Log Home Living 201303

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www.loghomeliving.com

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SPRING SPECIAL:Guide to Log & Deck CareDirectory of Builders & SuppliersChinking Made Easy

FLOOR PLANS For Every Budget

HOW TO CREATEInvitingGuestRooms

SAVE TIME & MONEY 5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUILD

Circle 005 on Free Information Card

Only A Log Home Can Rival Its Surroundings. Be one with nature No matter if you're vistas are purple mountains majesty or fruited plains, nothing enriches your life like the color and texture of a log home. A home that radiates comfort and hospitality. A home that is unique as you are.

Express your lifestyle To meet your life-style needs, we offer over 44

job-tested floor plans. Each is designed with simplified construction techniques for efficient use of materials. They range from 600 to 5,100 sq. ft. and can be customized by our full-time design staff.

Time-tested reliability At Satterwhite, we only use naturally cured logs. This means excessive shrinking will not compromise your home, ensuring reliability. This material advantage is backed by a guarantee of sound construction techniques, enduring design and simple attention to detail in every home we craft.

UTAH WESTERN SALES OFFICE' MANUFACTURING· DISPLAY OFFICE

911 E. Hwy 89N, Gunnison, UT 84634

1-888-882-4645

Family. Experience. Quality:

www.satterwhiteloghomes.com


TEXAS

Many Satterwhite advantages First, we use only dead-standing timber in the manufacturing of our house logs. This benefits the environment as well as the stability of your home. Second, we control of every aspect of our product...from the forest to the jobsite.

Next, our manufacturer-direct pricing passes those savings on to you, eliminating middlemen from the sales process. Finally, we offer you the opportunity to purchase materials for do-it-yourself or for construction by our own construction crews, each with over 38 years experience.

Free literature. Ask about our 96-page Plan book and intra video. To view floor plans and prices, visit our web site: satterwhiteloghomes.com or call for free literature.

Be one with nature in a feel-good Satterwhite log home.

GEORGIA HEADQUARTERS· SALES· MANUFACTURING· MODEL HOME

8405 US Hwy 259N, Longview, TX 75605 EASTERN SALES OFFICE' MODEL HOME

14378 Hwy 515N, Ellijay, GA 30536

1-800-777-7288 1-800-918-6881

Log Home Living® (USPS #005-515) (ISSN #1041-830X) is published nine times a year, in January, February, March, May, June, August, September, October, and December, by Home Buyer Publications and Active Interest Media Inc. The known office of publication is located at 475 Sansome Street, Suite 850, San Francisco, CA 94111. The editorial office is located at

2520 55th St., Suite #210 Boulder, CO 80301; 800-826-3893. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA, and additional offices. Vol. 30, No. 3, published February 1, 2013. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Log Home Living, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. COPYRIGHT: 2013 by Cruz Bay Publishing Inc., El Segundo, CA.

This publication may not be reproduced, either in whole or part, in any form without written permission from the publisher. PRINTING: RR Donnelley, Strasburg, Virginia, USA. Printed in the USA.

Featured Advertising57 Free-Information Guide

59 Regional Resource Guide

64 Focus on Floor Plans

78 Handcrafters’ Gallery

82 Builder-Dealer Marketplace

84 Suppliers’ Marketplace

march 2013L I V INGL I V ING®®

34 Eye on the Prize A couple waits 25 years before building their Virginia home.

44 In Tune with Nature Building a home inspires a Massachusetts couple to tie the knot.

52 Battle Plan Developing a maintenance strategy will make your logs last.

54 Don’t Duck Deck Care Rain and snow take their toll on horizontal wood surfaces.

56 Seal of Approval Chinking offers essential protection, plus good looks.

features

• Save Time & Money, pp. 10, 20

• Inviting Guest Rooms, p. 28

• Floor Plans, p. 64

• Log & Deck Care, p. 52

• Builders & Suppliers, p. 82

• Chinking Made Easy, p. 56

Ash flooring and a custom wrought-iron insert depicting a fishing scene highlight the

loft-level catwalk in a Virginia home, shown on page 34.

Photo by Roger Wade.

Cover Guide

2 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013

44 6 Editor’s Note Keeping house.

8 Log Lore Cabin-inspired skyscrapers.

9 Media, Style, Starting Point Choosing wood, cabin wear, country living.

10 Savvy Builder Getting ready to build.

16 Logology How logs stack up.

20 Money Matters Save money, avoid delays.

22 Great Places Michigan’s Mission Point Resort.

28 Inside the Box Well-planned guest rooms.

58 Resources Find out where to find out.

88 Epilog Homespun logs.

departments

Don’t Sacrifice Whole Log Construction to Meet Energy Codes!

Since 2009, Katahdin has been alone in offering a whole log solution that meets and exceeds the new 30% increase in energy efficiency standards now required nationwide. Our Energy Envelope System™ gives you the only whole log solution to the new energy efficiency requirements: no log siding on stick-built walls; no over-engineered “logs” with foam filling; no hybrid designs that turn logs into architectural flourishes. Katahdin’s Energy Envelope System™ is a tested, whole log system that increases the R-value of the log wall by up to 189% and meets or exceeds all the IECC code requirements in the continental United States.

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P.O. Box 145 | Oakfield, ME 04763www.KatahdinCedarLogHomes.com | (800) 845-4533


4 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com

now appearing online

COMING IN APRILThe arrival — or at least the promise — of warmer weather shifts our focus to outdoor living. We’ll spotlight ways to enhance your outdoor space, paying special attention to landscaping and lighting your outdoor-living areas. We’ll also reveal seven steps to financing a new log home and showcase a hybrid home that combines logs andconventional construction. On Sale: March 5.

speak your mindThe magazine’s editors post new blogs weekly, addressing an array of matters we think will move you closer to your goal of owning a log home or get the most from the log home you’re already living in. But you can blog about your log-home experi-

ences, too, and pass along some tips to help others. Post pictures, too. loghomeu.com/profiles/blog/list

california dreamInspired by nature, Bryan and Kay Reid built their dream home using mas-sive western red cedar logs intended to last 500 years. “Who knows what its life will be after we are gone,” he says. “But for now, this is ours.” Read the couple’s story and marvel at photos of this work of art.loghome.com/handcrafted-log-home-built-to-last/

show timeThe Log & Timber Home Show sea-son swings into high gear in March with weekend-long events in Branson, Missouri; Marlborough, Massachusetts; and Indianapolis, Indiana. Go online for details and to pre-register.thelogandtimberhomeshow.com

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6 • LOG HOME LIVING •• MARCH 2013 MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com

2520 55th Street, Suite 210 Boulder, CO 80301


AN ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA PUBLICATION

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Roland SweetCONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jim Cooper

DESIGN DIRECTOR Sylvia Gashi-SilverART DIRECTOR Edie Mann

DIGITAL ART DIRECTOR Karen SmithASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR & COLOR SPECIALIST

Nathan M. WinterDESIGN ASSISTANT Melissa Newman

DIGITAL PREPRESS SPECIALIST Dale Disque

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Marcia DoblePRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Thomas

PRODUCTION ARTIST Mark SorensonADVERTISING COORDINATORS Jill Banta, Melanie Oest

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Elaine Nosaka800-826-3893; [email protected]

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Isabel Sateri, Rich Wilkinson, Pam Stine

HOME BUYER PUBLICATIONS, A DIVISION OF ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA

PUBLISHER Peter H. Miller, Hon. AIASALES DIRECTOR, LOG & TIMBER MEDIA GROUP

Rob ClutterDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Patricia S. ManningONLINE BUSINESS & OHMG SALES MANAGER

Heather Glynn GniazdowskiWEB DEVELOPER Bay Tran

WEB PRODUCER Emily RoacheMARKETING GRAPHIC DESIGNER Billy DeSarno

OFFICE MANAGER Elizabeth Carey

SHOWS AND UNIVERSITY

EVENTS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Sally Fretwell

CHAIRMAN & CEO Efrem Zimbalist IIIPRESIDENT & COO Andrew W. Clurman

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CFO Brian SellstromSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CIRCULATION,

PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS Patricia B. FoxVICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER Joseph Cohen

VICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH Kristy KausVICE PRESIDENT, IT Nelson Saenz

DIRECTOR OF RETAIL SALES Susan RoseRETAIL SALES MANAGER Bev Giacalone

DIGITAL ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER Ron Goldy

SUBSCRIPTIONS: For subscription questions or address changes, call 800-234-8496 (U.S. only). Subscription rate $19.95, plus $3 shipping and handling per year. Canada add $10 per year. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, California, and additional mailing offices. PRIVACY STATEMENT: Home Buyer Publications is committed to protect-ing your privacy. For a full copy of our privacy statement, go to www.loghome living.com. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Log Home Living®, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.

This issue addresses the triangle of getting a log home: finance, design and construction. Notice finance comes first. Without money, design and construction never happen. Your dream remains a dream.

The cost of getting a log home inevitably leads to the cost of owning a log home. There are ways you can boost the payback on your investment. The best one is to protect it.

That means maintaining it. All homes need maintenance, even brick and vinyl. Log homes need at least as much care and likely more because of the potential harm to exposed wood from the elements.

Suppose you did nothing. Your logs would easily last 30 years, probably longer. They’d change color, anywhere from gray to black. Even if some unpro-tected logs started rotting, your home would still outlive you.

Living in a neglected log house isn’t many people’s dream, however. Most who can afford their dream home usually want it looking good while it’s lasting long. So, when you’re figuring out what a log home costs to own, allow enough to treat your logs. You can extend protection by designing your house to thwart the forces of nature, but you’ll still need products for-mulated specifically to maintain logs.

Part of what makes log homes last long is their structural integrity. Thanks to engineering advances, well-built log homes resist extreme forces, to the point that if you’re inside one during any catastrophe ending in “maggedon,” you feel safe knowing your log home will stand. Understanding the structural nature of log homes is the topic of a new column: “Logology.”

We like the name because it has “log” in it twice, so you know it’s real-ly, really about logs. The debut column looks at the fundamental responsi-bility of log homes: not to tumble down. A future “Logology” will discuss three innovations that improve logs’ R-value. After that, who knows? Tell us what you’d like to know about log buildings: loghome.com.

“Logology” replaces “Cabin Fever,” which doesn’t have the word “log” even once. Besides, we now have a companion magazine all about cabins and the passion people feel toward them. Country’s Best Cabins also covers planning and decorating small log homes. Pick up a copy. Just remember there’s no rule against subscribing to it and Log Home Living at the same time. Again: loghome.com.

Keeping House

[email protected]

editor’s note

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log lore

It may be that after we have spent a century or two in expending our wealth

of wood to seek the riches of other planets, we will realize that our greatest wealth was right here on earth after all.

