Log Cabin Rustics Blog

Sanding

2008-07-10T11:45:00.000-07:00

The most basic tool a new log furniture builder needs to get acquainted with is sandpaper. The use of these paper squares should be familiar; yet there are secrets to be learned when purchasing large quantities of sandpaper. Some hints may seem obvious, but sanding your newly built furniture is a very important process to make sure nobody gets any splinters. Today we are going to list the different grits and what they are commonly used for, and take a look at the different types of sandpaper that are available.

There are three different abrasives commonly used for furniture finishing; garnet, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide. All three are easily identified by their color. The red-colored garnet paper is commonly used for hand sanding. Grey to white colored sandpaper is made out of aluminum oxide, and is used for either hand or power sanding. When you’re about ready to put the last smoothing touches on your log furniture, black silicon carbide sandpaper is the correct choice.

The first common sense rule is to start with a lower number grit and work up to higher numbers for the best finish. Start out using sandpaper with a 110 to 150 grit for preparatory finish. Don’t use anything less than 100 unless you have to remove an existing finish. When you’re ready to apply the finishing touch, grab a 300 or so grit to polish it off.

Sanding your furniture can be the most tedious part of building log furniture; but it can also be very rewarding. Grab a friend to help you, take the pieces outside, and enjoy the exercise and the sunshine.

Finding a Moose

2008-07-08T07:21:00.000-07:00

If yesterday's article didn't scare you off, please continue reading
how to kill a moose.

Before you can kill a moose, you have to find it. A trip to Canada
would be the easiest way to do so, but moose can also be found in the
north-western and north-eastern United States. They are usually found
in forested or shrub habitats; mountainous areas above 5,000 feet do
not hold any moose.

If you are hoping to bag a bull moose, hunting in the fall is advised,
but it is also key to know where there rutting grounds are. Soon after
the fall season is over, many bulls migrate south, and it can be
helpful to try and hunt near rivers, creeks, and low mountain passes
when the moose are moving. Always stay alert for rubbed trees. Bulls
will begin rubbing their antlers in early September, and it is a sure
sign there's a healthy moose population nearby. But the most important
moose hunting tip we can give you is to pay attention to the wind
direction. When you are stalking the moose, hunting with the wind in
your face will be much more productive. Also avoid open areas and
skylines. Moose have been known to see and react to hunters a quarter
of a mile away. Also remember to hunt very early or very late in the
day, when moose are most likely to be active. There are much more
ideas on how to find a moose that are commonly used; drive on the
highway until you see a big one, float down a river on a canoe and
surprise it, and many more.

There are a couple sounds used by moose hunters to get the bull moose
to come to them. One of the most effective is to bring along an antler
and clash it against the tree, to attract rutting bulls. A home-made
megaphone is also useful, to make one cardboard or even a plastic milk
jug will work also. If you've never heard a moose call, look it up on
the internet so you will best know how to imitate it. Make sure to
have a rifle with you that is capable of shooting a bullet of 150
grains or more at 2500 fps, and make sure you bring along all the
neccessary tools to skin and transport the moose meat.

Moose Hunting

2008-07-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Due to the positive feedback we received on our how to skin a deer article, today we’re going divulge a little information on how to hunt its close cousin, the moose. The moose is the biggest big game animal in the United States. You can find bigger game in Africa hunting elephants, but you might also get arrested for endangering an endangered species.

When you first start planning on how you’re going to shoot and drag back home your first moose, their enormous size is an important thing to keep in mind. A mature bull can weigh well over 1000 pounds, and even a cow or calf can weigh near half a ton. When you are choosing an area to hunt and a means of transportation, remember that you will have to haul about 500+ pounds of meat and possibly 50+ pounds of antlers back to your truck. This is why many veteran moose hunters advise never killing a moose more than a mile from your vehicle. The meat will fill up to 7-10 heavy backpacks, and you will have to make numerous round-trip hikes with well over 50 pounds on your back.

