August 2016 Blog Posts (39)

A unique fusion-style hybrid log home is Wyoming’s epitome of rustic elegance.

Photography courtesy of Summit Log & Timber Homes

Log homes are as diverse and distinctive as the people who love them. Take the “Teton Retreat” by Summit Log & Timber Homes, for example. Located in the shadow of the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and just shy of 5,000 square feet, this fusion-style hybrid log home is as breathtaking as the mountains…

A unique fusion-style hybrid log home is Wyoming’s epitome of rustic elegance.

Photography courtesy of Summit Log & Timber Homes

Log homes are as diverse and distinctive as the people who love them. Take the “Teton Retreat” by Summit Log & Timber Homes, for example. Located in the shadow of the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and just shy of 5,000 square feet, this fusion-style hybrid log home is as breathtaking as the mountains…

A unique fusion-style hybrid log home is Wyoming’s epitome of rustic elegance.

Photography courtesy of Summit Log & Timber Homes

Log homes are as diverse and distinctive as the people who love them. Take the “Teton Retreat” by Summit Log & Timber Homes, for example. Located in the shadow of the Grand Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and just shy of 5,000 square feet, this fusion-style hybrid log home is as breathtaking as the mountains…

A look at some of the no-fuss wood treatment options available for preserving your home’s logs.

There’s a myth floating around that log homes are somehow challenging to maintain and therefore consume hours upon hours of our time and even elbow grease. This is nonsense—and a notion that’s probably perpetuated by someone selling condos or stick-built homes. The…

Making your family’s dream of owning a log cabin come true should be a joyful experience. Having a connection to nature, and being surrounded by the sights and sounds of cabin living are among some of the most rewarding experiences to be had in this fast paced and technologically driven world. However, there are times when these rustic dwellings can seem like a heavy burden…

Can you imagine a log home without a porch or deck to sit and enjoy the natural surroundings? Log home decks are essential outdoor rooms.

Log-home living is as much about the living as it is the logs. A lot of that living occurs outside the home. Porches and decks — integral ingredients of log homes — transport log-home living into the outdoors. Often, it’s…

I believe that log home consumers need to be better informed. I have been involved in log home construction since the late 1970's when I was the wood products specialist for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service, Texas A&M University. There has been much improvement in the log home industry since then, but the consumer pitfalls are still plentiful. This is why I wrote a book asking the important question, "Should You Choose A Log Home?". It is available at Amazon.com. My hope is that…

Your home’s kitchen and bathroom sinks are some of the most heavily used fixtures in your home. From rinsing off vegetables to washing your hands, there is plenty of dirt, grease, and grime that gets washed into the sink. This use often results in sink problems like blockages and other issues. Learning how to fix small problems yourself saves you money and time.…

Your log home maintenance FAQs answered!

How long will a log home last?

More than a million log homes built in the United States in the 19th century are still standing. Many are still being used as primary residences. As long as you protect your log home from weather and moisture, you will ensure its longevity.

How do log homes keep the rain and wind from coming in between the logs?

First, the logs themselves are shaped and…

There isn’t a scrap of drywall to be found in this Wisconsin full-log homestead.

Photography courtesy of Golden Eagle Log Homes

What happens when an all-American couple wants the quintessential American house? Nothing short of perfection. But like many things worth waiting for, perfection doesn’t come quickly. The owners of this 3,270-square-foot log homestead spent more than a decade planning and preparing for their house.

First they purchased…

Retired Staff Sgt. Vincent Gizzarelli, his wife Jamie and their children were all smiles the day they their mortgage-free log home changed a hero's life.

When it comes to facing challenges, few do it better than veterans who have put their lives in jeopardy and sacrificed time with family to serve on the front lines for our country.

Retired Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Vincent Gizzarelli and his family are among the many that have experienced a trying…

When it comes to your home’s water lines, you want to keep them in perfect working condition. Even a slow leak can lead to massive repair bills down the road if it goes unchecked. There are some problems you can take care of on your own, like clearing a minor clog or replacing an aerator. However, there are other times when you really should let the…

Not ones to let a little extra mileage stand in the way of what they want, a South Carolina couple finds their ideal log home provider in Northern Maine and build their long distance log home from all the way down the coast.

There’s a common misconception among log home enthusiasts that in order to have one of these wood beauties of their own, they have to have a log home producer in their back yard.

It’s a notion that couldn’t be further from the…

As election season heats up, we share the seven American Presidents born in log cabins.

Few things are as iconically American as the frontier log cabin. And of the United States’ 44 presidents, seven of them have been born in…

While uninterrupted layouts have their benefits, you may need to do a lot of thinking about how to delineate each of the areas within open floor plans.

Photos courtesy of Kalaty Rug Corporation

In today’s open-plan homes, comfort knows no boundaries. Airy open living spaces are more popular than ever,…

A creative couple take on a log home fixer upper and achieve their dream retreat in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

It started with a doorbell.

In 2008, Ohio resident Patti Paquin purchased a bronze moose-themed doorbell plate as an anniversary present for her husband Ray. The gift came with a note: “For our future log and timber frame home. Now we just have to build…

Testing has shown that though the R-value of a log is technically low, log homes are energy efficient. Read on to learn about the energy benefits of log homes.

By Rob Pickett

The log home industry has always been challenged when the question of energy efficiency is raised. Wood conducts heat, but it does not perform in the same way insulation products do. Yet the ongoing message from log home owners is that their homes are warm, comfortable and more…

Testing has shown that though the R-value of a log is technically low, log homes are energy efficient. Read on to learn about the energy benefits of log homes.

By Rob Pickett

The log home industry has always been challenged when the question of energy efficiency is raised. Wood conducts heat, but it does not perform in the same way insulation products do. Yet the ongoing message from log home owners is that their homes are warm, comfortable and more…

Testing has shown that though the R-value of a log is technically low, log homes are energy efficient. Read on to learn about the energy benefits of log homes.

By Rob Pickett

The log home industry has always been challenged when the question of energy efficiency is raised. Wood conducts heat, but it does not perform in the same way insulation products do. Yet the ongoing message from log home owners is that their homes are warm, comfortable and more…

A mountain log home in New Hampshire with one-of-a-kind craftsmanship serves as a year-round mountain getaway for its Florida family.

As you feast your eyes on this undeniably rustic retreat set in New England’s White Mountains, you’d never guess that its owners also have a sophisticated Tuscan-themed home in sunny Florida. After all, the two house styles — and their locations — are about as different as night and day.

“We knew that our home in the mountains…