6 Log Home Design Software Options (Free and Paid)

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The oldest surviving log home in America was built sometime in the 17th century while the first ones were built a century earlier. Fast forward to today, many homeowners still remain captivated by the log home’s rustic charm.

In order to come up with the very specific design ideas, we create most designs with the assistance of state-of-the-art AI interior design software.

It may not just be the aesthetic, though. Log homes are believed to be environmentally friendly and typically 30% more energy-efficient than conventional homes.

That’s great news if you’re planning of building your own log home. Another way to cut unnecessary costs is finding the right design software before embarking on the construction process. Check out the list below for some log home design software options.

1. Custom Log Home Design Tool

Custom Log Home Design Tool, also known as Southland’s DesignWorks™, is a free online software from Southland Log Homes. The company designs and manufactures log homes aside from offering the free design tool in order to provide free quotation of the desired log home.

In order to use the design tool, the user is required to create an account with them for free. This will provide access to hundreds of plans, use of custom design tool, pricing estimator, downloadable design album, a schedule for design consultation at no cost and notification of new designs/special offers.

The software has no tutorial or demo video but it’s unnecessary since it’s just a matter of clicking and dragging, moving the walls and inserting doors and windows.

Features

Free online software
Has pre-built customizable log home design plans
Personalized quote of the dream log home

Pros

Free
Easy to use

Cons

Could use 3D rendering

Screenshots:

Custom Log Home Design Tool Interior Walls

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2. K3-Cottage Log House Design Software

K3-Cottage Log House Design Software is a paid Russian CAD/CAM software intended for log house designers and architects. It’s intended for professional use so the designer looks intimidating and complex especially for someone without a CAD background.

It offers a free trial version for 14 days with instructions on the website on how to avail of the free trial.

In order to purchase the software outside Moscow, payment is sent via international money transfer with free shipping anywhere in the world. The package includes one year of free updates to new versions. Beyond that, the user will have to pay 12% of the cost of the software.

Features

Detailed 3D model
Russian and English interface
Automatically generates full documentation for Manufacture and Assemblage. Documentation includes specification sheet, floor plans, elevations, cross sections, developed views, and detailed drawings
30 types of reports and drawings
More than 10 types of log joints
Adjust dimensions
K-3 Cottage 7.4 Full Commercial Package costs € 2850. It includes the design of log/timber houses and structures, log cutting optimization module and ArchiCAD import/export module.
Another option is a monthly subscription for € 100. It includes the same features of the Full Commercial Package and requires an internet connection.
Runs on Windows OS

Pros

User-friendly interface for those with CAD background
Detail-oriented
Realistic 3D rendering

Cons

Need CAD background to appreciate the designer tool

Screenshots/Video:

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K3-Cottage Log House Design Software Walls

K3-Cottage Log House Design Software Demo Video

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Click here for K3-Cottage Log House Design Software

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3. Visual Building Premium

Visual Building Premium is a paid CAD design and visualization tool from Visual Building. It’s described as the brand’s top of the range software among its line of products. It’s also the recommended design tool for creating log home designs because the software enables 2D drawings to be exported to other CAD applications.

Users can take advantage of a free trial version by registering an account with them and following the download instructions on the website.

The software is intended both for DIYers and professionals so having a CAD experience will be helpful but not necessary. You can go through its massive list of video tutorials and instructional manuals which are really helpful for getting you started. It won’t get you up to speed, though, since getting familiar and comfortable with the interface will most likely take up your time.

Features

Professional plans
3D render and modeling tools
3D/2D cross Section/Elevation Views
Import and export 2D DXF/DWG drawings
Costs £150
Runs on Windows; will run on Mac using Bootcamp or Parallels running Windows 7 or higher

Pros

Plenty of video tutorials and instructional manual
Great 3D models

Cons

Takes time to learn

Screenshots/Video:

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Visual Building Premium Tutorial Video

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4. Home Designer Suite

Home Designer Suite is a middle-of-the-line of the many software products by Chief Architect. It updates with a new version each year and can be downloaded from the website.

As a 3D home design software for DIY home enthusiasts, it tries to replicate the processes and considerations taken by professionals when it comes to home planning. When done right, the result can be comparable to professional work. Although it should be great news for the novice and simple DIYers with no CAD backgrounds, this also comes with its own downsides.

Getting to grips with the tools, buttons, and controls take time. Don’t expect to primary the program overnight and certainly not in an hour.

Once you’re already starting your log home project, the program won’t allow you to just go on a roll and create right away. To start with a new plan, you’ll first have to deal with the House Builder Wizard which would ask you numerous questions about important details such as the style of the house, minimum square footage, framing defaults, exterior siding, etc. This software certainly demands patience to be a virtue.