If this doesn’t scare you away, then by all means, come back tomorrow and read our next article which will go into much more gory detail on how to hunt a moose.

Visit a Great Lodge This Summer!

2008-07-06T21:27:00.000-07:00

Log home owners looking to get away for a little vacation to
experience in greater quantities the rustic atmosphere and natural
beauty their log homes offer may be interested in staying at one of
the many so-called Great Lodges our national park system offers.

These wonderful buildings offer everything a rustic-admirer loves, but
they come with a historic feeling of grand beauty that cannot be
emulated by any log home.

An example of a true Great Lodge is Glacier Park Lodge in Glacier
National Park. Its greatness is only magnified by its historical
value. In 1912, Louis Hill, who was the owner of Great Northern
Railway at the time, set 75 men working for a full 15 months to
construct the Glacier Park Lodge. It opened in the spring of 1913, and
was a favorite stop for train travelers.

There are many other great lodges offered by the national park system, and all of them
are monuments of rustic beauty and history.

Furniture Staining

2008-07-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

The outdoor furniture Log Cabin Rustics offers is suited to an indoor
or outdoor life. Depending on the manufacturer, the furniture will
ship either treated or untreated. If you don't mind the logs turning a
silvery grey over time, untreated is the way to go. If you wish to
preserve the unfinished look but still get some of the benefits of
treating your furniture, you might want to look into using a wood
preservative. Today we are going to write about how you can go about
staining your furniture if it hasn't already been done by the
manufacturer.

Before you get started, lay down a drop cloth or old blanket to
protect any surfaces you may be working on. Make sure that you have a
source of fresh air coming from somewhere; the stench of stain can be
very strong.

First, there are several key things that need to be done to ensure the
wood's porousness and make sure the wood is clean and dry when you
stain it.

You need to choose whether to pre-wet or to sand your furniture. Both
options will adequately prepare your furniture for the staining
process. To pre-wet, thoroughly soak the furniture with a power washer
or with a garden hose if you don't have one. Then wait 4 or 5 days
until it is dry again. If you choose to sand your furniture by hand,
make sure to do a light sanding that covers all surfaces to remove all
loose wood fibers or any dirt that remains on the piece.

Now you should be ready to stain your furniture. Painting is also an
option, but staining is recommended to help the furniture last longer.
Before applying the stain, remove any parts of the furniture from the
main frame. If you are staining a log swing, take the pieces apart to
make it easier. Stir the stain well and begin applying the first coat
by working on the lower portions of the furniture, working your way
through the sides to the top. After you're done, let it dry, then
apply a second coat to ensure a richer color depth and enhance the
longevity of the stain.

To apply the final touch, use a coat of primer and a light sanding to
leave your furniture stained in a professional manner.

Log Furniture Finishing

2008-07-02T08:40:00.001-07:00

If you are a newbie to log furniture building and maintenance, finishing the furniture was probably in the back of your mind somewhere. Today, we are going to talk about why it is important to stain your logs with a finish just after the furniture is built, as well as why you may have to finish them again in the distant future if you’re investing in outdoor furniture.

Most log furniture is sprayed with a clear finish soon after it is built, and this is a very important process for multiple reasons. First of all, the finish helps to seal in the natural color of the log, and fight any aging tendencies. Not only does the finish protect the beauty of the log, it also blocks off any moisture or wood pests from harming its vulnerable insides.

Most log homes have to periodically be refinished every once in a while, but you will most likely never have to finish your furniture, unless you bought it unfinished, or plan to keep it outside. If the furniture is kept outside in a bright area with lots of sunlight, the finish will start to wear off after about 10 years. Tomorrow we will talk about the different available wood stains and how to stain your furniture, which is a fun do-it-yourself project similar to finishing.

The Northern White Cedar

2008-07-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you've been staring sentimentally at your nightstand lately,
wondering what its past life was like. Well, wonder no more! Today,
the Log Cabin Rustics blog will show you where every piece of white
cedar furniture came from.

