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10-06-2004, 03:00 PM

In article . 24, Victoria Clare writes:
| (Nick Maclaren) wrote in
| :
|
| Boggle. Not a technology that is terribly well suited to the UK!
| But the ingredients are certainly cheap (at source).
|
| I'm not sure why log cabins are particularly unsuitable in the UK?

Damp, woodworm and wet rot. We have 4 months in almost every year
where the relative humidity is nearly 100% and the temperature is
above freezing. Without VERY effective timber treatment (CCA etc.)
and/or a VERY effective damp course, softwoods and most hardwoods
rot in short order near the ground.

All of the SURVIVING timber-framed houses have both a fairly high
stone/brick base AND are made out of expensive and durable woods
like oak heartwood.

Furthermore, until very recently, the UK had few of the straight,
narrow-trunked trees that are suitable for building log cabins.
The native trees are almost all the wrong shape, though coppiced
chestnut etc. would do.

| In Devon we have a tradition of houses that are politely described as
| 'thatched cob cottages' - if they were somewhere hotter, I reckon that
| would translate to 'grass roofed mud hut'.

Yup. I have lived in both.

| Tradition or no tradition, mud is a silly building material - a little
| neglect, and they just wash away in the rain. Compared with that, timber
| seems like quite a sensible building material.

Not really. Putting up a mud hut in central Africa or the fens
would have taken a day's work for a couple of men. So what if it
lasts only 2 years? Just build another. Cob is a lot more work,
but it is very damp-resistant.

Log cabins are a LOT more work, and so need to last correspondinly
longer.

| Up the lane from me, there is a bungalow built entirely of wood, which I
| understand is about 20 years old. I wouldn't call it a thing of beauty,
| but it seems reasonably robust.

Look at the foundations again.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

10-06-2004, 04:07 PM

(Nick Maclaren) wrote in
:

Boggle. Not a technology that is terribly well suited to the UK!
But the ingredients are certainly cheap (at source).

I'm not sure why log cabins are particularly unsuitable in the UK?

In Devon we have a tradition of houses that are politely described as
'thatched cob cottages' - if they were somewhere hotter, I reckon that
would translate to 'grass roofed mud hut'.

Tradition or no tradition, mud is a silly building material - a little
neglect, and they just wash away in the rain. Compared with that, timber
seems like quite a sensible building material.

Up the lane from me, there is a bungalow built entirely of wood, which I
understand is about 20 years old. I wouldn't call it a thing of beauty,
but it seems reasonably robust.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

10-06-2004, 05:36 PM

(Nick Maclaren) wrote in
:

Boggle. Not a technology that is terribly well suited to the UK!
But the ingredients are certainly cheap (at source).

I'm not sure why log cabins are particularly unsuitable in the UK?

In Devon we have a tradition of houses that are politely described as
'thatched cob cottages' - if they were somewhere hotter, I reckon that
would translate to 'grass roofed mud hut'.

Tradition or no tradition, mud is a silly building material - a little
neglect, and they just wash away in the rain. Compared with that, timber
seems like quite a sensible building material.

Up the lane from me, there is a bungalow built entirely of wood, which I
understand is about 20 years old. I wouldn't call it a thing of beauty,
but it seems reasonably robust.

Victoria
--
gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
--

10-06-2004, 05:39 PM

In article . 24, Victoria Clare writes:
| (Nick Maclaren) wrote in
| :
|
| Boggle. Not a technology that is terribly well suited to the UK!
| But the ingredients are certainly cheap (at source).
|
| I'm not sure why log cabins are particularly unsuitable in the UK?

Damp, woodworm and wet rot. We have 4 months in almost every year
where the relative humidity is nearly 100% and the temperature is
above freezing. Without VERY effective timber treatment (CCA etc.)
and/or a VERY effective damp course, softwoods and most hardwoods
rot in short order near the ground.

All of the SURVIVING timber-framed houses have both a fairly high
stone/brick base AND are made out of expensive and durable woods
like oak heartwood.

Furthermore, until very recently, the UK had few of the straight,
narrow-trunked trees that are suitable for building log cabins.
The native trees are almost all the wrong shape, though coppiced
chestnut etc. would do.

| In Devon we have a tradition of houses that are politely described as
| 'thatched cob cottages' - if they were somewhere hotter, I reckon that
| would translate to 'grass roofed mud hut'.

Yup. I have lived in both.

| Tradition or no tradition, mud is a silly building material - a little
| neglect, and they just wash away in the rain. Compared with that, timber
| seems like quite a sensible building material.

Not really. Putting up a mud hut in central Africa or the fens
would have taken a day's work for a couple of men. So what if it
lasts only 2 years? Just build another. Cob is a lot more work,
but it is very damp-resistant.

Log cabins are a LOT more work, and so need to last correspondinly
longer.

| Up the lane from me, there is a bungalow built entirely of wood, which I
| understand is about 20 years old. I wouldn't call it a thing of beauty,
| but it seems reasonably robust.

Look at the foundations again.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

John Langham · 18-03-2012, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duncan MacCallum

Hi,
Anyone with experience of buying log cabins online
willing to offer advice both on ease of building
and quality of product and supplier.
Ideally looking for something 3m x 3m approx.
On delivery do they tend to dump by roadside and leave you
to get on with it?

Any advice much appreciated

Cheers
--
Duncan MacCallum

I have recently purchased a 3m x 3m log cabin from
Log Cabins For Sale - UK Log Cabins From Only £995
They are based in Liverpool but delivers to me in London
I must say they where so helpfull and a real good strong cabin was supplied and fitted within a few week.

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