Log Home Living 201303

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please recycle this magazine
SPRING SPECIAL:
Guide to Log & Deck Care
Directory of Builders & Suppliers
Chinking Made Easy
FLOOR PLANS
For Every Budget
HOW TO CREATE
Inviting
Guest
Rooms
SAVE TIME & MONEY 5 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BUILD
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Only A Lo
g
Home Can Rival Its Surroundn
g
s.
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 sim­
plified construction techniques for effcient 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 compro­
mise your home, ensuring reliability. This mate­
rial 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
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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-your­
self 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, Longiew, 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 Advertising
57 Free-Information Guide
59 Regional Resource Guide
64 Focus on Floor Plans
78 Handcrafters’ Gallery
82 Builder-Dealer Marketplace
84 Suppliers’ Marketplace
march 2013 LI VING
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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.
(QHUJ\(IÀFLHQW/RJ+RPHV
:LWKRXW&RPSURPLVH
scan with your
smartphone
P.O. Box 145 | Oakfield, ME 04763
www.KatahdinCedarLogHomes.com | (800) 845-4533
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4 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
now appearing online
COMING IN APRIL
The 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 and
conventional construction. On Sale: March 5.
speak your mind
The 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 dream
Inspired 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 time
The 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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2520 55th Street, Suite 210
Boulder, CO 80301
www.loghomeliving.com

AN ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA PUBLICATION
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Roland Sweet
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jim Cooper
DESIGN DIRECTOR Sylvia Gashi-Silver
ART DIRECTOR Edie Mann
DIGITAL ART DIRECTOR Karen Smith
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR & COLOR SPECIALIST
Nathan M. Winter
DESIGN ASSISTANT Melissa Newman
DIGITAL PREPRESS SPECIALIST Dale Disque
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Marcia Doble
PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Thomas
PRODUCTION ARTIST Mark Sorenson
ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Jill Banta, Melanie Oest
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Elaine Nosaka
800-826-3893; [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. AIA
SALES DIRECTOR, LOG & TIMBER MEDIA GROUP
Rob Clutter
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Patricia S. Manning
ONLINE BUSINESS & OHMG SALES MANAGER
Heather Glynn Gniazdowski
WEB DEVELOPER Bay Tran
WEB PRODUCER Emily Roache
MARKETING GRAPHIC DESIGNER Billy DeSarno
OFFICE MANAGER Elizabeth Carey
SHOWS AND UNIVERSITY
EVENTS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Sally Fretwell
CHAIRMAN & CEO Efrem Zimbalist III
PRESIDENT & COO Andrew W. Clurman
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CFO Brian Sellstrom
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CIRCULATION,
PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS Patricia B. Fox
VICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER Joseph Cohen
VICE PRESIDENT, RESEARCH Kristy Kaus
VICE PRESIDENT, IT Nelson Saenz
DIRECTOR OF RETAIL SALES Susan Rose
RETAIL 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 Sloane
A Reverence for Wood
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Up with Logs
You 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 Country
Country (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 Cabin
You’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.
style
preference in logs, accept
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on other factors.
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www.loghomeliving.com
10 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Board
The 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 Launch
Be sure all systems are go before breaking ground.
By Jim Cooper
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savvy builder
Custom log homes require
planning time to cover design-
ing, budgeting, financing,
bidding and permitting before
you finally break ground.
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12 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Matters
If 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-Financing
People 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,
Call or log on to our web site for FREE Samples
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14 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Plans
With 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
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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 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 & Permits
As 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 406/363-5680
rockymountainloghomes.com
16 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.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. J
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LOGOLOGY
How
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Engineering
lets homes
withstand
natural 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.
Circle 022 on Free Information Card
18 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
logology
LHL: When might structural engi-
neering be required or recommended?
BJS: There are several instances:
Q You are building within a high-
snow-load area.
Q You are located within a high-wind
or earthquake zone.
Q 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.
Q The local governing building juris-
diction requires sealed and signed
drawings and engineering for issu-
ance of building permits.
Q 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.
Q 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?
Q 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.
Circle 044 on Free Information Card
20 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Expectations
Save money and avoid delays by asking the right questions.
By Mercedes Hayes
money matters
Stacking the logs is a mere prelude to the finish carpentry, which requires specialized skill.
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 21 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
▼Circle 024 on Free Information Card
▼Circle 040 on Free Information Card
22 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Logs
Mission Point Resort highlights a visit to Michigan’s Mackinac Island.