The Northern White Cedar tree grows primarily around the Great Lakes
and Maine. It grows in pure and mixed stands; mostly in swamps, but
also in wetlands. In the winter, the Northern White Cedar is a
favorite for deer and porcupine who love to eat its thin cedar stems.

The White Cedar is the lightest commercial wood in the United States,
which is why it is preferred for log furniture projects. It is
resistant to decay and termites. It is also soft, glues well, and has little
dimensional change. It should be no surprise that it is the preferred
wood for log furniture. There are a few setbacks due to its softness
and workability, which result in poor bending strength and
nail-holding abilities.

Building Log Homes: Factory Kits or Do-It-Yourself

2008-06-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

When you start to think about building a log home, a question presents itself; whether to build from ground up or to use a factory-made log home kit. There are many reasons to use the factory kit, even if you have been looking forward to whipping out the chainsaw.

The factory-made log home kit is the right choice for three reasons. First off, most people don't own the right type and size of trees on their property to build a log cabin. It takes a lot of wooded acreage to complete a log home, which requires at least 100 logs just to build a regular-sized cabin. It can also be hard to find disease-free specimens that are required, and the preferable type of tree for
building log homes may be simply not available in your area, such as cedar, Douglas Fir, Yellow Pine, popular, or spruce. If these woods are not native to your area, you will most likely have to have quality timbers shipped in.

The second reason to avoid using trees on your property to build your log home is that before the logs can be used, they have to be dried, and few log home owners have this capability. When a living tree is first chopped down, it is still swollen with sap and other fluids. In order to ensure that the logs won't shrink over time, the logs must be stripped of their bark to expose the sapwood beneath, and dry out for several months before the construction process takes place. The job of completing the "aging" process successfully is not easy, and few novice home builders have the time or patience required.

The final reason is that most people lack the knowledge to prepare the logs properly. Each log needs to be checked for cracks, then planed flat on two opposing surfaces to insure a tight seal between the timbers. Even more difficult, the corner joints must be individually cut to provide a perfect fit.

Even if they had plenty of cured logs available, some people lack the physical ability and/or the knowledge Jo prepare the timbers properly. Each log must, for example, be inspected for "checks" or cracks, and then planed flat on two opposing surfaces to insure a tight seal between the timbers. In addition (and this is especially difficult), the corner joints must be individually cut to provide a perfect fit.

So, unless you've been building log homes for many years, its best to leave the lumber preparation to the more experienced. There are many good log home builders that have been in the business for a long time, and satisfaction is guaranteed. These companies are already equipped to prepare construction-grade logs, cure green timber, and will go a long ways to accommodate their customers. Some builders will even pre-assemble the log home before they ship it, just to make sure all the parts fit properly! Even though a log home factory kit doesn't sound very rustic or outdoorsy, it is the right choice for new log home builders.

Cabin Fever

2008-06-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

Did you get tired of sitting indoors this last winter, doing nothing
because of the freezing weather? Cabin Fever, a book written by Rachel
Carley, celebrates a culture of enjoying the outdoors while
celebrating the beauty of nature in a comfortable yet rustic indoor
setting. She describes how the log cabin is one of America's cherished
icons, a dream getaway for those who are tired of the stress & hustle
that city life has to offer, and backs up her claims by filling the
book with beautiful pictures.
Cabin Fever spends a significant amount of time studying the different
architectural elements that make American-style log cabins unique.
Hand-peeled logs, cowhide sofas, and river-rock fireplaces are used to
bring both a feeling of history and the great outdoors inside. Some
readers may be put off by the fact that much of the book focuses on
the historical design of the "Great Lodges," but those great monuments
of early American architecture are the quintessential example of log
home building, and somebody who is looking to learn more about the art
and lore should take a few days off work and visit one. Cabin Fever is
the perfect book to inspire the reader to get excited about everything
to do with Log Furniture and Homes.

