It doesn’t have to be just an apartment or a classic family home to live in these days. Various alternative homes are becoming a hit. And these don’t have to be bad or restrictive. Especially when we are talking about log cabins, which are becoming popular here in the Czech Republic.
A house like this will always be unique. When you arrive, you will always be greeted by the beautiful, natural smell of wood and it will give you the feeling that you are not completely leaving nature at home, but living in harmony and in connection with it. You will always be happy to rush back to such a house.
When it comes to focusing on log-type buildings, you can look for cottages for summer stays or weekend getaways, or you can opt for a more challenging year-round construction, depending on your capabilities and interest.
Companies that build log cabins usually offer clients other services in addition to the rough construction, such as
- railing
- stairs
- pergolas, and
- any atypical elements.
Wood, its properties and selection
Wood is, of course, the key material for building a log cabin. It has the advantage of excellent thermal insulation, and wood also naturally prevents the formation and development of mould.
The quality of the wood is important, the wood must be durable and strong. Experienced builders use timber from so-called winter harvesting to build houses, on the basis that wood at this time contains less sap and water, which concentrates in the root system, and the wood therefore keeps a more stable shape.
As far as the species used are concerned, the most common are spruce, possibly larch or pine.
The treatment of logs is carried out by first removing both the bark and the bast, and the layer underneath the bast is further disturbed with special tools so that subsequent impregnation and further protection of the wood can penetrate to a greater depth.
The great bonus of building a log cabin from scratch is that although a variety of machines and tools are used, honest handwork remains the foundation.
Isolation is important
With wood construction, you have to take into account that the material is purely natural and will continue to “work” for some time. The wood will be exposed to various influences, both external, i.e. mainly sun exposure, and internal, i.e. mainly heating. It is therefore necessary to take this continuous drying out of the wood into account during the actual construction.
The tightness of joints and grooves is usually ensured by an insulating layer, which in some cases consists of real, natural sheep’s wool, which has unique properties.