By Megan Swoyer
great 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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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 23 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
24 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 25 www.loghomeliving.com
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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26 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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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28 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Come
Well-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,
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 29 www.loghomeliving.com
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30 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 31 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
Consult leading experts and company
representatives of log, timber, hybrid
and energy-efficient custom homes for
your design and construction needs.
Meet. Learn.
Attend free workshops and demonstra-
tions for tips on financing, building and
outfitting your dream home, presented
by industry pros and magazine editors.
Visit LogHome.com/shows or call 800-782-1253 for locations, times and special offers.
Make your dream home a reality.
NEW IN 2013 – VIP PREVIEW PARTY IN SELECT CITIES!
BRANSON, MO
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March 15-17, 2013
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April 5-7, 2013
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Browse furniture and décor suppliers,
plus—the world’s only log, timber
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Want to learn even more?
Attend our Log & Timber University courses
(held on the Saturday of every show weekend)
for detailed, step-by-step instructions on budget-
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for more information.)
Schedule subject to change without notice. Check website for most up-to-date information.
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34 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com 34 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 35 www.loghomeliving.com
Eye on the Prize
A 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.
36 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 37 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
38 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 39 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 41 www.loghomeliving.com
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 details
SQUARE 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.
42 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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
Screened
Porch
Deck
Bedroom Bedroom
Porch
Kitchen
Laun.
Balcony Balcony
WIC
Dining
Room
Great
Room
Master
Bedroom
Open to
Below
O
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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 43 www.loghomeliving.com
44 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
44 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
Building their home together inspires
a Massachusetts couple to tie the knot.
STORY BY TERESA L. WOLFF | PHOTOS BY PAUL DEEGAN
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 45 www.loghomeliving.com
46 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 47 www.loghomeliving.com
48 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 49 www.loghomeliving.com
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
50 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
home details
SQUARE 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.
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 51 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Level
Garage
Porch
Deck
Open to
Below
Bedroom Bedroom
Loft
Storage Storage
B
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l
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o
n
y
Foyer
Dining
Room
Great
Room
Master
Bedroom
WIC
Kitchen
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
52 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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Battle Plan
P
eople 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.
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 53 www.loghomeliving.com
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 Maintenance
Regardless 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 Preparation
For 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
54 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
Don’t Duck Deck Care
U
nlike 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 Deck
Pigments 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!
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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
Locations
Branson, 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 2013
Asheville, NC, Denver, CO,
Chantilly, VA, Chicago, IL
Visit loghome.com/university for updates.
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taught by knowledgeable log
and timber construction experts
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presented step-by-step:
from design to move-in
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Friday 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
56 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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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).
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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 GUIDE
For 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
Page 59
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 19
th
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
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 57 www.loghomeliving.com
58 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
Eye on the Prize
Pages 34-43
Log 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 Nature
Pages 44-51
Log 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 Plan
Pages 52-53
The 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
METAL WOOD VICTORIAN
from $495 from $3100 from $4500
For FREE catalog,
call 1-800-523-7427 ext. LHL
Or visit www.TheIronShop.com/LHL Proudly made in the USA since 1931
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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 59 www.loghomeliving.com
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60 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
All U.S. orders are shipped from our warehouse
in North Dakota. No sales tax or duty.
Best Price in North America, guaranteed!
Real & Reproduction Antler Lighting
Our lighting is certified in the U.S. and Canada
CANADIAN ANTLER DESIGNS, INC.
www.cdnantler.com
•
250.217.8702
We manufacture top quality antler
chandeliers, furniture and accessories.
Visit our web site for a full list of
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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 61 www.loghomeliving.com
red of Carrying Stuff
Up & Down Stairs?
Is your Back,
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From 4 to 40 Feet! Call today! 1-800-290-8510
www.wbfowler.com
WoodWaiters HandyWaiters
We are Fowler Industries, America’s Leading Innovator,
developing Through-Floor Vertical Lift Solutions.
Please check out our new Cloud9 TV lift!
