Innholdsfortegnelse for December TH ABG 2023 i Log and Timber Home Living

Decisions are tough. This time last year, my daughter, a then high school senior, was weighing the pros and cons of various colleges. All the schools on her short list were good options for her major, but the intangibles muddied the waters: This one has a 400-year pedigree, with several of the country’s Founding Fathers as graduates; that one has progressive leadership and shiny new dorms (with air conditioning). To a lesser life-altering degree, my husband, a devout Washington Capitals fan, recently agonized over which color to paint our new rec room. No less than eight ever-so-slightly varying shades of cobalt blue were affixed to our walls as he pored over his options. (Caps Red was out of the question.) It took more than a week, but eventually he settled…

To live in a timber frame home is to live in a piece of art. The craftsmanship and care that goes into the design and fabrication of this type of house is unparalleled. Because each one is an original, there’s a host of decisions that need to be made before your timber framer can get to work. When sorting through your options, it helps to have expert advice in your corner. From choosing the perfect property to drafting a dream team to fine-tuning your finishing touches, this issue will guide you through every step of the journey. Let’s dive in — here’s what to expect. GET TO KNOW TIMBER FRAMES Timber homes fall into one of several categories, based on how the timbers are used or are fastened. All timber…

For most people, buying raw land is about as familiar as walking on the moon. Sure, there’s a lot of open space and the view is spectacular, but what actually is under your feet? And what will this foreign terrain mean to your timber home build? When it comes to buying land, there are some essentials you need to know. To help check those boxes, we’ve posed these points in the form of questions. Here are the basics you should ask: How will your home’s design fit with the size, shape and topography of the land? The more you change the natural terrain, the more it will cost. Will a land purchase interfere with your loan? Often, it’s advisable to have land in hand — perhaps even holding a free-and-clear…

HAMMERBEAM ■ Creates vaulted spaces ■ Achieves a cathedral quality ■ Can be enhanced with embellishments KINGPOST WITH STRUTS ■ A cost-effective choice ■ Offers a strong, sturdy appearance ■ Creates a cozy, casual feeling QUEEN POST ■ Can span distances of 30 feet or more ■ Offers an open area in the center of the truss ■ Visually lowers the ceiling height for a more intimate feel SCISSOR ■ Ideal for steep roof pitches ■ Perfect for those seeking something unique ■ Can create a cottage-like atmosphere…

Call it feng shui, call it “good vibes” but, put simply, some places just feel right. Maybe you’ve noticed this in your own home, at a friend’s or even in public spaces, like that one restaurant or your favorite shop. You walk in, and suddenly, you’re at ease. It’s relaxing, welcoming and intuitive. This is “flow.” A crucial part of designing a floor plan that works, flow does take some thought, but it’s not hard to achieve. The concept calls for arranging spaces in a way that makes sense, both to you and to visitors. To get it right, you’ll need to consider everything from the view you want to capture to the function of each room. We’ll show you how. 1 Look to your location. Your custom home build…

Only a postcard-worthy locale like this North Carolina property could stop the jet-set couple that eventually purchased it in their tracks. Surrounded by lush forests of towering trees, with glimmering views of downtown Asheville in the distance and the beloved Blue Ridge Parkway just a stone’s throw away, this hillside hideaway offered all the convincing they needed to settle down and build the custom mountain cottage of their dreams. Setting up camp on the side of a mountain is no easy task, however. The lot is quite steep, and most stock plans are designed for flat sites. They consulted with the post-and-beam artisans at Timberpeg and ultimately choose the “Leconte 5607” plan, which, serendipitously, met about 80 percent of their needs. For the remainder of their wish list, they worked…

COMPONENTS INCLUDE…

Raising your new timber frame marks a key juncture in the construction process. After cutting, delivering and erecting the frame, some timber framers will finish the home’s construction, whereas others will turn the job over to a contractor. There are pros and cons to each approach. Some framers are excellent builders, particularly when it comes to finish work in a predominantly wood home. Others may not be as capable or move as fast as you’d like. Or you may be building your home far from your framer’s shop, and hiring a local builder may be more practical. Whoever builds your home, the best qualifications are that he/she provides reliable, qualified subcontractors and that you feel comfortable communicating your needs. If you will need to hire a builder other than your…

Northern Michigan’s prestigious Lake Walloon is a feast for the eyes. But it’s not just the undulating crystal blue waters that feed one’s appetite for nature — the hundreds of architectural beauties that dot the 30 miles of shoreline beg for a closer look too. In this exceptional terrain you’ll find a smorgasbord of Victorian-inspired houses, modern marvels and rustic wood retreats. But these are outliers. Here, the quintessential cottage is earmarked by gray clapboard siding with chunky white trim — maybe a red accent here or there to distinguish it from the neighbors. And it was exactly this breezy coastal look that Dave and Janice Underwood were after when they built their 14,000-square-foot hybrid timber home on a sprawling double lot with 400 feet of water frontage. “We wanted…

Timber frame homes are having a moment, which is an ironic statement considering that this building methodology has been around for thousands of years. Some of the oldest homes and cathedrals in Europe are timber-framed structures, and you simply can’t deny the Asian influence on our modern-day reincarnations of these buildings. Yet for all their history, not to mention their abundant use as settings in movies and advertisement backdrops, they still remain a bit of a mystery to most homebuyers. The fact is that they are among the most natural and stylistically versatile homes one can own. But let’s start at the beginning … A timber home uses a framework of large posts and beams joined by wood pegs or other types of fasteners. Almost always, the walls of the…

