Log cabins are perhaps the most reminiscent of the frontier, out of all the other possibilities for a ‘specialty’ home. The thought of them brings to mind concepts of fireplaces, wilderness, and many more comforts of a traditional land. And although it would seem a flight of fancy, these homes are more practical in today’s world than society thinks. Log cabins are preferable to conventional homes because of their sound construction, lower building costs, and simplified opportunity to personalize these homes.
The aforementioned homes are built of solid wood, creating a very high integrity of construction. Logs, the corpses of trees, are the body of a log cabin. As is easily visible, they are built to withstand large forces due to wind, rain, and snow. Not even the wrath of hail and thunder does any significant damage. Plus, the sound proof nature of the thick wood allows for enhanced privacy. And the energy usage goes down, since wood is a natural insulator.
A home with such simple construction tends to have a lower cost of construction than other types of homes. Often, the home can be built without much professional assistance, only requiring a little know-how. This means the owner can do most of the building. Additionally, the construction time is quicker in comparison to conventional housing. This phenomenon can be attributed to the fewer number of types of materials.
Log cabins are easier to modify than conventional homes. Actually, most major changes can be made with a chainsaw. And pictures aren’t restricted to a studded part of the wall. The house is made of studless walls. And if a builder has enough skill, it is apparent throughout the house, it being made of wood with minimal alteration.
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For nearly twelve hours, we sat in a dark bathroom, the only light coming from a dim candle. The house groaned and creaked around us. Debris struck the roof, causing me to wince in fear. The howl of the wind was deafening, making me press in closer to my dad for comfort. I was five years old. Hurricane Katrina had made landfall near New Orleans. In a disturbing turn of events, our car broke down as we were evacuating; we had no choice but to wait out the storm. Even now, 13 years later, as I think about that night, I feel the horrified, hopelessness of a 5-year-old who believed he was going to die. Surviving Hurricane Katrina made me who I am today because it taught my parents valuable lessons they passed on to me: Don’t be afraid of the hard stuff. Life is short. Life isn’t all about me.
