Log home or timber frame barn/home?

[Aggar]

Does anyone own or live in a log home or timber frame type home? The wife and I have talked about what we would want to build. Upsides to them or down sides to them? Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Downsides: They can be maintenance intensive. Gotta keep the bugs at bay. Gotta somehow keep the (federally protected) birds at bay. Sealing, staining, etc.

 

[possum_128]

Downsides: They can be maintenance intensive. Gotta keep the bugs at bay. Gotta somehow keep the (federally protected) birds at bay. Sealing, staining, etc.

What he said. Woodpeckers and carpenter bees also, real pain in the you know what. Plus side, never needs painting inside or out, anything old looks right at home inside or out, cooler in summer and way better built that stick houses. My logs are square cut 8 inch's thick and all heavy beam supports.

 

[Leadeye]

Neighbor has one and he likes it even with the maintenance issues. A yearly application of permethrin in the spring will keep the bees and lady bugs at bay. Birds are another problem.

 

[gunrunner0]

Woodpeckers and carpenter bees also.

This plus carpenter ants. My fiancé and I just purchased a fixer upper that is about 1/3 actual log construction, and the rest a mix of log and wood siding. I'm currently in the process of replacing all the log/wood siding with vinyl because neglect and insects had destroyed it. The actual log construction part used what I suspect were milled telephone poles because there is absolutely no damage to them. Another thing to consider is draft and energy efficiency, depending on what type of logs you use, some are milled with a sort of tongue and groove which may solve this. Also running plumbing, HVAC and wiring could be a pain.

And as others have said, maintenance. Chinking and staining is both expensive and labor intensive.

 

[ruger1800]

Energy efficiency,and maintenance are big minus. Some logs also creak crack, move around when humidity, temp, fluctuates.

if you want the look build a conventional stick frame or icf, with log veneer

 

[brown trix]

Timberframes are very energy efficient with the stress skin panels now,on mine r-value is 30 on the walls and 45 on roof,I use linseed oil on my frame about every 3 or 4 years to keep it looking good
brick on exterior so small amount of maintenance compared to log home, frame is all red oak

 

[ruger1800]

How well do timber frame and log home hold their value, any insurance issues, some brick homes recieve fire discount.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I love the way log homes look but as I get older, the prospect of the constant maintenance of one is a turn off. Timberframe on the other hand, I'd love to have one of those.

 

[dak109]

If you go timber frame, and have the time, wait about five years before finishing the interior. The frames go up green. As they dry they dry they will shrink and check. The noises range from startling to eery. Paint and trim will need to be redone after the drying process is complete. Or you are left with gaps.

make sure you have a good mechanical plan. Limited places to run mechanicals.

Structural insulated panels insulate well. They suck to side, drywall and install doors and windows in. They claim to be a whole lot more accurate in dimensions than they really are.

we used fiber cement for siding, so maintance is low. Also gives some protection from wild fire.

 

[mom45]

How well do timber frame and log home hold their value, any insurance issues, some brick homes recieve fire discount.

The biggest issue with insurance is finding a company that will insure a log home. You can automatically cross off State Farm, Farm Bureau, Allstate, etc. They big companies don't even insure them. We ended up with Auto Owners, but there are very few to choose from. It complicated things when we told them we were heating solely with indoor wood stoves. There is a surcharge for that even though we have a regular masonry chimney that they approved.

As others have said...lots of maintenance to keep the bugs out, prevent rot, etc. I love our home, but it is far from maintenance free. It was also a challenge hanging the kitchen cabinets since none of the walls are plumb. We drilled channels in the logs for the wiring/outlets as they were setting them to avoid having the wiring in conduit or where it was visible on the walls. The logs also catch a lot of dust/fuzz so need to be vacuumed (including the beams) periodically.

 

[alabasterjar]

I helped build and continue to maintain my in-laws log home. It is a Kuhns Bros (I think they have been purchased by another log home manufacturer) home, with kiln dried 6" x 8" "D" logs, so the issues with chinking, shrinking, etc are avoided.

As others have mentioned, they are very needy when it comes to preventative maintenance (the house, not the in-laws, lol). We have to apply sealant/stain to the exterior every 2-3 years. We haven't had problems with ants, but carpenter bees and woodpeckers are a real pain in the tail. YMMV.

My in-laws love the house; as for me? Meh, more trouble than it is worth, in my opinion. We are getting ready to break ground & are constructing an icf home with fiber cement siding...woodpecker is gonna have a BAD day at my house!

 

[Aggar]

Thank you for the input on cabins. I didn't imagine the carpenter bees would be a problem. I imagine a post and beam house might have similar issues. I like buildings from sandcreekpostandbeam.com and dcbuilding.com

 

[Aggar]

If you go timber frame, and have the time, wait about five years before finishing the interior. The frames go up green. As they dry they dry they will shrink and check. The noises range from startling to eery. Paint and trim will need to be redone after the drying process is complete. Or you are left with gaps.

make sure you have a good mechanical plan. Limited places to run mechanicals.

Structural insulated panels insulate well. They suck to side, drywall and install doors and windows in. They claim to be a whole lot more accurate in dimensions than they really are.

we used fiber cement for siding, so maintance is low. Also gives some protection from wild fire.

I talked with sandcreekpostandbeam.com and they say they kiln dry their beams. I asked about shrinkage and cracking.

 

[blacknwhite]

This past summer I built a 40x64 14ft ceiling pole barn. Insulated concrete floors. Built a 20x40 apartment inside of the pole barn. Handicap accesible. Turned out really well. Very very energy efficient and have about 50k wrapped up in the entire deal. Long term it should be low low maintenance. The 50k included a 6k septic system as well.

 

[patience0830]

The biggest issue with insurance is finding a company that will insure a log home. You can automatically cross off State Farm, Farm Bureau, Allstate, etc. They big companies don't even insure them. We ended up with Auto Owners, but there are very few to choose from. It complicated things when we told them we were heating solely with indoor wood stoves. There is a surcharge for that even though we have a regular masonry chimney that they approved.

As others have said...lots of maintenance to keep the bugs out, prevent rot, etc. I love our home, but it is far from maintenance free. It was also a challenge hanging the kitchen cabinets since none of the walls are plumb. We drilled channels in the logs for the wiring/outlets as they were setting them to avoid having the wiring in conduit or where it was visible on the walls. The logs also catch a lot of dust/fuzz so need to be vacuumed (including the beams) periodically.

State farm insures my log home with it's wood stove.

 

[patience0830]

Thank you for the input on cabins. I didn't imagine the carpenter bees would be a problem. I imagine a post and beam house might have similar issues. I like buildings from sandcreekpostandbeam.com and dcbuilding.com

Google carpenter bee traps. They work. If you catch the bees, the woodpeckers don't have any grubs to search for.
Now the pileated trying to cut a nest hole, You might have to fight with him.

 

[Aggar]

This past summer I built a 40x64 14ft ceiling pole barn. Insulated concrete floors. Built a 20x40 apartment inside of the pole barn. Handicap accesible. Turned out really well. Very very energy efficient and have about 50k wrapped up in the entire deal. Long term it should be low low maintenance. The 50k included a 6k septic system as well.

Did you put it up yourself? Have any pictures of it?

 

[Aggar]

State farm insures my log home with it's wood stove.

Do you have any pics of your home if you don't mind?

 

[blacknwhite]

The only thing we did was put the apartment up inside. Just basic framing. I'll get some photos.