Back in the days before saw mills, log homes were the way homes were built. As wood became used up, building with dimensional lumber became the way to build, as it was cheaper and used less resources.
Today, as resources have been regrown and are more plentiful, more and more log homes are popping up on the landscape. Part of the reasoning, is there are definite advantages to a log home.
- Fast Framing
With the right crew and building system, it can be weather tight in as little as two weeks—for an average sized home. In conventional construction, your home is exposed to the elements for far longer. - Warmth of Wood
Warm to the touch (as opposed to the always chilly sheetrock), wood has something called “thermal mass,” a natural property in the logs that helps keep inside temperatures of homes comfortable in all seasons. - Super Energy Efficient
Provided the home is sealed properly (between the foundation and the first course of logs, between log-to-log connections and where the roof system meets the log wall), you can have a super energy efficient home. Indeed, some builders routinely build log and timber homes to meet the DOE’s “Energy Star” standards. - A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Hanging a picture in a home with drywall is a big ordeal, involving a stud finder, a hammer or drill and bruised fingers—maybe even a bruised ego, since your spouse may tell you to move the picture, requiring patch work. - Superior Craftsmanship
Conventional custom homes can have their fare share of beautiful carpentry, but this is typically limited to trim and millwork. In log and timber homes, examples of fine craftsmanship are at every turn. - Peace & Quiet
Log homes are often quieter than stick built homes, thanks to the same thermal mass that provides energy efficiency and the sound deadening affects of wood walls. - Withstand Mother Nature’s Wrath
The log and timber home industry has countless stories of these homes successfully weathering the worst weather Mother Nature can dish out.
Since trees are a renewable resource, log and timber homes come with a solid green pedigree. When a home is made from solid logs, you are effectively taking the carbon contained in those logs out of environmental circulation over the entire life of the home.
Thanks to the National Assoc. of Home Builders.
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