Log Home Living 2012 03

ROOM SPOTLIGHT: DESIGN A GREAT ROOM
L I V ING
MORE
THAN
LOGS
FINISHING
TOUCHES
Stone
Glass
More Wood
The Most
Popular
Floor Plans
MARCH 2012
A Colorado Gem
Lives Inside & Out
www.loghomeliving.com
please recycle this magazine
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L I V I NG
MARCH 2012
departments
8
Editors Note
Logs or chopsticks?
10
Log On, Media,

Log Lore
Salvage shopping, Pilgrims
and logs, country survival skills.
11
Starting Point, Mailbag

Log joinery, owner-built home.
12
Savvy Builder
Its a green-material world.
16
Money Matters
How to avoid sticker shock.
34
18
Great Places
Log lodging in Illinois.
features
24
20
Remember the third dimension.
Happy Campers
Resourceful homeowners build a northern Vermont getaway.
34
65
Resources
Find out where to find out.
The Catch of a Lifetime

A fly-fishing enthusiast lands the vacation home of his dreams.
44
Inside the Box
88
Epilog
A ninth-century log church.
Grand Central
The greatest great rooms make the most of their space.
52
The Finishing Touch

Log-home design relies on a mixed bag of building materials.
Cover Guide
A custom-made door and skippeeled lodgepole pine logs greet
visitors to this Colorado home.
Photo by Roger Wade.
To see more of this home,
turn to page 34.
Featured Advertising
Room Spotlight, p. 44
More Than Logs, p. 52
Colorado Gem, p. 34
Shop Salvage, p. 24
Popular Plans, p. 66
57
Free-Information Guide
60
62
66
81
84
Regional Resource Guide

Handcrafters Gallery
Focus on Floor Plans
Builder-Dealer Marketplace
Suppliers Marketplace
Log Home Living (USPS #005-515) (ISSN #1041-830X) is published nine times a year, in January, February, March, April/May, June, July/August, September, October and November/December,
by Home Buyer Publications and Active Interest Media Inc. The known office of publication is located at 475 Sansome Street, Suite 850, San Francisco, CA 94111. The editorial office is located at
4125 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151; 703-222-9411; 800-826-3893; fax: 703-222-3209. Periodicals postage paid at San Francisco, CA, and additional offices. Vol. 29, No. 3, published January 1, 2012.
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This publication may not be reproduced, either in whole or part, in any form without written permission from the publisher. PRINTING: RR Donnelley, Strasburg, Virginia, USA. Printed in the USA.
2 LOG HOME LIVING MARCH 2012
Imagine being able

to get away...
...every day
Your Sanctuary Awaits.

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now appearing online
ARE YOU IN THE

LOG HOME
NEIGHBORHOOD?
Meet Mike and Diane,
log home owners and
LogHomeNeighborhood.com
members. Diane posted
a question about paint colors for
their new log home on
LogHomeNeighborhood.com.
Other members shared their own
painting trials and triumphs.
Mike and Diane got the answers
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made some colorful friends, too.
MAKE FRIENDS
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If youre considering making a

commitment to green building and
green living, our website has a number of relevant articles, ranging from
a guide to alternative energy to the
use of reclaimed materials for new
construction. Youll also read about
an efficient demonstration cabin in
California that proves you dont have
to sacrifice great home amenities for
a smaller footprint.
loghome.com/green
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TRY YOUR LUCK

Each month, we partner with
companies to award special products
that could enhance your log-home lifestyle. Enter on our website, then visit
the Winners Circle to see if your luck
paid off.
If youd like to share pictures

of your log home, finished or under
construction, or perhaps just the land
you intend building on, the Log Home
Neighborhood is the perfect place. Its
also where to ask questions and get
answers, both from people whove been
through the experience of buying and
building a log home or from experts
in the log-home field. Or join one of
the chat threads.
loghome.com/giveaways
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FIND YOUR PLAN

Instead of spending hours upon
hours visiting dozens of company websites looking for the right floor plan for
your dream home, look at our catalog of
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square feet and searchable by size, number of bedrooms and number of levels.
Next Month:
Great Places to Live
AN ONLINE COMMUNITY
FOR LOG HOME ENTHUSIASTS.
Stay connected with
Were blessed with land spreading out so far and

wide. Water, mountains, woods plenty of places
are ideal for building your log home. But land is
about more than the home. Hows the living? Our
May issue will survey the top places to get away to
and what they have to offer that makes them so
accommodating to log-home living.
The featured room will be kitchens. Often called the heart of the home, kitchens take on a
special role in log homes, whose typical open great rooms push kitchens into a hospitality center as much as a chore room. Well show how log-home owners have designed and equipped
their kitchens and help you discover a direction that works best for you.
Our Cabin Fever column will tell the story of a 19th-century dogtrot cabin that was rescued
and became the foundation of a new, energy-efficient home in Jasper, Georgia.
Look for all this, plus dozens of inspirational photos, homeowners success stories and plenty
of practical ideas to help you get the most home and living for your money. On sale: March 6.
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editors note
L I V I NG
Logs or Chopsticks?
4125 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100

Chantilly, VA 20151
AN ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA PUBLICATION
Roland Sweet
Whitney Richardson
ASSISTANT EDITOR Danielle Taylor
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jim Cooper
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
America used to have a reputation for manufacturing top-quality mer-
chandise. We set the world standard. We might still make great goods here, but
if we do, there arent many. Most merchandise sold in America today is made
abroad, even once-trusted American brands. I bought one of Hersheys new Air
Delight chocolate bars the other day and noticed the label read Manufactured
in Mexico. Adios, Pennsylvania.
Most imported goods nowadays come from China. Whats especially
irksome about that is their inferior quality. Cheap plastic components have
replaced American-forged metal or at least quality American plastic.
Is anything worthwhile still made in America? Fortunately, yes: log homes.
Ordinary houses may be built here, too, but that doesnt guarantee theyre
really from here. Remember the toxic drywall that infested Americas quickbuilt housing industry during the early 2000s boom? Made in China. Log
homes use solid-wood logs from Americas forests.
But for how long? The Wall Street Journal reported last September that
more and more American logs are heading to where else? China. At a
time when demand for raw logs dropped here because of the prolonged housing
slump, demand from Asia has pushed up prices beyond what American sawmills can afford. Last year alone, Chinese builders were on a pace to import
softwood logs worth almost $1 billion. Thats double the 2010 total and more
than all U.S. softwood log sales to China from 2006 to 2010 combined.
Softwood logs pine, fir, hemlock, cedar are what almost all log homes
are made of. Now, not only are American logs in shorter supply here, but wholelog users also face stiff competition from domestic paper mills and wood-chip
sellers because the drop in sawmilling has created a shortage of wood residue.
It seems shortsighted to sell our national and natural resources to any other
country, at least as raw material. Ship them finished products. In other words,
instead of the Chinese buying our logs, we should be selling them log homes.
The consequence of letting China have our raw logs is that it might well use
them to mass produce cheap but shoddy log-home kits and ship them to big-box
and building-supply stores here to sell off the shelf. Or else theyll keep them and
turn them into disposable chopsticks. Either way presents yet another challenge
for American-made log homes and one more incentive to buy your log home
sooner rather than later.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Sylvia Gashi-Silver
Edie Mann
ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Karen Smith
DESIGN DIRECTOR
ART DIRECTOR
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR & COLOR SPECIALIST
Nathan M. Winter
Melissa Newman
DIGITAL PREPRESS SPECIALIST Dale Disque
DESIGN ASSISTANT
Marcia Doble
Michelle Thomas
PRODUCTION ARTIST Mark Sorenson
ADVERTISING COORDINATORS Jill Banta, Melanie Oest
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION MANAGER
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Elaine Nosaka

800-826-3893; salesdept@loghomeliving.com
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Isabel Sateri, Rich Wilkinson
HOME BUYER PUBLICATIONS,

A DIVISION OF ACTIVE INTEREST MEDIA
Laurie Vedeler Sloan

Tim Schreiner
SALES DIRECTOR, LOG & TIMBER MEDIA GROUP Rob Clutter
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Patricia S. Manning
GENERAL MANAGER
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
ONLINE BUSINESS & OHMG SALES MANAGER
Heather Glynn Gniazdowski

Emily Roache
ASSISTANT WEB PRODUCER Michael Merrill
MARKETING SPECIALIST Susan Colwell
MARKETING GRAPHIC DESIGNER Billy DeSarno
OFFICE MANAGER Elizabeth Wenzel
WEB PRODUCER
SHOWS AND UNIVERSITY
Tammy Clark
Sally Fretwell, Pam Stine
EVENTS MARKETING COORDINATOR Rachel Shapiro
EVENTS MANAGER
EVENTS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Efrem Zimbalist III

Andrew W. Clurman
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & CFO Brian Sellstrom
CHAIRMAN & CEO
PRESIDENT & COO
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Patricia B. Fox
Joseph Cohen
VICE PRESIDENT, RETAIL SALES Marcia Orovitz
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PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS
VICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER
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handling per year. Canada add $10 per year. Periodicals postage paid at San
Francisco, California, and additional mailing offices.
PRIVACY STATEMENT: Home Buyer Publications is committed to protecting your privacy. For a full copy of our privacy statement, go to www.loghome
living.com. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Log Home Living,
P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.
log on
media
Salvage Sites
Down-to-Earth Living
Laurent and Cheryl Veilleux (see page

