There are many ways to store the heat from sunlight that enters your home, including stone floors and masonry interior walls. Another way people are choosing to capture that heat is through the use of Trombe walls . Trombe walls are named after Felix Trombe, the French engineer who developed them. The technique is to build a portion of the south wall of the home with a high thermal mass material such as concrete, then cover and seal it with a pane of glass a few inches from the surface of the wall on th…
Maximizing Energy Efficiency
For decades the assessment of energy efficiency in log homes has been the subject of debate. Building codes differ from one jurisdiction to another, while climate, cost, and quality of construction also weigh in. Finding the proper balance to achieve the necessary efficiency means identifying the components of log construction that will realize the best return on investment. Rob Pickett has spent more than 40 years in the log home industry, operating his own…
Tall Tale
Appalachian Log Homes, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, prides itself on providing unique character logs to their clients when requested. “I will never forget,” says the company’s vice-president, Dave Carter Jr., “the character log installation at the Atwill/Peck cabin in West Virginia.” Steve Atwill had come across a special piece of wood that he wanted to serve as a support post and artistic focal point for his 20 x 26 cabin. “Normally,” relates Carter, “we arrive on site with our load of logs and stack…
Exterior Log Finish Primer
Low-maintenance, long-lasting good looks, environmental friendliness, and reasonable cost are just some of the elements that factor into choosing the right log home exterior finish. Evaluating the available options may be a challenge, but an understanding of the basics helps ease the process and produce the desired results. Paul Peebles, a commercial sales representative at Perma-Chink Systems, agrees that appearance, longevity, value, and environmental considera…
A Five-Star Prize
“It all started way back,” begins Brad Thompson, telling the story of how he and his wife, Daryl, came to acquire their 362-acre farm in the rural community of Stewartstown, in northern New Hampshire. “I grew up in the town of Winchester, on an 1,100-acre farm. In 1974, my dad, brother, and I built a hunting and fishing camp in Clarksville, just north of here. I guess I have the love of the land bred into me.” His father, at 88 years of age, is still enjoying the camp, his very own piece of paradise.&nb…
How to Get Financing in Today’s Market
You have dreamed about living in a log home for years. You have collected photos and stashed away log company floorplans and magazine clips. You’ve probably done a lot of the fun stuff, but have you thought about how you’re going to pay for this dream? If you are like most Americans, you will have to take out a mortgage to pay for your dream home. And, with a brand-new log home, you will also have to take out a loan to get it built. To be better prepared before yo…
The Great Outdoors
Living next door to the outdoors holds the greatest appeal for log home owners, and making the most of outdoor living space is steadily rising on the wish lists of those building and buying new homes or enhancing existing outdoor amenities. From wraparound porches and extended decks to patios, pergolas, pools, and full kitchens, creativity and craftsmanship drive spectacular results. “We just started a line of outdoor living spa…
Energy-Saving Techniques
Saving energy is often a top concern of homeowners, whether driven by a desire to lower their utility expenses or tread lightly on the earth. Each year we see new technologies that help make saving energy easier than ever, but there are some tried-and-true methods to consider as well. Built-In Efficiency The most important thing you can do to reduce energy consumption is ensure that you are building a home with the least amount of air leakage as possible. That begins with the des…
Stonebottom Farm
David Cobb and Karen Sommerlad knew they wanted to stay busy when they retired from their jobs at Harvard University; they just never knew how busy. “We gave up 35-hour-a-week jobs to work 70 hours a week,” says David, former curator of maps at the Harvard University Library. He and Karen, a senior campus planner, purchased a 15-acre lot in Sudbury, Vermont, five years ago with the hopes of starting a small organic farm upon their retirement. Today, they cultivate about a quarter-acre of wh…
Up the Wall
If you have chosen to build a log or timber frame home, no doubt it is the beauty of the wood that drew you in. All-log walls are fantastic design elements. By selecting a square or D-log profile, it is easier to hang artwork, display shelves, and cabinetry on the flat interior surface. For a timber frame or post-and-beam home, you can opt for wood walls, but with the use of SIPs (structural insulated panels) between the timbers the sky is the limit for wall treatments. Many homeowne…
Log Versus Timber
The appeal of a log or timber home is the first indicator that such a dream dwelling is in a homeowner’s future. Both building materials captivate the imagination and conjure up images of days spent in leisure, enjoying beautiful mountain or lakeside vistas, watching wildlife, and generally relaxing. But which is best, log or timber? Most often, the decision to build with log or timber comes down to that age-old bugaboo—pricing. Comparing the cost of log versus timber inevitably s…
Lighten Up!
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…