— Eric SloaneA Reverence for Wood

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Up with LogsYou don’t see many log skyscrapers. There aren’t any. But from an environmental perspective, there should be, according to Michael Green, an architect in Vancouver, Canada. Interviewed by Sarah DeWeerdt for Conservation magazine, Green says that sustainable cities of the future might take a cue from the log-cabin era and build “woodscrapers.” Towers made of mass timbers — panels 64 feet long and 8 feet wide — could be stacked as high as 30 stories.

Less energy is needed to produce wood products than to make steel or concrete. And in terms of longevity, DeWeerdt quotes forestry researcher Ken Skog of the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory as noting that wood building materials provide “a benefit” over concrete and steel. DeWeerdt also notes precedents for tall wooden buildings, such as 19-story wooden pagodas in Japan still standing after 1,400 years.

As to whether wood building can meet fire and earthquake codes, Green prepared a 240-page detailed report, which describes, for example, how mass timbers react to fire. They develop a thin char layer that actually protects the wood underneath from igniting, the same as wall logs. Buildings taller than 10 stories could add steel crossbeams for earthquake and wind resistance.

The biggest environmental impact is making the wood reusable. By making mass timbers similar to Lego blocks, they could be taken apart when the building outlives its usefulness and rearranged instead of burned as scrap or dumped in a landfill.

If log skyscrapers succeed, you have to wonder whether the next step might be using log construction to build tunnels. Hmmm.

8 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013

MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 9 www.loghomeliving.com

Q: Which wood should I choose for my log home?A: Despite anything anyone has told you, there is no best wood for logs. That doesn’t mean all wood species are the same or even that one species is the same in all applications. Log-home producers use about two dozen species for their wall logs. They all work well with their respective producers’ way of building. When you buy logs, you’re usually buying them as part of a materials package, which contains not just the logs, but also other items you’ll need to build your home. Not all packages are created equal. What’s more, your choice of wood species can affect the cost of your log home by as much as 20 percent. Wood is a commodity. Prices fluctuate according to supply and demand. Factors include the time of year, vagaries of nature (forest fires, insect predation, etc.), energy costs, government regulation, even court cases that involve the harvesting of trees. Anything that affects the cost of raw timber will determine the price of your log-home package. Don’t assume that if one company’s price for a particular species is high, then all others will be, too. That species may be hard to obtain in one company’s area, or another company may have bought its current inventory when prices were more favorable and stockpiled it. Typically, the wood species that is the most abundant near a producer’s facility will be less expensive, since the company won’t have to transport it far. Because the composition of wood species varies geographically, a wood that’s common and inexpensive in one area can be more difficult to obtain in another part of the country and may be more costly as well. You’ll often find that companies in the same vicinity will choose to use different species. One might prefer pine, the other cedar. It might even be the case that a wood having the reputation as a premium spe-cies may cost you less than one regarded as more run-of-the-mill. Some large-diameter trees have long trunks with branches at the top that take a long time to grow. Other, faster-growing tree species have shorter trunks with smaller diameters. It’s no surprise that the bigger, older trees are more expensive. When comparing quotes for log packages, be aware that companies offer a broad spectrum of products and services. There is a widespread lack of uniformity. Some log-home producers include far more than just the log walls in their package price. Several include everything needed to create a finished home, from the floor and roof systems and windows and doors to interior framing, cabinets, flooring materials and even hardware. Others will furnish only the exterior log walls and leave everything else up to local suppliers. The price of these different packages will reflect the cost of the logs but not necessarily directly. Unless you have a definite preference in logs, accept whatever species is included in the package from the company you prefer based on other factors. Keep in mind that some companies can and will obtain any wood you choose — for the right price.

starting point

Going Up the CountryCountry (Octopus Books USA, 304 pages, $19.99) by Jasper Conran. Folks who live in log homes live in the country. Anyone who’s never lived in the country faces having to embrace a place that has nothing really to do with the house they live in and yet surrounds it, physically and spiritually. This book, by an internationally successful designer of fashion, house-wares, furniture and accessories, reveals what’s so great about the country.

Country is neither a catalog of perfectly decorated spaces nor a how-to compen-dium. Rather, it is a deeply moving vision of the pleasures of country life and an intensely felt celebration, in pictures and text, of all things rural — the landscapes, the people, the houses, the traditions.

Conran draws on his own experiences, and the landscapes and homes that are familiar to him to portray a seductive way of life. Moving from one season to the next, from interior to exterior, from detail to

landscape, the author documents life as it is actually lived in the English coun-

tryside today. Stunning photographs and Conran’s poetic words captivate

the senses and the imagination, from the sweep of a beautiful landscape, to the warmth of an open fire, and from the smell of freshly baked bread to the quirkiness of local events. It’s not a book to refer to for help or advice on this project or that. It is a book to spend a good long time with as you weave your own dreams for that universally desired life — one lived well, and in the country.

media

Wear a CabinYou’re never too young to start dreaming of a log home. This Krick-ets Explorer long-sleeve T-shirt features a log cabin and woodland critters. Made of 100-percent cotton, color blocked in orange and red, it’s available in sizes 2 through 4. $22 from Nüvonivo (855-230-6886, nuvonivo.com). Order No. 212003-0026P354-0000.

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Most log-home projects start slow-ly. Since dreams don’t have a time limit, collecting information and working up a design may take months or even years. But for the seriously committed, there comes a time to start making the dream come true. That moment is when the clock starts ticking.

The first part of a log-home project comes before groundbreaking and is usu-ally called the “pre-construction phase.” This period mixes both excitement and aggravation, but it is essential to complet-ing your home on time and within bud-get. When you make the decision to move ahead with your log home, an organized approach will move you quickly through pre-construction to actually building

your dream.Pre-construction has five parts:

design, budget and cost estimating, financing, bids and contracting, and per-mitting. They are best approached in this general order, but some parts overlap and some wrap around others.

Drawing BoardThe informal design process starts when you clip a picture from a magazine, sketch a floor plan or first discuss your dream with a log provider or builder. This stage can go on for weeks, months or even years. The formal design process begins when a designer starts committing your ideas to paper. Usually this requires making a down payment or plan deposit

that ranges from $500 to several thou-sand dollars. It marks the beginning of your commitment to making your dream a reality.

In a typical log-home project, an architect or a designer working for a log company will prepare preliminary plans based on your instructions. They include a floor plan for each level and a set of ele-vation drawings that show a view of your proposed log home from front, back and sides. Preliminary plans include dimen-sions but lack the detail that will appear on the blueprints used for construction.

If you are purchasing your plans as part of a log package, the initial deposit may be based on the cost of the package. For an architect, you may pay design fees

Countdown to LaunchBe sure all systems are go before breaking ground.

By Jim Cooper

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Custom log homes require planning time to cover design-ing, budgeting, financing, bidding and permitting before you finally break ground.


on an hourly basis or as an estimated frac-tion of total cost. Before writing a check, be sure you understand the terms of your package or design fees, including refund policies and change fees. Most log provid-ers include one opportunity to revise your preliminary plans without incurring addi-tional cost. After that, changes are usually charged at an hourly rate.

As soon as you have a set of prelimi-nary plans, it’s time for the first parts of steps two and three: cost estimating and financing. Before going further, you need to have a reasonable estimate of the cost of your home and know whether it fits your budget. Without detailed construc-tion plans and signed contracts for labor and materials, you will be working in broad numbers, so it’s important at this point to be cautious about making further financial commitments.

Money MattersIf you will be using the services of a lender, pay a visit with your preliminary plans and some basic financial informa-tion: income, outstanding debts and funds

that you have available, such as savings or investments. Don’t be afraid to shop for the services of a lender. Based on your ‘prelims’ and financial information, most lenders will pre-qualify you for a loan up to a certain amount. Subtracting 5 to 10 percent from this amount will give you a good upper limit for your budget and leave a little headroom.

While you are pre-qualifying with lenders, shop your preliminary plans to some contractors. Your log provider and lender may be able to suggest some names. Even if you plan to act as your own gen-eral contractor, it’s best to talk with some licensed GCs. Unless you have extensive construction contracting experience, you probably won’t save much by doing it yourself, so cost estimates provided by a GC should be close enough to deter-mine whether your project is within your budget. If numbers are uncomfortably close to your limits, you can discuss cost-saving options and forward them to your designer. For example, simply modifying your roofline can sometimes save tens of thousands of dollars.

Often financing discussions focus only on people going to a lender. People self-financing their log home are left on their own. Be careful about assuming that self-financing means smooth sailing on your project. While the financing process required by lenders can be a headache, it includes some checks and balances that protect potential homeowners in ways you may not even be aware of.

For example, look carefully at the cost of a construction project compared to its appraised value. Even if you plan to keep your log home for the rest of your life, spending far beyond what your house is worth carries some risk. An imbalance of cost to appraised value can alert you to overbidding by contractors. If you are not working with a lender, you may never know that your contractor or some of your subs are charging you above-market rates.

Self-FinancingPeople self-finance their project sever-al ways. Those with the means simply pay for construction as they go and when it is complete, own their home,

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free of mortgage debt. Others may use their own funds to build their home and then obtain a home-equity loan to repay themselves once the home is com-plete. This can be attractive if investment returns are less than home-equity interest

rates. A third way is to start out using savings or investment income with the idea of obtaining a construction loan when personal funds run out. This one is dangerous.

Most lenders will not loan money on a partially constructed home, simply because they have no way of knowing exactly what they are financing. Without the ability to verify the amount of money

spent, they run the risk of ending up tak-ing over an incomplete project. If you plan to use outside financing at any point during construction, be sure to have it approved before starting the project. The only exceptions to this are money spent

for site work, such as well, septic system, roads and clearing. You can certainly make down payments on your log package but be aware that many down payments are non-refundable should you be unable to get financing.

Revisit Your PlansWith the results of your pre-qualification and a general estimate of project costs,

you can return to the design process. Advise your designer of any changes or corrections in your preliminary plans. The designer will then prepare a more complete review set of plans that, in addi-tion to floor plans and elevations, may

include a foundation plan, roof plan and suggested electrical plans. When you’ve approved your review set, your designer will prepare a full set of construction drawings.

While your designer is finishing these blueprints, you can use your review set to build a detailed cost estimate for your project. Take your plans to a general con-tractor and discuss your project in detail.

You can make down payments on your log package, but many down payments are non-refundable

should you be unable to get financing.

We were made for each other.

MARCH 2013 •• LOG HOME LIVINGLOG HOME LIVING •• 15 15 www.loghomeliving.com

Ask for a firm bid based on the plans and specifications that you’ve provided. A contractor who is unfamiliar with the log provider’s package may need more detail than your review plans contain. Most log providers have a construction manual with standard detail drawings that can give the contractor required details.

If you will be your own GC, you need to build a detailed cost estimate yourself. Identify subcontractors and suppliers, and provide each with a copy of your review plans. Your lender may have a checklist of typical construction subcontracts based on specific phases, such as footings, founda-tion, carpentry, heating and cooling, etc. Review your bids and select the ones you want to use. Total these up to obtain your cost estimate.

