Log Cabin

For anyone looking to build a vacation home or perhaps an investment property, a log cabin is a great way to go. They generally affordable to build and maintain, and they can provide a great sense of closeness to the great outdoors that so many of us need to recharge after weeks in the office and dealing with the everyday stresses of life. If building a log cabin has been a dream of yours for a while, it might be time for you to sit down and make real considerations to get started. If starting from scratch is outside the margins of your budget, you can find great starter cabins for very low prices and remodel as you go, using a monthly or quarterly budget to attack various projects in order of priority.

If you are in the market for a log cabin, consider the following for your remodel efforts:

Finish and stain: Anyone who has put anything made of wood outside without a stain finish knows why wood finish is important. Unfinished wood that isn’t stained is subject to the elements, which are generally harsher in the locales where cabins are found. Not only can rain and snow cause wood rot; the sun can fade wood, making it pale and lifeless. Staining the wood with a finish that can handle the elements is an absolute necessity when building or remodeling a cabin. Stain the exterior walls, the knotty doors, the garage door (if there is one) and the roof (unless it is thatched). Make sure no piece of wood goes unprotected. You may have to apply up to eight coats for stain and finish to be effective, but it’s going to be much more costly to have someone come out to fix your roof, garage, and exterior doors when you choose not to take this step.

Build a deck: There are certain things essential to building cabins, and while a deck might not be one of those core essentials for any cabin, it might be essential to your cabin: if it’s going to make you and your family happy, then do it. A deck can enhance your living or vacation experience, providing a place for you to sit, relax, have a glass of wine, barbeque, or view wildlife. A deck can also enhance your resale value and will look more attractive pitted against other rental cabins without decks, which never hurts.

Use knotty doors: Knotty wood doors are nothing if not the epitome of the cabin style home. Made of knotted and sometimes twisted wood, knotty doors are the perfect accessories to give your cabin a rustic appeal. They blend in nicely, making your cabin look perfectly at home in the wilderness. Knotty doors are also incredibly resilient—they will help keep the elements on the outside where they belong.

Ensure everything is sealed: Knotty doors will protect the entryways to your house, but they are certainly not the only things needed to keep your house safe. Because cabins are often in the middle of nowhere, they are subject to invasion by raccoons, bears, wildcats, mice, and all kinds of spiders and insects. The best way to keep your house safe is to keep everything sealed, including windows, garage doors, hot tubs, and trash bins.

Use stone, authentic or otherwise: Knotty doors aren’t the only home accents that will enhance the look of your cabin—stone is a great way to add character to both the interior and exterior of your log home. Whether you are using it for a walkway, for your fireplace, or to accent some other facet of the home, the stone is a great way to give your cabin a beautiful, complete look. Stone can be expensive depending on the type, where you are, and current market values. If your personal budget doesn’t allow for the “real thing,” faux stone offers all the same beautiful presence at a much lower cost—most people can’t even tell the difference.

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ETO Doors