True Handcrafted Log Homes – Explained by a Log Home Builder
When people think of a log home they can fall into the trap of thinking that every one is ‘handcrafted’. To some extent they are correct, but
Handcrafted in the log home world, refers specifically to the style of home where the logs vary in thickness. As log home builders in Montana, we have seen both milled and handcraft log homes. A milled log home, also known as a manufactured log home, is very uniform. If someone orders an 8″x8″ milled log, then each and every log will be a perfect eight inches wide and eight inches tall, with a stack height of approximately 7 1/4 inches. But a handcrafted log capitalizes on the unique.
Though some homes are made from very large logs, the best of both worlds, large but not enormous, is homes with an average median diameter of about 13 inches. The logs in turn range from about 11 to 15 inches. Each log is hand peeled and then set individually into the log wall. There are men that with the aid of tools as diverse as a micrometer and a chainsaw, hand craft each log for a specific place in the wall.
The stack of the log home is the next area of attention. Some companies that advertise ‘handcrafted log homes’ have a less than adequate process for making them stack. The stack of a log is how it fits one on top of another. Some companies chainsaw the top and bottom of the logs flat. Then they stack one log on top of the next, using only caulking or foam strips to keep the home air tight. The log itself will offer a lot of insulation, but it is a mote point, if there is only caulking between. The bugs and weather elements will have a field day with the caulking over the years. The solution we have found to work as builders –
Choose a company that uses a slight Swedish Cope stack to the logs. This overlapping of the logs is the true key to assist in sealing the weather and insects out of the home.
Now for an eye to the corners — Some companies offer the butt and pass system, where every other end of the logs is exposed to the outside. This is an easier way to craft them, but the exposed log ends are going to suffer from exposure. Thus more rotting and damage to the logs will be seen. The saddle notch corners are the better avenue. But making full saddle notch corners on a log home can be a challenge. Some mills have solved the problem by using a diamond shaped notching technique. From building corners up like this, it is amazing to see how close and tight the resulting ends are.
Handcrafted log homes have many more elements to evaluate and explore before the final choices are made. Take your time and research many different options. It is not a bad idea to choose a log home representative that also can put you in contact with log home builders that are accustomed to the type of log home you plan to build.
Tags: Builders, Handcrafted, Log Home