When you receive completed construc-tion drawings from your designer, attach these to the bids you’ve selected and submit them to your lender, along with a formal loan application. The lender will review the bids and obtain an appraisal of your finished home based on the con-

struction blueprints. If the numbers are satisfactory, you’ll be notified of your loan approval.

Insurance & PermitsAs part of your loan approval, you will require a builder’s risk insurance policy. You will also need proof of insurance from your GC or, if acting as your own GC, from each of the subcontractors, as well as their license numbers. When you have these, your loan funds will be deposited in an account that you will be able to draw from according to a schedule set up by your lender. It’s important to know that funds can be withdrawn only with the lender’s approval, which usually involves a site inspection to verify that the work is ready for payment.

With your completed construction drawings, approved financing and signed contracts with a GC or subcontractors, you are ready to apply for your building permit. If you are using a GC, this step may be part of the GC’s contract. If not, take your completed construction drawings to your

local building-permit office and complete its application. You’ll also need a site plan prepared by a licensed surveyor that shows the location of your house on your prop-erty, property boundaries and location of wells, septic systems or other utilities. The permit office will need several sets of your blueprints and site plan and will return a set marked “Approved” to keep on your construction site with your building permit. This is the official set of blueprints that the building inspector will examine when visit-ing your site during construction to ensure that construction is proceeding according to the approved plans.

On approval of your building permit, the pre-construction phase of your proj-ect is over. Now it’s time to start making sawdust to turn your dream into reality.

Jim Cooper ([email protected]) is a former general contractor, the author of Log Homes Made Easy and a LEED Accredited Professional who consults in energy-efficient and sustainable building.

What you will get from us isn’t just a log home, it’s the ability and emotional peace of mind to do more of what you love, for as long as you want. That’s our promise.

When you’re comfortable, your mind and body perform better, and couldn’t we all use a little more of that these days?

Give us a call 406/363-5680rockymountainloghomes.com


stacking logs on top of each other is a novel way to build walls. It must work, though, because you never hear folks complain their log home fell over. Log homes are built to withstand gravity, not to mention hurricanes, tor-nadoes, floods, earthquakes and killer blizzards.

They do so with class — and more and more with glass. Big windows that have become the focus of so many log-home designs nowadays challenge log builders. The logs themselves are a formidable building material requiring hard-working fasteners — way beyond mere nails — to allow individual logs to work together as walls. Logs can be structurally graded to assure they’re up to the task, but to handle all the demands put upon the structure by the logs, the fasteners and other compo-nents requires engineering.

Brian J. Sielaff, a licensed profes-sional engineer and managing mem-ber of Tamarack Grove Engineering (tamarackgrove.com) in Boise, Idaho, explains the role structural engineering plays in log-home construction.

LOG HOME LIVING: Why should log-home owners care about structural engineering?

BJS: Structural engineering of your log home ensures all building elements are well coordinated and have been properly sized for roof and floor loads; ensures all connections and details are adequately designed using the correct building codes, loads and load paths; and verifies the building lateral loads (wind or earthquake) have been taken into account and are properly resisted.

LHL: Is structural engineering req-uired for a log home?

BJS: Based upon where you are building, some of the local building departments or governing jurisdictions will require some form of professional structural engineering construction documents and calculations that are to be stamped and signed by a licensed professional engineer. It is in the best interest of homeowners to have their project structurally engineered, even if the local jurisdiction doesn’t require it. Ja

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LOGOLOGY

How Logs Stack UpEngineering lets homes withstandnatural forces.

ABOVE: Precise calculations are necessary for log homes to support the weight of individ-ual logs, assure the logs maintain tight connections to form walls that function as a unit, and to resist stress from snow, wind and seismic forces.


logology

LHL: When might structural engi-neering be required or recommended?

BJS: There are several instances: You are building within a high-

snow-load area. You are located within a high-wind

or earthquake zone. The complexity of your final floor

plans and building elevations — how each floor level stacks up, is there a prow, are there a lot of exterior windows or other open-ings, the spacing of columns and posts, beam and girder spans, and whether there is a daylight base-ment.

The local governing building juris-diction requires sealed and signed drawings and engineering for issu-ance of building permits.

The defining site requirements where you are building your log home: flat or sloped, building into a hillside or next to water, soil that would dictate the foundation design.

How complex the building connec-tions, framing layouts and required detailing are. Do you rely on the general contractor to figure it out in the field, or do you provide well-coordinated, detailed construction documents?

How experienced the designer, drafter or architect is in sizing cor-rectly all aspects of the structural framing components to resist the transfer of all vertical and lateral loads.

LHL: Doesn’t structural engineering complicate and slow down the build-ing process?

BJS: A structural engineer can work with your local jurisdiction to help streamline the process and obtain your building permit in a timely fashion, allowing you, your log-home company and your general contractor to begin work. A structural engineer can also be available during the construction pro-cess to answer or clarify any questions that arise.

LHL: What does a structural engi-neer’s services cost?

BJS: Fees are typically less than 1 percent of your overall construction budget. They vary according to the scope of the work being performed.

When pricing different engineers’ services, be sure to compare apples to apples. Does the lower-fee proposal include full design and review of the structure? Does it include engineering calculations? Does the engineer have insurance to cover liabilities caused by errors and omissions? Does the price include time needed to answer required questions before a building permit will be issued? Is the engineer simply rubber-stamping the documents rather than doing the required calculations?

LHL: Can structural engineering save homeowners money?

BJS: Having a well-designed and coordinated set of construction docu-

ments can ensure that the informa-tion presented within the drawings and the price given for construction at the beginning of the project is the same price at the end of the project. If a set of construction documents includes only elevations, floor plans and very limited detailing, the homeowner must then rely on the general contractor to build the home per local codes and per what the limited plans show.

Without the proper notes and details a structural engineer provides, the “per plans” part can create a lot of gray areas on what is to be included for construction labor and materials. The last thing any homeowner wants through a project or at the end is a long list of change-order fees, which many times can drive a homeowner’s cost of construction beyond the original budget.

Brian J. Sielaff welcomes questions and comments. Phone 208-345-8941 or email [email protected].

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ABOVE: Windows in today’s log homes require engineering to assure structural integrity.


Planning a custom log home can be very satisfying, but unless you’ve done it before, you may find yourself facing situations that never crossed your mind. They may increase the cost or the time needed to complete the project. Here are five questions we wished we’d known to ask ahead of time.

What are stamped drawings? To save time and money, we agreed that we would deal with the local town-ship officials ourselves and acquire all permits. How difficult could that be? Well, we found out pretty quickly when we presented our finished architectural drawings from the log-home manufac-turer. “Where is the stamp?” they asked. I think we made a pretty good imitation of a deer in the headlights and went away confused. Needless to say, our applica-tion process came to an abrupt halt.

As it turns out, our township (and most other jurisdictions) requires that architectural drawings be stamped by

an architect or licensed engineer. The architect will certify that the plans depict a building that is structurally sound. We assumed that because the manufacturer had issued them, the drawings would naturally be reliable. Alas, it turns out that our relatively small manufacturer was not licensed to stamp its own draw-ings in every state. Worse than that, many architects will not want to risk their license by approving designs they did not personally create. Nobody told us about this, and we lost two months frantically calling every person in the phone book. We finally found a retired township building inspector who gladly approved our plans for $200.

Where does a subcontractor’s respon-sibility end? This is a question we never thought we’d have to consider. I suspect this issue varies from person to person, but our project suffered some serious setbacks that sprung from lack of com-munication between the trades.

The biggest one was with our electri-cian. He was a very able and meticulous fellow, but he was also quite touchy and eventually walked off the job because the excavator we hired did not want to wire the septic pump (he was not a licensed electrician). Not every septic system comes with a pump, and we certainly didn’t know to ask; maybe our contractor didn’t either. The electrician refused the task, although we were will-ing to pay him. Since we didn’t have any toilets yet, I still don’t understand what the problem was, but off he went, with our house only half wired. Our contrac-tor had to scramble for a replacement, who had trouble picking up where the first one left off.

Another glitch came when we brought in the wood stoves. We pur-chased them ourselves, and when they were delivered, the hearths were ready and the holes were cut in the logs. Now what? We expected our builder to install the stoves (and stovepipes), but he expect-ed us to hire someone who specialized in that trade (after all, we purchased the stoves, didn’t we?). Our builder didn’t want to take on the legal responsibility, so my poor husband had to do the instal-lation himself.

A big hassle (for our contractor) came when our windows were delivered. On our west wall, we had designed a cus-tom window making a sort of sunburst effect. Unfortunately for him, he was expecting one big window set (so were we), but on delivery it came as five sepa-rate windows. Oops. Our guys had to build a custom arch to fit and support the windows that filled the whole gable. Had they been less talented or our contractor less understanding, we would certainly have had a serious problem on our hands.

What gets cut on-site — and with a chain saw yet? The answer varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Some

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Great ExpectationsSave money and avoid delays by asking the right questions.

By Mercedes Hayesmoney matters

Stacking the logs is a mere prelude to the finish carpentry, which requires specialized skill.


homes (with really long logs) are erected before the doors and window holes — both interior and exterior — get cut on-site. Most milled log homes have openings pre-cut and come with a diagram that tells you which length logs to put where. Many have openings cut exactly to size; ours were not. Surprise! They forgot to tell us that their mill equipment was not so precise; they could only get to within a few inches of exact. One side of each window frame lined up, and the other side was irregular. Also, the manufacturer’s design called for the builder to cut a notch in the log along the bottom of each window so the frame would fit.

This predicament caused a couple of problems. First, our builder didn’t know about this in time, and some of the fasten-ers were placed too close to the window frames. When the crew had to cut the openings to size, they occasionally banged into the bolts with the chain saw and broke the chain. Another problem was that no one on the crew was an expert with a chain saw and so needed to practice — unfortunately, on our house.

What is a finish carpenter? This has nothing to do with the log-home company and everything to do with your builder. There is a lot more to building a log home than erecting the walls and putting on the roof. The guy who is out there stacking the logs is probably not your best choice for putting in a fine staircase or constructing a built-in bookcase. The finishing carpenter is the expert who puts in all of your window trim, molding and baseboards, who will hang doors and who possibly will install custom cabinetry. If you want fancy win-

dow frames, make sure your builder under-stands that, so he can hire somebody (more expensive) to do the job; otherwise you may end up with a very plain but functional look throughout the house. If you don’t know to ask, you might not end up with a specialist in instances where you really would have been happy to pay for one.

