Just like many kids growing up in the US, I too dreamt of having my own log house, but I couldn’t realize that dream in my childhood. However, I didn’t give up on my dream and waited for the right time to have my own log cabin/house. Now, I have one and it’s just beautiful. I have no words to explain as to how much fun it is to live in a log cabin. If you too are fond of such cabins, then you can make your dream come true by getting the best log cabin kit. To get your hands on the best cabin kit, you can take help of the best log cabin kits reviews by consumer reports that I’ve laid out for you in the section below. I’ve reviewed five top products, so your job now is to read the reviews thoroughly and identify the log cabin kit that is most suited for your requirements.
Reviews Of 5 best Log Cabin Kits
1. Allwood Eagle Vista Cabin Kit
Get this log cabin kit if your aim is to build a cabin of around 150 square yard or 1336 square feet. The beautiful T&G pattern on the wall looks stunning, plus the 70 mm thick walls ensure protection against all sorts of elements that lurk around outside. When it comes to the thickness of the floorboards and roof boards, then those are 23 inches and 32 inches respectively. The kit contains a sloped roof with an angle of 11 degrees, which won’t let the water and/or ice settle on the roof.
The sidewalls can easily withstand winds of up to 120 mph speed; however, you can buy the upgraded version of the kit that has walls of 3-5/8-inch thickness, which can easily withstand winds blowing at 140 mph. The snow load capacity of this particular log cabin kit is around 46 pounds per square foot, whereas, upgraded models can easily hold 70 pounds per square feet and 96 pounds per square feet of snow.
2. Allwood Estelle Cabin Kit, Garden House
Another reliable log cabin kit coming from the house of Allwood. What makes this cabin kit impressive is its divided space layout, which is something that you will not get in any other log cabin kit. The log cabin kit features a T&G wind block pattern on the walls that are 40 mm thick. The kit contains tilt & turn windows with measurements 50 ¾ inch x 39-inch. The overall height of the cabin is 7 feet 10 inches, whereas that of the walls is 6 feet 9 inches.
The interior of the cabin is different from many log cabins, as it consists of two sections that are separated by a wall. Being a multipurpose cabin, it can be used for several purposes such as your home office, guesthouse, lake or beach cottage and so on. Moreover, the company is offering 5 years limited warranty on the product, so if anything happens to the product; you can get it easily repaired or replaced.
3. Allwood Eagle Point Cabin Kit
If you think, you have seen all types of log cabin kits, then just hold on, check out Allwood Eagle Point Cabin Kit, which is an 1108 square feet that are divided into 712 square feet for the downstairs area whereas 396 square feet for upstairs area. This kit will create more than a cabin because when you get 3 bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and living space, then that’s called a house where you can live for many years.
Just like previous models, the walls of the cabin are 2 ¾-inch thick and sports dual T&G pattern, which looks beautiful. Moreover, the wind load capacity of the cabin is around 120 mph and snow load capacity is around 46 pounds per square feet. There is an upgraded version as well, which can withstand winds at higher speeds and more snow. The ridge height is going to be 15 feet and 11 inches whereas the ceiling floor area would be around 235 square feet.
4. Allwood Avalon Cabin Kit
Allwood is ruling the market when it comes to log cabin kits. Allwood Avalon is another log cabin kit, which comes with all the material that you need to create a spacious and dependable place to live. Once created, the cabin will look more like a house with a single bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, a large living room, and a decent dining room. In the kit, you will receive T&G floorboards, which will be 1-1/8 inches thick, roof boards, which will be a ¾ inch thick and a roof pitch that with an 18-degree slope.
You will get all the handles, fixings, door locks, nails and screws within the kit, so no need to buy anything extra. The walls of the cabin are 2-3/4 inches thick and can easily withstand winds blowing at the speed of 120 mph. As far as the snow load capacity of the cabin is concerned, then that is the same as you will get in other models, i.e., 46 pounds per square feet. However, you can increase the wind withstanding the power and ability to handle more snow by opting for an upgraded version.
5. Allwood Arlanda Garden House Kit
This is one of the best cheap log cabin kits and there is the reason for it. The size of this log cabin kit is smaller than other kits that I’ve reviewed. However, that is because of its varied application. If you are looking to have a small home office, then this cabin is ideal for you. It has got 146 square feet of inside floor area, which is suitable for having a large desk, couple of branded sofas, table and a few other things.
The contemporary urban style of the cabin is very intriguing, and you are going to love it. The cabin perfectly blends in with the environments where classic style cabins look a bit awkward. The kit includes large windows as well, which not just add to the beauty of the cabin, but allow lots of natural light to come inside and illuminate the cabin. As far as the assembling of this cabin is concerned, that can be done quite easily and you don’t require anybody’s help as well.