The difference with Home Designer Suite from other design software is it doesn’t start with a drawing or a sketch but with a wall that’s built one at a time.

So to create a log home, go to the Build drop-down menu, Wall and Straight Exterior Wall. There’s a detailed instruction to go about it posted on its website.

Features

2D and 3D designs with automatic 3D rendering
Automated tools
Built-in style templates and 6,000+ library items
Extensive landscaping tools
Cost estimator
Virtual 3D tour
3D viewer app
Rotate symbols in 3D
Home Designer Suite 2019 costs USD $99 with a 30-day refund warranty
Compatible with MAC and PC
Save designs to the Cloud

Pros

Sophisticated features
Professional-quality CAD tools

Cons

Amount of tools can be overwhelming
Entails a learning curve
Limited to only one computer at a time

Screenshots/Video:

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Home Designer Suite Demo Video

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Click here for Home Designer Suite

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5. Sweet Home 3D

Sweet Home 3D is a totally free software which you may download straight from its website or use online. There’s a donation link on the website but users are not obliged to pay and the only time you have to create an account with them is when you want to save your online creation.

First off, the controls can be a bit complex and the navigation tools not as intuitive as other design software. It would help if the tools are labeled clearly and indicate their functions but then working with Sweet Home 3D is almost like working with programs such as PowerPoint.

After about an hour or so of tinkering, you’d find it’s pretty easy to get to grips with. It’s mostly a click and drag method, there are helpful pop-ups that offer useful tips and it’s easy to get a sense of what you’re doing with the split mode view.

To start the floor plan, click and drag with the desired dimensions. Then click on the create walls button, click to start of the wall and double click at the end of the wall. Same goes for the floor.

To add the door, go to the Doors and Windows library and click and drag to the floor plan with your chosen door type. It’s almost the same process as everything else.

As free software, it has plenty of features and functionalities. You can import your own blueprint and images and add to its already vast library. And the coolest thing about it is you can customize the walls, floors, roofs and furniture pieces for a more true-to-life feel.

Features

Free software which may be downloaded or used online via Java-supported browser
Work on a split mode
Set precise measurements
Extensive and searchable catalog of objects and design preferences (color, size, thickness, etc.) organized by categories
Automatic 3D rendering
Custom light settings for photorealistic images and videos
Allows import of home blueprints. Supports formats BMP, GIF, JPG and PNG
Print and export data, images, videos and 3D files to various standard file formats
Allows additional Java plugins
Create video walkthrough of the result and share it on Facebook
Sunlight function to show how the room/house will look at a particular time of the day or night
Runs under Windows, Mac OS X 10.4 to 10.13, Linux and Solaris
Available in English, French and 23 other languages

Pros

Vast selection for design preferences
Easy to use with click and drag method
Helpful pop-ups that provide useful tips

Cons

No app version
Navigation tools are not intuitive
The free downloaded software doesn’t have built-in features for sharing on social media
Limited choices for furniture and types of doors and windows

Screenshots/Video:

Sweet Home 3D Video Tutorial

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Click here for Sweet Home 3D

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6. SketchUp

SketchUp is a 3D modeling software used for various drawing applications such as interior design, architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, film, and video game design. It allows you to build almost anything from scratch and be as meticulous as possible.

The free software is called SketchUp Make and can be downloaded from the website. The paid version is called SketchUp Pro and is used by many professional architects.

Unlike many design software, users in SketchUp start with working in 3D. Another difference with SketchUp is it allows you to build everything and anything from scratch.

This means there’s plenty of room for you to get wild and creative as you customize and add details. On the other hand, this can also mean that working with SketchUp can be complex.

Its user interface may be daunting at first but it’s actually pretty simple. The most commonly used tool is the pencil tool and push and pull tools. So the technique is mostly drawing then push and pull. That’s how most of the 3D models are created.

This makes it easy to learn even for those with no CAD backgrounds. Within an hour, you’ll find yourself creating shapes and house models.

With SketchUp, you start off by drawing an arbitrary rectangle. You push and pull, input the desired dimensions and create a floorboard.

To backtrack a little, working with SketchUp can be complex but that’s because it allows you to create a 3D replica of the real thing. It’s no wonder professional architects use this software.

Features

2D models
3D models
Its 3D Warehouse library of free 3D models is the world’s biggest
Lighting effects
Textures
Layer manager
Add model view, drawing scales, line weights, dimensions, callouts, and graphics
Animation
Precise dimensions
Export to PDFs, images and CAD files
Autosave and manually save in Sketchup format
Import JPEGs, CAD plans, PDFs and other file types
Works under Windows and MAC OS
Available in 10 languages