Looking at all the beautiful full-color glossy photos of log home in magazines gives us an idealized vision of the perfect wooden house. Like a supermodel, we can't imagine wrinkles and imperfections, but like any natural product, log walls are full of traits that are an integral part of their character.
CHECKING: The new visitor to any log home is invariably struck by the cracks in the logs, sometimes stretching for several feet. Initially they might look alarming, but these cracks, or checks, are a natural process that occurs over the first few years when logs are still drying and reaching equilibrium with the environment. In no way do they weaken the integrity of your log wall.
When trees are cut down, there is naturally still some moisture left in the cells, especially when the tree is cut down live. These logs are called "green" and will settle many inches if used right away to build a house. Some manufacturers let their logs dry naturally ? air dried ? while others put the logs in a kiln and bake them for 30-45 days, which removes 80-85% of the moisture. However, they can't go any farther without doing damage to the wood, so the logs dry naturally for the next few years, and this process can create checks in the wood to relieve the pressure. However, the heartwood closest to the center of the tree is so hard that the checks will not go beyond the center of the log. As a result, you will not see the checks go all the way through.
SETTLING: As you may already suspect, there is a relationship between moisture content and settling of your log walls. No, settling does not have to be a "dirty word". As long as your builder knows how to deal with the settling and make provisions for the windows, doors, plumbing, and interior walls, your house can settle many inches and still age comfortably. Any log home will come with about a 2" gap above all the doors and windows, which will need to be filled with insulation. The builder will cut a vertical groove in the frame and affix nails to the windows and doors that will slide down the groove as the building settles, so nothing gets crushed. Most kiln-dried homes will only settle a couple of inches overall, and much of that will occur during the construction phase.
KNOTS: Depending on the species of wood used in your log home, some logs have more knots than others, just as some trees have more limbs than others. The more interesting the knot, the more likely your builder will place it at eye level, since each knot is truly unique. However, don't be surprised if the knots ooze sap on the sunny exterior walls of your house. Even the sealant won't stop the sap from working its way out. This will not happen on the inside of the house, or on the shady side. It only happens when the sun is beating down on the logs and heating them up in the summer time.
HAND-PEELED or MILLED: (or anything in between). Hand-crafted log homes are just that: the logs are cut and peeled by hand with a draw-knife, which creates a uneven surface along the log. For an even more rustic look, some of the bark is left intact. If the log is milled, the machine takes off the layer of bark, leaving a fairly smooth surface to the log. This can be sanded to a fine finish, if you have enough time or money. Sometimes, the manufacturer might take that milled log and run a draw-knife across it to make it look peeled. The type of finish is totally up to the buyer.
CHINKING vs. CAULKING: Chinking is historically done to a hand-crafted log home in order to keep the wind from howling in between the logs. It looks like a broad white band between log courses. When cut by hand, logs can be scribed so that an upper log is shaped to match the contours of the log beneath it. However, not all logs are scribed; some just rest atop the log below, creating large gaps in the uneven surface. Either way, handcrafted log homes tend to be chinked, which was historically a mix of clay, sand, lime, mud, thatch, you name it, but is now an acrylic compound which expands and contracts with the wood. Some homes still require chinking, and others use chinking for aesthetic purposes.
Many milled log homes are actually caulked with an acrylic product designed for log homes. This comes out of a caulking gun, and creates a neat, finished look as well as protecting the seams from infiltration. We tend to caulk milled homes or do nothing at all between log courses, because the joinery system is so tight that this step is not mandatory.
Every log home is unique, and each has its own personality. It's amazing how many different construction systems are available to create homes out of logs, and every style has its own characteristics. But overall, no matter what your log home looks like, the cozy warmth of logs cannot be duplicated in any other kind of house.
Mercedes Hayes is a Hiawatha Log Home dealer and also a Realtor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She designed her own log home which was featured in the 2004 Floor Plan Guide of Log Home Living magazine. You can learn more about log homes by visiting http://www.JerseyLogHomes.com
Paint is one of the most affordable and easiest ways... Read More
Does the coming winter chill remind you how much you... Read More
Part of the fun of a new deck is the... Read More
Your home is your castle. You decide, possibly together with... Read More
How often you have used tools for your everyday living?... Read More
Many of us avoid home improvement projects due to their... Read More
Start out by measuring and cutting all your stock according... Read More
The average household freezer is a silent slave. It operates... Read More
According to the National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair... Read More
Last week I told you how to measure for your... Read More
What exactly is wire electrical discharge machining, also referred to... Read More
When we left off last week, we had removed the... Read More
You have found an apartment you like and you are... Read More
When you are choosing a new ceiling fan there are... Read More
We get a great many requests to view the potential... Read More
Rights of light - What a minefield this topic is... Read More
One of the biggest advantages of laminate floors is that... Read More
How many of you have experienced this situation? As the... Read More
Interior Design today is all about customizing your built environment... Read More
Isn't it a shame that for most folk, taking a... Read More
You can't opt out of the process altogether, though, because... Read More
Water is a key ingredient in a healthy diet and... Read More
1. Know your sinks How durable are these sinks? These... Read More
Up until a few years ago, my professional experience was... Read More
Nothing makes your home more welcoming than the warmth and... Read More
Everyone can use more organization in their lives (except those... Read More
On my blog, I once wrote about life on the... Read More
Bathtubs have become an important necessity of our daily life... Read More
Since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started banning the use... Read More
This article is going to be about replacing an old... Read More
The installation of a toilet is a relatively easy job... Read More
The price of a barrel of oil has never been... Read More
Power washing is the application of high pressure water spray.... Read More
When the old lamp from my children's room was turning... Read More
If you're planning to show your home mainly during daylight... Read More
Understanding color psychology helps home makers choose colors for home... Read More
In our past articles I talked about all the steps... Read More
If you are redesigning or decorating a room, or house,... Read More
This article is going to be about replacing an old... Read More
According to recent surveys, over 85% of all homes with... Read More
The main factor for the canvas for your awning, it's... Read More
You have found an apartment you like and you are... Read More
Hardwood flooring has a timeless air of qualityHardwood floors have... Read More
A beautiful kitchen is the heart of any home (even... Read More
There are many things in life that are worth protecting.... Read More
Hardwood floors are suited to both casual and formal environments;... Read More
I broke my promise to myself and stripped wallpaper again.... Read More
You may have noticed long icicles hanging from your gutters... Read More
Its spring time and that means we start working on... Read More
1. Q. IS NATURAL STONE A GOOD CHOICE FOR HOME... Read More
A staple of healthy outdoor living, hot tubs equals to... Read More
Bathroom remodeling is often a popular home improvement project for... Read More
Ok, you are ready to build a log home. If... Read More
Are you frustrated with the high prices you've been quoted... Read More
Just two words and a bit of explanation about them... Read More
What would you like in the backyard that is great... Read More
Your daily beauty sleep will not be complete if any... Read More
Is your bathroom looking cluttered? How about fitting new bathroom... Read More
Sun catchers add sparkle and beauty to any room in... Read More
Maybe getting the silent treatment at home isn't a bad... Read More
Part of the fun of a new deck is the... Read More
1. What experience does your contractor have with this type... Read More
If you are a consumer who knows just what brand... Read More
A ceiling fan consists of three basic parts, namely the... Read More
Georgian Conservatories Georgian architecture was the style of the 18th... Read More
This report is about taking a house and restoring it... Read More
Home Improvement |