24) made extensive use of salvaged
building materials when they built their
log home in northern Vermont. They
saved money and found materials that
turned their home into a real charmer. If
youre keen to use salvaged, reclaimed,
recycled and sustainable materials for
your home, check out these two sites.
Storeys Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to SelfReliance (Storey Publishing, 562 pages, $24.95) by John and
Martha Storey. If you intend owning a log home, whether
you realize it or not, youre going to be moving to the country. If you dont already live in a rural locale, youre bound
to discover its, well, different. Neither better nor worse than
wherever youre living now, but with a lifestyle that is very
much set in its own ways. To make the most out of your
rural experience, youre fortunate that this classic guide to
country living, first published in 1999, is still in print. It has
helped many urban and suburban refugees make the adjustment and embrace their new
environment with confidence.
Case in point. Youll likely need a well. But you probably dont know that there are
five kinds of wells. This book informs you of them all, provides tips for working with a
well contractor, explains the four types of pumps, and tells how to test for water quality
and remove contaminants. All this just for water.
Other chapters take a more Heloises Helpful Hints approach. Some material is more
technical, but everything is well organized and clearly written, and there are plenty of
pictures and margin notes to amplify the text.
If you are moving from a metro area, you have to take most of what you read on
faith. So when you read something contrary to your existing knowledge, it gives you
pause. In the first chapter, Your Place in the Country, for example, the text about log
homes rings true, especially considering that the books subtitle touts self-reliance, as
in, you might be building it yourself. Anyway, the caption beneath the illustration of the
log home declares: Log homes are generally cheaper to build than wood-frame houses.
Good luck with that.
As the authors note, this home reference book is a compilation of articles written
by authors who started writing about their passions 40 or more years ago and have
inspired millions of readers to do things for themselves, whether its home building,
animal husbandry, growing and preserving food, composting, soap making or countless
other practical skills. You may not expect to embrace country living to the extent that
this book prepares you for, but its the one book youll want to keep handy for those everso-often questions that need answering or chores that need doing. And if you do decide
to get more involved, youll find the wisdom collected in this guide invaluable.
ecobusinesslinks.com
This site compiles more than 13,000
links to outlets selling recycled, reclaimed
and sustainable goods. For an exhaustive
directory of building-materials companies,
start on the Home (Directory) page and
scroll down to EcoHouses, Architecture
& Green Building Supplies, then to Recycled & Surplus Building Supplies. There
youll find a thorough directory of outlets
and links in 11 categories, among them
green building supplies, recycled building
materials, reclaimed wood and recycled
metal roofing.
Habitat.org
Habitat for Humanitys ReStore outlets
sell new and used home-improvement
goods like furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances.
ReStore resale outlets accept donated
goods, which are then sold to the general public at a fraction of their retail
price. The proceeds help local nonprofit
Habitat for Humanity affiliates fund
the construction of homes within their
communities. The website explains the
organizations mission and provides a
comprehensive state-by-state directory.
log lore
Historical Persistence
The myth persists that the Pilgrims who appeared in America in
1620 built their first homes of logs. Chronicling the Mayflower
Pilgrims in Saints and Strangers (1945), American historian George
F. Willison observes that scarcely a detail in the saga is authentic
in the sense that it is historically true. He argues, however, that a
myth or saga has no need of such authenticity, and that it enjoys
a kind of poetic license and can take great liberties with the facts
without impairing in the slightest its essential validity and truth.
Willison cites the tales of George Washington chopping down
the cherry tree and Davy Crockett choking a grizzly bear with his
bare hands, then asserts that whether the Pilgrims first landed on
Plymouth Rock does not affect in any way its value as a symbol or
as a useful pivot for the whole Pilgrim story. Nor does it much matter if the mythmakers had the Forefathers living in log cabins when
the fact is that the log cabin, a foreign invention, first appeared
on our shores some years later in the settlements of the Swedes and
Finns along the Delaware.
Whereas pedants might recoil at the perpetuation of such inaccuracies, Willison believes the Pilgrims were authentically heroic
enough people that, if theyd only known about log cabins, they
surely would have lived in them. That attitude obviously prevailed.
The accompanying pen-and-ink illustrations by N.C. Wyeth showing Pilgrims building log cabins appeared in a 1920 edition of The
Courtship of Miles Standish by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
Tercentenary Edition with introduction by Ernest W. Longfellow
(Boston and New York: Houghton Mifflin Company).
Mailbag
Lessons
Learned
We didnt intend to become
owner-builders of a log
home, but circumstances
thrust it upon us when
the State of Pennsylvania
replaced two old bridges that
had dammed the creeks that
bordered the property we
had recently bought, putting
the 80-year-old cabin on the
property in a flood zone.
Since it proved unfeasible to raise or move the cabin, we demolished it. I began the
adventure of designing and building a log cabin on very limited means (we were not
reimbursed by the state for the loss of the cabin, and I lost my job shortly after beginning
the project, remaining under-employed for several months) and even more limited experience (Im not an architect or engineer nor have I any skills in the building trades).
Weve definitely learned some lessons in the process. For one thing, we
saved thousands of dollars by buying
remnant cedar logs from a log-home
builder but found that the extra costs
in erecting the walls ate up the savings.
Finding good subcontractors and suppliers is, of course, always an interesting challenge, particularly when your
primary residence is 300 miles away.
We did a fair amount of procurement
from Craigslist ads and salvage yards,
with pretty good results so far. We salvaged and are refinishing the original
wood windows and front door from
the old cabin.
C HRIS C URRIE
via email
Loving the Cabin Life

I love log cabins. This is my second that I built, on a dead-end road just south of the
Michigan state line. It sits on an acre of dense woods and overgrown brush. In the
summer, its barely visible from the road, but busy Notre Dame University is just
down the street.
This cabin has some of the things that were missing on the first. It has a loft,
approximately 400 square feet, vaulted ceilings throughout, four dormers and two
porches. These are some of my favorite things.
Plus, there is no yard to take care of as it is mostly mature trees, shrubs, flowers and flagstone walkways leading to a small gazebo, with a picket fence stained to
match the gazebo.
I feel fortunate to have this very peaceful and comfortable home. Others also
enjoy just coming over and sitting on the porch, often to spot deer, wild turkey,
squirrels, or watch the farmer with his tractor work his fields at the end of my street.
BARBARA M ISENAR
South Bend, Indiana
starting point
Q:
What keeps logs from falling

over when theyre stacked
to form walls?
A:
Besides overcoming gravity, wall

logs must be stacked so they
dont lose their balance and fall off the
log below it. That depends on compression and either a well-crafted or wellengineered fastening system.
Compression tightens the seal
between two logs and provides a base,
wide or narrow, to support the load atop
it. The roof links the walls so they dont
spread apart. Fasteners secure logs to
each other.
Machined and hand-finished logs are
connected horizontally in ingenious ways.
Crude cabins used short logs that supported themselves at the corners, where
walls intersected. This way of building left
gaps between the stacked logs. Residents
filled these gaps, or chinks, with any mixture that would stay in place and keep out
the cold.
Over time, logcrafters and sawmillers devised ways to cut logs so they
supported each other along their entire
length, the horizontal surface. Joining
logs by hand used scribe-fitting to form
a coped contour, resembling a quartermoon, that allowed logs to fit over each
other and settle into a tight seal. Today,
handcrafters typically insulate and seal
the horizontal joint.
Machined logs could be cut to either
a smooth coped bottom surface to fit
over the round top of the log below or
tongue-and-groove profiles. Technically,
the curved cope log is tongueless-andgrooved. Anyway, there are tongue-andgrooved logs, double-tongue-and-grooved
logs and even triple tongue-and-groove
logs. However many t-and-gs, the logs
start off with a precise fit. Theyre then
fastened, using some nail, screw or bolt
arrangement designed to keep the fit
tight. Then come insulation and foam
gaskets. Finally, flexible, adhesive caulk
or, for a broader sealing application and
traditional looks, chinking.
Being securely fastened and sealed
keeps wind and water from infiltrating
between logs, assuring theyll stay sturdily stacked. Any movement will be the
wall as a unit, a degree of give and take
being desirable to handle wind, snow and
quaking earth. Only in extreme conditions
can these forces break the bonds of logs
to each other.
MARCH 2012 LOG HOME LIVING 11
savv y builder
By Jim Cooper
LEFT: Windows, now considered green

when they save energy and are made of
sustainable materials, are available in a
greater variety to help control temperatures within the home.
Modern Materials
Color your shopping list green when
building your new home.
CHOOSING M ATERI ALs for your
log home used to be easy. Trees and

rocks about covered it. Toss in some
ironware, such as hinges and glass
windowpanes, and you were ready
to build. Of course, indoor plumbing
and electricity hadnt yet arrived, and
the kitchen was out back, where, if it
caught fire, it wouldnt burn down the
whole house. How times have changed.
Today, building-supply stores the
size of small villages stock more materials for your home than existed even
a few decades ago. Even if you stick to
basics like cabinets, countertops, floor

