Whether you’ve dreamed of a spacious, airy lakeside home or a cozy mountain cabin, there’s no denying the appeal of wood—from stately oaks to towering cedars. That appeal increasingly includes timber frame homes, built of massive timber supports that showcase the dramatic beauty of natural wood. Sometimes called “post and beam,” timber frame construction is one of the oldest forms of homebuilding. Timbers are typically fitted together with different joinery methods, including dove…
With everything under the sun being labeled “smart” these days, it follows that smart roofs are in our near future. A smart roof coating made from waste cooking oil from fast food restaurants (minus the smell, of course) is being processed into a liquid polymer that hardens like plastic. When applied to roofing material, the coating switches roles from reflecting to transmitting heat by reading a thermometer. The coating can be adjusted to the location of the home. It is both nontoxic and nonflammable a…
The process of building a custom log or timber home is the crossroads of personal preference, cost efficiency, and technical necessity to produce the right balance of aesthetics and sound, quality construction. Each of the primary parties involved, the homeowner, log producer, and builder, plays a vital role in the construction process. Each one lends individual know-how to the experience, complementing the others. In the end, the goal is for homeowners to enjoy the log or timber …
The experience of building a log or timber home, making the vision become a reality, is extraordinary and may take place only once in a lifetime. The advantage of previous experience is often absent. Therefore, consulting professionals becomes critical to the process—from the beginning. The first step in the journey is often a comparison of pricing and deliverables from qualified log and timber home packaging companies, and the advice of professionals adds confiden…
For many of us, the opportunity to build a log or timber frame house is the realization of a lifelong dream. But what makes a house a home is the people we share it with and the memories we make there. That’s why it’s no surprise that many people build their log or timber frame home with the intention of passing the home on to future generations. If that’s your plan, there are some design considerations to keep in mind so that you build a home that will appeal to the whole family and be as cherished in …
Rebbecca Abair recalls having a passion for designing unique spaces and landscapes her entire life. “As far back as I can remember,” Rebbecca says, “I have been fascinated with small spaces and always pictured myself residing in a little log cabin in the woods.” Her father, a talented design and construction visionary in his own right, taught his little girl how to do roofing, mix concrete, and build all manner of things, from furniture to structures. To date, Rebbecca has designed and built eight diffe…
This issue’s theme is legacy log homes—building a log home now that will be passed down to future generations. It makes sense to build the best possible log home using the highest quality of materials that will withstand all weather conditions, pests, and other natural elements. It also makes sense to build a log home that is energy and water efficient. Energy costs are on the rise now and there’s no telling how high they will go in the future. Water, a most precious resource, is also worth conserving t…
It’s the classic dilemma when building a log home. Finishing with that expensive look without busting the budget is indeed a challenge. But it can be done. Log home professionals, from sales consultants to designers and experienced builders, are ready to assist in the great undertaking, lending a hand at decision time. Moving forward with confidence involves research and preparation. “Certainly, preplanning is important as far as determining what square…
For Jim McKinney of Chicago, building the log home of his dreams was an exciting, but substantial, venture. When he began planning the Jackson, Wyoming, home more than five years ago, McKinney did meticulous research to make sure he selected a reputable log home producer who would understand the look and feel he wanted to create in the home. Ultimately, he wanted to work with a company that could design a home that would be “100 percent me.” “You can expect that a log home is going to be a little more e…
You’ve set your sights on your ideal second home, and it’s time to bring your dreams to fruition. You’ve picked the site, purchased the land, and decided that a log home will be the perfect fit. In your mind’s eye you see your friends and family enjoying the home for years to come, frolicking in the lake that it overlooks and exploring the wilderness that surrounds it. To make sure that vision becomes a reality, there are a few steps you’ll want to take during your second h…
Imagine you’re going to the supermarket, and apples are on your shopping list. You love apples and you can’t wait to buy them so you can sink your teeth into one. But when you get to the store, you’re faced with choices. Gala apples are on sale for less than the Fuji variety, but when you compare the two, the latter seem to be fresher, making the Gala seem like less of a deal. Then you spy the Honey Crisp—the most expensive, but also the sweetest, biggest fruit o…
Sam and Gale Easter, self-described “loggies,” are enthusiastic about living in the log home of their dreams. But during the planning stages for the house, the couple took time to carefully research log home companies and builders. They were looking for professionals who would not only turn out a quality product, but who also would deal with them fairly and honestly. “The company we chose answered all our questions right up front,” says Gale, now owner o…
