Not Your Grandfather's Log Cabin

Insiders weigh in on the ways the log home industry has improved construction and maintenance over the past decade.

- Paul Peebles

It is hard to improve on cherished memories of a special place and the fun you had there. For many of us, the first experience we had with a log home came when we were young and spent summer days at a cabin owned by a family member or friend. We always remember fondly the food, late-night card games, hunting, fishing and other activities that are etched into our brains as good times.

What we fail to remember is that most of those old cabins were pretty rough. At the time, we didn’t care if some of the rooms weren’t heated or cooled properly; that critters sometimes showed up in places they didn’t belong; that the water tasted a little like rust; or that you had to cut and haul wood into the house to stay warm. It was all part of the charm.

You can certainly re-create a cabin like the one in your memories; however, log homes manufactured and built today can be just as comfortable (and have every modern convenience) as a home in the city. In fact, today’s log homes are much improved over those built just 10 years ago.

There are many reasons for the improvements in modern log home construction. The most important of these advances have been brought about because of the demands of today’s log home buyer. As consumers, we want the products and techniques used on our homes that make them more maintainable, more energy efficient and more comfortable to live in. The log home industry has responded to these wishes in a variety of ways. I reached out to log home experts all over the country to help me tell you about these improvements. Here’s what they had to say.

IMPROVEMENTS IN MAINTENANCE