coverings, roof coverings and such, the
choices are overwhelming.
Preparing a shopping list for your
new home requires research, planning
and a clear sense of purpose. Start by
asking yourself three questions: What
purpose will it serve? Will it fit in with
other material selections? Do I need it?
The first question steers you to the
right aisle in the building-supply store.
It helps you sort out the materials that
may generally share purposes. Kitchen
countertops and bath countertops are
similar, for example, but you dont

have to consider the effects of setting a
hot skillet on a bath counter.
The second question addresses
whether materials are compatible with
your overall design. Imagine a rustic
or lodge log home set on a stone foundation with stone pillars supporting
log beams at the entry. Now imagine
the same design with the stonework
replaced by new red brick. Most people would agree that rustic log and new
brick dont play nearly as well together
as log and stone.
The third question protects your
budget. Planning a new log home carries a sense of excitement, a chance
to dramatically change your home
surroundings. Its easy to get carried
away and not hear the cash register
chattering away in the background. In
a roundabout way, the big buildingsupply stores can help answer this
question by letting you compare countless labels on variations of a specified
product to help decide whether its
actually worth buying.
Green Choices
Armed with these three questions, lets
look at some common building material choices. Because the field is so
broad, Im going to concentrate on one
category of building materials, those
often referred to as green.
Enough people are attracted to
materials carrying a green label that
marketers sometimes simply tack the
word on advertising and packaging
with thin or no justification. Termed
green-washing, this sustainable-inname-only practice can lead buyers
to pay for the label rather than the
product.
What truly makes a building matewww.loghomeliving.com
rial green? The answer isnt simple. It

may be a product that uses little energy
or few nonrenewable resources in its
production. It may last a long time in
relation to the amount of resources
consumed to make it. Or it may be able
to be recycled, spreading the costs in
energy and natural resources over several incarnations. It may also be something that avoids using a less-desirable
component or something from a quickly
renewable resource.
Usually its a combination. The
broadest definition simply defines a
green building material as one that
offers benefits in resource conservation
or human health.
Sustainable Wood
Lets start with every log-home enthusiasts favorite material: wood. Increasingly, wood used to build in North
America comes from forests managed
to ensure that it remains a renewable
resource. Some woods redwood,
old-growth cedar and tropical woods
such as mahogany may originate in
a managed forest, but not always. To
encourage wise use of rare and exotic
woods, a number of organizations monitor forest practices. For example, the
Forest Stewardship Council provides
third-party monitoring of wood providers and certifies products based on
management and harvesting practices.
When wood-certification programs
first appeared, approved wood was
hard to find and usually cost more.
Over the last 10 years, increased concern has led providers to adopt more
sustainable forestry practices. Sellers,
too, have responded to demand by asking their providers to supply only certified products. Major retailers, including
Lowes and Home Depot, currently
have wood policies that favor certified
wood products over uncertified ones,
and they even refuse wood products
from certain forests.
New-Formula Concrete
In addition to wood, most log homes
today contain concrete in foundations,
patios, walks, driveways and floors.
Concrete manufacture consumes a lot
of resources, and yet its long life means
that for some purposes it may require
fewer resources than shorter-lived alterwww.loghomeliving.com
natives. One of the main concerns with

concrete today is the large amount of
carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere during the manufacture of a key
ingredient: Portland cement.
Today, concrete is made greener by
substituting fly ash, a waste product
from burning coal to generate electricity.
Substituting fly ash for roughly a third of
the Portland cement results in stronger
concrete while reducing by a third the
amount of carbon dioxide generated in
production. In some areas of the country, fly ash is already routinely included
in concrete without increasing cost.
Efficient Windows
Windows are made from an assortment
of building materials including wood,
glass, aluminum and plastic. Windows
are considered green when they save
energy and are made from sustainable
components.
Until recently, a high-efficiency window consisted of two panes of low-E
glass with an inert gas such as argon
between the panes. To control temperatures, the glass was manufactured to
reduce the passage of sunlight. Designers now realize that windows are not a
one-kind-fits-all product. Specifications
for Minnesota are very different from
those for Texas. As a result, windows
are available in greater variety, and a
well-designed home will probably have
more than one kind of window.
For example, in cold climates, windows on south-facing walls may be double-paned with a high solar heat gain
coefficient (SHGC) to capture solar
energy. On other walls, windows may
be gas-filled and triple-paned to maximize their insulating ability. Twenty
years ago, an R-3 insulation value was
considered very efficient. Today, units
typically have values of R-8 or more.
Durable Roofs
Roofing materials include shingles,
metal, tile and wood shakes. Conventional composite shingles are the most
popular roofing choice for new construction. Their longevity ranges from
about 15 to 50 years, depending on
weight and type. While they are the
most inexpensive alternative, they arent
considered green for a variety of reasons. Petroleum products are used to
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make them, and recycling them is difficult. They also tend to absorb heat more
than other types of shingles, adding to
summer cooling costs.
Metal roofing comes in sheets, simulated shingles or tiles. Metal roofing lasts
longer, offers better fire protection and
usually includes a proportion of recycled
materials. Metal is lighter to handle
and handles heat well, especially lighter
colors.
Some homes use ceramic tiles. They
are extremely durable and very fire resistant. Glazed roofing tiles are a good
choice if you plan to collect rainwater
because water doesnt pick up chemicals
from the tile. However, tile roofs are
heavy and may require extra framing for
support.
Wood shakes, usually cedar, offer
a distinctive rustic look that goes well
with log. They are biodegradable, unlike
composite shingles or metal, and are a
renewable resource when obtained from
managed forests. They are short-lived
compared to other roofing types, though,
and are not fire resistant some areas
forbid wood shingles due to fire danger.
rmlh.com
Counters and Floors

Countertop and floor coverings include
wood, stone, cement, ceramic tile and
sheet goods, such as vinyl. This category offers many opportunities to
use reclaimed, recycled and renewable
resources. Wood floors and countertops
fall into the last group. Fast-growing
bamboo is currently popular for floor
coverings. Vinyl floor covering is not
considered green because of the chemicals used in its manufacture. Natural
linoleum, made from renewable natural fiber, offers a healthier alternative,
although it costs more.
Its hard to match the durability of
concrete floors and countertops. Stamps
and dies allow installers to create surface
patterns, and pigments create a rich range
of colors. If you are planning to build on
a concrete slab using radiant floor heat,
consider a polished concrete floor as an
attractive, affordable alternative.
There is a wide selection of countertop materials that contain a high proportion of recycled content. Countertops
made from recycled plastic or glass come
in a range of textures and styles. Such
countertops handle water well and are

extremely durable.
Water and Air

Plumbing fixtures focus mainly on water
conservation. Building codes now specify
limits of water consumption for toilets
and showers. Even if you dont live in
a drought-prone area, water conserving
shower fixtures also reduce energy consumption.
Heating and cooling systems have
changed dramatically in recent years,
mainly in response to concerns about
energy efficiency. Geothermal heat
pumps are more efficient than their
air-source counterparts, although with
a higher price tag. Radiant floor heat
delivered using a high-efficiency boiler
offers another heating choice. Unlike
heat pumps, radiant floor heating doesnt
provide cooling.
Tighter homes need better ventilation. No matter how carefully you select
building materials to reduce the release of
harmful chemical vapors, products from
plywood to carpeting contain chemicals
that will be released over time into the
Metal lasts longer

than other roofing
materials, is lighter
to handle and offers
better fire protection a big plus for
woodland homes.
air. Without adequate ventilation, these

chemicals can build up in your home to
unpleasant or even unhealthy levels.
Heat-recovery and energy-recovery
ventilators provide a continuous supply
of fresh air while exhausting stale, contaminated air. Heat-recovery ventilators
extract the heat from exhaust air and
preheat the incoming air stream. Energyrecovery ventilators also extract moisture
from exhaust air. Both systems require
very little energy.
Even in a slower housing market,
the building-supply marketplace is growing rapidly. Products that offer greater
energy efficiency, comfort and health are
appearing daily. While this variety may
require more research on your part, it
also means more choices and opportunities for a safer, healthier, more energy
efficient home.
Jim Cooper (jimcooper@tallgrass-inc.
com) is a former general contractor, the
author of Log Homes Made Easy and a
LEED Accredited Professional who consults in energy-efficient and sustainable
building.
Building on perfection
for over 35 years.
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money matters
By Roland Sweet
Kit and Kaboodle