Why are excavators so important? In the earliest phase, our civil engineer told us the water table was too high for a base-ment, but the excavator told us he could do a basement, no problem. Frankly, we didn’t know whom to trust. The last thing we wanted was a raised house where you had to climb a staircase to the front door,

so we opted for a crawl space. Imagine our surprise when the same excavator gave the modular house next door a full base-ment without seeming to raise the house; instead, he imported 200 truckloads of fill and created the most gentle slope imagin-able all the way to the street. Of course, the extra expense might have been prohib-itive, but we didn’t have a chance to make that decision or, more precisely, didn’t know enough to ask the right question.

Since every log home is built to order, I don’t think it’s too much of a stretch to say that every home has its own learning curve. In the end, the most important things to look for are how do the trades overlap and who is responsible for installing anything you purchase on your own. In other words, if your contractor is not in charge of every single person that steps onto your con-struction site, try to anticipate where they might bump into each other. For everyone else, you’ll have some great stories to share at the housewarming party.

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Some log homes require logs to be cut on-site to assure precise fits, especially for window openings. This task requires someone who’s adept at wielding a chain saw.

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When visitors first step into the lobby of Mission Point Resort, their eyes almost always look up. They take in 50-foot, nine-ton majestic truss-es, converging at a height of 36 feet. “It resembles a 16-sided tepee,” resort manager Bradley McCallum explains. “It’s a majestic space that gives you pause no matter how many times you walk through it. Grand and profoundly warm, the space embodies the essence of northern Michigan. Deeply rooted in this region, in this special island, the space moves the soul in tones that feel instinctively authentic, real and local.”

The sturdy, solid trusses, made of Norway pine and brought to Michigan’s Mackinac Island from Bois Blanc Island (across Lake Huron and visible from the resort), symbolize the lobby’s origin as the first meeting room for the multi-national Moral Re-Armament (MRA) movement, which promoted its philoso-phy of love and honesty as an ideological alternative to communism.

The structure does indeed seem to fulfill an old Indian prophecy: Someday, on the east end of the island, a great tepee will be erected. All nations will come there and learn about peace.

When the facility opened in the 1950s as the MRA’s World Conference Center, the group, under the leadership of the Rev. Frank Buchman, made the Upper Peninsula’s peaceful Mackinac Island its world headquarters. It built a series of buildings, including the awe-inspiring, tepee-style lodge. The cavernous dining room also boasts intriguing log con-

Heavenly LogsMission Point Resort highlights a visit to Michigan’s Mackinac Island.

By Megan Swoyergreat places

Norway pine logs form an eye-catching, tepee-style ceiling in the lobby at Mis-sion Point Resort on Michigan’s Mackinac Island. The resort opened in the 1950s as a conference center for a group pro-moting international moral re-armament.

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struction. “A lot of the wood to make the original buildings was brought over in the winter time,” McCallum explains, “so they had to use dynamite to break the ice and make way for the barges.”

Construction on what is now called Straits Lodge and Main Lodge began in the fall of 1955, with the large trusses for the Great Hall raised in early 1956. Gorgeous fireplaces, made with local lime-stone, also adorn the space, thanks to Friedrich Grebe, who the MRA discovered was as one of the area’s great stonemasons. The limestone vein that Grebe quarried ran right through his own property.

After the MRA left Mackinac Island in 1971, these buildings found a variety of uses before eventually becoming Mis-sion Point Resort. The captivating story behind the structure is told in a film that runs in the resort’s on-site Observation Tower and Exhibits space. Besides the resort and MRA construction history, it shows actual footage of the hard-working men and women who created the complex:

some 145 volunteers from 23 countries who worked through inclement weather to build it. The workers transported every-thing from coffee to concrete over to the island on a 65-foot, flat-bottom landing craft. Footage includes workers hand-peel-ing the timbers.

The exhibits cover not only the diverse history of Mission Point Resort and Mackinac Island, but also information on freighters, shipping, Great Lakes ship-wrecks, lighthouses and more. There is also a showing of the film “Somewhere in Time,” much of which was shot on Mis-sion Point property.

While the resort’s way-up-high, tepee-style grand lobby may fascinate vis-itors, the Observation Tower invites you to look down, way down. Here, the most spectacular views on the island — and five floors of historical exhibits — await. Enjoy panoramic vistas of the island below, the mighty Mackinac Bridge and beckoning lighthouses.

Mission Point Resort’s design history

is enthralling for log buffs, to be sure. But besides intriguing design, the resort’s offerings coupled with charming Macki-nac Island make for a great getaway. One never tires of the island’s backside, an interior where bike paths, gorgeous Victorian-style homes, inns aplenty, his-toric buildings, horseback and carriage tours and more await. No cars are allowed on the island, so even though summer months draw crowds, it remains relatively peaceful.

If you do nothing else, rent a bike — either from an island bike shop or your hotel — and pedal around the island on a paved path that takes you past breath-taking Straits of Mackinac vistas. As about 75 percent of the island is wooded, views are breathtaking. With its tree-lined roads and pathways, stunning lime-stone formations and numerous bluffs, Mackinac Island has a truly northern Michigan flavor.

Thanks to the network of roads and trails that crisscross the island, bike trails

Mission Point Resort is a favorite sight for

bicyclists, who flock to the island, where motor vehicles aren’t allowed.


Mackinac Island began to appear when the last glaciers receded from the region about 15,000 years ago. The island’s cliffs and rock formations were created by the erosive action of the ancient Great Lakes on the resistant limestone bedrock. As the lake waters receded and the land rebounded from the weight of the glaciers, Mackinac Island rose to its present height, with its highest point at Fort Holmes, approximately 320 feet above lake level.

Covering 3.8 square miles, the island is located in Lake Huron at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsulas.

The island was home to Native American settlements before European exploration began in the 1600s. It also was a key site for the Great Lakes fur trade and home to Fort Mackinac, built by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two battles during the War of 1812.

In the late 19th century, the island became a popular tourist destination and summer col-ony, and that popularity gets stronger by the summer. Because automobiles were banned from the village in 1898 and from the park in 1901, transit on the island is generally by foot, horse, horse-drawn vehicle and bicycle, although snowmobiles are permitted in win-ter, and there is an airport connecting it to the mainland.

The entire island is listed as a National His-toric Landmark. Battle sites, historic build-ings, the fort and dozens of additional diver-sions entertain visitors. There are also a few golf courses, including the charming nine-hole 1898 Wawashkamo Golf Club. Among Michigan’s oldest active courses, it is one of few American courses laid out in a links style that remains substantially unaltered.

One thing the island is rightfully famous for is fudge. Its fudge-making tradition dates to the years immediately following the Civil War,

and fudge remains the island’s most popular and tastiest souvenir. The island boasts more than 15 fudge shops, and there’s even an annual Fudge Festival, held every August. For more: mackinacislandfudgefestival.org.

To learn more about all that this idyllic des-tination has to offer, visit the island’s official website: mackinacisland.org.

Mackinac Means More Than Just Logs

ABOVE: An aerial view of the sprawling Mission Point Resort conveys its remote-ness on historic Mackinac Island, where a relaxed pace of life prevails.

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are plentiful. You’ll pass pretty cottages and inns decked with gingerbread trim, pastel colors and bright whites, old-fash-ioned gardens brimming with heirloom peonies and hollyhocks, and long invit-ing porches with gabled roofs. The Upper Peninsula island is postcard-perfect in every way.

Or maybe you’d prefer to meander through the island’s interior. Forested hills, and both rugged and paved paths beckon.

Mission Point (the island’s largest resort) is easy to get to while still being a little off the beaten path. It features the great Bistro on the Greens down by the water. Here, an entertaining putting green by the bistro allows kids to frolic while parents sip a glass of wine and listen to live outdoor entertainment.

At any time of day, scattered white Adirondack chairs on the resort’s front lawns beckon. On a pleasant grassy knoll, guests spin cartwheels, fly kites and cavort along the peaceful shoreline, while parents do nothing more than slice a piece of cheese, grab a chunk of bread and toast to a sunset like no other. The energetic take a dip in the outdoor pool, rent kayaks on water’s edge or arrange a tennis match on beachside courts. Up-close views of passing Great Lakes’ freighters add to the ambience.

Mission Point Resort getaway pack-ages include everything from ferry rides to and from the island to visits to the Butter-fly House, bike rentals and admission to nearby Fort Mackinac. Not-to-be-missed sights there include Mission Point Muse-um views and bridge construction tidbits, lighthouse history and more.

The island also offers other must-see log structures.

Madame La Framboise’s Harbour View Inn was originally a log home, built in 1822. Built for La Framboise

A lot of the wood for the original build-ings was brought over in winter, so crews had to use

dynamite to make way for the barges.

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by her son-in-law, Captain Benjamin Pierce (brother of U.S. President Franklin Pierce), the home was a solid, frontier-style log cabin on the main floor. The framed second story was considered more modern at the time.

On completion, the home, one of the most elegant on the island, entertained military personnel from Fort Mackinac, representatives of John Jacob Astor’s fur company and visiting dignitaries, among them French philosopher Alexis de Toc-queville. Skilled artisans carefully hewed the timbers and fitted the joints using simple hand tools. The logs were laid horizontally and mortised into upright columns. This technique — called pièce sur pièce — was popular among French-Canadian carpenters.

Today, the elegant inn is one of the prettiest on the island. Even if you’re not staying there, stop in and look at the historic cut-out log area in the first-floor lobby. Plaques provide details about the original structure.

The story-and-a-half, gable-roofed, French-Canadian-style McGulpin House

was likely built in the 1700s. Its log style is pièce sur pièce, à queue d’ronde (squared horizontal logs with dovetail corners). It was moved from its origi-nal east-end location behind Ste. Anne Church to its present spot in 1982. Based on its construction techniques, it is clear that the house was probably built around 1780, when Mackinac Island was first settled. A cut-away section on the home’s front siding reveals the original log crafts-manship.

The 1798 North Blockhouse at Fort Mackinac is a two-story square building with limestone walls on the first story and an overhanging log-style second story.

IF YOU GO: Mackinac Island is acces-sible by ferry and air from the main-land’s Pellston Regional Airport, which has a log terminal building (see the December 2012 Log Home LIving). Nightly rates at Mission Point Resort (906-847-3312, missionpoint.com) range from $99 for a room in the Main Lodge during off-season to $499 for a suite in season.

Fort Mackinac’s North Blockhouse, built in 1798,

features an upper level made of overhanging logs.

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NOOK is a registered trademark of Barnes & Noble, Inc. NOOK Tablet is a trademark of Barnes & Noble, Inc.

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Inside the box

Imagine if you’d never stayed in a log home and friends invited you to spend a weekend at theirs. Or imagine your grandchildren visiting yours.

Folks design log homes for them-selves. That’s why they’re called custom homes. But that doesn’t mean making invited guests feel like strangers. Such is

not the nature of log homes. They don’t need a welcome mat to announce their hospitality.

Rooms in a log home are the same as in any other home, so, yes, log homes can have dedicated guest rooms. They range from a spare bedroom to a private apartment. Whatever you’d do with any

Y’all ComeWell-planned log guest rooms let your company feel right at home.

