Log Homes/Cabins

[Goofycampers]

Do you live in a log home? If so tell me about them. Is there alot of maintenance. Any particular issues not found in other homes ? We have been on a house hunt for months and my DH really likes a log cabin on the market. My concern was that some of them tend to look dark but this one has a lot of regular sheet rock walls so that doesn't seem to be the issue. Any info would help. TIA

[clarabelle]

My parents live in one. The only problem they have had is with carpenter bees -they bore holes in the logs.
They have a metal roof -overall they seem to be really happy. They have had less home repair issues than I have.

[Darcy03231]

My uncle had one and it was really nice. Keep in mind that they're hard to sell as a lot of people don't want to live in log homes. When my uncle died it took my parents almost two years to sell it and it sold for substantially less than a same size/age/condition/layout ranch sold for.

[pperfectmom]

We live in one that we built in 2002. I love it and it is definitely not dark. We have a ton of windows and used a light colored stain on the logs. The problems we have had are the carpenter bees tunneling into the logs and we are starting to see some issues from the logs settling, specifically a few tiny cracks in our drywall here and there.

[live4christp1]

We do. If I ever get to build another house it WILL NOT BE LOG!!!!!!

Ours is log inside & out.....it is dark inside. Our logs are not the interlocking logs but the ones with the white chinch between the logs. Over time as the house settles we have to repair/replace these as the pressure pops them out and warps them.

Carpenter bees love to drill holes in the wood so there is lots of upkeep to the outside in terms of chemical application to keep these bees away. Even then at night when the house is really quiet and you are trying to drift off to sleep you can hear them chewing, chewing.

While we were on vacation this summer some yellow jackets found a small opening in one piece of chinch and built a nest inside the wall.....fun!

Also the beetles that look like lady bugs are attracted to the logs....so every spring and winter we will inevitably come home one afternoon to a room full of beetles.....they stink!!!!!

So while I think log homes are beautiful etc.......they are a lot of work!!!!!!!

[C.Ann]

My cousin and his wife spent several years building their beautiful log home in a beautiful setting further up in the Adirondack Mountains.. They did the building themselves (he has built homes before); put in all sorts of extras and unique touches, and I have to say it turned out gorgeous!!!!

They lived in it 5 years - and they hate it.. For all of the reasons mentioned above - as well as they just got tired of "looking" at a log cabin.. It's been on the market for 3 years now and not one offer.. Many people like the "look" of a log cabin home, but after a number of years it kind of wears off - almost like an outdated kitchen..

Only you can decide if it's something you would be happy with for a long, long time..

[Goofycampers]

Wow, I'm surprised they don't sell. We live near the mountains so they're not that unusual. My DH and I were looking on the internet and saw a really nice one nearby, on a beautiful stream. The pictures looked nice. Not all of the walls were logged so inside looked more like a regular house, so I don't think I'd get tired of it. But I know bees can be an issue, our current house is cedar sided. Carpenter bees love us all spring.