If you have been looking for log cabin floor plans, you have probably figured out that there are a few sites that sell overpriced, generic looking plans for very high prices. If you haven't found them yet, save yourself some time. There is really no reason to spend thirty of forty dollars for a few cheesy plans. You can easily get books filled with ideas and floor plans for under twenty bucks. It took me less than a minute to find these titles on Amazon, and all three of these have ratings of at least four out of five stars (two of them are 5 star books). They are all well under twenty dollars.
Log Cabin Floor Plan Books
Build Your Own Low-Cost Log Home (Garden Way Publishing Classic) |
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I don't know about you, but when I think of log cabins, Abe Lincoln comes to mind. Next, I think of a cabin that belonged to family friends that I used to visit when I was young. I can still remember the rustic feel as I sat by the fireplace. Since I was still pretty young, I also remember being just a little freaked out by the animal heads hanging on the wall, but I also found them fascinating.
Most people probably think of small log cabins when they are considering plans for their own home or cabin to use as a second home. This is probably because they are a little bit concerned with the prices involved if they go for something larger. The truth is, there are many different floor plans available and they have a very wide range of costs. If you are considering building a log cabin, you should definitely check out the books pictured above.
Tiny log cabins, as small as 320 square feet, can only accommodate one main room, a small bedroom, and a bath. Smaller cabins are popular for remote access fishing lodges, hunting camps, or overnight cabins at a lodge.
Cabin floor plans with a bedroom on the first floor and an open loft typically are 750 square feet or more. When a cabin has an open second floor there is a unique and economical way to install the flooring. Flooring of 2x6 tongue and groove is installed on top of the floor joists. The grooved side serves as the ceiling for the first floor while the upper side serves as the finished flooring of the second floor. Then the flooring only has to be stained and varnished to totally finish the upper level.
For every home constructed the first step is to browse through log cabin floor plans. The majority of small cabins are less than 1,000 square feet. In 1,000 square feet there is not a whole lot of room, but with special planning these cabins can be just right for a weekend get away, guest cabin, or for a retired couple who prefer to not clean a large house.
Most lofts in cabins are half lofts. This allows the loft to be open to below and still give the great room a high cathedral ceiling. To gain a bedroom on the second floor as well as an open loft, the loft can be extended to cover three quarters of the second level instead of only half. This makes the area that is open to below much smaller but also maximizes the square footage of the cabin. Having an open loft of some size is important to retaining the ‘cabin feel’.
To maximize the dollar spent on a cabin and to gain the most benefit from it, the home owner benefits by selecting small log cabin plans that are just under 1,000 square feet. Cabins in that square footage allow for a roomy main living area, nice size first floor master bedroom, and an open loft.
When choosing log cabin floor plans it is useful to have several to choose from. Plan books and other sources for floor plans have many to browse through in that square footage. When choosing to build a small cabin the homeowner must accept that there is only so much "Home" that can be squeezed into that area.
If evaluating cost per square foot it is more expensive to build a smaller cabin than a large one. The reason for this is that there is less square footage across which to spread the building costs. All log homes need four solid log walls, a bathroom, kitchen, well, septic, and heat system. So smaller does not always mean a home will be less expensive. It is best to be willing to compare building costs of a smaller home and a larger one is the best way to maximize someone building budget. Then the optimum log cabin floor plan can be chosen for your budget and building site specifics.
