Log Homes Journal

From planning to construction to residence, log homes are well known for their eco-friendliness. One of the main reasons for choosing log homes for being environmentally responsible is that they are constructed from naturally renewable resources. As the logs are cut down for the construction of these eco-friendly homes, they are quickly re-planted to have a steady reserve of trees and hence the environment is not damaged by any means. Starting from the eco-friendliness of the construction material (logs) of these log homes, there are countless numbers of other eco-friendly factors associated with these homes. We have explained a few of the eco-friendly features of a log homes here.

1. Energy Conservation while constructing

Unlike the conventional materials used in the construction of traditional homes, these eco-friendly homes make use of the naturally available logs for the construction. The manufacturing process of the construction materials is eliminated. This saves the energy consumed in the manufacture of conventional construction materials like steel, concrete etc. The transportation of the logs to the construction site is very easy too. Moreover, these log homes require very less maintenance, as they can protect themselves from insect infections and the natural disasters.

2. 40% less Co2 Emissions

Co2 emissions are the major problem associated with the construction of conventional homes. These Co2 emissions are the root causes of Global warming. The log homes are the seeds of the solution for this problem. According to various researches, log homes have 40% less Co2 emissions when compared to the conventional homes. The log home leaves only a negligible amount of carbon footprint.

3. Huge energy savings

Conservation of non-renewable energy sources is the main factor that has to be considered today. Various technologies like the use of solar panels are in practice today to save the Earth from ending up in energy crisis. A properly constructed log home will be much more energy efficient than the conventional homes. The log homes can adjust to the climatic conditions without the need of any air conditioning device. Various statistics indicate that this climate controlling property makes the log homes use 20-30% money to be spent on electricity bills.

The Constructing log homes

Constructing a log home is a wise investment when considering the savings that one can make in a long run. There are not many resources in the Internet to check the pricing and different plans of the log homes. However, some of the log home builders provide the valuable resources about the log home plans, and cost analysis of constructing a log home. For example, the log home constructors of Pittsburgh, “Mountain Creations” provide some valuable information about log home plans, log home photo gallery, podcasts, mortgage calculator, cost analysis, guides to the entire construction process and downloadable plan book with over 40 designs for free. All you have to do is to fill out an online application form to receive all these information.

 

Custom Woodcraft Builders realizes that many more of us want a log home or timber frame home than actually have one. Sure they cost more but often that is not what is holding up making that log cabin or timber frame barn a reality. In many cases it is the overwhelming amount of information received from internet searches, log home or timber frame magazines or the ultimate brain overload – attending a log or timber frame show.

Yes, it’s true; each and every source of information or log/timber frame manufacturer you spoke with gave you different and seemingly contradicting information. But that by no means they are wrong at all. One reason is that in many cases it is an ‘opinion’ vs. right or wrong. Let’s it, log homes and timber frames are age old crafts. There is not a college course to take or a degree to get. Most professionals in this industry learned there trade from another and it may have been handed down from generation to generation. There are many ways to accomplish the same gorgeous log or timber frame structure without it being ‘right or wrong’.

As I am sure you are finding out, log home manufacturers and timber framers do not build your home. In an over simplified analogy – they sell wood. Granted some dealers are also builders and most timber framers erect their own frame, but they are not the beginning to end general contractor. So what would are they selling you? The ‘best’….what is best? Pretty sure God made all of it and any species will outlast each of us. They sell you what they have access too. Of course there are 100 great reasons to buy any species but are any types of hardwood really ‘bad’? Each wood species has different characteristics and grains and take stains and weather in different ways. Find the look you want and then we have your wood type. I promise there is a log manufacturer or timber framer that will offer the package – price you want with the wood YOU prefer.

Kiln dried. Green. Dead standing. Moisture content. Which is better and how do I know what I am getting? There are pluses and minuses to all of the above. The key is to know and to compare apples to apples when you select a log home or timber frame manufacturer. As a building of log home and timber frame projects, Custom Woodcraft Builders really does not care what the moisture content is, we just need to know and all the logs must be the same. The key is account for any shrinkage in the building process and adjust accordingly.

If the log home or timber frame manufacturer are not contractors and do not actually turnkey build, how can they tell you all the cost and everything involved? They know what they do but what about the 20 other subs and the permit rules and regulations of the area you build. Custom Woodcraft Builders without a doubt recommends getting your builder involved early – at the beginning. Whoever your builder is, they cannot be involved too soon.