What Are Log Cabin Kits
If you have been hearing a lot about log cabin kits, yet don’t know what they are, then don’t worry. Today, I’m going to enlighten you about these kits in detail along with explaining the things that you need to keep in mind before buying one. A log home kit is used to make a log cabin, so it will have all the vital materials that will come into use for making a log cabin. Generally, a log cabin kit will include:
- Log Walls.
- Doors & Windows.
- Roofing.
- Flooring.
Where first three materials are surely going to be there in the kit, then the fourth one, i.e., flooring is sometimes present, sometimes not, so you will have to check the items included in the kit before making the final purchase. The benefit of buying a log cabin kit is to erect a log cabin in a matter of an hour or so. You don’t have to begin from scratch, therefore, you can save a lot of your precious time and money.
Handcrafted Vs. Milled Log Homes
When it comes to customizing your log home, you will come across a multitude of options.
A milled kit is the one where all the logs are processed in a machine with a lathe to the exact same specs. There won’t be any difference in the shape, circumference, and diameter of the logs. With every log being identical to each other, the cabin will have a neat and uniform appearance, thus needing less chinking, which is a special material that is used for creating a seal between joints of the logs. There are two types of chinking available, a traditional one, which is made of cement and lime, and the modern one, which constitutes a synthetic sealant.
Handcrafted Log Cabin Kit
In this kit, all the logs and peeled and notched or scribed by hand with the help of a chisel, chainsaw, and drawknife. The imperfection in the processing of logs gives cabins a rustic and traditional look along with preserving the natural characteristics of the logs. When it comes to expenses, a handcrafted kit will be more expensive than a milled log cabin kit because of the labor-intensive work that is involved.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Buying A Log Cabin Kit
A log cabin kit will not be easy on the pocketbook, so make sure that you know the product you are about to invest thousands of dollars in.
Types of Lumber & Log Profiles
In the US, the source of acquiring lumber is the local environment and that’s where manufacturers get it from. So, the most common lumber that you will be seeing in the US is:
- Cypress.
- Pine (Red, White & Yellow).
- Spruce.
- White Cedar.
If you don’t know which out of these is a premium log, then let me tell you. It’s the ‘Cedar’, which has the highest quality and price. This log will cost 12,000-15,000 more than a softwood alternative. But, why Cedar is at the top? Well, it’s the ability of this lumber to withstand harsh weather conditions is what makes it so popular and expensive. Log profile is the term used to define the finishing of the log. At present, the lumber industry makes use of four types of log profiles, which are as follows:
- Square Log.
- Half-Log.
- Round Log.
- D-Log.
Out of these four log profiles, D-Log is the one that is most commonly used. The type of log profile you are using is going to affect the energy efficiency of your log cabin, so make sure it is high on quality and efficiency.
Drying Logs: Air Dried Vs. Kiln Dried
All the aforementioned types of lumber undergo felling and harvesting process after which, they are left to dry. Drying is an important part because if the log is not dry, then it is susceptible to warping, settling and bowing. If you use green logs, which are referred to as ‘Wet logs’, then those will have high moisture content, which is not great for creating cabins.
Air Dried
When the log is harvested and spacers are kept between each log, they are left to dry in sunlight and wind for a few months to at times, years.
Kiln Dried
In this process, the logs are air dried at first, but when the moisture in the logs are left to just 25-30 percent, then they are moved into a kiln, which is nothing, but a large oven that accelerates the drying process and reduces the moisture content from the logs. This type of drying is expensive than kiln drying, so you need to make a decision as to which type of logs are you interested in. The only thing that you need to ensure is that the moisture in the logs should be not more than 10 percent or else, the logs won’t last for too long.
Engineering Plans: Stamped Vs. Non-Stamped
You will receive construction plans, materials checklist, and a cut-sheet from the manufacturer at the time of purchase. If you are buying a product from a premium manufacturer, then you will get stamped blueprints. Local municipals need these stamped blueprints as part of building codes so that structural engineers can diligently take a look at your log cabin. To find as to what is the rate of stamped engineering plans, you need to search for ‘log cabin kits near me’ because only then, you will be able to understand the entire process in detail.
Wrapping Up
Buying the best log cabin kit is not an easy task simply because there is too much money involved in the process. If you are looking to buy one for the very first time, then it will be better for you to go through the best log cabin kits reviews by consumer reports, which comprises of five top products from the niche. Check out the reviews, zero-in on the log cabin kit that you think would suit your interest and go ahead with the purchase.
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