Log Cabin Style House Plans

Our collection of log house plans features some of the most luxurious designs on our site, as well as some of the simplest. The versatility of the open floor plans associated with most log home plans is paramount. These homes let you live how you want, and in style.

Log houses originally came from the Swedes. The ease of construction and use of often highly available logs made them a popular choice along the frontier of America. Remote mountain men and settlers are often depicted in these timber retreats, which has only added to their romantic luster. However, the high use of resources, popularity of other styles, and more advanced building techniques kept the log home out of the mainstream.

Today, log house plans as a specialty style have become extremely diverse and prone to luxuries. We offer plans that are luxurious and plain, large and small. Whether you're building that dream vacation home near your favorite resort, or the humble homestead perched on ten acres, you'll find the best log home plans here!

History and Use of Log Cabins

Log cabins have been regarded as symbols of American pioneer independence on the frontier. Famed figures from history such as Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson were reputed to have been born in log cabins. Cutting through the romantic aura surrounding the log cabin reveals the harsh realities of the true purpose of the cabin - to act as a barrier against the elements. The rustic construction of the log cabin proves to be practical in every facet to help the builder survive in the wilderness. The truth behind the real history of the log cabin is just as fascinating and romantic as the tall tales spun around it.

The origins of the log cabin come from the forests of northern Europe where the evergreen trees offered a ready source of building materials. When these Europeans began to emigrate to the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries, they brought their heritage of cabin building with them. Log cabins offered protection against the harshest of winters due to their sturdy construction. No nails were used; instead, the logs were fitted together with notches and stacked on top of each other. Wood chips, mud, and sticks were used to fill in the gaps between the logs. The thick tree trunks when properly sealed with mud would provide adequate insulation during the freezing winters.

Difficulties in cutting the many logs needed led to simplistic log cabin house plans. Most cabins had just one large room measuring 10 feet wide by 15 to 20 feet long. This main room served as the kitchen, dining room, adult's bedroom, and living room. Sleeping quarters for children were located in a loft above, accessible via a ladder into the great room. The loft also served as a storage area.

To protect the cabin against collapse in a snowy climate, the roof was angled. This pitched roof had two slopes sides which would prevent snow from piling up on top. The pitched roof also allowed for a loft space inside the cabin where children slept and extra goods were stored.

Many log cabins were build in areas with cold climates. As a result, it was often difficult to keep the interior warm during the winter. A fire would burn constantly in the fireplace. In addition to the mud filling in the gaps in the logs to protect against the wind, other openings would have to be kept to a minimum. For this reason, most early log cabins were constructed with a single window covered in oiled cloth. The majority of light and warmth came from the fire inside the cabin, but having more windows would result in heat loss through the gaps around the window.

The harsh realities of life on the frontier for the immigrants from northern Europe led them to continue in their tradition of building log cabins which had protected them well in the frigid winters of their homeland. Every aspect of building a log cabin was for a practical reason, and the fact that many were able to eek out a living from the frontier in their log cabins is the true story of bravery on the American frontier.