Building your log home or timber frame dream is supposed to be fun and enjoyable. Custom Woodcraft Builders will help guide you through the maze of information and decisions that need made to make the dream a fun reality. From plans and designs to selecting and negotiating with the log or timber frame producer to actually beginning to end construction, Custom Woodcraft Builders is there every step of the way.

If you have a fondness for wood, perhaps a log home is the right choice for your vacation home. They make for some of the most luxurious homes in the world…unique, renowned for their architectural integrity, and exhibiting some of the finest craftsmanship.

But how to decide what to incorporate into your dream home can be a challenge. There are so many possibilities. And they all don’t have to be wood, either. Accentuating the wood home with drywalls, iron work, stone, fireplaces all tend to enhance the beauty of the wood. Think about different materials.

For example, kitchen cabinetry can use stainless with aluminum which will provide a sleek look for your kitchen. Glass doors on the cabinets add rich dimensional space. Your personal tastes might also extend to porcelain and ceramic which add a range of beautiful colors. Earth tones work particularly well in log structures, so don’t rule those color tones out either.

But if its wood that you want to see everywhere, then there are so many species with so many different features that you can go wild with wood and more wood. Stain, paint, antiquing or varnish will add even more character and beauty to your choices.

Floor designs are unlimited. The architecture style readily lends itself to great rooms, loft areas, game rooms, family rooms, exercise rooms, studios, decks, and elaborate but cozy bedrooms and bathrooms. In each case, your individual lifestyle will call for certain design elements That special room might be a media center with big screen options, or a fully decked out gym. Your preferences will revolve around what it is you most like to do for recreation or hobby. It might be a yoga studio or a library complete with fireplace and carpeting to send your reading enjoyments to new highs.

But think through your design choices to be sure that the space you are going to use is sized right. If you think you are going to include a media room think through how many people will be using it at any one time. Adequate seating will need to be figured into the design. If you enjoy cooking and welcome participation from your family/guests you will want to make it spacious and interactive, so that people can socialize while preparing their favorite dishes. And gyms…if you put them in the basement, make sure you have plenty of head room, and possibly more if weight lifting is part of the plan.

Yet even with a multitude of design choices, your log home can be environmentally friendly and efficient. The logs themselves offer high insulation factors for warmth or cold, and a greater amount of the actual tree is used in construction, eliminating much of the wastage that comes with stick framing.

Spending more money up front, if your budget can afford it, will result in considerable savings in the long run. For instance, tankless water heaters save money, but initially they are a little more costly. And everything from roofing to the kitchen sink will offer savings, depending on the choices you make. A copper roof will probably cost you 10-15 times what an asphalt one would cost, but it will be there virtually forever, while the asphalt roof will have an average lifespan of 30 years. Flooring ranges from carpeting (generally the cheapest) to hardwood, which is as much as five times the cost of carpeting, and will last much longer if taken care of. And kitchens? They can get pretty pricey if you’re making design choices and not paying attention to both costs for product as well as installation costs. But here again, the better products, though more expensive, will last longer.

Whatever your thoughts are on a log home, perhaps the best course to take would be to attend one (or more) of the many log home shows that are offered throughout the year. An on-line check for log home shows will provide you with plenty of show schedules (see insert for some suggestions).

Log home shows are a perfect place to get the answers to all your questions regarding your log home, from financing, land, costs, log profiles, choosing a company etc. Many offer free ongoing seminars on the hour geared toward helping you through the process. Attending a log home show is a small investment to put toward your dream home. A great opportunity to compare companies, meet with industry experts and purchase just the right piece of furniture or accessory for your log home.

Eric R. Johnson, President of Premier Event Productions, LLC that specializes in events for the building industry, believes that “log homes (will) continue to increase in popularity as more and more people are looking to build them as their primary home…that (will be) where the growth in the industry will come from. (Log homes)… will maintain their (appeal)…as the leading choice for a vacation or second home.”

Johnson adds that “current conditions are favorable as people continue to move forward with their plans to build high end homes, (and) second homes are keeping pace (with this growth), and in some markets…are growing. What we are seeing at our shows are very serious buyers looking to build within six months to two years. Keep in mind,” cautions Johnson, “depending on where you are in the process, two years is very realistic when just starting with design, acquiring land, deciding on a log home manufacturer, financing etc.”

