Kristen Hopf's Blog (236)

When selecting the size, shape and look of the logs, the log home buyer is spoiled for choice. Here’s how to navigate your options.

So now that you know the timber options from which to choose, how do you turn this raw material into a home?

First you need to choose whether you want the look of a milled or handcrafted home. The primary differences here are the size and uniformity of the logs and the technique used to prepare them.

Handcrafted logs…

When selecting the size, shape and look of the logs, the log home buyer is spoiled for choice. Here’s how to navigate your options.

So now that you know the timber options from which to choose, how do you turn this raw material into a home?

First you need to choose whether you want the look of a milled or handcrafted home. The primary differences here are the size and uniformity of the logs and the technique used to prepare them.

Handcrafted logs…

Smart pre-planning and diligent weekend work helped this Tennessee couple build their dream log cabin in under six months.

Having construction know-how doesn’t just provide the obvious cost savings of being able to serve as your own builder-- it can also help you get your home erected and ready to move into in under six months.

That was the timeline provided to Pat and Carion Markland for creating their log cabin in…

How you light your interior spaces can make or break your log home's overall feel. But with so many options to choose from, deciding on the right log home lighting can be an overwhelming task.

How you light your interior spaces can make or break your log home’s overall feel. But with so many options to choose from, finding the right light can be an overwhelming task,…

If you’re applying for financing to build your log home, here’s what you can expect on the lending horizon.

Most log home buyers finance their purchase. The tax write-off alone makes getting a mortgage enticing even for those rare few who can pay cash. But how do you determine how much house you can afford, and how much of that will come from the bank?

When you’re ready to buy your log home, calculate your target budget by adding your assets and how…

Meals just seem to taste better when they are served in a beautiful setting--like the dining room of your log home. From cozy to dramatic, here are five of our favorite log home dining rooms. Be sure to click on the image to see more photos and learn more about these stunning homes.

1. Big Sky Wonder.…

In addition to its superior good looks, a log building system works a little differently than conventional construction. Here’s how.

Most houses’ weight is supported vertically, but a log home’s structural support comes horizontally, with the load of the house and its components resting almost entirely on its perimeter log walls. It’s critical that they be built to precision. This is known as the joinery system.

The load-bearing surfaces that touch are…

A builder/dealer may be your main link to your log home producer.

When the modern log home industry was starting in the 1970s, many manufacturers found that a successful way to reach new clients was to enlist satisfied customers as sales representatives. These ambassadors of the log home lifestyle approached the work as a sideline or hobby and received little or no training.

Over time, some turned their avocation into a livelihood; others became general…

A sampling of popular log home wood species and their attributes.

Northern White Cedar

Area harvested: Maine and Great Lakes states Heartwood colors: Light to medium or straw brown Sapwood colors: Nearly white Weight*: Light Heartwood decay resistance: Resistant

Bald Cypress (Red & Yellow)

Area harvested: Southern states and South…

What should you look for when you’re shopping for land for your log home site? These five tips will help you narrow the field.

1. Stick with Your Passion

When you begin planning, never cut those pastimes short. “Your interests should dictate 90 percent of your decision,” says John Ricketson, a project manager with Hearthstone, Inc. “You want to be in a region close to the activities you like, whether it’s skiing, fishing, hunting or hiking.”…

A majestic hybrid log home fulfills one family’s dreams of lazy days lounging by the water.

Story by Suzanna Logan | Photography by Joseph Hilliard

Along a wooded peninsula high above the gentle twists and turns of Wisconsin's Eagle River — about 100 feet above to be exact — a bald eagle's nest rests precariously in a pine tree.

“The nests can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and are hanging from branches the size of your arm,” says Mike Manske, who has…

Follow along a typical log home construction sequence of events.

The entire construction process for a modest log home (built by a pro) ranges from four to six months, but it can run a year or more for large or complex designs. Factors that affect construction time include seasons, weather, availability of labor/subcontractors and builder expertise. Builders’ processes may vary, but use this order of events as a guide to benchmark your log home’s…

With hundreds of exceptional log home manufacturers and handcrafters out there, how do you choose? Here’s how to find the one that can make your log home just the way you want it.

Any major purchase is stressful. The idea that as soon as you commit to a choice, it will be difficult — if not impossible — to change your mind can send even the most decisive buyer into a second-guessing frenzy. Buyer’s remorse is NOT something you envision in your dream-home…

A North Georgia log home provides every creature comfort imaginable — all within a lush mountain landscape.

Story by Janice Brewster | Photography courtesy of Modern Rustic Homes

Each November, Jack and Patty Cartwright host a hayride, bonfire and campout at their log home in the mountains of north Georgia. On average, 250 to 300 friends and clients join the fun.

Guests bunk up in the Cartwrights’ five-bedroom home, camp on their land or rent…

When selecting the size, shape and look of the logs, the log home buyer is spoiled for choice. Here’s how to navigate your options.

So now that you know the timber options from which to choose, how do you turn this raw material into a home?

First you need to choose whether you want the look of a milled or handcrafted home. The primary differences here are the size and uniformity of the logs and the technique used to prepare them.

Handcrafted logs…

A builder/dealer may be your main link to your log home producer.

When the modern log home industry was starting in the 1970s, many manufacturers found that a successful way to reach new clients was to enlist satisfied customers as sales representatives. These ambassadors of the log home lifestyle approached the work as a sideline or hobby and received little or no training.

Over time, some turned their avocation into a livelihood; others became general…

A la carte or all-inclusive — buying a log home starts with the parts of the log home package/kit.

The “package,” (sometimes referred to as the “kit”) is the starting point of log homes for obvious reasons — it contains the logs. Logs are the bulk of the building materials used in log homes, rivaled only by stone and, in some cases, glass. So when you’re selecting a package from a log home producer, you’re buying the majority of the structural components that…

Picking the right person to build your home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Our 1-2-3 strategy will get you on the right track to finding a log home builder.

1. Check Him Out for Yourself

If a builder is having an open house or is displaying a project on a home-and-garden tour, sign up. Not only are these a lot of fun and a bounty of great ideas, they will provide a…

Picking the right person to build your home is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Our 1-2-3 strategy will get you on the right track to finding a log home builder.

1. Check Him Out for Yourself

If a builder is having an open house or is displaying a project on a home-and-garden tour, sign up. Not only are these a lot of fun and a bounty of great ideas, they will provide a…

What should you look for when you’re shopping for land for your log home site? These five tips will help you narrow the field.

1. Stick with Your Passion

When you begin planning, never cut those pastimes short. “Your interests should dictate 90 percent of your decision,” says John Ricketson, a project manager with Hearthstone, Inc. “You want to be in a region close to the activities you like, whether it’s skiing, fishing, hunting or hiking.”…