The Mortise & the Tenon Joint

2008-06-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

When you first start to put together a piece of log furniture, you need to learn about the mortise and the tenon. The tenon is the joint that holds the furniture together, and the mortise is the hole it should fit snugly in.

Mortise & Tenon joints have been used for centuries because of their strength and simplicity. They are at their strongest when the 2 parts are joined together at a 90-degree angle, but it is not necessary. Basically, a mortise and tenon joint is when one log is inserted into a hole in another one, then held in place with a fastener. Today, glue is the common choice to secure the tenon, but in the past, woodworkers would fashion the tenons so that they protruded through the mortised stock, to then be secured by a wedge or dowel.

The tenon is a rectangular pin cut from the end of the log. While they could be cut with a drawknife, woodworkers often use a band saw or a tenoning jig on a table saw to safely form the tenon. When you first give it a try, be careful not to remove too much material, as a thin tenon will create a weaker joint.

It is a good idea to cut the mortise first, then the tenon. Leave the tenon a little larger than you think might be needed, then try fitting it, then take off just a little bit. It is better for the tenon to be a hard fit than find it does not hold the two logs together.

A long time ago, mortises were cut using a chisel, but now it is more common for woodworkers to use a dedicated mortise, which employs a drill bit encased inside a four-sided chisel. To cut a mortise using a drill bit, first mark the area to be cut, then sing the bit into the wood, taking small bits at a time. Set the depth meter to encompass the whole length of the tenon, but no deeper than that. When you finish, use a chisel to clean up any rough spots that remain.

Once you have finished creating the mortise and tenon, try fitting the tenon into the mortise. It should fit snugly, but not too tight. Once all the joints have been successfully tested and are ready for assembly, apply glue to both the tenon and the mortise. Coat all surfaces evenly using a small brush.

Building Log Furniture Part 3: The Drawknife

2008-06-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

There are many tools that are used to build log furniture, but the drawknife is the one you’ll be spending the most time using. It is used to remove the bark off the logs, but is sharp enough to shape the wood. It can also be used to peel logs and make tenons. A tenon is a rectangular shape cut out of a piece of wood before it is used to insert into a mortise. Using a drawknife does take a lot of effort, and be sure to watch out for the “planer glaze,” which when the pores of the wood close as a result of the cutting action. This shouldn’t be a problem unless you plan to stain your furniture and keep it outside, then the stain will not be able to properly penetrate the wood.

If you decide to sand the logs instead of using a drawknife, be sure to invest in a sander that will do the job. But you will be missing out on something important. The drawknife is the king of woodworking tools, and using it gives the builder a chance to get a closer feel of how the wood works and a little exercise.

Building Log Furniture Part 2: Selecting the Wood

2008-06-23T07:57:00.001-07:00

This is the second part of a series full of information on how to build your own log furniture for beginners.

There are many different types of wood you can use to build your log furniture. The wood must be dry; trees that are already dead but still standing are easily accessible. If you can’t find any dead wood, green wood will work; you just have to wait for it to dry. Once you get logs that will work well, it is time to become acquainted with the drawknife, which is the tool preferred by many for removing bark. Be sure to use long strokes, but if your wood has a lot of knots, it can be very taxing on the arms. If you have green wood, the bark can be peeled off in a process known as “sap peeling” while it is still green. This method of peeling the bark works very good, and if you have access to a kiln, the results are even better.

Drying your wood with a Kiln produces less cracking then air drying, but it may be expensive. Air drying takes about a year to get the moisture content down to 16%, and then it is considered workable. One thing to watch out for is wood rot. If you got your wood from a dead tree that was still standing, it can be hard to discover the rot until you’re drilling holes and sanding.

The ecologically friendly alternative is firekilled wood. A live tree doesn’t have to be killed, and they are easier to work with. Firekilled logs may be hard to find though, depending on where you live, but it can bring a special sense of satisfaction to get outdoors and find that special piece of wood for your log furniture.

