Log Homes Innovations and Overseas Shipment
When someone enters a log home sometimes it seems as though time melts away. Cabins are a very traditional, natural form of construction that has also seen some innovations with time. We would like to explore with you two different innovations which we have incorporated into our homes over the last three years.
Though all log cabins are lovely, we would like to focus on Handcrafted log and cabins. Through working with overseas customers we have found that many times there is no log expert on the job site when the home arrives. In fact, sometimes there are no professional contractors to be found — at all. We have developed a two fold strategy for dealing with this challenge, while still meeting the needs of the customers. First, we utilize all log materials and timber materials that meets or exceeds TPI (Timber Products Inspection) standards. So no matter what the job site conditions are, our homes can stand up to it. And secondly, we have developed completely ready to assemble log shells. This has proven to be a very time and cost saving method. Every single log is precut, pre-notched, and pre-drilled before it ever leaves our yard. With our homes there is virtually nothing that must be cut or drilled on site.
An entire average sized handcrafted log home is erected on a client’s site in two to three days and then ready for the carpenters to begin. Our pre-cutting even includes the pre-drilling of electric box holes and wire holes, log ridge beams and log purloins pitch cut for the roof system, and door and window openings recessed for finish material. Over all this can reduce the construction time by several weeks, verses making all of the cuts on site. World consumers, who are not always educated in building with log, have found these high quality methods tremendously beneficial.
The second log home innovation we would like to discuss deals with the area of energy efficiency. About four years ago we began using black insulating gaskets between each row of wall logs. The gasket is a narrow black strip of polyethylene foam. It is used to line each side of the Scandinavian full scribe channel on the underside of each wall log. The insulating gasket is an “open cell” material, meaning that is does not retain or attract moisture which can damage the logs. This technology also prevents any moisture or air from penetrating between the logs and into the home. When utilizing Scandinavian full scribe methods, the logs naturally cleave together, but this provides just a little bit more insurance against the elements. Log homes do not have to be drafty, as many are lead to believe.
For those who have the pleasure of owning a log home there is not only the knowledge that they possess a solid well built house, but they soon find themselves enveloped in the log cabin love affair. An affair that makes them not want to live in anything other than a dream home made of logs.