Stories in Timber: Inside the Ward Cedar Log Homes Blog

Welcome to Our Log Home Blog

Discover ideas, stories, and expert advice on building and enjoying your log home. Our log home blog brings together design inspiration, building guidance, and homeowner tips to help you make confident decisions at every stage of your journey. Whether you are planning a new build or updating your current home, this blog provides trusted insights from the Ward Cedar Log Homes team so you can make the most of log home living.

Partially built cedar log home in forest setting

The Benefits of Cedar for Log Homes

When someone asks us why we use cedar, the answer is simple: because it works. Not just for a few years. Not just for looks. It works long-term. It holds up. And we’ve got over 100 years of homes that show it. Still, we get this question a lot: Why cedar over pine or another wood? Here’s what we tell folks.

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Wooden log cabin with stone chimney surrounded by trees.

Cedar vs. Pine

  • Ward Insights
You're looking at log homes, and you keep seeing two names: Cedar and pine. Maybe you've noticed cedar costs more. Maybe someone told you pine is "just as good". Or maybe you're wondering if the difference even matters once the
Smiling couple sitting on a wooden porch swing of a log cabin.

Log Home Planning Budget Priorities

  • Design & Plans, Ward Insights
When planning a log home, the first step is not choosing a floor plan. It is getting clear on what you want, what you can spend, and how you want to live. Once you have that, the rest of the
Construction site with foundation and cleared land

Hidden Costs of Building a Log Home

  • Ward Insights
Building your own log home is exciting. You get to decide how it looks and how it flows/works. Along the way, you will find there is more to the budget than the log home package itself. That is normal. The
Partially built log home with exposed wooden beams

How Long Does it Take to Build a Log Home?

  • Construction
The short answer is that most homeowners can expect 8 to 14 months from project kickoff. From the day your log home package is delivered to the day you move in; a typical build will take about 5 to 9
Partially built cedar log home in forest setting

The Benefits of Cedar for Log Homes

  • Ward Insights
When someone asks us why we use cedar, the answer is simple: because it works. Not just for a few years. Not just for looks. It works long-term. It holds up. And we've got over 100 years of homes that
Small log cabin with green roof in forest

What Is a Log Cabin Kit

  • Ward Insights
A log cabin kit is a pre-cut and packaged set of materials used to build a log home. It includes the components you need to assemble the structure, such as the logs, framing materials, and building plans, all delivered to

How Long Does it Take to Build a Log Home?

Partially built log home with exposed wooden beams
  • The short answer is that most homeowners can expect 8 to 14 months from project kickoff. From the day your log home package is delivered to the day you move in; a typical build will take about 5 to 9 months.
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The Benefits of Cedar for Log Homes

Partially built cedar log home in forest setting
  • When someone asks us why we use cedar, the answer is simple: because it works. Not just for a few years. Not just for looks. It works long-term. It holds up. And we’ve got over 100 years of homes that show it. Still, we get this question a lot: Why cedar over pine or another wood? Here’s what we tell folks.
Continue Reading

What Is a Log Cabin Kit

Small log cabin with green roof in forest
  • A log cabin kit is a pre-cut and packaged set of materials used to build a log home. It includes the components you need to assemble the structure, such as the logs, framing materials, and building plans, all delivered to your building site. Let's dive in to see what's included and what is not included with your kit. 
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Flooring Options for Your Log Home

Log home bedroom with wooden bed and hardwood floor
  • Flooring is one of those choices that affects your log home every day. It’s not just about how it looks in a photo; it’s about how it stands up to everyday life. We’re talking about wet boots, muddy paws, dropped pans, and the constant of people coming and going. If you are building a new log home or renovating your log cabin, you want something that holds up without losing its beauty. We will go over some of the most popular and practical flooring options for busy areas in the home.
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Open vs Closed Kitchens

Spacious log home kitchen with wooden beams and island
  • Open vs. Closed Kitchens: Pros and Cons When you’re designing your dream home, the kitchen isn’t just another room, it’s the heart of it. And one of the biggest decisions you’ll make early on is whether to go with an open or closed kitchen layout. It’s a choice that affects how you cook, entertain, and live every day. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Let’s walk through the pros and cons of both styles to help you figure out what fits your lifestyle best.
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How to Design Your Dream Log Home

Partially built log home with wooden beams and trees
  • Building a log home isn’t something you do on a whim. Most people come to us with an idea that’s been sitting in the back of their mind for years, sometimes decades. You picture the front porch. The big windows. A warm fire on a cold night. You know the feeling you’re after. What’s harder is knowing how to get there. That’s where design comes in. Designing your home isn’t about having all the answers upfront. It’s about taking what you do know, how you live, what you value, and shaping the space around it. Here’s how we recommend starting that process.
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Home Building Checklist

Partially built log home surrounded by trees
  • There’s nothing quite like building your own log home. The chance to choose every detail, from the layout to the lighting, makes it feel completely personal. But before the first log is delivered or the foundation is poured, there’s a lot to think through. At Ward Cedar Log Homes, we’ve worked with homeowners for over a century, and we’ve learned that a bit of planning goes a long way. Here’s a practical checklist to help you feel more confident and prepared as you begin your home-building journey.
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Why Choose Cedar For Your Log Cabin

Flatbed truck carrying stacked cedar logs under blue sky
  • Building a log cabin or home is more than just an investment of time and money, it’s an investment into your family’s future. You want a home that is built to last, and that’s why the wood you choose matters. You’ll find many companies who build with pine, spruce or oak, but we believe that our northern white cedar logs stand above the rest.
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How to Choose the Right Log Cabin Floor Plan

Log cabin with large windows by a lake in autumn
  • Looking through log cabin floor plans can feel a little like scrolling through a dream catalog. So many options. So many beautiful layouts. And it’s easy to get caught up in what looks great on paper without considering how it fits into your everyday life. At Ward Cedar Log Homes, we’ve helped thousands of homeowners sort through choices and land on a floor plan that’s not just beautiful, but practical, personal, and built around how they live. Here's how to think it through.
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Cedar log home with stone foundation and large windows featured on the cover of the Ward Planning Guide.

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