Building Log Furniture Part 1: Rustic Beauty

2008-06-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago we posted about a book that informed on how to build
a piece of log furniture, an activity that may take time but gives
back a great deal of pleasure and a sense of pride. We decided to
start a small series of posts on how to build log furniture that will
be helpful for beginning builders who have yet to buy the book.

The first people to come to America may have appreciated the natural
beauty of log furniture, but a big reason they were carpenters is out
of necessity. Today, we are not forced to be carpenters, but there are
still many reasons to build log furniture. It helps us to feel at one
with nature. It allows a person to put his or her own personal flavor
on the logs, choosing whether they prefer it to be as rustic as
possible, or a sleeker more finished look.

We are going to write about the rustic style today, preferred by most
log furniture builders, maybe because it seems more outdoorsy. To
build furniture with a natural look, special tools are required to
hand peel and sand it.

Fortunately, rustic furniture can be built with simple tools. A
hatchet can be used to form the tenons. A drawknife can be used to
peel back the word, plus it leaves rustic scars behind on the wood
resembles the hard times the pioneers went through. But remember to be
careful when using the drawknife, it can cut away many of the unique
features nature has left in the wood.

For the ambitious woodworker, the rustic beauty of the logs can be
amplified by leaving a small piece of bark on the log. If you are luck enough
to find a small limb positioned just right, it could be a great place
to hang your cowboy hat.

The advantage to building this type of furniture is that you can make
it at a lower cost and still know you're getting a quality piece
made from real wood. These are becoming harder and harder to find.
Maybe you don't live in a log home, but if you want a real sense of
pride and achievement, building your own log furniture can provide a
special attachment with nature that is hard to find anywhere else.

If building log furniture sounds like too much of a project, consider that some of our log beds are like "kits", and by the time you put them together and/or finish them, you can still have the pleasure of having a hand in your very own log bed.

How to Skin a Deer

2008-06-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

We thought our visitors would be interested if we blogged about issues they might face while living the outdoor lifestyle. This post isn’t related to log furniture, but we hope it will interest people who appreciate the great outdoors.

Skinning a deer is a skill that every new hunter needs to learn. While it is advisable to head out with a friend to help with the process when you first start hunting, it never hurts to review the process to avoid any mistakes when you are outdoors by yourself.

The process of removing the skin from the deer is quite simple. The important thing to remember is to follow the built-in lines of the body of the deer and work from that standpoint. Follow this outline because protective membranes make the process of pealing the skin away from the meat a lot easier.

It may sound like a difficult process, but anybody can learn to skin a deer. The secret is to use your hands correctly and use your body weight to your advantage. After you figure it out, it shouldn’t take more than ten to fifteen minutes to skin a deer.

First hang the deer from a tree or another high vantage point. It doesn’t matter whether you hang it from the head or the heels. This makes it easier to apply your body weight and creates a greater leverage point for skinning the deer. It also helps keep the deer clean; there are less bugs and ants up in the tree. Make sure you skin the deer within an hour or two after its death.

A sharp knife makes your job an easy one. If the deer is hung by the legs, locate the large tendon that is attaching the lower leg segment to the rest of the deer’s leg. Cut a hole between the tendon and the bone. Next, find the lump that is formed by the deer’s double-jointed bone. Once you have located the lump, cut the lower leg at the lower end of the two parts of the double joint, then cut the tendons right here and snap the deer’s leg over your own, using your body’s leverage to break it.

After breaking the deer’s legs, cut more holes around the tendon areas. There should be whole area that is flanked by the tendon and the bone of the lower leg. Severe and snap the front legs as well. After making the initial incisions, begin the process of striping the deer of its skin. Use your finger tips and thumbs to get inside the skin near the lower leg incisions and begin to peel the skin off.

