The Log Home: An American Dream Sponsored By Log Homes Council National Association of Home Builders Table of Contents The Log Home: An American Dream . 1 The Log Home Council: Protecting the Industry . 2 Log Homes: Up to Code . 3 Log Homes Across the Country . 4 Doing It Yourself: Building Your Log Home . 5 The Efficiency of Log Homes . 7 Understanding the Log Home Buying/Building Process . 9 Financing Your Dream Home . 11 Preserving & Maintaining Your Log Home . 13 Does Your Timber Make the Grade? . 15 Building a Dream Home 2,000 Miles Away . 16 The Log Home: The election of 1840 featured incumbent Martin Van that log homes are no more than glorified cabins or Buren, widely viewed as a wealthy aristocrat who temporary structures has long been dispelled. An American Dream drank champagne, against Whig Party candidate Present-day log homes abound with personalizations William Henry Harrison. Harrison’s campaign cast from media rooms, multi-level porches and decks, he log home in America enjoys a rich the candidate as an approachable and simple Jacuzzis, formal dining rooms — nearly every tradition spanning centuries of progress and frontiersman — one that enjoyed his log cabin and amenity available. millions of happy homeowners. Not only T drinking cider. Harrison’s lifestyle, which reflected have log homes provided shelter and comfort for that of many 19th century Americans, helped him millions across this nation, but the log home has Since the dawn of the United States, the log gain a decisive edge in the electoral college and served as a reflection of the country throughout home has been a constant presence. As the become the ninth president. its history. country expanded, grew, and modernized, so In the late 19th century, log homes remained part too has the log home. Today, log homes are Scandinavian settlers introduced the first log home of the changing American landscape. Advances in prevalent coast-to-coast and constructed building techniques in America during the 17th railroad transportation made travel to remote century. By clearing forestland to create villages in all fifty states. The log home plays an locations easy and accessible. Log homes were and using the fallen timber as a building material, integral role in America’s past and present, built bigger and more luxurious than before to these early settlers unknowingly began the first and will remain a fixture of this country accommodate vacationers to places like New “green” building movement. To this day, log home in the future. York’s Adirondack Mountains. building remains one of the only construction methods heavily dependent on renewable natural Like the early settlers who brought log construction resources. methods to their new land, pioneers during America’s “manifest destiny” erected log homes The earliest log homes took on the qualities of throughout the nation’s upper mid-West. As log early Americans — rugged, resourceful, and homes expanded throughout the country, resilient. New methods of log building were construction methods evolved. Builders used a invented and tested. Log homeowners in colder variety of wood species to construct their homes, climates developed special mixtures to seal cracks using whatever species was most prevalent. and spaces between logs — precursors to today’s Regional variations in cornering and fastening were chinking and sealant systems. also common. Log homes were permanently sewn into the fabric Today’s modern log home manufacturer combines of America during the middle of the 19th century. the experiences and lessons of a 400-year old Most Americans can identify Abraham Lincoln as process to produce an exemplary residence. More the “Log Home President” and to this day, Lincoln than 25,000 log homes are sold each year and remains the most famous American to live in a log account for a significant amount of the custom home. But few people know that one of Lincoln’s home building market. The inherent craftsmanship predecessors, William Henry Harrison, was among and beauty of log homes have long pleased the first to parlay the lifestyle of log home living vacationers, but buyers are increasingly building to national success. log homes as their primary residence. The notion 1 The Log Homes Log Grading — Log grading is a process that Council: Protecting certifies the quality of logs before the product leaves a sawmill. All LHC members are required to the Industry participate in a third-party log grading program prior to joining the council. The log grading process urchasing a new home is one of the guarantees the consumer that their logs meet or largest investments any person will ever exceed national standards for home building. Pmake. Savvy homebuyers will undertake generous amounts of research before making the Construction Manual — As each log home system most informed decision. Purchasing a log home is unique, each log home manufacturer’s is not only a large financial investment, it also construction specifications are also unique. To requires buyers to grasp more intricate ensure that our members’ products are built to the information than conventional construction. highest standards, all LHC members are required With more than 300 log home manufacturers in to publish a construction manual. This manual is a the United States, a homebuyer should begin detailed, step-by-step resource for building your their search for a log home through the Log new log home. Whether you are using the log home Homes Council (LHC). manufacturer’s builder/dealer, a local contractor, or building the home yourself, having the The North American Log Homes Council was construction manual is invaluable. founded in the mid-1970’s by several log home manufacturing companies to bring technical and Code of Ethics — The Log Homes Council Code of ethical standards to the industry. As the council Ethics mandates a fair and ethical method for expanded its membership and consumer benefits, business practices — from construction standards the council aligned with the Building Systems to customer service. The full document is available Councils of the National Association of Home from the Council and posted online. Consumers Builders and became the Log Homes Council. who feel a council member is in violation of this code of ethics may file a formal letter of complaint Today, the Log Homes Council has approximately with the Council. The Log Homes Council Ethics 60 members nationwide including handcrafters, Committee was formed to handle incoming ethics custom log home builders, and some of the complaints and mediate a resolution in the best largest log home manufacturers in the country. interests of both parties. Each Log Home Council member must meet and maintain technical and ethical criteria to be In addition to the safeguards listed above, the Log eligible for membership. The Log Homes Council Homes Council publishes white papers and has enacted three important safeguards to technical notes on subjects ranging from energy protect consumers: mandatory log grading, efficiency to controlling and preventing termites. publication of a construction manual, and All Log Homes Council publications are available adherence to the Log Homes Council’s Code online at www.loghomes.org or by contacting the 2 of Ethics. council at 800-368-5242 x8576. Log Homes: Up To Code indicator of the resistant characteristics of building materials — and timber naturally carries a low mong the reasons log home owners love R-value. All wood, however, has a varying level of their residences is the unique aesthetic and thermal mass, a term that describes the natural Aarchitectural qualities of log homes. While energy properties of timber. Until the International log homes are more popular than ever, those who Code Council puts forth its standards for log live in them share a common bond of lifestyle and construction, prospective log homeowners should comfort. While the uniqueness of a log home is one educate themselves on thermal mass and the of the industry’s main selling points, it also means relationship to R-value by consulting the Log that across the country, code officials and home Homes Library on www.loghomes.org or by reading inspectors may not be familiar with the intricacies available Department of Energy documents. and peculiarities of a log home. The Log Homes Council has developed some factors to take into Fire Performance — Understanding the fire consideration before having your home inspected. resistance and performance of log walls is critical information to a code official. While there are Grading — Timber approved by a certified log fire-resistant systems available to the log grading program has been visually inspected and homeowner, there are natural fire performance certified to a certain grade, which translates into a characteristics inherent in logs that should be certain strength. It is important for building explored. A Log Homes Council white paper on the officials to understand and appreciate the grading subject, available online, is a good starting point process from a structural standpoint. Be sure to for information. have documentation of your manufacturer’s grading certification available for the inspector(s). General Log Construction — Sometimes the only reason building and code officials are skeptical of Plans/Construction Manuals — In addition to log construction is simply because they have never submitting design plans to your local jurisdiction, encountered a log home before. Log home building having a professionally-provided construction systems are not very different than a stick-built manual will carry a good deal of weight. If your home; the same fundamentals apply to construc- building official can see that the home has been tion of the foundation, exterior and interior walls, carefully planned for design and construction, the roof, floors, and utilities. Focusing on the approval and building process can be more efficient similarities of log and stick-built construction can and comfortable for all involved.