Dont let sticker shock be a setback to owning your log home.
You spot an ad that shows a charm-
ing log home on a scenic lot, offered

for $59,500. You cant order yours fast
enough. Surprise. The home in the ad
isnt for sale. Only the logs are. Everything else, including the scenery, costs
extra. Even without land, the finished
home might cost closer to $359,500.
Gulp!
Serious sticker shock arises when
buyers dont understand how log homes
are sold. The process customarily starts
with the company that sells the logs.
Now, if you were building an ordinary
custom home, your first stop wouldnt
be a lumber yard. Itd be a builder or a
designer. Or both. The logs or wood
come later. Your log-home company
might provide other materials and services, but basically it sells the logs for the
home whose picture goes with your plan.
These logs constitute the kit, which
for the home in the ad is what costs
$59,500 (plus tax and delivery). It probably contains more than logs, but whatever it lacks costs you extra.
You could lower your bill by settling
for less expensive logs and taking the
cheap route on the rest. But most people
buy a log home to fulfill a dream, not
as an affordable alternative to an apartment, or even a starter home. Still, that
$59,500 price tag haunts you.
There are definite advantages to
starting your project with a log-home
company. After all, its focus is the logs,
which are the homes defining look. But a
different sequence of events might make
more sense for your circumstances, from
both a looks and a money standpoint,
and help ease your sticker shock.
Start the buying process not with
the kit price but with your budget.
How much home can you afford? If you
know $250,000 is your limit, work with
that figure. Dont open with a $59,500
log package that will ultimately cost
When you buy a log home, youre

paying for the logs and some other
materials, not the finished home.
$359,500 to complete or shatter your

dream because youre $109,500 short.
Buy your land. Where you build
will determine the cost to build.
Hire a project manager. Thisll be
your overseer, more than a mere general contractor, wholl find and deal with
your designer, builder and log company.
Project managers worry for you and
manage your timeline and bottom line.
Choose your designer. Whether
architects or not, designers with loghome experience already have contacts
who can handle the entire project. Knowing your budget, theyll design accordingly, aware of what materials and labor
you can afford, and will balance both
to deliver the look you want for the
money you have. Many log-home companies have design staffs and dealers
with design-build experience. Definitely
consider them, but remember that using
these services doesnt obligate you to buy
your log kit from that company.
Find your builder. Look for one
who specializes in log homes or at least
has experience building ones like yours.
Any other builder, the first thing shes
going to do is try to talk you out of a log

home because its outside her wheelhouse.
Like log-home designers, log-home builders can refer you to a log-home company
after theyve assessed your project or can
even buy the logs themselves, just as they
would other materials.
Shop for a full-service log-home
company. Consumer demand and the
lagging economy have prompted loghome companies to offer more, in terms
of both materials and services. Most
manufacturers have long provided design
services and different degrees of kit completion. Some routinely dispatch crews
to erect or supervise the erection of the
log shell before turning the project over
to the local contractor. Nowadays, more
and more are willing to handle the whole
job themselves and take responsibility for
making sure your home is built right.
None of these steps requires you to
compromise or shortchange your dream
of log-home ownership. Theyre aimed
at taking some of the shock out of the
sticker and helping you avoid the frustration that sometimes comes with buying
and building a log home.
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great places
By Diana Lambdin Meyer
The Irish Inn in Ozark, Illinois, began as the

owners dream for a cabin on a hill but turned
into a 4,000-square-foot bed-and-breakfast.
Made from pine logs, it features three guest
rooms and suites and a full Irish breakfast.
International Appeal
Logs play a big part of the hospitality at southern Illinois Irish Inn.
The carved stone at the entrance of
Lynn and Brian McCreerys log home

and bed-and-breakfast inn says it all
about the hospitality and the memorable experience guests may expect here.
Cad Mle Filte the sign announces.
If you arent fluent in Gaelic, dont
worry; the McCreerys are. One Hundred Thousand Welcomes is what those
words mean in Brians native Ireland.
Besides Gaelic, Lynn McCreery
speaks more than a dozen other languages Russian, Chinese and Hindi among
them which is one of the reasons that
guests from 48 countries have found their
way to Ozark, a secluded little spot in
southern Illinois, and been made to feel
right at home at the Irish Inn. A former
public relations specialist with international clients, Lynn traveled the world
for more than 25 years, but when it came

time to put down roots, she returned to
her home near the communities of AnnaJonesboro. Her family owned five acres
in the Shawnee National Forest, where,
her mother told her, a log cabin would
look lovely up on that hill.
At 4,000 square feet, the so-called
cabin turned out to be more of a chalet,
made of Carolina pine logs and local
stones, that certainly befits a home with
such international appeal. Before Brian
came into her life, Lynn broke ground
on the home in 1997 and installed the
last of its 52 windows on St. Patricks
Day, 1998. Later, Belfast-born Brian
replaced two of those windows with
stained-glass designs he created himself.
One is a Celtic knot, and the other is a
Celtic wedding symbol.
Lynn chose a foundation inspired by

Frank Lloyd Wright because of southern Illinois location on the fault line of
the worst earthquake ever to hit North
America. The New Madrid fault extends
from southeast Missouri and northeast
Arkansas across the Mississippi River
into Illinois. In doing research for her
home, Lynn had learned that after the
great Tokyo earthquake of 1928, one of
the few surviving structures was a Frank
Lloyd Wright home there. As a result, the
McCreerys save considerably on earthquake insurance for their home and business. And a sturdy log home adds an even
greater feeling of security.
The three guest rooms and suites are
as comfortable and homey as imaginable, with a fireplace, handmade quilts
for snuggling, and Oriental rugs covering
Host Brian McCreery created the Celtic

knot design for this stained-glass window.
the pine and bamboo flooring. The home

is also a showplace for a museum-quality
collection of artifacts that Lynn gathered
during her travels to six continents. Among
the treasures that are the focal point of the
living room is an exact replica of furniture
belonging to Chinas Last Emperor, Pu Yi,
hand-carved by Taiwanese woodworkers.

Framed and protected by glass is a
Mandarin officers robe from the Ching
Dynasty. Lynn believes the officer had
been a royal executioner. Also on display
is a collection of Punt, the first currency
used by the Irish people after their 1918
revolution. Other collections of glass, carvings and art from various cultures and time
periods fill the home, which remains as
comfortable and warm as any log home is
expected to be.
When Brian came into Lynns life and
joined her in the inn-keeping business, a
full Irish breakfast became regular fare at
the inn. For those whove never enjoyed
one, it typically consists of bangers (pork
sausage), Irish bacon (more like ham),
black-and-white pudding, homemade
potato bread, sauted mushrooms and
tomatoes, and two eggs sunny-side up. In
honor of St. Patricks Day, each evening
during the month of March, guests at the
inn may enjoy a corned beef and cabbage
dinner.
For all of these reasons and more,
readers of Lanier travel guidebooks voted
the Irish Inn the most international inn
in North America. The website Best Elope

Ideas ranks it the No. 1 place to elope in
Illinois. The McCreerys arent quite sure
why, but their hideaway averages about 40
elopements a year, along with a number
of other regularly scheduled weddings.
As a result, they have a number of area
ministers on call, including a 91-year-old
World War II veteran, who often captures
the hearts of the newlyweds as much as the
setting in the remoteness of the Shawnee
National Forest. In all, a visit to the Irish
Inn fulfills every expectation.
IF YOU GO: Ozark is located in extreme

southern Illinois, about 125 miles south
of St. Louis, Guests may fly into that
citys Lambert Field or take a commuter
flight to Marion, a 35-minute drive from
Ozark. Another option is the train, arriving by Amtrak in Carbondale, an hours
drive away. A rental car from either place
will take you to the inn and allow you to
explore the surrounding Shawnee National Forest (shawneeforest.com). The Irish
Inn is both pet and child friendly. Room
rates range from $130 to $200. Call
618-695-3355 or visit irishinn.tripod.
com. If you are planning to elope or get
married at the inn, call 618-695-5683.
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Inside the box
By Mercedes Hayes
Multiple rooflines add

character and interest
to the exterior look.
The shed dormer
adds headroom to the
upstairs interior.
Beyond the Layout

Dont overlook your homes third dimension.
THIS MAGAZINE HAS A SECTION dedi-
cated to floor plans, where aspiring owners can start their search for the perfect
dream home. I did it, too, and dutifully
ordered piles of log-home plan books
while starting my comparison shopping
based on the beauty of the photos. Little
did I realize until later that what
was really drawing my attention was the
third dimension: the rooflines, the porches
and the soaring great rooms.
At the beginning, we think we need
to choose a manufacturer based on its
floor plans, but once we realize that we
can design our own custom home with
any company, things start getting interesting. After all, interior wall partitions
can be moved at will, and the log-home
company really doesnt care where you

put the bathroom. How many different
ways can you configure an open floor
plan?
What really requires thought is the
interaction between the second floor
and the rooflines. The first floor is
comparatively simple: Youve either got
a cathedral ceiling or a regular ceiling.
Once you go upstairs, however, theres a
whole new set of considerations.
Start with the Roof