Pulling off the deer's skin should feel similar to removing a tight pair of blue jeans off. It may be difficult, but the savory meat revealed beneath the skin should be an ample reward

Believe it or not, when you are finished, the whole process only took about ten or fifteen minutes. Everybody who loves to eat deer meat but never got the opportunity to see where it came from should learn how to do it.

Log Furniture Finishing

2008-06-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

Red cedar furniture owners have it easy; finishing is optional them, because the wood is resistant to decay and insect pests. In contrast, white cedar furniture is most protected when it is finished, even though the two trees are closely related.

What makes white cedar logs different from red cedar wood? The answer is that although the white cedar wood has the same cell properties, it lacks the natural acidic tannins fluid that helps preserve red cedar.

When left outside, white cedar will turn to a handsome silvery color. Inside, it will darken slightly.

There are many different types of finish available to choose from. One option is wood sealer, a liquid finish that blocks the pores of the wood by quickly changing into a solid state after it has been applied. This blocks the grain from becoming raised, but still allows it to fade to a silvery-gray color.

Paint is not recommended for cedar wood, unless the piece will be in an area with no sunlight. If cedar furniture is painted and put in a sunny area, over time the sun will cause the moisture stuck in its fibers to evaporate. This will result in cracking and peeling, leaving a mess that needs to be sanded and finished again.

The preferable treatment to keep your white cedar furniture both long lasting and looking good is a stain. There are many different types of full color and transparent stains on the market. Some log furniture owners re-apply the stain every 3-5 years, although this probably isn’t necessary unless the furniture is outside. If your goal is a covering that will not trap moisture and cause peeling, stain is a great solution for your white cedar furniture. The light color of white cedar will look good with a variety of different stain options.

Many of our Amish suppliers do apply a clear lacquer to red cedar furniture, which helps preserve its redness, especially when exposed to the sunlight. We have never seen any other color of finish applied to red cedar, and, although not needed to preserve the wood itself, a clear lacquer finish really does preserve and highlight the beauty of red cedar wood.

Fire Levels Building of "Unique Log Furniture" Company in Pueblo, Colorado

2008-06-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Our sincere condolences to the Morris family in Pueblo, Colorado, whose log furniture factory just recently burned to the ground. Fortunately, all 11 of their workers were able to escape the blaze. However, their loss in terms of inventory, downtime and logs readied to manufacture more log furniture must be nearly incalculable. You can read more about the blaze in the Pueblo Chieftain.

Log Furniture Checking: Beauty with Age

2008-06-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

One of the things new log furniture purchasers should expect to see in their furniture over time is “checking,” a natural process also known as “cracking.” Because furniture builders use the whole tree instead of discarding any pieces with imperfections, they should expect to their log furniture to develop a more rustic feel as it ages. Although some people may be bothered by this, it is actually a natural process. Before the logs are used for furniture, they are dried to remove any moisture remaining. This causes the logs to shrink in length and width. As tension develops in the wood due to shrinkage, it causes the log to split. These cracks are visible in most pieces of log furniture. Checking might worry some furniture owners, but the experienced know that it adds to the beauty and character to the wood.

Build Your Own Log Furniture

2008-06-17T06:15:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to build your own log furniture? Here is a great book that offers a wealth of useful advice on the topic.

For a complete woodworking novice, this manual on building your own log furniture is very valuable. The authors, Dan Swesey and Les Smith, have written a no nonsense book with detailed information that walks you through all the stages of log furniture construction. It starts with an introduction to a craft that is not at all inappropriate for those who have neither woodworking experience nor a workshop full of expensive power tools. The plans are reasonably clear and concise, and the tools required are simple and fairly inexpensive. While the authors are thorough in instructing the reader, they carefully remind the reader to use their imaginations when building log furniture, to give it their own personal flavor.

This wonderful book provides a very thorough education in log furniture building, and should be recommended to anybody who loves the look and feel of a rustic bed or sofa, but doesn’t want to pay the high prices often seen in retail stores.

