Surprisingly, the look and quality of interior and exterior doors often come as afterthoughts in the construction of log and timber homes. However, a missed opportunity to brighten an entryway, welcome guests, and increase the “wow factor” can be corrected. It’s never too late to spruce up doors, keeping an eye on cost and environmentally friendly factors. Getting in touch with the ins and outs of interior and exterior doors is easier than you think. Craftsme…
When talking about green building, energy efficiency, and passive solar design, you may hear the term “thermal mass.” The term refers to the ability of a material to stabilize the temperature of your home by storing heat from the sun (called solar gain) during the day, then slowly releasing it at night. Some people add a thermal mass feature to help store solar heat, but luckily for log home owners, logs themselves have considerable thermal mass naturally. Therma…
The dream of owning a second home is far from dead. Signs of the housing market’s resuscitation are visible around the country, with certain areas emerging as the hottest spots (and best real estate investments) you can make. With interest rates still incredibly low (5.25 percent for a 30-year fixed, as reported by Wells Fargo [www.wellsfargo.com] at the time of publication) and excellent builders still available and eager to work, these could be your best conditions for getting that…
When Dallas couple Jennifer and Robert Quinn began taking their family on annual camping excursions two decades ago, they explored various areas throughout the Southwest—particularly Colorado. On one occasion, they happened to drive through Lake City, Colorado, a small town nestled in the San Juan Mountains. “It was just like driving through a fairy tale,” Jennifer says. “We fell in love with it.” The couple began dreaming about and planning to build a log home in Lake City as they continued makin…
Just a few minutes from the Bozeman, Montana, airport, the Rocky Mountains rise toward the heavens. A drive along the Gallatin River leads to a captivating log home that fulfills a lifelong desire for its owner, blending the beauty of the Mountain West with modern convenience and sweet serenity. “I wanted to create a home where our large family and other families with us could all be in one room,” relates the homeowner. “The house is centered around a great room on the main floor with dining room, kitch…
The log home lifestyle is within reach of homeowners everywhere, whether their current homes are of conventional or log construction. More popular than ever, log additions to existing residential structures are gaining momentum with creativity and affordability. A log addition to a home of any style may be accomplished with planning, consultation, and vision. “The sky is the limit on what you can do with a full-scribe handcrafted log home,” comments Brad Neu, president of Montana Log Homes, “and w…
“Initially, we were looking for bare lake frontage to build a log cabin on,” begin Wisconsin homeowners Jamie and Karen Geschke. “However, finding a great lakefront lot without an existing home proved to be impossible.” Then a realtor friend, Erik Johnson, showed the couple a property on Lake Kaubashine that was coming on the market, and it was love at first sight: sand beach, pristine water, not much boat traffic, and bordered on one side by state-owned land. There was a modest house on the property, b…
“Our client chose full logs for their family house,” says Dennis Davis, project manager for RJ Dailey Construction, “believing the aesthetics would make the proper statement about family and farm values: strong, stable and, most of all, enduring.” RJ Dailey builds only custom residences and estates, says Davis, “but up until now only in California, where our company is based.” It was an honor and a pleasure for the company to be selected as the general contractor for a log home on a family farm in Illin…
Do you want your vacation getaway home to be an exact duplicate of your main home? Of course not! Your leisure life is far more relaxed and free than your everyday life so you’ll want that to be reflected in your home away from home. Perhaps you are attracted to a different architectural and decorative style that you’d like to explore. Go a bit more sleek and modern or maybe indulge your love for a rustic, natural feel. If the colors used in your main home are neutral, take a chance …
Seasons change. Log and timber home owners are wise to heed the advice that seems to be everywhere. Winterize to protect your investment, prevent larger maintenance issues, and ensure the best of experiences regardless of temperature, snow, ice, and howling winds. Basic prevention makes all the difference. Begin with a general inspection, much of which can be completed by homeowners themselves. Service providers are also available to make light work of seasonal chores. “The first thing to do is to inspe…
Considering the rising costs of energy and the environmental awareness that is so necessary as natural resources become more scarce every day, log home owners are taking advantage of opportunities to maximize the energy efficiency of their homes on a regular basis. While doing so, they discover not only that savings in real dollars may be substantial, but also that their personal impact on the environment is becoming “greener.” Those who are constructing their log homes and those who are purchasing an e…
Who hasn’t been drawn to the warmth of a sunny spot on a cold day, or cooled off in the shade during the dog days of summer? Passive solar design takes that natural comfort and incorporates it into the design of your house. Put simply, you can design your home to gather and make use of the sun’s light and warmth in the winter, while minimizing the warming effects of the sun in the summer. The result: a comfortable, bright, efficient home. There are many factors to take into consideration when inco…