Wood species vary in color (pale yellow versus rich reddish-brown) and characteristics (knots versus clear grain), and the one you choose will play a huge part in your timber home’s identity. But it’s not just their looks that will make an impact — the moisture content within the wood fibers can influence how they will perform once the frame is cut and assembled. We’ve spelled out these characteristics so you can understand the role they play in your timber home’s evolution. GREEN TIMBERS. Green timbers are fresh from the forest. They have a high moisture content (25 percent or more), making them easy to craft since they’re softer to cut. Green timbers also are the most economical option because they typically require less advance handling and preparation. However, green timbers have…

Planning a brand-new custom home is both art and science. You must weave in beauty and comfort while balancing parameters set by budgets and building codes. You’ll need to apply hard-won conclusions about what did and didn’t work in your previous place, while brainstorming what features will support a beautiful future in your new home. As you begin to design your dream timber home, you can save yourself a lot of headaches (and a few heartaches) by determining how you plan to use the home, then deciding the necessary dimensions to be allotted to each space based on its function. To start, ask yourself a few questions, such as: Will this be a full-time residence or a vacation house? Are you a formal or an informal entertainer? Will this be…

Your Source for Log, Timber and Hybrid Home Living Information and Inspiration There are tons of topics for you to explore. Check out a few listed below: WEBINARS Timber Framing 101 How to Budget for a Timber Frame in 2021 Achieving the Exterior Design of Your Dreams Map Quest – Matching a Log Home Plan to its Location How Stains Protect and Enhance Your Log Home ARTICLES Timber Framing on a Budget The ABCs of Timber Framing Construction Timeline From Addition to Adventure 24 Tips to Small Home Success Plan Your Forever Home Material Matters: The True Cost These are just a sneak peek… visit loghome.com/resources or timberhomeliving.com/resources to start planning your dream home today!…

The saying “teamwork makes the dream work” has never been more apropos than when you’re building a custom house like a timber frame home. The people you choose for your team in this endeavor need to understand your vision, but you also need to respect what each person, from the general contractor to the plumber, brings to the table. In short, you are partners, and working together in an honest yet respectful manner will go a long way toward getting you into that home of your dreams. There are a few things you can do to help your builder help you. And it starts with complete honesty and transparency in the following areas: Be Real About Budgets. Establish a solid budget and convey the true number to your builder. Without…

Upkeep is an aspect of custom homeownership most people feel they don’t need to worry about for at least a few years after they move in. But the wise buyer takes maintenance into consideration early in the process — as the home is being planned, designed and built. I have a few tricks of the building trade that, if you integrate them into your home at the outset, will help minimize maintenance now and later. Building starts from the ground up. When you set out to preserve any house, what you’re really doing is fighting against the elements that the materials will have to withstand throughout the life of the home. This is why quality construction is essential, and that starts with the foundation. Having your foundation correctly set on…

A builder, a crane and a sandwich go up to a bar…. No, this isn’t a joke, it’s the very serious and effective method used to enclose the vast majority of timber frame homes to make them tight as a drum. The builder and the crane are easily understood, but what’s in the sandwich? That comes in the form of highly insulating, energy efficient structural insulated panels, aka SIPs. The actual composition (the meat, so to speak) varies by manufacturer, but generally, a SIP is a solid core of insulation sandwiched between two layers of oriented strand board (OSB). Other materials used in SIPs include plywood or sheet metal, mainly in commercial applications. The white core is often expanded polystyrene (most common), Styrofoam or polyurethane — the same durable-yet-lightweight foams…

Even if you weave only a handful of aging-in-place tactics into your plans, these five points from the AARP (aarp.org) will boost your home’s functionality now and in the future. ■ As you age, measurements matter more, so make sure you’ve planned spaces accordingly. Entryway doors should be at least 36 inches wide, while interior-door widths can range from 34 to 36 inches. Hallways should measure 42 inches across at a minimum. ■ Think ahead when you’re arranging your home’s rooms. By positioning at least one bedroom and one full bath on the main level, you’re setting yourself up for easier access in the future. Think about placing your washer and dryer near your primary suite, too, to make it less strenuous to haul laundry around. Connect those spaces to…

Your new timber frame home is more than just a pretty face. After all, materials, finishes and furnishings make a home lovely, but it’s the inner workings — the functional connections behind the walls — that make it livable. Here’s how the electrical and plumbing elements all come together. ELECTRICAL. Get a licensed electrician involved early in your planning process — preferably someone who has worked with structural insulated panels (SIPs), as the solid-core wall systems used to enclose a timber frame present some situations not found with conventional construction. Go over the plans and identify where your fixtures and outlets will be placed so everyone is on the same page. If possible, locate fixtures, outlet boxes, switch boxes and wiring in interior walls. Why? The more electrical materials you…

1 Saving starts with design. Homes often are designed without considering the cost of actually building it. From the get-go, consult with your builder about your design and seek out ways to value-engineer it. A good builder can look at your plan and identify ways to save money. 2 Shop smarter. It’s not easy to save money on “the box,” meaning the walls, mechanicals, plumbing and wiring, but if you know how to hunt for deals, you can save a lot on finishing materials. The best strategy is to shop early and continuously. Create a checklist of everything you need for your home, including quantities, square footage, room dimensions, etc., and keep it with you at all times. That way, if you see a bargain, you’ll know if it meets your needs,…

After 45 years of marriage, there is no doubt that Carl and Bonnie Steele are an ideal match. But like all perfect pairings, they’ve discovered they are complementary opposites in many ways — including in their style preferences. It was their decision to build a forever home from the ground up that brought this distinction to the surface. “As we worked through the planning process, we realized we had a different sway,” shares Bonnie. “I was more modern, and Carl was more industrial.” Their individual design ambitions led them to consider various home styles. “We hired two architects and had two full sets of plans drawn up,” explains Carl. But neither were the right fit, so the couple put their plans on the back burner. “It was fortuitous really, because…