30 Years
in the
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~ Firewood ~
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Doors come prehung in a 4 9/16" Jamb
(6 9/16" Jamb add $20.00) 6' 8" tall,
many widths in stock
AVAILABLE HINGES: Brass
Oil Rubbed Bronze • Brushed Nickel
WE SHIP NATIONWIDE.
www.wooddoorsbydon.com
Email: [email protected]
Solid Walnut Interior Door Knotty Pine Interior Door
$250.00 (Slab Price $200) $150.00 (Slab Price $110)
Don Jensen Sales, LLC
800 E. Main Street • Wytheville, VA 24382
276-223-0196 • Fax 276-223-0210
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1041 Bumpy Ln • Ellensburg, WA 98926
800-622-9015 • Fax: 509-962-6070
[email protected] • www.jdubs.com
made  in
house in USA
The original
J. Dubs
balcony panels ba
Creating functional,
decorative and architectural
silhouetted images for
private and commercial
customers since 1980.
See our testimonial page.
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Enjoy the
convenience,
cleanliness of
INCINOLET in
your cabin, home,
dock, or boat.
INCINOLET incinerates waste to clean
ash, only electricity needed.
120 or 240 volts.
INCINOLET – stainless steel, American
made for years of satisfaction.
Used in all climates around the world.
Tested, listed by UL
NSF
USCG
Call 1-800-527-5551
www.incinolet.com
RESEARCH PRODUCTS
2639 Andjon • Dallas, TX 75220
WORLD’S
FASTEST
SPLITTER!
The new DR
®
RapidFire
™
Log Splitter slices
through logs in under two seconds—
up to six times faster than
ordinary log splitters. We’ve
replaced hydraulics with two
hefty cast iron flywheels that
generate up to 28 HP of splitting
force. Split dense hardwoods
up to 30" in diameter.
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AVAILABLE
For details please
call or visit online.
NEW Lower-Priced
Models!
64 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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66 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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68 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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• Quality & Quantity Assurance
• Expert Kiln Drying
• Personal Design Consultation
• Lifetime Warranty, Limited
• Team of Experts
INTEGRITY...QUALITY...VALUE...SERVICE...INNOVATION...IT MUST BE KUHNS BROS.
FEATURING QUALITY ANDERSEN® PRODUCTS
FOR MORE OF KUHNS BROS. LOG HOMES FLOOR PLANS LOG ON TO:
WWW.LOGHOMEDESIGNCENTER.COM
Porch
0ining Roor
Creat Roor
Kitchen
Foyer
Bath
0eck
w.l.C.
Vaster Bedroor
Vaster Bath
Clo.
48'-8°
5
1
'-
3
°
13'-0° x 29'-4°
Clo.
12'-3° x 12'-1°
34'-4° x 15'-4°
13'-4° x 8'-2°
10'-0° x 12'-0°
15'-4° x 13'-7°
Main Level
®
800-326-9614
TRUE NO-SHOP®
HOME LINES
COMPLETENESS, GREATER SELECTION, MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY
FAIRFIELD
2,470 SQ. FT.
3 BEDROOMS - 2.5 BATHS
• Services Guaranteed
• Financing
• Construction Management Services
• Energy Efficient Designs
• Maintenance Contracts
0pen Jo Below
Bedroor Bedroor
Bath
Loft
Clo.
35'-3°
3
7
'-
3
°
Clo.
Clo.
14'-4° x 12'-11°
13'-2° x 12'-11°
Second Level
70 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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Rustic Redefined
The Frasure: 1,652 Sq Ft, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
Hunts Mountain Lodge: 2,950 Sq Ft, 3 Bedrooms, 2-½ Baths
7898 State Highway 12
Sherburne, NY 13460
800-343-8928
E: [email protected]
www.loknlogs.com
Find us on Facebook too!
Visit our Home Office to view the
Hunts Mountain Lodge
• Kiln Dried, Precut
Log Walls
• Lifetime Warranty against
Wood-digesting Insects*
• Lifetime Warranty
against Wood Rot*
• Fully Customizable Plans
• Log Rafters and
Log Joists Standard
• Weather-Tite or
Complete Packages
Available
• Traditional Peeled Log
or Shaped Log Looks
Available!
*Call (800) 343-8928 for
*more details or for pricing
*with description of products.
Traditional Lok-N-Logs Log Homes
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72 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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THE SPRUCE CREEK
THE WYOMING
GIVE US A CALL 406/363-5680
ROCKYMOUNTAINLOGHOMES.COM
Gem Lake
Main Level:
2,285 sq. ft.
Lower Level:
1,594 sq. ft.
THE GEM LAKE
Call us for a floorplan that raises
your heart rate.
For 35 years we’ve been the leader in log homes that perfectly
match the location, lifestyle, imagination and budget of their
owners. Call today, we will e-mail you a floorplan that fits you.