First of all, what kind of roof do you
envision? The simplest (and most economical) is a long ridge from one side
to the other. The angle and height of the
roof slope determine how much floor
space you are going to lose because of

the pitch. Theres a good chance you
dont have as much useful space as
the second-floor plan indicates, unless
youre 2 feet tall. Once the log-home
designer turns your plans into real
drawings, he will gray out the dead
space, but itll save costly revisions to be
able to conceptualize the third dimension ahead of time.
For instance, I wanted a 45-degree
angle in my roof. This is a 12/12 pitch
(in other words, the roof rises 12 inches
for every 12-inch horizontal run). I have
a 28-foot-wide house, and I wanted the
slope to go all the way to from peak
to floor in my loft. The peak measures
about 14 feet from the second-floor
deck. If I were 6 feet tall, Id lose 6 feet of

floor space to stand upright. (Im speaking
in broad generalizations here, not precise
measurements.) My loft extends halfway
into the great room, so this leaves me
about 8 good feet of width in the loft
far less than the 14 feet my homemade
floor plan shows.
How do you increase living space? By
adding a dormer. The wider the dormer,
the more space you regain. This feature
adds cost to the whole project, but its well
worth it. Some narrow dormers do little
more than add light, while a shed dormer
widens the whole room. Your choice of
dormer will be determined by the look
you want on the outside. You can even
add a gable and create an alpine-look,
which will give you a big triangularshaped wall instead of a slope. A third
option would be to add kneewalls, thus
raising up the whole roof. However, if
you want the same pitch, this means the
peak will be correspondingly higher from
the ground.
The roof pitch was a huge factor in
the placement of my staircase. The stairs
run along the wall. I wanted extra square
footage at the base of the steps, but to do
so meant that the top of the stairs would
emerge dangerously close to the ceiling
slope. I would bang my head every time
I went upstairs. So the stairs had to be
situated so that they reached the loft in or
near the middle of the house. Or I could
have added a landing and angled the
stairs to keep them in the center. I opted
instead to take a notch out of the loft and
shift the stairs a few feet forward, calculating how much headroom was left over.
Still, I wasnt sure how far the staircase
would extend that third dimension
again. In the end, I had to sacrifice the
potted plant I intended to put in the corner at the base of the stairs. There just
wasnt enough room to do it all.
Sizing Windows
Another challenge is trying to visualize
just how big those plate-glass windows
really are. If you want a ranch with big
great room windows, you may have to
shorten the panes of glass to fit into a
peak that rises only 14 feet from the
deck. Its hard to fit a large window set
in a small wall. Most of the beautiful
windows in magazines take up well more
than two stories more like 24 feet.
Choosing windows that

are the right size for the
wall is a critical decision.
Perhaps a ranch with a loft is the best of

both worlds.
I made the mistake of ordering windows so large that I cannot reach the
center of the glass to clean it by hand.
And I certainly dont want to rest my ladder in the middle of the window. What I
didnt learn until later is that if you order
a window thats too large (say, 6 feet by
6 feet), the glass will bow ever so slightly
under its own weight. This may cause the
thermal seal to break, as it did after one
year in my house. Youre better off using
smaller, divided windows to create the
same wall of glass.
The last thing I want to mention is to
try and look at your roof from a birds-eye
view. How do your ridges line up? Do you
have disconnected angles pointing in every
direction? That will greatly increase the
cost of construction. If you have a gable in

the front and a gable in the rear, do they line
up? Or could you line up a gable in the rear
with a porch in the front? The more complicated the lines, the more costly the building.
The most amazing thing about building your log home is having to wait until
it is nearly erected before you actually
know what its going to look like. On a
regular house, the frame goes up first and
the shape is defined. But with a log home,
it can be a long wait before you get the
whole effect. Once the roof is on, though,
the effect can be almost magical.
Mercedes Hayes (jerseyloghomes.com)
is a Realtor in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. She designed her own log home,
which was featured in Log Home Livings
2004 Floor Plan Guide.
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Dept. LHL0312
This 2,222-square-foot home

makes extensive use of reclaimed
materials. Half-log steps leading to
the entry porch, for example, were
fashioned from cedar trees on the
property. Metal roofing adds good
looks and aids in shedding snow.
This vacation home overlooks New Yorks Windham Mountain, where

the family goes to ski.
To accommodate three
generations, the home
boasts 11,000 square
feet of finished space. A
covered deck off the dining room (shown in detail
on page 37) offers the
ideal setting to enjoy the
mountain view.
Happy
Campers
Resourceful homeowners use salvaged materials and

sweat equity to build their northern Vermont getaway.
STORY & STYLING BY DEBRA GRAHL | PHOTOS BY ROGER WADE
ABOVE: Canvas chair swings and

wooden rockers assure comfortable seating on the porch, where
the fireplace lets the owners enjoy
the view practically year-round. The
table is made from two chicken
crates topped by an old door.
OPPOSITE: Local fieldstone, some
of it found on the owners land, was
used for the great room fireplace. In
addition to the windows, the room
relies on patio doors and sidelights
flanking the fireplace to brighten
the interior. We love the light and
the openness of the house, Cheryl
Veilleux says. The glass and stone
balance the 6-by-8-inch D-style logs,
whose flat interiors convey a finely
finished look.
ather than buy their logs first,

Laurent and Cheryl Veilleux
started with the other construction materials for their
weekend home in northern Vermont.
Having read about tremendous savings
available at salvage yards, Cheryl searched
online for reclaimed and salvaged goods.
I visited one place in Connecticut and
purchased a door that I thought would
be cool for a pantry, she says. Then
we discovered ReStore in Springfield,
Massachusetts, and knew we had struck
gold.
The budget-minded Connecticut cou-
ple visited the building-supply outlet, now

named EcoBuilding Bargains, often over
a two-year period, finding windows and
doors, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry and
furnishings. These items not only cut their
construction cost, but also influenced their
design. They planned the kitchen, for example, around an old soapstone farmhouse
sink (a $50 bargain), a vintage bowling
alley lane (used in the island), overhead
lighting fixtures and salvaged cabinets.
Once the Veilleuxes amassed all they
could store, they went shopping for someone to turn their finds into a house plan.
They settled on Coventry Log Homes,
which Laurent calls the very best find

of all. The couple worked up their own
design, then turned it over to the New
Hampshire manufacturer for the final,
engineered plans. Anytime a customer
has purchased building materials different than those we provide, it can present a challenge, Coventrys draftsman,
Doug Chadwick, explains, the biggest
one being openings in the log walls. Our
logs are pre-cut to length, so if customers
have windows or doors that they would
like to use, we need to know the required
rough openings for these items. You dont
want to find out when its too late that the
opening isnt the right size.
The Veilleuxes plan also presented
two specific challenges, Chadwick recalls:
the placement of the stairs leading up
to the second floor, a deviation from our
standard design approach, and how to
tackle the differences in the pitch of the adjoining roofs. Two months later, the couple had final plans for their 2,222-squarefoot house. We still cant believe how
well the plans turned out without having
to hire an architect, Cheryl says.
They planned to build the home on a
cleared field on their 22 acres, which came
with a brook, two waterfalls and a swimming hole, as well as a barn where they
could store materials and sleep when they
were working on the home. Builder Shawn
McKean was also willing to work with
the couple, who understood that, because
they planned to do a substantial amount
of the finish work themselves, coordination was crucial so he could schedule his
work around theirs, especially since the
bank had mandated a one-year construction phase. Because Laurent and I had
limited time when we could get up to the
house on weekends, Cheryl says we were
OPPOSITE: Twigs from the property were used for loft railings. We love how when we walk
through the front door, we look straight into the kitchen, the heart of our home, Cheryl says.
ABOVE: The owners found the antique pantry door at a salvage yard and refinished it. They
also designed and installed the floor tile. Tile used throughout the home cost only $300.
LEFT: The shelf above

the dining window is a
mantel, reclaimed from
an old brownstone,
that Cheryl stripped
and refinished. An old
window, a roadside find,
frames Cheryls photo of
their brook.
BELOW: Vertical knotty
pine paneling and
hickory flooring in the
master bedroom complement the eastern white
pine wall logs. Cheryls
grandmother made the
small braided rug. The
log cabin-patterned quilt
covering the bed is a
family heirloom.
Being Resourceful Pays Off

Buying materials at nonprofit EcoBuilding Bargains (formerly
ReStore, not to be confused with Habitat for Humanitys ReStore
outlets) before ordering their logs was an unconventional tactic
that not only saved Cheryl and Laurent money, but also improved
their homes design. The items they carry, whether vintage or new,
inspire creativity, Cheryl says.
The store sells used, salvaged and surplus building materials donated by homeowners, contractors, manufacturers, retailers
and municipal collection centers. Sales manager John Grossman
pointed the couple in the direction of materials that he felt would
blend nicely together. We love to help people with their projects,
he says, particularly if they are in the design phase, where we can
suggest certain materials, such as oversized windows, that they can
shape rooms around.
Besides using available materials to create house plans, having access to storage space until the actual construction begins is
critical. If the perfect set of cabinets is found before framing has

begun, Grossman advises, purchase them immediately, because
they may not be there the next day, let alone six months down the
road.
The couple also took advantage of free materials they found on
their property, such as fireplace stones taken from their land and
the brook that cuts through it. They also incorporated fallen tree
branches. The curved railing design of the loft would have been
an expensive assembly with traditional building materials, Laurent
points out. So when I found a branch near the brook that was perfectly bent, I knew I was onto something. When the couple decided
to use the branch for the top of the railing, Laurent searched until
he found another bent branch for the bottom of the railing and to
complete the rungs of the railing. The result is an interesting weathered wood sculpture, courtesy of Mother Nature.
OPPOSITE: The rear view of the cozy Vermont home shows the half-log steps fashioned by
builder Shawn McKeans crew and the outdoor fireplace. The porch is definitely usable most of
the year, with the fireplace radiating heat on chilly days and evenings, Cheryl notes.
ABOVE: The clawfoot tub in the master bath was a salvage item that Cheryl repainted. She also
tiled the floor and transformed a 1960s cabinet $15 from a Goodwill store into a double
vanity, with inlaid glass from the Dollar Store. The owners oldest daughter made the mirror
above the sink from old barn wood.
scrambling right up to the last minute of

the last day to finish it.
At times the work was more of a challenge than they had anticipated. Because
the salvaged tile for the bathrooms was
purchased in odd lots, Cheryl, who installed it herself, says, I never knew exactly how much of what colors and shapes
I actually had to work with. Her solution
was to lay the tiles out on the floor of their
garage in Connecticut according to the
floor plan of the Vermont cabin, take a
photo of them, then pack them and replicate the design on the floor in Vermont.
By saving on their materials, the
couple could splurge on certain features.
They opted for full stone masonry, rather
than inserts, for the great room and outdoor porch fireplaces, for example. At
first, when we were trying to cut corners
to make the home more affordable, we
thought the outside fireplace and porch
might not be necessary, Cheryl recalls.
The more we discussed it, the more we
realized it was extremely important. When
the building was over, we wanted to reflect on the experience while sitting on
our porch with a warm fire burning. It
has proved to be worth every dollar we
spent on it.
The Veilleuxes intend to add even
more porch area, creating a wraparound
outdoor living space. All in good time,
Cheryl says, pointing out, Most of the
fun is in the planning.
The couple looks forward to moving
to Vermont and settling in to their dream
home permanently. For now, they are thoroughly enjoying the time they are able to
spend there with family and friends, content to sit back, relax and savor the results
of their efforts, enjoying the beauty that
surrounds them, both indoors and out.
home details
SQUARE FOOTAGE: 2,222
Dining
Room
LOG PROVIDER: Coventry Log Homes