LEFT: A comfy bed surrounded by chinked cabin logs topped by a beamed ceiling says welcome.

RIGHT: A room with a fireplace, a view and deck access might make your guests never want to leave.

guest room, do with a log-home one; only with log-home guest rooms, you face a crucial planning decision: Should you show off your logs?

That choice depends on where you put your company. Private apartments above a garage or separate guesthouses or cabins usually don’t display logs, unless you add some for decoration. Many log homes are built with log walls only on the main level. So if you intend accommodating guests on the upper or lower level, they might not enjoy logs the way rooms on the main level do.

If your main level has stud-framed par-tition walls rather than logs, you can “log up” the guest-room ceiling. And perimeter walls will still be log, meaning that corner guest rooms will have at least two log walls, and anywhere else will have at least one.

If you foresee having overnight or weekend — or seasonal — guests often, definitely consider designing your home to share the logs with company. Otherwise, assume they’ll enjoy log attributes in the great room and on the porch, and won’t miss them while they’re asleep. In fact, encourage folks to make themselves at home anywhere, including helping out in that big, open kitchen you designed specifi-cally for visiting.

If you do want your guest rooms to have logs, then plan them to be big enough for spending quiet time in a comfortable setting. A cozy fireplace may be too much, but at least provide a window with a view.

If you anticipate hosting more than one person or a couple at a time, say a whole family, think about different themes for each room and decorate accordingly: cowboy, North Woods lodge, Great Camp,


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cabin-in-the-woods, dollhouse, etc. Aim for looks that set rooms apart from the rest of the house, so guests feel their space is special for them and that they aren’t intruding on yours. In fact, if return visi-tors keep claiming the same room, add a few touches of them: their favorite reading material or photos of them with you at your log home or sharing an activity asso-

ciated with their visit.Don’t be shy about going overboard

with your decor or hoking it up. Furnish-ings that reinforce your home’s logginess and informality will make visits more memorable.

Bunkrooms are great for grandchil-dren. Popular locations are lofts, where ceiling beams are visible, and basements,

ABOVE: Built-in beds against a pitched roof in the upper level (top)helps give this room a hideout feel that kids will love. A window-seat

bumpout (bottom) creates a sitting area, with a view, or a platform for a youngster to sleep. Tucked away

below a loft (right) adds coziness and logs to a western-themed guest room.

Note how all three spaces combine logs with drywall or other wood.


ABOVE: A lower-level guest room (top) enjoys access to a stone patio, with Adirondack chairs placed invit-ingly for company to take in a view.Meanwhile, an upper-level room (bottom) camps up the decor with a fishing-camp theme and bold colors. The beds bolster the rustic look. By using drywall for the flat ceiling, the room avoids feeling cramped, and the light carpet warms the space.

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where the walls aren’t log but the room can be filled with log-post beds and acces-sorized hideout style.

What do you do with guest rooms when you’re home alone? They can double as home offices, but then you risk not hav-ing access to your work while company’s in residence. If you do have closets and drawers, you can use them for off-season

storage, especially if your house lacks an attic or basement space. Just be sure to leave room for company’s things.

The goal of guest rooms is to make people’s visit as pleasant as possible and as memorable. If they like your log home, they might even decide to build their own — and you can be sure you’ll be first on their guest list.

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Eye on the PrizeA couple dreamed for 25 years before finally building their

vacation-retirement home on Virginia’s Lake Gaston.

STORY BY KATHERINE JOYCE | PHOTOS BY ROGER WADE | STYLING BY DEBRA GRAHL

LEFT: Large windows in the great room balance the 12-inch eastern white pine logs, A broad deck, supported by stone piers, overlooks the lake. Bedroom dormers on the upper level enjoy their own balconies.

ABOVE: The lakeside sun deck looks back at the house and is a favorite spot for the owners to enjoy sunsets.


K eith and Katherine Joyce began their journey to build their dream log home more than 25 years ago

when they met at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and then married. Keith already had a strong love for bass fishing and therefore a strong desire to live near the water, and he already had a log home in mind. Katherine had developed a love for log homes while growing up in the foothills of the North Carolina moun-tains. Living there now, she is just a stone’s throw from the Blue Ridge Parkway, where beautiful log homes dot the landscape and appealed to her as a child.

Finishing their education, working on their careers and then having their son, Kyle, all kept the log home in the dream phase for the Joyces, until they found and purchased an ideal lakefront lot on Lake Gaston in Bracey, Virginia, in June 2005. The lot already had an aging modular home in place, but the Joyces looked past that structure to envision the perfect spot for their dream log home,

with a wall of glass for looking out at the beautiful lake nearby.

They soon turned their original Lake Gaston house into their weekend getaway and central location for log-home planning. The Joyces began going to log-home shows, digging through log-home magazines, surfing the Internet and do-ing everything possible to learn all about log homes and making them a reality. They visited many different log-home dealerships, talked to several builders, and toured log homes that were both in progress and completed.

In the summer of 2009, the Joyces connected with builder Keith Carter,

ABOVE: Great room windows command a view of the lake. Timber beams add overhead interest and coordinate with the logs.

OPPOSITE: The loft view of the great room shows a custom wrought-iron railing insert flanked by bear carvings.


who lived just a couple of miles away in a neighboring subdivision. They had viewed some of his projects and were impressed with his previous log-home building through an Honest Abe Log Homes dealership near Lake Gaston.

Carter helped the Joyces begin refin-ing the plans for the layout of their log home. They started with a stock plan in the Honest Abe catalog and began tweaking it to meet their specific needs. They ultimately decided to purchase their log-home kit through Honest Abe after visiting the log home of Jay Gittman and Carol Murley, who operate Log Homes of Southern Virginia, an independent dealership of Honest Abe. The look and feel of Gittman and Murley’s home was a good fit for the concepts the Joyces had in mind for their own log structure, and the decor helped them see what they could do with the finished home.

Soon thereafter, the Joyces donated the original home from their Lake Gaston lot to a nearby Habitat for Humanity and had it removed from the property in September. Then on October 10, a large crane drove onto the property for the first phase of building: setting the Superior Walls for the log home’s basement.

The Joyces live an hour and a half away but visited once or twice weekly throughout the construction and talked to their builder numerous times. They watched and photographed every phase and were astounded to witness their dream home really coming to life.

Since the Joyces plan to retire in this home, they made sure that their main floor would have everything they will need in later years when they will not be able to climb up and down the beautiful half-log open stair treads that help give the home its open feel from top to bottom. They ad-

justed the kitchen design to incorporate an island and a larger pantry and then added a jut-out laundry room off the kitchen that will serve as a future connector to a garage they hope to add in a few years.

Their master suite is on the main floor and was altered to accommodate a walk-in “power shower” in the bathroom, as well as an enlarged walk-in closet that was accomplished by eliminating the ac-cess door from the bedroom and having the closet accessible only through the master bath. That simple change added more wall space in the master bedroom, as well as storage space in the closet.

Other special features are scattered throughout the home to reveal the Joyces’ personalities, style and love for the out-doors. They found a local artist who spe-cializes in chain-saw carvings and took a chance on having him come into their house and work his magic on the stair banisters and support posts. His carvings feature squirrels, bears and a bass, but Katherine’s favorite is a raccoon that ap-pears to be climbing through a tree, with its face visible on one side of the log post and its tail visible on the other.

Keith helped design a wrought-iron insert that adorns the loft banisters over-looking the great room. The scene fea-tures some fishermen landing a bass in the lake while a deer watches from the nearby shore. He also helped a graphic artist create a similar scene for clear de-cals that cover the glass in the front door and sidelights, giving the impression that the design is etched into the glass.

The Joyces were heavily involved in every step, from the design to the fin-ishing touches. They enjoyed shopping for their decor and found many special touches on the Internet, including the antler chandelier that is a centerpiece

LEFT: Birch cabinets add wood to the kitchen, which also features Amish-built rustic stools at the eat-at bar. The simulated stone facing matches the fireplace and outside deck supports.

40 • LOG HOME LIVING • FEBRUARY 2013 www.loghomeliving.com

Distinctive split blinds in the master bath

raise from the bottom to assure privacy.


in their great room and log bedroom furnishings, which they found through Craigslist and refinished themselves. They filled their North Carolina garage with their log-home treasures during the build-ing phase.

Keith and his brother-in-law, Phillip Bowen, used some of the leftover log pieces to build a bar that is the center-piece of the game room in the basement. Katherine shopped for the final touches that give the home a warm, inviting feel-ing, including several bargains she found at second-hand furniture stores. Others are family treasures.

The Joyces moved into their dream log home in June 2010 and spent a couple of back-breaking weeks doing their own landscaping and sod installation in the hot summer heat. Their talented friend, Doug Washburn, completed the landscap-ing by installing a much-needed irriga-tion system and laying hand-cut flagstone walkways that match the rocks covering the home’s foundation.

During summer, the Joyces are happy they can sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of Lake Gaston in their own log home. After a long wait, their dream has become a reality.

home detailsSQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,446

LOG PROVIDER: Honest Abe Log Homes

BUILDER: Carter Construction of VA

Keith and Katherine incorporated two of Honest Abe’s standard floor plans, the Westport and the Grandfield, with their own ideas to develop the final floor plan for their vacation home. The couple wanted an open feel that took advantage of their lake view, with easy access to the exterior. Since the home was designed for entertaining and enjoyment of its surroundings, accessing the deck, screened porch and balconies was important to them.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE RESOURCES ON PAGE 58.

The homeowners bought the rustic white pine bedroom set on Craigslist and stained it themselves.


Upper Level

ABOVE: The bump-out between the screened-in porch and entry is a laundry room intended to connect to a garage when it is built. RIGHT: The walkway connecting upstairs bedrooms features ash flooring and sturdy railing posts supporting the stair and loft railings.

The loft railing shows the inset wrought-iron panel visible from the great room (shown on page 36).

Main Level

ScreenedPorch

Deck

Bedroom Bedroom

Porch

Kitchen

Laun.

Balcony Balcony

WIC

DiningRoom

GreatRoom

MasterBedroom

Open to Below

Ope

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ow


In Tune with Nature

The home features massive western red cedar logs, which are stacked so that their tips and butts alternate. The flared ends are evident in ridge beams and purlins supporting the roof and the large overhangs that protect the protruding corner logs.


Building their home together inspires a Massachusetts couple to tie the knot.

STORY BY TERESA L. WOLFF | PHOTOS BY PAUL DEEGAN



T homas Roberts wanted to live out west, but he and Mary Ann were reluctant to leave their family in Massachusetts. They also ran a

120-acre farm and a roofing business. As luck would have it, they were able to bring the West to them.

