You might well think that building a log cabin is easy. Whilst it might be a relatively simple process to plan out the dimensions and floorplan for the cabin, but one of the most important questions that professional builders and designers have to ask themselves is what is the best type of wood to use?
You can see a range of log cabins in Northern Ireland for sale using different wood types and in a variety of sizes. Log Cabins for sale in Northern Ireland are popular options for holiday homes and second dwellings.
Back to the wood types, our ancestors found through trial and error what worked and what did not. With that in mind let’s have a look at what wood makes the best material to provide a warm and long-lasting dwelling.
The first thing that professionals look for are trees that are growing in a high altitude environment. The reason for this is while the reclamation of this wood takes longer the wood is slow growing and this creates compact and very dense logs that resist damp better than their low growing counterparts. It is not a simple case of felling a tree and carving it up. The tighter the rings of a tree, which can be viewed once the tree is felled and chopped, means that there is less likelihood of the wood cracking as it is dried. Better still, if the tree is taken in the winter time the sap level that it produces is greatly reduced due to its winter dormancy. This decrease in sap levels means that there is less chance of the log producing a mould growth which can have detrimental effects on the health of anyone living in the cabin.
There are two perfect trees for log cabins. The first is the famous Western Red Cedar that has been successfully transplanted from its native home in Canada to the UK. The beauty of the Cedar is that it retains its natural resistance to tree diseases and pests plus its hardiness against wild weather. It also has a beautiful deep red colour and keeps a wonderful natural woody smell.
The other choice is the Douglas fir. It is a very strong soft wood that is a firm favourite with anyone looking to make a log cabin. Its malleability helps the builder to construct the cabin with ease. It also has strong resistance features.