Innholdsfortegnelse for January/February 2020 i Log and Timber Home Living

Mark Mygrant: My home is a 200-year-old cabin built in the 1820s in the Allegheny Mountains just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2006, a previous owner had it moved and reassembled to Center Hill Lake in Tennessee. The view when you walk in the door is breathtaking. There’s an 8-by-15-_oot window in the center of the cabin that overlooks the lake. It also has an amazing deck with rocking chairs built by local craftsman — the perfect place to watch the seasons change. The appliances were modernized, but the decor — from the furniture to the dishes — we kept rustic. We added a dining room, which has a hand-carved American-elm table and benches that seat 16. The original logs, dense American white oak, are in great shape, but a…

Everyone likes to save a buck or two where they can. But when it comes to building a custom log home, cutting corners is never worth the long-term price you pay. Luckily, there are a number of ways you can save money now and help your home perform for the long haul. Check out five of my favorites: 1 The Plan Oftentimes, homes are designed without construction costs in mind. From the get go, consult with your builder about your log home’s design and seek out ways to value engineer it. A good builder can look at your plan and identify ways to save money. For starters, space allocation. Do any rooms seem oversized for your needs or your lot? Are there areas that can be consolidated or serve multiple…

Unique, warm, cozy … all of these words describe log homes and those built of solid wood. While these attributes are desirable, the best news is this type of construction can appeal to your head and not just your heart. Here are five reasons why a full log home is a smart decision and not just a pretty face. 1 THERMAL MASS A material’s ability to absorb, retain and release heat energy over an extended period of time is its thermal mass, and a solid log wall offers more thermal mass capabilities than other building components do. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) calls this the “natural property in the logs that helps keep inside temperatures of a home comfortable in all seasons.” So, while the R-value of an…

1 Spot ventilation. Local or “spot” ventilation helps reduce the amount of pollutants released and prevents their movement to the rest of your house. While you may not realize it, cooking emissions can be mildly toxic. A range hood directs steam and vapors outside your home. 2 Air-to-air heat exchanger. An air-to-air heat exchanger (also called a heat recovery ventilator or HRV) mechanically ventilates and dehumidifies homes in colder climates. During the winter it transfers heat from the air being exhausted to the fresh outside air entering a home. Air-to-air heat exchangers can be installed as part of a central heating-and-cooling system or in walls or windows. Wall- and window-mounted units resemble air conditioners and will ventilate one room or area. 3 Conventional or mechanical furnace filters. These filters are…

If you’ve followed along for the last several issues, you’ve had the opportunity to watch Zach Parmeter, sales advisor at Wisconsin-headquartered Golden Eagle Log & Timber Homes, begin his personal log home journey by picking out property and preparing it for construction. We recently sat down to get the scoop on the next leg of his journey — the design phase: Q: What were the “must-haves” on your design list? A: I wanted an open concept layout because there is so much beauty in a log and timber house, and it allows you to appreciate that beauty from pretty much anywhere. I also wanted something around 2,000-square-feet with two to three bedrooms and lots of windows to take advantage of the site’s incredible views. An attached garage and a basement…

When Mario Lavoie and Carole Rousseau began looking for a country home, they knew it had to be made of wood. But when they arrived at a property overlooking a quiet lake near Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard in the Laurentian mountains, it wasn’t the house that instantly won them over. Instead, when they saw the breathtaking views, “It was love at first sight,” says Carole. The fact that the land came with a gorgeous log home and a beautifully landscaped, terraced garden sealed the deal. Built more than a decade ago by Quebec-based Patriote Home (a company specializing in log and timber homes and chalets), the house was originally created for a Norwegian family. As such, it integrates several features reminiscent of the original owners’ heritage, including the glass panes on either side…

With a log home, you’ve likely discovered that thoughtful, regular maintenance is a must to protect it from weather and pests and keep your house looking its best. The same goes for the living trees surrounding it. Many times, it’s easy to think that the forest will “take care of itself,” and that’s true up to a point. But all it takes is one ferocious windstorm to realize how much you should have been doing to prevent damage. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure the trees surrounding your log home are strong and healthy (and will look beautiful, too). Plant strategically When you plant new trees, be sure to keep their overall shape and height in mind. Regardless of species, plant them about 20 to 40 feet…

Building a log home is no small undertaking, and reaching a successful end to the process — aka move-in day — always warrants celebration. But, for Mike and Belicia Biskup and their three boys (ages 14, 13 and 11), the log home journey both began and ended with a bang. The couple broke ground on their northeastern Ohio home on July 4th weekend, and they moved in on New Year’s Eve. (Though the couple admits they were rejoicing as much over their new home as over the fact that their five-months of cramped motorhome living was over.) For Mike, stepping foot into the finished house was the realization of a life-long dream. As a young boy, he spent every weekend at his uncle’s Pennsylvania log home, riding four-wheelers and exploring…