A 200-acre farm in nearby Belchertown came on the market that boasted a plateau ideal for positioning a home overlooking the open fields and woods. Because they are in tune with nature, the couple agreed that a log home would be their best option. They found exactly what they were looking for from Summit Log & Timber Homes in Boise, Idaho. “We fell in love with the naturalness of the handcrafted western red cedar logs,” Mary Ann notes.

The rugged-looking home is more charac-teristic of the Rocky Mountains than western Massachusetts. It features large-diameter logs, staggered corners, floor beams and roof mem-bers with flared ends, and posts with flared bottoms. To get an idea of what their home might look like, Mary Ann and Thomas flew to Arizona to see a model home. “The home-owner was a general contractor, so they had the opportunity to hear firsthand what it would like to be the contractor for their own home,” Summit owner Robert Lockerby says.

The couple worked with Gemma Courtenay, one of Summit’s designers, to cre-ate a floor plan to fit their lifestyle and be big enough for entertaining family and friends. “It is

RIGHT: Big logs form the walls, trusses and posts in the great room, where Thomas shows off his trophy mounts. An upholstered sofa and an heirloom drop-

leaf table exemplify the old and new furnishings that fill the home. Goshen stone forms the fireplace.


very important to get a feel for what each room will be like and to know what you are going to put in the home. This allows you to create room dimensions where your furniture will fit and to have a flow that works for you,” Mary Ann notes.

One of their must-haves was arch-ways to soften the construction angles and convey a warm feeling. The most noticeable of the archways occurs be-tween the foyer, which is conventionally framed and added to the log shell.

Having run a restaurant, Mary Ann placed a lot of emphasis on the kitchen. “I love to cook and preserve the boun-ties of our harvest,” she says. “I was adamant the kitchen be designed so I would have views of the fields and be able to watch nature unfold outside the window over the sink.”

She also wanted to be able to see from the kitchen into the great room and positioned the perimeter counters so that the gas cooktop is set at an angle in one

corner. Cabinets under the stove feature two slider shelves for easy access to pots and pans. The two levels of the center island were planned so the lower counter is at the same height as the oven, letting her easily place hot foods there after they are cooked, and the upper countertop is more convenient to the refrigerator for cold foods.

The couple’s many years in the roofing business provided them with the knowledge to act as the general


ABOVE: The conventionally built foyer adds hand-peeled logs to frame the alder doors and sidelights. Ceramic tile provides easy-care flooring.

OPPOSITE: Rustic cherry cabinets team up with granite countertops to highlight Mary Ann’s dream kitchen. Carved oak leaves adorn the decora-tive corbels supporting the countertop on the antique center island.

contractors for their project. Since they were new to log construction, however, they relied heavily on Summit to guide them. They not only oversaw construc-tion, but also were very hands-on. They cut the lumber on-site and milled their oak floors. Their grown children, Brian and Michelle, also pitched in.

After the couple completed construc-tion, Mary Ann put her artistic talents to use decorating the home in a rustic motif, with every room having its own

identity. Because of their careful plan-ning, they didn’t have to cram in their heirloom furniture, and there is sufficient wall space to display her wildlife paint-ings and Thomas’s hunting trophies.

Lighting the home proved challeng-ing, but Mary Ann was able to overcome the obstacles by combining a variety of lighting types: hand-rubbed bronze chan-deliers, wall sconces, antler chandeliers and spotlights with dimmers. The result-ing artificial illumination allows sufficient


home detailsSQUARE FOOTAGE: 3,500

LOG PROVIDER: Summit Log & Timber Homes

The main level includes a large open great room with adjoining kitchen and dining area for entertaining on one side and the master bedroom and bath flanking the other side. Nooks within the open spaces contribute to an intimate feeling. The second story con-tains a bedroom for each of their children and a shared full bath. Additional storage space is found in the unfinished basement. A two-car garage with a powder room and an upper-level bonus room is connected via an enclosed breezeway.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE RESOURCES ON PAGE 58.

brightness or the ability to tone it down to soften the mood. Ample windows let in natural light.

Planning the exterior spaces was an integral part of the project. Mary Ann oversaw the landscaping and maintains a large vegetable garden and a greenhouse from which she is able to supply her family with fresh produce year-round. She also included raised gardens and flowerbeds for three seasons of color. A wraparound patio features a stonewall topped with blue stone for additional seating space. She also used stone for walkways between the patio and the fire pit, which she sur-rounded with large boulders. Rolling lawns flowing down to the fields blend the landscaped and the natural portions of the property.

Building the home turned out to be such a positive experience that Mary Ann and Thomas decided to become dealers for Summit Log & Timber Homes. But that wasn’t the most notable outcome. Having been partners for more than 20 years, both in business and in raising Mary Ann’s children, they had not found time to get married. “I had always heard that building a home together is one of the most stressful adventures any couple could experience,” Mary Ann says. “Once we finished the construction and were still speaking to each other, we decided it was time to tie the knot. It was so special to us to be able to hold our wedding reception in our new log home, and though we have been together for a long time, this is truly a new beginning.”

BELOW: An arched opening leads to the log-filled master bedroom, which is decorated with family heirlooms. Elegant bed linens adorn the king-sized bed with rustic oil-rubbed headboard.


Main Level

Sturdy alder double doors bolster the dramatic entry, which is flanked by field-stone walls. Wavy-board siding covers the dormers. The homeowner-supplied roof is slate.

Upper LevelGarage

Porch

Deck

Open to Below

Bedroom Bedroom

LoftStorage Storage

Bal

cony

Foyer

DiningRoom Great

Room

MasterBedroom

WICKitchen

Believing either one of these state-ments is going to cost you money you don’t want to spend and, fortunately, don’t have to. The actual truth is that log homes need periodic maintenance and constant vigilance.

Logs are wood, which must be pro-tected from its natural enemies: water and sun. Whether you’re still planning your log home or already own one, there are ways to assure its beauty and longevity.

Two factors threaten your logs: poor craftsmanship and neglect. You can

address the craftsmanship issue even before your home is built by making sure that the logs are fashioned to shed water and fit together securely to keep water from getting between them. Once that happens, the risk of something going wrong increases.

Neglect is largely your responsibility. The best-built log home in the world isn’t going to keep its good looks long if you don’t protect the wood and maintain that protection. Here are seven steps to help you get the most protection for the least cost and effort.

1 Site right. Drainage or its lack is the biggest issue. You want water to move on, not pool on

or around your house, so find a build-ing site on higher ground rather than in


Jasp

er S

ilver

pho

to

Battle Plan

People have two miscon-

ceptions about log homes:

They need constant maintenance,

or they need none.

Develop a strategy to make your logs last.

a gully. But also take note of prevailing winds and the sun’s path. Make sure the ground against the foundation is gently sloped. Keep trees at least 20 feet from the house. The clearing will keep water from dripping and leaves and other debris from dropping on your home. Clearings also allow air to circulate and hasten drying after it rains, plus make the home less appealing to insects. Also, tree roots that grow under a house cre-ate paths for water that can destabilize foundations. The prevailing climate will also affect the performance of stains and preservatives.

After your home is built and you landscape its surroundings, avoid placing ground cover and mulch near the perim-eter. Anything that retains moisture and attracts insects is risky. Definitely don’t allow any shrubbery to come in contact with your logs.

2 Design for protection. As you’re planning the look of your log home, any design feature

that can hold water (rain, snow melt, humidity and dew) and sunlight at bay will postpone the need to re-apply exte-rior wood treatments. Include wide roof overhangs and porches to shade logs and let water drip well away from log walls. Protect any exposed log ends, particu-larly projecting roof purlins and corner logs. Plan a tall foundation to keep logs well above the ground. Install gutters and splashguards that direct water away from the house so that no water or mud splashes back onto the logs.

See what steps your log provider takes to help logs shed water. Something as simple as a milled drip edge that extends the bottom of a log over the top of the log beneath to keep water from seeping between them can make all the difference. Regardless of how rustic you want your logs to look, never let bark remain on exterior surfaces. It collects water and bugs.

Beyond design, make sure the com-pany that provides your logs has a building system that assures a tight fit

Design features that protect exterior wood from the elements, such as wide roof overhangs that shade logs and let water drip well away from walls, will go a long way toward assur-ing your home’s longevity.


between logs and wherever the logs con-nect to other materials, such as windows, doors, the roof and the foundation. Most companies use a combination of log fas-teners and sealing systems to keep water from getting between your logs. Some methods seem redundant, but better safe than sorry.

You will need to pay to keep up your home once it’s built. Fortunately, there are steps you can take that will greatly reduce your maintenance cost. You need to address them before you build.

3 Get a head start. Cover your logs when they’re delivered until they’re ready to stack. Clean

them to remove mill glaze, road grime or other pollutants that prevent pre-servatives or finishes from adhering to logs. This cleaning can be done any-time except winter. Your log producer can recommend an effective, compatible cleaning solution.

Next, prevent decay by liberal-ly applying one or two coats of wood preservative. Not all preservatives have chemicals that impede the growth of mold, mildew, decay and fungi. These preservatives must be used in combina-tion with other treatments.

The next step is applying a water-repelling, light-reflecting wood finish that is formulated specifically for log homes. This finish colors the logs and produces a film that prevents water from enter-ing wood’s pores while still letting the logs breathe. Stain formulations may be oil-based, water-based or emulsions that blend the two.

With the proper ingredients, this fin-ish also shields your logs from the sun’s damaging ultraviolet rays. Colored pig-ment particles reflect light rays that strike them, so the denser the pigment, the greater the UV protection. Because many log-home owners want their logs’ wood grain to show through, they prefer clear or semitransparent stains. Just remember that the more transparent the finish, the more often you’ll have to apply a wood preservative with a quality UV blocker.

4 Inspect and detect. After your initial treatment and the home is built, your logs should

look their best. Some color change will occur over time, but you want to be on

guard for any failure in the protection you’ve applied. That requires routine inspection to detect signs that protection needs to be re-applied.

When you inspect your logs, you’re looking for two things: whether the logs themselves — the wood exposed to the weather — has good protection and whether the seals between logs are still effective. You can have good waterproof-ing and UV shields in place, for example, but risk trouble if your caulking or chink-ing is failing. It’s a good idea to check these materials before spraying your logs to see if water beads (Step 7).

It’s OK if you find spots where your coating is wearing or has worn. That’s what you’re looking for. When you find areas of concern, move into remedial mode.

5 Fill in the gaps. Wherever spac-es between logs are sealed is susceptible to opening, especially

in your home’s early years as the logs settle. Caulking and chinking should be replaced as needed. As logs exposed to sunlight dry, some develop checks, which are surface cracks in the wood. These don’t pose a structural problem, but if they open facing upward, they can allow water to collect. Don’t let it. When you notice upward-facing checks, make sure your protective coating gets down in them. If they become particularly large, seal them with caulking or some other wood-compatible, stainable sealant to prevent water from accumulating.