Red Cedar Furniture: Beauty and Hardiness

2008-06-16T21:46:00.000-07:00

What color of log furniture would look best with your rustic décor? Most log furniture buyers don’t spend too much time thinking about this. They may be searching for a woodsy tan to complement their log cabin, but there are more exciting options.

Red Cedar furniture is an excellent choice to make your living room more colorful. There are many other reasons to choose furniture made from the Red Cedar tree, the most notable being how resistant the wood is to outdoor weather. Red cedar is even a popular option for dog houses, since it is able to withstand extreme weather conditions.

Although you may not have outdoor plans for your furniture, the ruggedness will prove useful if there is an accident with a spilled drink or tipped bowl of soup. But bad weather isn’t the only threat Red Cedar furniture is prepared to face, it is also comes with a naturally resistant oil that helps it fight insect pests. Other cedars lack this oil, making them more vulnerable to fleas, ticks, and termites.

Not surprisingly, doghouses made out of Red Cedar are famous for their longevity. If the rugged magic of Red Cedar can work to keep a doghouse safe, it can also protect your log furniture, both inside and outside.

10 Best Places to Build in America, from LogHome.com

2008-05-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Don't look now, but loghome.com just posted their list of the 10 best places to build in America. If you know you want to build a log cabin, but haven't figured out the perfect location. check it out. This is not your traditional, warm-vacation-spot type of a list. One of the log home building meccas they're recommending is actually in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (Sault Ste. Marie). As a born-and-raised Michigander who just recently moved to Oklahoma, I had to love that.

Log Cabin Siding: What You Should Know

2008-05-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

If you love that log cabin look but aren’t quite ready to build that 100% log home, you may want to check out log cabin siding. While log cabin siding is often used on the interior of log homes, it can be used on the interior walls of just about any abode.

Log siding, which is also known as log paneling or tongue & groove wood, tends to be raised or rounded like a half log. In contrast, true log paneling tends to be flat and narrow (like a plank).

Log homes that are truly built with logs (as opposed to stick-built homes with log siding) still frequently rely on stick-built interior walls which are covered with log cabin siding. Your home doesn’t have to be a log cabin to utilize this type of siding, however. You can create the cozy feel of a cabin in just about any room, by covering the walls with beautiful log siding.

Some of the most beautiful log siding we’ve seen is built by Amish craftsmen and constructed from white cedar. With knots, character and a clear lacquer finish, such siding will be an eye-catching addition to your rustic décor.

Log Cabin Insurance: What You Should Know

2008-05-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

“Will I be able to find an insurer for my log cabin?” is a common question among individuals who are contemplating building a log home.

“Will the insurance for my log cabin be much more expensive than for traditional construction?” is another question that frequently arises.

If you are building a log home, rest assured there are insurance companies out there that will cover it. You may have to look a little harder than you would for a traditional home. But the vast majority of log home owners have absolutely no problem obtaining insurance coverage for their log home.

In addition to being a little harder to find, log home insurance may cost a bit more than insurance on a traditional stick-built home. Factors affecting insurance pricing include:

* actual type of construction (is it a “true” log home, or is it stick-built with log-look siding)

* the proximity of the log home to the nearest fire station (less than 5 miles helps) or fire hydrant (less than 1 mile is a plus)

* the overall value of the log cabin in question

Some insurers say they can’t cover a log home simply because the agent doesn’t want to perform whatever extra work is involved in writing the policy. You wouldn’t think any insurance agent would want to leave a potential policy, or money, on the table. But it does happen.

Check with other log home owners in your area. They can probably clue you in to which insurance agents have been most helpful with their coverage needs. Such agents are generally the exception rather than the rule. They key is to find an insurance agent who customer-service oriented, familiar with log homes, and eager to write the policy on your log cabin.

