One of the greatest challenges in making interior log home space livable is taking full advantage of light, overcoming the tendency of the home’s primary building material, the wood itself, to create dim, dark areas inside. In addition, preserving and protecting the wood from the ravages of time and the effects of moisture, dust, and dirt keep the log home interior looking beautiful for years. The first line of defense and the best way to lighten up your log home…
With smart planning, you can create a home that’s beautiful to look at and does a beautiful job conserving energy. The design phase of building a log home is a perfect time to consider energy efficiency, as you can build in features that will make your home naturally efficient. You’ll end up with a home that will not only save money on power bills but will be comfortable to live in—free from drafts and moisture, with consistent temperatures throughout. Log homes on the whole are efficient buildin…
Timber framing—using large posts and beams to form the structural support—has been used to build homes and other structures for centuries. Requiring no interior load-bearing walls, timbers are joined by connecting a mortise (hole) on the end of one timber with a corresponding tenon (tongue) for a precise fit. In modern timber frame construction, walls are often structural insulated panels (SIPs) erected on the outside while leaving the timber framing exposed on the interior. SIPs can then be finished us…
Southwestern Montana’s Big Sky region is home to some of the most spectacular, unspoiled mountain terrain in the country, showcasing the Rocky Mountains, access to Yellowstone National Park, blue ribbon rivers, and expansive blue skies. Recreational opportunities abound all year long, from summer golf outings to skiing in the winter. It’s no surprise many people choose Big Sky for their vacation retreat, and this home in particular was designed with family and fun in mind. Construction was completed in …
Michelle Hedges has known the land that she calls home for many years. Family ties make the picturesque scenery of the Cumberland Mountains in Middle Tennessee even more spectacular, and its history is a strong tie to earlier generations. “My home is on property that has been in the family for a long time,” explains Michelle. “Research indicates the property was originally part of a Revolutionary War land grant. The house sits on the exact spot of an original older home in which my great great grandfath…
For many people, becoming a log home owner takes years of planning and saving funds. Once you’ve built your dream log home, you want to do everything possible to protect your investment. Regular maintenance is certainly important, and carefully selecting high-performing stains and finishes will help preserve the beauty and integrity of your home for years to come. Stains and finishes protect the logs from the elements, including sun, wind, and rain—strong forces that can cause severe damage over t…
The eager homeowners already owned a 31/2-acre home site at The Yellowstone Club, an exclusive residential club, ski resort, and golf resort in eastern Madison County, Montana. Now all they wanted was a log home that looked as if it were built in 1870—but with all of the modern amenities that a neurosurgeon and his family would expect from a brand-new vacation home. “I’m 55 years old and I grew up in the Cowboys & Indians generation,” says the homeowner. “We took a few camping trips to the Rockies a…
There’s no definitive answer on when the buying process begins. For some folks, it begins the first time they clip a photograph of a log cabin from a magazine and start a file. For other people, it’s the first time they walk into a log home model and start picking out floorplans. When it comes to building a custom log home, the buying procedure isn’t only about money. It’s a progression that lasts from concept to completion with steps in between. “A lot of patience is needed thr…
When Charles and Lana Sangmeister said goodbye to the hustle and bustle of central New Jersey seven years ago they had no idea that they’d be in for such a treat. After retiring from their jobs, the Sangmeisters returned to Lana’s Montana roots and purchased 277 acres of land in the small town of Nye. Nestled in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains, the region proved to be the perfect backdrop for the couple’s new log cabin home. Before that dream came to fruition the Sangmeisters studied hundreds o…
Log home producers mill logs to uniform dimensions and then combine them with other structural components and building materials to make a log home package. The uniform look of a milled log home is often what is most appealing to log home buyers. When Sue and Mike McKenrick moved to Morgantown in the northeastern part of West Virginia, they wanted to settle down somewhere with space and privacy. With their four children grown, they didn’t need a huge home, but as avid motorcyclists they sought room for …
Gregory and Kym Lagios had corporate careers in the Boston area, working long, hard hours. Their efforts paid off, earning them enough income to afford an early retirement. “Kym and I had been searching for property in the Lakes Region for several years,” says Greg, “and came across this lot through our friend and realtor Gerard Constantino. What we love about our site are the views of the water and mountains, along with our very own 106-foot private sand beach. Rural enough to afford them plenty of pea…
The average log home can take anywhere from four to eight months or more to build, depending on its size. A custom log home is well worth the time and effort. Prior to construction, you plan for months, sometimes years, to make this vision become real. Because of the many stages that happen before the home is ready to move in, the construction process can seem daunting. Understanding the steps beforehand makes you a well-prepared consumer. It is your knowledge and passion to build a log home that help g…