6 Preserve and protect. Years ago, TV commercials for Colgate toothpaste used to brag about

Gardol, which was depicted as an impen-etrable shield that could stop a baseball thrown by a fastball pitcher. The message was that Gardol protected your teeth. Your goal for your home is along the same lines: Gardlog. This shield works only if it’s thorough and remains intact. If your finish is failing, simply re-apply it. But don’t just slap on new product. You’ll need to prepare the surface by thoroughly removing the old coating so that you’re applying the new product directly onto the wood you’re protecting.

7 Keep up the upkeep. Occa-sional checkups are better than none, but your goal is to prevent

problems before you need to fix them. So, diligent vigilance is the solution. Spring and fall are ideal times to examine your logs, as well as areas where logs touch other surfaces and the other surfaces themselves. If you’re looking only at your logs, for example, you might not notice that your chimney flashing is separating or that one of your gutters is loose. So give the whole house the once-over, not just the wood.

The best way to test the water repel-lency of your logs and other exterior wood that you’ve applied a finish to is spray it with a garden hose. If the water beads up, your finish is working. If it soaks in, causing dark, wet patches, you’re ready for a new coat. Pay particular attention to any south- and west-facing surfaces, which bear more brunt from the sun. And examine very closely log ends, which can absorb water much faster than horizontal log surfaces.

Whenever you notice something that needs fixing, fix it. Spring inspection is more crucial than fall because winter is harder on wood than summer. Plus, if any situation arises that you need to address, you have good summer weather ahead to do it. But you also want to act before winter, especially if cold weather will prevent any work until the following spring. Some applications require warmer temperatures to cure or dry, so early fall is a good target date.

Keep a journal, enter everything you notice and do, and review it annual-ly. Record any products you used and how they’ve performed, plus where you bought them and how much you paid. As you inspect your home, pay particular attention to spots where you noticed and fixed problems before. But don’t stop there. Scrutinize the entire home, even if you find nothing amiss time after time. You can bet the one time you skip will be the time trouble will begin.

These guidelines should prompt you to pay attention to the wood you cherish. Following them, as well as any instruc-tions on products you apply, will ensure your log home enjoys a full life. Yes, if anything does go wrong, no matter how bad, it can be repaired, but prevention is always your cheapest course.

For specific product information, check out the leading protection-product compa-nies in the Resources section, page 58.

Decks’ horizontal surface allows rain and snow to sit for prolonged periods, quickly degrading existing deck stain and, over time, the wood itself, if not prop-erly maintained. Furthermore, foot traffic, potted plants, furniture and continued exposure to direct sunlight adversely affect the life and beauty of the stain and, more importantly, the wood.

How often you’ll need to re-do your deck varies, except you can be certain it will require attention more often than your logs. Similar to your log walls, decks don’t weather in a uniform fashion. After a year or two with some stains, areas exposed to direct sunlight may hold little or no trace of the old finish, while shaded surfaces may show very little degradation.

There are three primary ways to max-imize your deck’s longevity, structural integrity and aesthetics: periodic mainte-nance between stain applications, surface preparation and the staining itself.

Periodic MaintenanceRegardless of which stain is currently on your deck, periodic cleaning can extend its life. Pooling water can easily be swept off with a push broom. In addition, shov-eling or sweeping snow from your deck will go a long way in preserving your deck stain and wood surface.

Pressure washing is the most popular method of cleaning decks. If you don’t have access to a pressure washer, a strong

jet stream from a garden hose will also work. You’re simply looking to cleanse the surface, so don’t use excessive pressure that will remove existing stain, just enough to remove the topical contaminants.

Thoroughly rinse off any detergents you may use so they don’t dry on the wood surface. While diluted bleach solution is inexpensive and readily available, bleach is more of a brightening agent for unstained wood and really doesn’t contribute much to the cleaning. Also, it’s always best if bleach isn’t used on decks, particularly those with no stain where the bleach can absorb into the wood and damage the cells of the wood, negatively affecting the adhesion of stain.

Surface PreparationFor decks where stain has built up over the years, decks that that have gone sev-eral years without maintenance and decks that have been darkened from the sun’s exposure, pressure washing can get down to clean, bright wood. If several coats of stain have built up over time, a chemical stripper may first need to be brushed on to help loosen the stain’s bond to the wood, and then pressure washed.

When pressure washing, find the best angle to use, as well as how close to get to the surface, depending on what’s being removed. Use continuous, sweeping and consistent motions to prevent leaving “fan lines” in the wood caused by starting and stopping in the middle of a board. It’s best


Don’t Duck Deck Care

Unlike the logs that support log homes and are often somewhat

protected from overhangs, decks take a much more brutal

pounding by the elements and require attention to maintain.

Rain and snow take their toll on horizontal wood surfaces. By Jeff Kyger

to pressure wash an entire board to the end to minimize unsightly marks.

After any sort of cleaning involving water, give the deck ample time to dry before staining. While a light refresher coat of stain applied on top of your exist-ing stain (after cleaning the surface) will increase its aesthetics and provide addi-tional UV protection, maximum adhesion always takes place when a fresh coat of stain is applied to bare wood.

Mechanical grinding of a deck is also an option. While using an angle grinder with abrasive grinding disks will give you stellar results (clean, bright and smooth), it is by far the most time-consuming process.

Staining Your DeckPigments in your stain provide the vast majority of protection from the sun’s ultra-violet rays, whether for the deck or your log walls. Using a clear protectant or one with very little color will accelerate the graying effect the sun has on your wood. This doesn’t mean you need to apply a dark stain to provide sufficient protection. True, more pigment in a stain may, at times, contribute to its longevity, but you can also go with a pigment that closely resembles the color of your wood. This way you’ll get the necessary protection, yet your deck won’t appear heavily stained. Application with a paint roller (with sub-stantial overlap marks in order to provide complete coverage) or brush provides bet-ter color consistency and penetration than spraying, although it takes a bit longer.

Jeff Kyger owns Northwest Log Home Care (northwestloghomecare.com) in Bellevue, Washington.

Be a know-it-all.{A log home know-it-all}

Attend The Log & Timber Home University, and you will graduate with the knowledge you need to make your dream home a reality.

Space is limited! Sign up today!

LogHome.com/university

The course is $99 per couple or $75 per person, which includes the Course Outline, a comprehensive textbook to guide you through the entire home-building process, Log Home Planner Kit, Annual Buyer’s Guide, VIP Preview Party,

plus FREE Lifetime Alumni Pass to the Log & Timber Home Shows.

Visit LogHome.com/university or call 800-782-1253 to sign up today!

photo courtesy of Hearthstone Homes

LocationsBranson, MO March 2, 2013

Marlborough, MA March 16, 2013

Indianapolis, IN March 23, 2013

Lakeland, FL April 6, 2013

Nashville, TN April 13, 2013

Coming to these cities in Fall of 2013Asheville, NC, Denver, CO, Chantilly, VA, Chicago, IL

Visit loghome.com/university for updates.

In-depth, half-day course taught by knowledgeable log and timber construction experts

The homebuilding process presented step-by-step: from design to move-inJam-packed with insider tips that save you time and money

— Calculate your budget

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common, costly mistakes

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NEW IN 2013Friday evening VIP Preview Party in select cities

As far back as log cabins go, there have been all sorts of attempts to seal out water and other undesirable items by installing various materials in horizontal voids between log courses on walls: wood slats, mud, or a combination of mortar mixed with horsehair or whatever else could be found. Most of these products did not have any degree of flexibility, or they did not adhere to wood that well. The results were cracking cement caused by the stress of the logs shifting or shrinking, allowing separation between the chinking and the log surface.

The most significant development in chinking occurred when it became a reli-able and durable component. The first synthetic chinking was produced in 1981. Early formulations lacked elongation and freeze-thaw stability, but significant changes to improve the adhesion, flex-

ibility and longevity now allow application to be accomplished in a much wider range of temperature extremes. There have also been additions to the color palette to keep up with homeowners’ desire to mix and match shades and hues of today’s finishes.

Chinking can be applied right out of the pail, using inexpensive tools that can be purchased from most hardware stores: a drywall pan to hold the material and a trowel to get the material onto the backer that has been used to fill the void in the log courses. Some folks choose a grout”bag, which resembles a cake-decorating bag, only larger. They trowel the chinking compound into the bag, then twist the top closed and squeeze the material out of the bag as desired. Professional applicators sometimes employ a commercial chink pump to move the chinking compound from a pail or hopper through a hose with


Perm

a-C

hink

Sys

tem

s ph

oto

Seal of Approval

O ne of the most noticeable features of log homes, new or old,

is chinking. It distinguishes the look, but it is most definitely

a sealant first and a cosmetic second.

Log chinking offers essential protection,plus good looks. By Tony Huddleston

the proper-size nozzle to fit the application into the desired area.

Once the material has been placed in the joint area, it is then smoothed out with a trowel to remove unwanted air and ensure a good seal along the log sur-faces. Once the initial “tooling” has been accomplished, the surface is then lightly misted with water, and the final smooth-ing is done to achieve the desired finish. The appearance can be smooth or rough, depending on the homeowner’s preference.

Today’s chinking is specially formulated to work in conjunction with anticipated log movement when properly installed at the correct thickness over the recommended backer across the face of the joint. Chinking will have as high as 275 percent elongation, which is much more than any log can move. Also, today’s engineered log homes have less movement than in the past, although there is some minor movement associated with climatic changes in all structures. Basically, everything is affected by moisture and tem-perature to some degree.

Today’s chinking requires little main-tenance, unless there is some type of physical damage to the product. Periodic cleaning will keep it looking as good as the day it was applied.

The hard part is keeping people from trying to feel chinking before it cures, which results in indentations or finger-prints, usually right at the front door. Small separations can easily be repaired by applying a small bead of chinking into the damaged area and smoothing out with a small brush and water. Most chinking issues are the result of improper applica-tion or trying to make too little go too far. Read the directions prior to application, and you should not have repairs to make.

Chinking can be stained to change its color, but it will not take the color as wood does, so the results may be unde-sirable. Specially formulated chink paint employs much of the same raw material as the chinking, so the two are completely compatible with each other.

The decision whether to chink is yours alone. If you decide you prefer the looks of chinked logs, choose a chinking product that not only enhances your home’s looks, but also protects your home.

Tony Huddleston is vice president of sales and business development for Perma-Chink Systems (permachink.com).

Perm

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Chi

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Sys

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ems

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phot

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Today’s chinking prod-ucts are formulated to adhere to logs as they move, creating a long-

lasting weathertight seal. It requires little maintenance beyond

periodic cleaning.

FREE INFORMATION GUIDEFor FREE information on log homes and products, mail or fax the attached card, visit LogHomeLiving.com/info, or scan the

QR code below with your smartphone. Check a category on the attached card to receive FREE information on all the

products in that category, or circle the corresponding number below for each advertiser that interests you.