74 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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10024 Parkside Drive
Knoxville TN 37922
800-438-8274 • 865-693-4833
fax: 865-693-9230
e-mail: [email protected]
www.stonemill.com
The Rockdale
Designed 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: 3
Baths: 3
Square Footage: 2,498
Package Price: Call for prices
Wind Ridge
Wind 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: 3
Baths: 2
Square Footage: 1,223
Package Price: Call for prices
10024 Parkside Drive
Knoxville TN 37922
800-438-8274 • 865-693-4833
fax: 865-693-9230
e-mail: [email protected]
www.stonemill.com
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Please find us on
Please find us on
PORCH
LIVING
14' x 13'
UP
DINING/
KITCHEN
13' x 9'
B
A
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BEDROOM
10' x 11'
BEDROOM
11' x 11'
CL
CL
First Floor
OPEN TO
BELOW
MASTER
BEDROOM
13' x 11'
LOFT
9' x 11'
M

B
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WIC
DN
Second Floor
Basement Main Floor
MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 75 www.loghomeliving.com
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76 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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Second Floor
First 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.
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2
Square Footage: 1,260
Appalachian Log Structures
P.O. Box 614 • Ripley WV 25271
866-LOG-HOME • 304-372-6410
fax: 304-372-3154
e-mail: [email protected]
www.applog.com
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The Original Log Cabin Homes
P.O. Box 1457
Rocky Mount NC 27802
800-562-2246
fax: 252-454-1550
e-mail: [email protected]
www.logcabinhomes.com
The Timberlog
The 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: 3
Baths: 2 1/2
Square Footage: 2,397
Package Price: Call for prices
Second Floor First 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.
Hochstetler Millin¸, Ltd. · 552 Hwy. 95 · Loudonville, OH 4+8+2 · HochstetlerLo¸Homes.com
McKay
R
E
F.
BATH
M. BATH
9'6x7'6"
L
IN
.
KITCHEN
11'x9'2"
COVERED PORCH
DECK
11'x16'
2
8
'
W.I.C.
M. BEDROOM
13'8"x13'6"
GREAT ROOM
21'10"x18'1"
DINING
AREA
13'x9'2"
8
'
1
2
'
15'
UP
DN
S
L
ID
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GABLED
SUNROOM
14'2"x11'6"
16'
40'
40' SHED DORMER
L
IN
.
W D
DOWN
BEDROOM#3
11'x11'1"
BEDROOM#2
13'8"x15'11"
OPEN TO BELOW
LOFT
17’x13'10"
C
LO
.
C
LO
.
C
LO
.
CLO.
2007 sq.ft.
3 BR/ 2 1/2 BA
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DELIVERING NATIONWIDE SINCE 1976
3250 Highway 93 S., Kalispell MT 59901
Phone: 406-752-2992 • Fax: 406-257-7014
[email protected] • WWW.MONTANALOGHOMES.COM/LHL
Montana Log Homes specializes in handcrafting unique, quality, log homes, lodges, and commercial
projects. Full-length, dead-standing, lodgepole pine or Englemann spruce is hand-peeled for that
original 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 Scandinavian
full-scribe or chink style construction. Log package quotes will include delivery and reassembly by
our experienced crew. Contact us for a copy of our plan book, DVD or video or visit our website at
WWW.MONTANALOGHOMES.COM/LHL
MLH-058
Total Area: 3,131 SQFT
Package Price: Call for Prices
SECOND FLOOR FIRST FLOOR
80 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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Handcrafted
Log Shell for Sale
Call today and have your log home
shell shipped tomorrow!
32-by-44-foot beautiful handcrafted log shell
for sale. Price will vary depending on shipping
location. This is a very limited opportunity. Call
today and you can have immediate delivery and
set up on your foundation!
Plans/info package available for $5.00
check or money order.
