SEARCH5 Myths About Log Homes
There are many benefits to living in a log home, from its beauty and warmth to the more simple pleasures like being able to hang a picture without a stud finder. Maybe you really like the idea of living in a log home but are afraid to pull the trigger because of some information you’ve heard. We know there are many misconceptions about log homes, and we hope to set some straight! Read on for five common log home myths:
Banks Will Not Make a Loan on a Log Home
This has not been our experience. While the factors used by banks to determine how much money they will lend on a home is largely a mystery, the fact that it is a log home is not one of them. What is known, however, is that banks will use the value of comparable properties in the neighborhood. As long as there are comparable properties, the bank shouldn’t have a problem with the fact you want to build a log home.
Log Homes Rot Easily
As long as the home is constructed properly with roof overhangs, rain gutters and downspouts a log home is no more likely to rot than other homes made with wood. Proper construction will keep the moisture content below the 30%-60% at which wood will rot. After all, with periodic maintenance there are log homes still standing from over 100 years ago!
Log Homes Require More Time to Build Than a Conventional Stud Home
There can be considerably fewer steps in constructing a log home, when performed by a knowledgeable party. The thing about a log home is that as the logs are built up, forming the exterior walls, you are simultaneously building up the interior walls and the structural component of the home. A frame house requires many more steps. There are stud frames to be built, siding to be applied, insulation to be installed, and drywall to be attached and finished. The interior of a log home can require as little as the application of some stain!
Most Contractors Cannot Build a Log Home
It is far more a matter of willingness than capability to build a log home. Building a log home is not difficult, but you do need to put forth the effort to learn how to do it. Any contractor is more than capable.
Log Homes are Harder to Maintain
Like it or not, nothing is maintenance free, and that goes for log homes as well as regular homes. A high quality, purpose-made stain applied to the exterior of the log home is the primary requirement for maintenance. Just be sure the stain is made exclusively for log home exteriors—your typical wooden deck stain from the hardware store isn’t going to cut it.
If you think you might want to live in a log home, the best advice is to just do it. A little research should quell any fears you might have, and then you can make the move with confidence. And that confidence will help you enjoy the home that much more.