913. LOG HOME

PRODUCERS

001 A Plus Modular Log Homes LLC Page 60

002 Appalachian Log Structures Page 76

003 Beaver Mountain Log & Cedar Homes Page 76

005 Blue Ridge Log Cabins Pages Inside Front Cover, 66

009 Coventry Log Homes Inc. Page 67

012 Enertia Page 61

014 Hochstetler Milling Ltd. Page 77

015 Honest Abe Log Homes Inc. Page 68

022 Jim Barna Log & Timber Homes Page 17

017 Katahdin Cedar Log Homes Page 3

Koski Log Homes Page 80

018 Kuhns Bros. Log Homes Pages 13, 69

019 Landmark Log Homes Page 62

037 The Log Connection Page 78

020 Log Home Outfitters

021 Log Home Outlet Page 4

023 Lok-N-Logs Page 70

026 Montana Log Homes Page 79

038 The Original Log Cabin Homes Pages 77, Back Cover

029 PrecisionCraft Log & Timber Homes Pages 72, Inside Back Cover

Rocky Mountain Log Homes Pages 14–15, 73

031 Satterwhite Log Homes Page 1

032 Scandinavian Log & Timber Works Page 80

035 StoneMill Log & Timber Homes Page 74

039 Timber Block Pages 7, 75

042 Walden 19th Century Antique Log Homes Page 81

043 Wisconsin Log Homes Pages 5, 64–65

044 Yellowstone Log Homes Page 19

900. FIREPLACES

& HEARTHS

024 M. Teixeira Soapstone Page 21

041 WoodWaiter Page 61

903. KITCHEN

& BATH

030 Research Products– INCINOLET Page 63

904. WINDOWS

& DOORS

011 Don Jensen Sales LLC Page 62

040 Vintage Doors Page 21

905. STAINS/

PRESERVATIVES

004 Blairstown Distributors Page 12

006 CTA Products Page 24

013 Hemp Shield Page 25

028 Perma-Chink Systems Inc. Page 11

909. STAIRS &

RAILINGS

010 Custom Ornamental Iron Works Ltd. Page 25

016 J. Dubs Page 63

036 The Iron Shop Page 58

910. LIGHTING

007 Canadian Antler Designs Inc. Page 60

911. BUILDING

PRODUCTS

025 Discount Log Home Supplies Page 58

033 Schroeder Log Home Supply Inc. Page 63

MISCELLANEOUS

008 Circle M Auctions Page 59

DR® RapidFire™ Log Splitter Page 63

Home Books and More Page 27

Johnson’s Log Home & Timber Frame Shows Page 81

The Log & Timber Home Show Pages 32–33

The Log & Timber Home University Page 55

LogHome.com Pages 26, 87

027 MossCreek Page 71



Eye on the PrizePages 34-43Log Provider: Honest Abe Log Homes (800-231-3695, honestabe.com)Builder: Carter Construction of VA (434-774-9224, carterconstructionofva.com)Builder/Dealer: Log Homes of Southern Virginia (804-733-0234)

In Tune with NaturePages 44-51Log Provider: Summit Log & Timber Homes (208-484-6251, summithandcrafted.com)General Contractor & Roofer: Roberts Roofs (413-283-4395, robertsroofsinc.com)Cabinetry: Vartanian Custom Cabinets (413-283-3438, vartaniancabinets.com)Furniture: Oak Specialists (413-323-5400 or 866-SolidOak, oakspecialists.com)

Battle PlanPages 52-53The following companies make log-care products:Akzo Nobel Coating (Sikkens) (866-745-5367, sikkens.us)Cabot Stains (800-877-8246, cabotstains.com)Columbia Paint & Coatings (columbiapaint.com)Continental Products Co. (800-883-5150, continentalprod.com)CTA Products (877-536-1446, chemtch.com)Hemp Shield (hempshield.net)ISK Biocides (Woodguard)(800-238-2523, woodguard.com)MCA Mechanical (755-901-2570)Minwax (800-523-9299, minwax.com)Perma-Chink Systems (800-548-1231, permachink.com)Sansin Corp. (866-745-5367, sansin.com)Sashco (800-469-9094, sashco.com)Standard Tar Products Co. (800-825-7650, standardtar.com)Thomas Mason Co. (888-258-6688, tomason.com)

Resources

34

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10024 Parkside Drive Knoxville TN 37922800-438-8274 • 865-693-4833fax: 865-693-9230e-mail: [email protected] www.stonemill.com

The RockdaleDesigned with main level living in mind, The Rockdale has a large open great room with exposed timber ceilings and a private screened-in porch off the master bedroom suite. A centrally locat-ed laundry room off the kitchen and a vaulted porch, with its own fireplace, make The Rockdale an ideal plan for easy living.

The Rockdale has everything you need on the main level as well as a basement designed for your friends and family to enjoy their stay. Endless windows make this open floor plan perfect for a retirement home on the lake or mountain vacation getaway.

Bedrooms: 3Baths: 3Square Footage: 2,498Package Price: Call for prices

Wind RidgeWind Ridge is a handsome home designed to make living a pleasure. On the ground floor, a stone fireplace graces the living room, which opens up into the kitchen/dining area. Upstairs, the loft overlooking the kitchen complements the open design of the cathedral ceiling over the living room/dining area. The master bedroom features a generous walk-in closet and full bath.

Bedrooms: 3Baths: 2Square Footage: 1,223Package Price: Call for prices

10024 Parkside DriveKnoxville TN 37922800-438-8274 • 865-693-4833fax: 865-693-9230e-mail: [email protected] www.stonemill.com



Please fi nd us on

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PORCH

LIVING14' x 13'

UP

DINING/KITCHEN

13' x 9' BA

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10' x 11'

BEDROOM11' x 11'

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OPEN TOBELOW

MASTERBEDROOM

13' x 11'

LOFT9' x 11'

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Second FloorFirst Floor

Nantahala The Nantahala has two bedrooms, three full baths and plenty of open floor space for family and friends to gather. It has a wraparound porch and double sliding doors leading into a spacious great room with beamed cathedral ceilings. This is a great plan to inspire new beginnings.

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Appalachian Log StructuresP.O. Box 614 • Ripley WV 25271 866-LOG-HOME • 304-372-6410 fax: 304-372-3154e-mail: [email protected] www.applog.com




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The Original Log Cabin HomesP.O. Box 1457Rocky Mount NC 27802800-562-2246fax: 252-454-1550e-mail: [email protected]

The TimberlogThe Timberlog is a blend of traditional and modern styles. The focal point of the first floor is the great window package and the vaulted ceilings in the living room that open to areas below. The master suite layout is a private, spacious retreat. You will find two bedrooms upstairs just to the right of the large loft overlooking the living room. The traditional dormers and the shed porch roof on the front gives this uniquely blended home an added flare.

Bedrooms: 3Baths: 2 1/2Square Footage: 2,397Package Price: Call for prices

Second FloorFirst Floor

The McKay offers those features that make log homes so warm and inviting... The open-concept great room with large timbered roof system and floor-to-ceiling fireplace; kitchen with step-saving adjoining laundry and 1/2 bath; master bedroom with bath large enough for that hot tub; and the conveniently-located dining room leading out to the gabled sunroom and rear deck. Visit this model and see how affordable mill-direct pricing can be. For more information or to order our Portfolio of floor plans and Planning Guide for $10., call 800-368-1015.

Hochste nville, OH 4

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REF.

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M. BATH9'6x7'6"

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40'

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OPEN TO BELOW

LOFT17’x13'10"

CLO

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CLO

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2007 sq.ft.3 BR/ 2 1/2 BA




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DELIVERING NATIONWIDE SINCE 1976

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Montana Log Homes specializes in handcrafting unique, quality, log homes, lodges, and commercialprojects. Full-length, dead-standing, lodgepole pine or Englemann spruce is hand-peeled for thatoriginal log home look, and hand-tooled for precision joinery. Log sizes of 12 inches, 14 inches,and 16 inches are standard, with larger log sizes available on request. Your choice of Scandinavianfull-scribe or chink style construction. Log package quotes will include delivery and reassembly byour experienced crew. Contact us for a copy of our plan book, DVD or video or visit our website at

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Reclaimed, Hand-Hewn Log Homes & BeamsWalden 19th Century Antique Log HomesP.O. Box 366Lookout Mountain TN 37350888-332-LOGS (5647) • 423-821-8070fax: 423-821-8170e-mail: [email protected] 042 on Free Information Card

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Conventional wisdom posits that the earliest American log buildings were made of rough-cut timbers, because milled logs didn’t come along until the 20th century. Evidence to the contrary is the William Damm Garrison. “Garrison” isn’t William Damm’s last name; it’s the kind of building: a fortification. It was built before 1695 overlooking New Hampshire’s Great Bay to defend against the French-backed native Abenaki.

William Damm Garrison “is a rare example of a form of log construction once common to the area,” accord-ing to Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Age of Homespun: Objects and Stories in the Creation of an American Myth. “Unlike the chinked cabins of later frontiers, it was made of massive timbers squared in a water-powered sawmill until they lay one atop each other like quarried stone.”

William Damm, a farmer, built the

garrison house that bore his name. Although it was only half its present size, he lived there with his wife and five children. An inventory of the home in 1718 lists among its contents “2 pr looms” — two spinning wheels. The Damms spun their own cloth.

Who didn’t? Little cloth was made outside the home, even by well-to-do families, until the 19th century, when textile mills sprung up throughout New England. The word “homespun” means cloth made at home with a spinning wheel from flax, cotton, wool, etc. As store-bought cloth became com-monplace, the term “homespun” came to connote simple and unpretentious, much like the humble log cabin of the American frontier, which in the 17th century was New Hampshire.

There were other garrisoned houses than Damm’s, also made with milled logs, Ulrich notes, although only Damm’s survives. “Sawmills were the

engines of colonial expansion,” she says, citing a 1660 map that showed 15 sawmills on the streams emptying into the bay. That’s more mills to saw wood than ever were to make cloth.

After its days as a garrison ended, Damm’s log home was abandoned and fell derelict until 1887, when Ellen Rounds found it, fixed it up and fur-nished it with 800 “precious memen-toes of ye olden time.” She donated it to the Woodman Institute Museum in Dover, which “put the house on rollers and pulled it three miles to the center of town,” Ulrich says, where it was “encased in a trellised gazebo” between two other buildings. There it remains, showcasing, among its other old-timey furnishings, two spinning wheels.

So in the William Damm Garrison, two cherished symbols — logs and homespun — survive together. They represent an era that gave rise to what became the American spirit.

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o; T

hom

Hin

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oodm

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Mus

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to;

Thom

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o

TOP ROW AND RIGHT: William Damm Garrison then and now, protected by

a trellised gazebo at the Woodman Institute. ABOVE: One of two spinning wheels

displayed in the home.

Log Home Living 201303

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Transcript of Log Home Living 201303