The owners wanted a vacation home they
could use year round, so they included a
roomy rear porch with its own fireplace.
The compact layout demonstrates the
couples desire for a place to go, not for
show. Guests enjoy privacy in the loft.
We wanted a master bedroom on the
first floor for down the road, when we
might have difficulty getting up the stairs,
Cheryl says.
WIC
Living
Room
Covered
Porch
Study
FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE RESOURCES ON

PAGE
Foyer
65.
Bedroom
Covered
Porch
Loft
Open to
Below
Main Level
Bedroom
Open to
Below
Upper Level
Catch of
a Lifetime
A fishing enthusiast lands
the vacation home of his dreams.
STORY & STYLING BY DEBRA GRAHL
| PHOTOS BY ROGER WADE
With nearly half a mile of river frontage, this Colorado log home enjoys
plenty of privacy and great fishing.
The large-diameter lodgepole pine
logs also assure quietness inside the
house, even when trains pass on
tracks running parallel to the property.
arvin Meyers is a dreamer,

but one with a knack for
making his dreams come
true. A first-generation
farmer with six square miles of almond and
olive orchards in Californias San Joaquin
valley, he possesses an ardent love of the land.
Of water as well, as made evident by his
vacation log home, situated near the banks
of the Yampa River. I first encountered
Gabe Butler, my builder, while he was meeting with my Colorado neighbor, who also
happens to be a friend and fellow farmer
in California, Marvin recalls. I liked the
building ideas that Gabe was presenting to
him and told myself that if I ever purchased
property and built a home in this area, Gabe

would be my builder.
The opportunity arose almost immediately, when the real estate agent representing
the neighbor showed Marvin another parcel
upstream. He immediately fell in love with
the river access and substantial frontage.
A lake across the highway, included in the
acreage, was also alluring, Marvin says,
noting that it is full of pike. The scenery
was fantastic, it was September, and the aspen trees were beginning to turn gold. I was
especially captivated by the opportunities for
fly-fishing, which is my passion.
After he and his wife, Tish, acquired this
initial acreage, they were able to purchase
ABOVE: A custom-made entry door

opens to the foyer, which showcases the homes skip-peeled logs, so
called because traces of the inner
bark remain. This technique enhances the homes rustic look.
RIGHT: Warm hues of river rock,
flagstone and cut stone block grace
the homes front entry. Although
the wall logs average 11-to-12-inch
diameters, builder Gabe Butler
notes that the support logs used for
posts like the one in the foreground,
as well as for roof purlins and trusses, are even larger.
RIGHT: The comfy great room mixes

stone and glass to balance the large logs.
Expansive windows maximize the view of the
river. The river rock fireplace makes a formidable focal point, even more so by virtue of
extending the stone to house the television.
Tish Meyers bought most of the furniture on
a two-day trip to Denver with her daughter,
Brooke, and the builders wife, Gabby Butler.
adjacent properties downstream, all the

way to their California friends place to
the west. Their combined holdings give
them access to some of the best fishing
on the Yampa but also stirred concerns of
their neighbors to the east, brothers whose
father had homesteaded the land. When I
met them for the first time and told them I
was from California, they were under the
impression that I was intending to develop
the land into multiple home sites, he says.
To prove he had no such intention,
Marvin flew one of the brothers to
California to show him his farm. The
trip was during almond harvest, he says,
and it was very successful in terms of
showing them that I was a true farmer
and a good steward of the land. All of the
Yampa River brothers warmed up to me
after the visit to California. In fact, they
now keep an eye on the place for me and
keep my road plowed during the winter
months.
Having established friendly relations
with the neighbors, Marvin began dreaming of the ideal vacation home. He cleared
enough land for a house, built a barn for
storage, and moved forward to design and
build a log cabin on the river that his family and fishing buddies could enjoy. Butler,
a dealer for Montana Log Homes, introduced Marvin to Jakes Drafting Service,
an architectural design firm in nearby
Steamboat Springs.
At this point, Tish became more involved in the planning, and the cabin
grew from Marvins initial vision of a mere
2,500 square feet to 6,000. I knew that
our family and friends would love coming here, which meant we needed enough
space for large gatherings, as well as guest
sleeping quarters, Tish says.
ABOVE: The dining area features wide-plank flooring, finished with a deep cherry stain,
that also extends to the living room and kitchen. Tish enhanced the chandelier above the
handcrafted table by hot-gluing twigs to it.
RIGHT: Custom cabinetry is the highlight of the kitchen. In a log cabin, there is not much
of an opportunity for color in the structural elements, says Tish, who wanted her kitchen
to add both personality and brightness to the open great room area. The red and black
cabinets have a distressed finish, so they absorb use or abuse.
After their plans were drawn, the

couple made sure that their site was properly prepared prior to the logs arrival,
guided by its proximity to the river. The
foundation is a 6-foot solid concrete wall
on a crawl space with a slab, designed
to guard against water infiltration as the
water table rises with the river, Butler
explains. It has permanent high-velocity
pumps installed throughout and below
the slab, with rigid piping to the outside
should the need for water removal arise.
The main-floor elevation was determined by the height of the Union Pacific
Railroad tracks running parallel to the
Yampa. The tracks had never been
flooded by the river, Butler says, so
we matched their height with the finished
floor. We excavated down 2 feet from the

house site to good solid soils and then
built up the soil from there, to the height
of the tracks.
With gentle grading away from the
home site, Butler achieved both flood
and frost protection for the foundation.
The grading gives the impression that
the house was situated on flat ground,
whereas in reality the ground had risen
4 feet.
The house itself uses handcrafted
lodgepole pine logs, with diameters averaging 11 to 12 inches, from trees in
western Montana that were killed by pine
beetles and dried before harvesting to a
moisture content below 19 percent. The
crew of seven logsmiths at Montana Log
Homes log yard in Kalispell spent four

months meticulously hand-scribing and
notching each log into place. Then they
took apart the log shell, loaded the logs
onto five tractor-trailers and delivered
them to Colorado. Butlers crew reassembled them on the building site in
five days.
Marvin played a limited role in the
homes construction. During much of
the time the house was being built, I
was going through surgery, so Tish and
I were not able to travel to Colorado
frequently, he recalls. One time, he
was able to fly into the Yampa Valley
regional airport and was driven to the
building site. When he arrived, all he
could do was sit in a lawn chair while
Butlers crew worked around him. I
knew I was in the way, Marvin says,

and I felt kind of silly sitting there like
that, but they just kept on working,
without any complaints.
He is thrilled that he was able to
be present when the logs were raised.
It seemed to me that the entire community came to watch the amazing
event, he says.
Since finishing their Colorado
home, the couple visits as often as time
allows. As they turn over the managing
of the California farm to their son, they
look forward to spending even more
time on the river and in their log home.
Its every bit as good as Id dreamed
it would be and then some, Marvin
says, adding with a big grin, By the
way, the fishing is fantastic.
LEFT: Tish chose brightly colored glazed tiles for the vanity countertop in this upperlevel guest bathroom. A second guest bath on this level is similarly finished.
ABOVE: Thanks to its large windows and glass door leading to the deck, the main-level
master bedroom is filled with sunlight from dawn to dusk. Tish brought color into the
room with scarlet bed linens and a whimsical hooked area rug over the carpeting.
Bedroom
WIC
Future
Apartment
ABOVE: The family delights in dining on
their riverside deck at every opportunity.
We get to watch wildlife of every kind
in their own environment, right up to
our deck at times, Marvin says. Its
truly a sight to behold. The deck itself
is made of redwood decking, which the
owners left unstained so it weathers to
a pleasing gray patina.
Storage
Loft
Open to
Below
Open
Upper Level
WIC
Bedroom
WIC
home details
Garage
Mud Laun.
Room
SQUARE FOOTAGE: 6,000
Cov.
Porch
LOG PROVIDER: Montana Log Homes

For a large house, this layout features few rooms but bigger ones,
especially the wide-open great room. The home was laid out to
maximize views of the Yampa River, which runs the entire length
of the house. The master bedroom, great room, dining area,
kitchen, a small sun room and both upstairs guestrooms overlook
the river. The broad deck extends the homes living space into the
outdoors.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE RESOURCES ON PAGE
65.
Main Level
Master
Bedroom
Entry
Great
Room
Dining
Area
Deck
Sun Room
Theres much more to great rooms than

square footage. Inspired in large part by
gathering rooms and lobbies of grand
lodges, they combine separate functional
spaces and are open laterally and vertically.
Grand Central
The
h greatest great rooms make
k the
h most off their
h space.
reat rooms are the hallmark of todays log homes. More than
any feature, these signature spaces distinguish log homes from
cabins. It isnt about size, though. Even small log homes can enjoy the tall
Great rooms neednt rely on the familiar

wall of windows. An interior focal point
the fireplace turns the attention inward
and effectively divides living and dining
space. Smaller windows are strategically
placed to lighten the log mass.
ceilings and openness that characterize log-home style.