Log Cabins and Termites: What You Should Know

2008-05-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

One of the fears people have when they consider building a log home is termite infestation and damage. Truth is, log homes are less susceptible to termite pests than their stick-built counterparts, exceptionally when an “ounce of prevention” is applied during construction of the log home.

When termites enter a stick-built home, they often hide in wall cavities and go undetected for as long as 5-10 years. By the time the termites are detected, they have already done considerable damage to the home.

In a log cabin, on the other hand, termites are immediately visible as soon as they get to the wall. The point of entry is obvious, giving the log home owner a clue that immediate action is needed.
When termites invade a stick-built home, exterminators sometimes wind up tenting the entire structure and pump gas into the tent to kill the termites. This is because the termites are tucked away in cavities in the walls, where they are extremely difficult to reach or treat.

In contrast, log homes lend themselves to spot treatment of an affected area, drastically reducing the potential exposure to toxic chemicals. There are also a number of steps that home builders, both of log homes and stick-built homes, can do to prevent termite infestation. While termites are certainly something that any home owner should guard against and look out for, log homes may actually be a better choice than a stick-built home when it comes to early detection, and prevention, of termite infestation.

Three Great Reasons to Live in a Log Home

2008-05-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

1. Log homes can be just as warm as a brick home in the winter, and easier to cool in the summer, since wood does not transfer heat with the same intensity as many other materials.

2. Because they doesn't transfer heat as quickly as some other building materials, log homes can actually be more economical to heat in the winter or cool in the summer.

3. Log homes can actually be safer than other construction in an area where home fires are taking place. Because the logs burn so much more slowly than some other building materials, there is more time for people to escape. If you doubt this fact, build a fire and put a 2 x 4 on it, along with a log. See which one burns up first. This is a an excellent reason to consider a log home versus traditional construction.

How to Choose a Log Bunk Bed

2008-05-19T20:05:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing quite so fitting in a log cabin as a bunk bed. Even in a smaller cabin, one or more log bunk beds can add greatly to the sleeping capacity.

When choosing the log bunk bed for your cabin or lake home, there are several important factors to consider. First and foremost would be bunk bed safety. All the log bunk beds we sell are manufactured to federal safety standards, and for good reason. Accidents do happen, but top rails and other safety features can do much to reduce the risk.

Of course, your log bunk bed will only be as good as the care you take in putting it together. Cutting corners on assembly, leaving off top rails or swapping out parts is never a good idea. So rule #2 when it comes to log bunk beds is to assemble it carefully in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and make sure that the assembly is sturdy and secure.

In terms of log bunk bed styling, there are a number of factors to consider when choosing your bed. The size of the room where the bunk bed will be is very important. If your bunk bed has massive logs, you might also need a more expansive room. If space is imperative, and you are trying to fit the maximum number of bunks into a camping cabin, you might want to consider a pine log bunk bed. The logs on these beds are not as large, so they fit in small spaces a little better.

Built-in bunk bed ladders are another space-saving technique for log cabin outfitters. Several of our manufacturers will even let the customer decide if they want the bunk bed ladder on the right or on the left, making it worthwhile to consider the layout of your rustic bedroom before ordering the bed.

The sky is (nearly) the limit when it comes to varieties of log bunk beds. Twin over twin is the standard, but we also offer twin over full log bunk beds, twin over queen, full over full, full over queen and even queen over queen. Nobody we know makes a king over king, probably because of safety concerns with the weight of the top bunk. However, we have had special orders for twin, full or queen over king. There are also loft bunk beds, and twin-over-futon bunk beds. If you want an extra-long bunk bed for your lanky teenager or hunting buddy, our Amish bunk bed manufacturers are up to that too.

Not sure what you want? Take a look at the options at Log Cabin Rustics. Then take a tape measure, and double-check the space where you intend to put your log bunk bed or beds. With an eye for beauty and a little advance planning, you will hopefully soon be sleeping soundly on the log bunk bed of your dreams.