dry before splicing in. Secure with non-ferrous fixings and fill all voids surrounding the spliced-in area with a suitable exterior wood filler.

Apply 2 finishing coats of Sikkens HLS Plus. For best results, it is necessary to keep the interval between applications of these coats limited, not exceeding 1 month.

Depending on the condition of the finish, clean, degrease and sand thoroughly. Repair defects with Cetol HLS Plus in the appropriate colour and apply one full coat of Cetol HLS Plus, overall. Transparency Maintain the translucent appearance of Cetol HLS plus over a longer period. It is recommended to use Cetol Clearcoat LB or alternatively use lighter colours, 077 or 006 for maintenance applications.

Product Coverage

Coverage greatly depends on the wood species under treatment, the surface condition, the method of application and conditions during application. Under normal conditions, coverage will be between 10 to 14 square meters, On rough-sawn timber the coverage is significantly lower (e.g. 7 – 10 square meters).

Equipment Cleaning

Application brushes and equipment should be cleaned immediately after use with White Spirit.
Storage

Keep this product tightly sealed at all times and stored/transported in an upright position. Store in a dry place at temperatures between 5 – 30℃. The shelf life for this product is a minimum of 24 months in original and unopened packaging.

Drying Time

Sikkens HLS Plus is touch dry after 4 to 6 hours and recoat between 18 to 24 hours. Air temperature and humidity may affect drying times.

The only problem with Sikkens is that they don’t offer cheap trial pots, so you will have to invest in a few of their smallest tins. But be sure that you do trials – the colour charts are not very accurate. Because the stain is translucent, the type/colour of your wood will affect the final colour of the building.