Thinking about using log siding on the lake house. I searched but didn't find any discussions on log siding, just the home in the gallery with no contact info.
Thoughts on log siding?
Log siding is an expensive way to go. If you're hoping to truly create the appearance of a log cabin, you may want to look at "hand-hewn" log siding, but that is more expensive still. In my opinion, most log siding is too uniform in appearance.
Also, consider how you will treat the corners and the interior. At least company makes fake "notched" corner pieces, as well as butt-and-pass" ones. Going along with the SIPS idea, I saw some log siding made out of rigid foam, covered by a thin skin of wood. They claimed a significant insulation boost. I'll try to find the link.
Like with any type of wood siding, there is a tremendous amount of maintenance. I used cedar, which has some natural protection, but pine log siding I would guess would need several coats of something over the first couple of years? Something to think about.
I agree with Pritch, log siding tends to be too uniform, but it depends on what look you're going for.
There is a build on this forum of a small (12x12 I think) cabin where they used cedar cull from a mill. If I remember correctly, they got it for free. It kind of looks like logs and is certainly rustic and cheap.
Someone will come along and provide a link for it, I'm sure.
Also, I think it was Don_P who described distressing some T&G lumber for siding, again if I recall correctly.
We are using log siding on our 12x16 house.
Menards had a pretty good sale a while back and we decided to get it. I think the total was about $1200 to do the whole house.
The "hand hewn", and the pre-finished stuff was WAY more money.
The fake notched corners and the thick trim would of cost more than the siding. I decided to use plain old 2x4 for the trim, seems to match pretty well IMO.
I agree that it doesn't look nearly as good as real log construction, but in a place like Nebraska it's about as good as gets, unless you have really deep pockets and want to truck in logs from somewhere. :o
Here is a pic of the not quite completed house. It all has one coat of sealer on it, and the some of the trim still needs finished.
(https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v682/adbeavers/House/PB220035.jpg)
I think that is a nice looking little cabin! :D
The corners don't bother me at all - it is what it is - log siding not solid log walls.
I like that too; much like what one of neighbors did.
The cabin does look great! On my milled redwood log cabin, it does have the interlocking corners. My cabin was completely wracked and sagging about 13" in one corner, the entire structure looked as if were going to fall...we used temp walls to support the trusses inside and wrapped the cap beams with rachet type tie downs and simpley pulled the entire top of the cabin back 4 to 5 inches, this of course after building a new pier/post type frame underneath (mine is on stilts). It all popped back together straight as an arrow, pretty much like lincoln logs. This redwood is very tight grain and had not had ANY form of treatment/stain/protectant in over 40 years, yet the reddwood was undamaged (we dot not get severe weather). Someone up near us tried to replicate the redwood but was unavailable/too expensive, so they had pine logs milled and it turned out great!
I ordered 100, 16 foot pine log siding boards from a big box store for my cabin, cost around 1500$ delivered.
I did not think this was bad, vinyl siding was gonna be close to that cost anyways.
Rocking23nf, that sounds great! Is there a brand name or what did they call the logs? I'm interested in constructing an out building and that sounds like a find. Please post any info you have on the log source! Thanks!
ill see if I can find out any info, but they look exactly like the ones in the picture posted above, they are pine, and they actually take stain quite well.
I ordered them through Rona in Edmonton, Alberta, I believe they came from a company in BC.