Log & Timber Home Living magazine is the ultimate guide to log, timber and hybrid homes. Expect expert advice on everything from floor plan design to materials and maintenance, as well as inspiring home tours, decorating ideas and more!
Dream homes come in all shapes and sizes. Some people long for a tiny cabin nestled so tightly in the forest you almost have to strain to see it. For others, the dream entails a rambling log ranch in the wide-open plains or at the foothills of a majestic mountain — a house so grand, even the scenery gets a little jealous. Inspiration is everywhere, if you’re open to it. The intent of this issue, our summer Dream Home Showcase, is to highlight the pioneering ways log home owners, designers, builders and manufacturers are using logs (and the surrounding landscape) to create innovative places to live. Houses that break the log home mold, so to speak. Dream homes are not one-size-fits-all. As you’re perusing these pages, you may find the…
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Since the earliest European colonies, log homes have dotted the American landscape. While many traditions from that time have fallen by the wayside, log homes continue to be an institution. According to a survey by Active Interest Media, more than 10,000 new log and timber frame homes were produced in 2017, and their popularity continues to grow. Representing many of the top log and timber home manufacturers in North America, the National Association of Home Builders’ Log and Timber Homes Council is excited to celebrate National Log Home Open House Month this July. Introduced by now retired Wisconsin Congressman Reid Ribble in 2012, the Congressional Record recognizes the log home industry, and the men and women vital to this special sect of housing. “July is always an exciting time of…
A backyard swimming pool is a refreshing addition to any home (not to mention an excellent insurance policy that the grandkids will visit often). However, log home owners typically crave a very natural landscape, and an oversized, bright blue, chlorinated-water-filled tub may not fit in with that vision. Solution? A natural swimming pool. In our “Take it Outside” column this month, we explore the basics to building a natural swimming pool, but if you’re looking for an in-depth guide covering everything from design and materials to sustaining water quality, look no further than “How to Build a Natural Swimming Pool” by Wolfram Kircher and Andreas Thon. In addition to helping you create a perfect natural pool, the authors also offer tips on how to tackle undesirable guests (think mosquitoes and…
Q: Recently, I’ve seen log and timber homes that have a bluish tint to the wood. I actually like the look, but I can’t help but wonder if something is wrong with it. What makes the wood turn blue, and is it safe? A: Blue-stained logs and timbers — even dimensional lumber — have had a surge in popularity over the past several years. Once shunned as being defective or wrongfully assumed that it was moldy, the wood’s bluish cast is caused by microscopic fungi in the sapwood of a tree, most typically pine species. According to the experts at the Southern Forest Products Association (sfpa.com), the fungi do not cause decay or structural inferiority, nor do they pose a health risk. The only impact to the wood is the…
Tom and Kathleen Cote, originally from Massachusetts, moved to this North Berwick, Maine, log home to be closer to their kids and grandkids. Initially, Kathleen thought the home had too much wood, but she was eventually outnumbered by the boys who insisted the Timberhaven kit had good bones and the land was too good to pass up. They compromised by modernizing the interior with a granite backsplash and fireplace. “It’s not as rustic now,” says Kathleen. As for the exterior, the Cotes envisioned a yard hardscaped with sturdy walls and snaked with stone pathways. Tom (with occasional help from the younger generations) spent hours, every single day, piecing together 1,200 feet of freestanding stone walls. “I had them deliver four 10-wheel truckloads at a time for four years,” admits Tom.…