Johnson adds, that “the term “green” is the hip new buzz word regarding home building for just about anything; with log homes it’s always been there but now is really coming to the surface. A log home is naturally made of wood, a renewable resource, with most companies using selective harvesting and literally using the entire tree. Wood is a natural insulator and when coupled with great design, site orientation, proper overhangs, solar heating, favorable grading practices, alternative power, window type and placement, efficient lighting and appliances, these are all collectively what gets you green.”

The internet is a great place to get information directly from log home companies as well as. Visit The Log Homes Council, a sub council of the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB). Their website is http://www.loghome.org.

Knowing when to stain or seal your log home depends on many variables.  Knowing these variables depends on whether it is a new construction, or an older log home. With newly constructed log homes, staining as soon as possible after the home is finished seems logical. Some banks even require it before they will issue the final payout. However, the following points should be considered.

With few exceptions, most log home kits when delivered to the jobsite are still wet or “green” meaning they have been recently cut down and milled or hand peeled. While on the jobsite they may or may not be covered to protect them from the weather. Add to this, often times several logs are laid around the jobsite to make for easy access. They can and are walked on, left unprotected and susceptible to construction debris (dirt and mortar splatter, paint spills etc…) and ordinary weathering. Moreover, new logs have what is known in the industry as “mill glaze,” a thin film of sap that is drawn to the surface of the wood by the heat from fast turning milling knifes. As it cools, it hardens and actually forms a film creating a barrier preventing any stain from penetrating. 

This scenario is typical of the average construction jobsite. So when the logs are erected, they are wet from recently being cut down, dirty from lying around the jobsite and have a film from the mill glaze. Not what a new stain should be applied to. 

Sometimes the General Contractor, if reputable, will require the applicator (usually a painter) to power wash the logs before apply the stain. Power washing will remove the dirt, or at least most of it, but does little to remove the mill glaze unless a chemical additive is used. After the logs have been washed, they are allowed to air dry a few days or until someone blindly decides “they are probably dry,” and then a stain is usually sprayed on leaving at best a thin coat. This could be construed as hiding the problem. 

The stain is on and the home is looking pretty good. The problem is, it will not hold up for much more than a year.  The logs are still green (wet), the mill glaze is most likely still intact and if you look closely, you will probably find a footprint or two. 

The solution; Wait 

If possible, it would be much better and cheaper to wait a few months. By waiting, you are allowing several things to happen. The logs will “weather” and start to turn gray. The weathering process naturally removes the mill glaze, gives the wood time to “season” just like firewood seasons and dries out, and in turn opens up the pores of the wood.  A good indicator of how long to wait is to let the logs just begin to discolor. Waiting too long causes it’s own set of problems. When they get to this point, it is the ideal time to begin the sealing process. 

Now as with the new construction process, power washing can be used to properly prep the logs for staining. A chlorine and TSP solution can be mixed depending on the depth of cleaning that is needed. This mixture will remove any mill glaze that mat be left, dirt or other pollutants and mildew spores that you may or may not can see. You can be certain that logs that have been in these surroundings WILL have mildew! 

Now the logs will need to dry to at least an 18% moisture content or preferably lower, 12 to 15% is ideal. Remember, the dryer the logs, the more stain will be absorbed thereby providing maximum protection. There is only one way to know if the logs are dry or not. Testing with a moisture meter. This handheld device has two probes that are inserted into the wood that registers the water content. Without it there is no way to be sure whether the logs are dry or not. With moisture being one of the major reasons stains fail prematurely, the moisture meter is a very important tool. 

Now that the logs have been cleaned properly, the mill glaze removed and allowed to dry to an acceptable moisture level, a quality sealer can be applied. If either of these steps are ignored, you can not expect any stain or sealer to last any length of time. Too often we are called to a home that is only a couple of years old, but the finish is failing, black spots from mildew under the stain are showing through and the overall appearance just looks spent. This is unnecessary as well as unacceptable. Moreover it is unprofessional. 

As beautiful as a log home can be, it may take a little longer and it will cost more, but the results will be a superior finish that will far out last any quick attempt at cutting corners. We consider it well worth the extra effort.  

If you have a log home restoration question, give us a call, we love to help!