As prominent as logs are, great rooms
owe just as much to two non-log ingredients: glass and stone. In fact, many
peoples notion of a log-home great room
is mostly windows and fireplace. These
materials join logs in managing great
rooms fourth element: volume.
Openness goes sideways, but also up
and down. The bigger the expanse, the
more challenging it is, but small great
rooms need balance, too, to amplify rather
than subdue their volume.
Adding Wood
So, great rooms are stone, glass, volume and
wood. More wood than just logs, too, and
more logs than just the walls: exposed-beam
ceiling, trusses and so-called character posts
designating territory, such as the border between kitchen and living or dining areas.
Flooring adds yet more wood, maybe
even stone, especially hearthside and for
adjoining entryways. A stone chimney
could separate the living area by showing
its backside to the door. Or a two-sided
chimney might formalize a dining area

into a room, perhaps with both it and the
living room observable from the kitchen.
These three primary spaces living,
eating and cooking constitute what we
mean functionally when we use the term
great room. Some people may call their
living room a family room, while others
call only the living room their great room.
The New Norm

Great rooms evolved from the great halls
of medieval manors and the lobbies and
The cathedral
ceilings that typify
great rooms create
opportunities for
exposed rafters or
purlins and
dramatic trusses.
ABOVE: Upward openness lets lofts

become part of the great room, adding
one more focal point from below, but also
enjoying a perspective of the ceiling, particularly the rafters.
ABOVE RIGHT: The cozy furniture grouping
defines the living-room portion of the great
room, while the eye-catching ceiling, punctuated by the shed-antler chandelier, and
distinctive flooring unify the volume.
gathering rooms of grand lodges. All featured towering ceilings and fireplaces, even
where there werent logs. But in todays log
homes, great rooms have become the norm.
Grander great rooms may count
neighboring space outside the livingcooking-dining triangle, provided its
open to the rest. And usually not just laterally. Lofts, for example, are open adjacent spaces, just on another level. Many
great rooms have the living and dining
areas open to each other and the kitchen
tucked away not by walls but by a lower
ceiling, provided by the loft level, which

constitutes the upper half-level. On floor
plans, you see the second-level identified
as LOFT and OPEN TO BELOW.
The loft level is the great rooms mezzanine and not only enjoys a view below,
but also shares the great rooms ceiling.
Overhead Opportunities
The cathedral ceilings that typify great
rooms create opportunities for exposed
rafters or purlins and dramatic trusses, often made from large-diameter handcrafted
Drywall can balance wall logs, fireplace

stone and roof trusses, as well as amplify
light coming through the window wall. It
also acts as a neutral transition from the
fireplace to the windows, emphasizing the
distinction between these two focal points.
ABOVE: Great rooms neednt have cathedral ceilings. In small homes with open
layouts, lower ceilings can convey old-fashioned cabin coziness.
OPPOSITE TOP: Without partition walls,
the simplest way to delineate space in a
great room is by grouping the furniture by
function to avoid ambiguity.
OPPOSITE BOTTOM: Kitchens are key
component of great rooms, but even in
very open layouts, theyre usually visually
distinguished from the living and dining
areas, often by log posts and beams.
logs, even when the wall logs are smaller

and milled. Besides lofts, upper great rooms
consist of catwalks, railings and even distinctive stairs connecting the levels.
Floors are no less important than ceilings. Some great rooms change flooring
material to define borders. Typically, living
and dining areas share a floor, and the
kitchen uses a different material. Step-up
and step-down delineations arent common, but theyre as effective as separate
flooring materials. Theyre another way
to manage volume, but openness has to
allow access. Changing elevations requires
awareness and doesnt help people who
physically or psychologically need everything on a level thats legitimately level.
Furnitures Role
The final component is common to every
room, but its especially crucial in expressing the personality of the great room: furnishings. The style of furniture and its arrangement establish the rooms physical
and visual flow. Rely on scale more than
size to control volume. Adorn walls and
ceilings to punctuate the look.
Should you add drywall or paneling for
interior walls that partition the great room
from neighboring rooms? You should if you
want to soften the logs. You may if it makes

you more comfortable. Drywall can be especially cheerful when used for the upper wall
and ceiling part of the great room, perhaps
even accented with dark timbers for a true
two-tone effect three-tone if you count
the wall logs that prompt the drywall.
Yes, theres a lot to consider when
youre envisioning your log-home great
room. But the possibilities are endless
and exciting and totally up to you.
After all, when youre planning your loghomes custom-perfect great room, the
sky is the limit.
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The Finishing
Touch
Todays log-home designs rely on a mixed bag of materials.
Stone, glass, plaster, log

accents and a mahogany
door in the entry help this
home redefine the term
log home.
ogs are logs, but log homes are more than logs. Their characteristic woodsy look persists in some, but many homes today
modify that guise with coordinating materials. Logs remain the primary ingredient but no longer dominate. Glass and stone especially
have assumed more prominence in defining contemporary design. Other
materials pitch in. Even drywall, which some see logs as an escape from,
has become more evident.
This mixed bag broadens the appeal
of log homes, not just to buyers, but also
to designers and builders, who find the
greater possibilities more challenging in
some ways and easier in others. Theyve
definitely changed peoples impression of
what log homes are and can be.
Once you establish your floor plan and
turn your attention to designing the interior and exterior, youll find many options.
Here are some elements to help refine your
log look.
Windows. The old knock against log

homes was their dark and dreary insides.
Designers consciously countered that stereotype by adding windows. Besides letting in

more natural light, bigger windows became
even more desirable by showcasing views.
Advances in log-home engineering and
window technology opened the door for
the now-ubiquitous wall of windows that
defines great rooms. Other rooms, notably
master suites, also rely on bigger windows.
Not all log-home windows are expansive. Their size, shape and location in
log walls contribute substantially to the
homes overall look by softening woods
impact and either emphasizing or counterbalancing stacked logs horizontal nature.
Walls of windows have become a common

feature of log homes, adding light and views.
Stone. Stone is evident primarily, but

not exclusively, in log-home fireplaces.
Its also an effective perimeter transition
from ground to logs and often forms
piers that anchor roof posts. It can even
form a frame around entry doors and
windows. Inside, stone chimneys often
tower to the great room ridge, providing
a dramatic focal point that sometimes
lessens the logs. But stone can be used
more subtly as the base of a kitchen
island or backsplash, or as a bathroom
vanity or tub surround.
Coinciding with advances in glass,
stone has become increasingly desirable
because of improvements to manufactured, or cultured, varieties. The wider
range of colors, better mixes of sizes and
less noticeable recurrence of patterns make
faux stone not just affordable, but also versatile and adaptable for applications where
real stone wont do.
More Wood. Log walls arent enough
Kitchens are common rooms for complementing logs, especially with wood for cabinets and
stone, in this case granite, for countertops. Glass helps cast a cheery mood.
for some people, who add non-structural

logs as exclamation marks. Other wood
comes into play for porches, decks, stairs,
railings, floors, ceilings, cabinets you
name it. Dont overlook window and door

trim, which can be painted to complement your logs with color. There are even
wooden gutters, providing a distinctive
transition from roof to wall logs.
Roofs. Log-home roofs constitute as

much as half of the exterior mass. In
homes with a wraparound porch, the logs
may not even be noticeable until youre
right up on them. So, as homes grew,
designers dealt with distributing the roof
mass in visibly pleasing ways. Varying
rooflines was one tactic; adding dormers,
another. Both work especially effectively
atop big houses.
As for the actual roofing, see the
Savvy Builder column (page 12), but
seriously consider a modern metal roof,
both for looks and longevity. It also adds
color. A standing-seam version is traditional and connotes rusticity, but todays
metal roofs come in many styles, often
mimicking other materials but with greater durability. Cedar shake shingles are
desirable for their rustic looks. Asphalt
shingles are more than adequate and can
make a colorful topping.
Well-proportioned windows and a low stone

perimeter balance the
logs, but the dominant
architectural feature is
the metal roof.
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Applying plaster below the

logs instead of above is an
unorthodox arrangement
that adds appeal to this
cozy entry nook.
Ceilings. The under-
Once you establish your floor plan

and turn your attention to
designing the interior and exterior,
youll find many options.
side of roofs deserves

much deliberation to
create a look you love.
Think of the ceiling as
your indoor sky. A common material for tall ceilings is pine tongue-and-groove decking
over exposed rafters (running perpendicular to the ridge beam) or purlins (running
parallel). Adding trusses is popular, either
for support or looks, or both. White drywall also works, especially when teamed
up with upper-wall (clerestory) windows
to bring in light that the drywall reflects.
Flat ceilings tend to be conventional but

may add log or timber beams for impact.
Floors. Wood is common, both new

and reclaimed, but stone and tile are also
popular. Use different materials to designate spaces, such as tile for your kitchen
and wood for adjacent dining and living
areas. Wide-plank floorboards enhance rustic

interiors.
Walls. Drywall and

paneling are common
interior materials. Drywalls neutral surface lets you mute logs
or introduce bold colors to challenge the
wood. Drywall is often applied to kitchen
walls and to stud-framed partition walls.
Half-log homes, because the walls are
framed, are especially compatible with
drywall for interior variety. Paneling can
cover whole walls or form wainscoting.
FREE INFORMATION GUIDE