Koski Log Homes
35993 U.S. Highway 45
Ontonagon MI 49953
906-884-4937
e-mail: [email protected]
www.koskiloghomes.com
LOG
K K OS I
ME HO S
Massive western red cedar
and kiln dried pine
715-561-5420 or 715-562-0229
[email protected]
www.scandinavianlogandtimber.com
Quality, Strength, and Lasting Beauty
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Reclaimed, Hand-Hewn Log Homes & Beams
Walden 19th Century Antique Log Homes
P.O. Box 366
Lookout Mountain TN 37350
888-332-LOGS (5647) • 423-821-8070
fax: 423-821-8170
e-mail: [email protected]
www.waldenloghomes.com
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Tickets at the door or online
Loghomeshows.com/866.607.4108
Log Homes | Cabins | Timber Frame
Log & Rustic Style Furniture
FREE Seminars & Demonstrations

January 25-27: OH Log Home & Timber Frame Show
Ohio Expo Center 717 E. 17th Ave. / Columbus, OH 43211
Se e &
Learn
June 14-16: NY Log Home & Timber Frame Show
Lake George Forum 2200 US Route 9 / Lake George NY 12845
LOG HOME &
TIMBER FRAME SHOW
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www.broyhillwilesinc.com
317-660-6369 • Noblesville, IN
The Premiere Log and Timber Frame
Building Company
www.broyhillwilesinc.com
919-306-9959 • Chapel Hill, NC
The Premiere Log and Timber Frame
Building Company
A Colorado Company
Since 1984
A Colorado Compan
ModernLogHomes.com
25 Years Experience &
Over 500 Custom Homessssssssss
Built in Colorado
970/531-0781 970/531-0781
Ed Grant,
Regional Manager
Southeast Regional Office
egrant@loghomeoutfitters.com
www.loghomeoutfitters.com
Office: (706) 276-2211
Toll Free: (877) 474-5647
Fax: (706) 276-2214
273 Rose Petal Lane
PO Box 1542
Ellijay, Georgia, 30540
512 Highway 382 West, Ellijay, GA 30540
(303) 278-7825 ~ www.ModernRusticHomes.com
BUILD
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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 83 www.loghomeliving.com
LOG HOMES OF THE
SMOKIES
National Headquarters
6860 East Lamar Alexander Pkwy.
Townsend, TN 37882
Toll Free: (888) 586-1916
www.LogHomesoftheSmokies.net www.LogHomesoftheSmokies.net
Karen & Gary Tenfel
262-534-6280
cccloghomes.com
Designing and
building exceptional
log homes since 1985.
THE BEST OF
LOGHOME.COM
DELIVERED TO
YOUR INBOX!
Get weekly updates from the
editors of Log Home Living
and Country’s Best Cabins!
See the latest and greatest log
home Àoor plans, home tours,
contests, events and more!
Just visit loghome.com
and click the newsletter
sign-up button!
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Hand-Carved
Doors Crafted
by Nationally
Acclaimed
Wisconsin
Carvers!
View our full line
of Interior and
Exterior Doors on
our website.
www.timbervalleymillwork.com
THE FLOORING MILL
(888) 442-7396 theflooringmill.com
Solid Wide Plank Flooring, 4”-23”
Several styles: Old World • Rustic • Wire Brushed •
Tavern • Basic Wide plank
Ainsworth Zeagler • 912-682-0002
[email protected] • www.zeaglerfhf.com
Prefinished wide plank flooring at
amazing prices. Boards up to 16”
wide. No middlemen, from hand-
picked log to prefinished product.
SUNRISE SPECIALTY
Introducing our
new Aluminum Clad
Piedmont tub with
Thermostatic Shower.
Offering fine period
bathware featuring
only solid brass fittings,
titanium glazed
cast iron tubs–
assembled and
finished in
California.
SunriseSpecialty.com
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MARCH 2013 • LOG HOME LIVING • 85 www.loghomeliving.com
Log, Reclaimed Wood, Red
Fir, Alder Hickory and more.
18,000 Sq Ft Showroom.
OPEN DAILY. Custom Orders
Welcome. ON-SITE Factory -
AMERICAN MADE. 30 Years
in Business. Call For Catalog.
wildwestlogfurniture.com
400 W. Clayton Ave.
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815
(208-667-1394)
www. woodlandcreekfurniture .com
Stimulating &
Stylish
18,000 Unique Items
to satisfy your senses.
More than
K&K Lumber
P.O. Box 210, Silt, CO 81652
Phone 970-876-2156 • Fax 970-876-2613
www.kklumber.com
Lodgepole pine, deadstanding Engelmann
spruce, “D” shape logs. 8x8 double tongue &
groove, $5.60 lin. ft.; 8x6, $4.20; 6x6, $2.40.
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Preserve & Enhance Your Home
MORE AT NORTEKCOPPERWORKS.COM
Easy Installation Easy Installation Easy Installation
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88 • LOG HOME LIVING • MARCH 2013 www.loghomeliving.com
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.
epilog
Twin Symbols
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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.
Circle 029 on Free Information Card
Circle 038 on Free Information Card