For FREE information on log homes and products, use the attached card or visit LogHomeLiving.com/info.
Check a category on the card to receive information from all advertisers in that category, or circle the number
of each advertiser you are interested in receiving FREE information from.
913. LOG HOME
PRODUCERS
001 A Plus Modular
Log Homes LLC
Page 61
022 PrecisionCraft
Log & Timber Homes
Pages 9, 75
Rocky Mountain
Log Homes
Pages 1415, 79
904. WINDOWS &

DOORS
911. BUILDING
PRODUCTS
009 Don Jensen Sales LLC

Page 58
008 Rainier Plank

Page 61
031 Timber Valley Millwork

Page 53
MISCELLANEOUS
002 Appalachian
Log Structures
Page 77
024 Satterwhite Log Homes

Page 1
007 Coventry
Log Homes Inc.
Page 72
025 Scandinavian
Log & Timber Works
Page 65
905. STAINS/
PRESERVATIVES
027 Schumacher Homes

Page Inside Front Cover
003 Blairstown Distributors

Page 19
028 StoneMill
Log & Timber Homes
Page 76
004 CTA Products Group

Page 54
The Log & Timber

Home Show
Pages 5051
026 Schroeder
Log Home Supply
Page 58
The Log & Timber

Home University
Page 59
909. STAIRS & RAILINGS
Log Home
Neighborhood
Page 4
Frontier Homes Inc.

Page 64
012 Greatland Log Homes
Page 62
013 Hochstetler Milling Ltd.
Page 77
014 Honest Abe
Log Homes Inc.
Page 73
015 Katahdin Cedar
Log Homes
Page 3
Koski Log Homes
Page 64
033 Wisconsin Log Homes

Pages 5, 7071
034 Yellowstone Log Homes
Page Inside Back Cover
900. FIREPLACES &
HEARTHS
901. FLOORING
041 Kuhns Bros.
Log Homes
Pages 67, 6667
017 Log Home Outfitters
Page 78
018 Log Home Outlet Inc.
Page 22
019 Lok-N-Logs Inc.
Page 74
029 The Iron Shop

Page 55
910. LIGHTING
032 WoodWaiter
Page 60
006 Carlisle
Wide Plank Floors
Page 13
Johnsons Log Home &

Timber Frame Shows
Page 87
035 Vintage Doors

Page 55
005 Canadian Antler

Designs Inc.
Page 60
010 LightHunting.com
Page 21
The Log & Timber

Home Gift and
Bookstore
Page 23
042 Log Homes Council

Page 87
LogHome.com
Pages 17, 80
021 MossCreek
Pages 6869
903. KITCHEN & BATH

023 Research Products
INCINOLET
Page 58
scan with your
smartphone
020 Montana Log Homes

Page 63
030 The Original
Log Cabin Homes Ltd.
Pages 78, Back Cover
Siding. Siding a log home sounds like

a contradiction because why would you
apply siding over logs? Well, you dont.
Many log homes built today are fulllog construction only on the main level
and possibly the gable ends. Above that
is conventionally framed. Homeowners
often add log siding that matches the
full logs below or complements them,
such as board-and-batten. Old barn
wood adds a rustic look. A striking
treatment is stucco atop logs, striking
a chalet pose. About the only sidings
that dont mix well with logs are brick
and vinyl.
Stucco adds a chalet look to this mountain home. The window above the entry accentuates the
homes vertical profile, which results from the steep-pitched, snow-shedding metal roof.
These materials are major considerations when designing your log home.
Treat them not as backdrops for your
logs, but let them shine and support the
logs. Each involves finer points, especially
compatibility and cost. Rather than choose
each material separately, favor an ensemble
identity to assure continuity. Your goal is
class, not clash.
Don Jensen Sales, LLC

www.wooddoorsbydon.com
Knotty Pine Interior Doors

6'8", 2-Panel Arch Top Planked
Call 770-652-4881
Sizes from
1'6" - 3'0"
all sizes
$140.00
per unit.
Shipment in
7-10 days.
Add
$20.00
for 6 9/16"
Jamb.
We Ship
Nationwide.
Upgrade to solid walnut for $230.00 per unit.
don.jensen@hotmail.com
Enjoy the
convenience,
cleanliness of
INCINOLET in
your cabin, home,
dock, or boat.
INCINOLET incinerates waste to clean
ash, only electricity needed.
120 or 240 volts.
INCINOLET stainless steel, American
made for years of satisfaction.
Used in all climates around the world.
Tested, listed by UL
NSF
USCG
Call 1-800-527-5551
www.incinolet.com
RESEARCH PRODUCTS
2639 Andjon Dallas, TX 75220
OUR GRADUATES
ACHIEVE THEIR
DREAMS!
COURSE OUTLINE
During the Log & Timber Home University
half-day course, youll learn how to:
Design Your Dream Home
Avoid Costly Mistakes
Go Green To Save Green
And So Much More!
COURSE LOCATIONS
Minneapolis, MN
Atlanta, GA
Branson, MO
Nashville, TN
Greater Philadelphia, PA
Lakeland, FL
Denver, CO
Chantilly, VA
More locations coming soon.
$99 per couple / $75 per person
Includes:
Valuable Course Outline
a great tool to guide you through
the entire home-building process!
FREE Lifetime Alumni Pass to
the Log & Timber Home Shows
SIGN UP TODAY FOR A

LOG & TIMBER HOME UNIVERSITY COURSE
AND GET CLOSER TO YOUR DREAM HOME!
Dates and additional information available at
loghome.com/university or call 800-782-1253
Bonus Gifts:
Log Home Planner Kit plus Annual Buyers Guide
($40 value)
scan with your

smartphone
Ti red of Carrying Stuff

Up & Down Stairs?
WoodWaiters
HandyWaiters
30 Years
in the
Business
~ Firewood ~
~ Groceries ~
~ Laundry ~
~ Office Supplies ~
Is your Back,
Hip or Knee
Complaining?
Call today! 1-800-290-8510
www.wbfowler.com
We Sell Waiters to do
the Heavy Lifting for You!
From 4 to 40 Feet!
We are Fowler Industries, Americas Leading Innovator,
developing Through-Floor Vertical Lift Solutions.
Please check out our new Cloud9 TV lift!
Best Price in North America, guaranteed!

Real & Reproduction Antler Lighting
We manufacture top quality antler
chandeliers, furniture and accessories.
Visit our web site for a full list of
products or call for more information
CANADIAN ANTLER DESIGNS, INC.

www.cdnantler.com 250.217.8702
Our lighting is certied in the U.S. and Canada
All U.S. orders are shipped from our warehouse
in North Dakota. No sales tax or duty.
LOG PACKAGES DRY-IN PACKAGES TURNKEY CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL DESIGN

For A Limited Time
10%
OFF
All Log
Packages!
facebook.com/GreatLandLogHomes
Building Dreams Is Our Business

By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established. Prov. 24:3
MLH-019-A
MLH-025
MLH-025
Area: 1,729
Total Area:
3,000 SQFT
(excluding
garageCall
andforfullPrices
basement)
Package Price:
Package Price: Call for Prices
Total Area: 3,000 SQFT

(excluding garage and full basement)
Package Price: Call for Prices
Montana Log Homes specializes in handcrafting unique, quality log homes, lodges, and commercial
projects. Full-length, dead-standing, lodgepole pine or Englemann spruce is hand-peeled for that
original log home look, and hand-tooled for precision joinery. Log sizes of 12 inches, 14 inches,
and 16 inches
are standard,
withinlarger
log sizesunique,
available
on request.
Your lodges,
choice of
Scandinavian
Montana
Log Homes
specializes
handcrafting
quality,
log homes,
and
commercial
full-scribe
or
chink
style
construction.
Log
package
quotes
will
include
delivery
and
reassembly
projects. Full-length, dead-standing, lodgepole pine or Englemann spruce is hand-peeled for thatby
our experienced
us for a copy
of our plan
book,Log
DVD
or video
visit our
original
log homecrew.
look, Contact
and hand-tooled
for precision
joinery.
sizes
of 12orinches,
14website
inches, at
and 16 inches are standard, with larger log sizes available
on request. Your choice of Scandinavian
WWW.MONTANALOGHOMES.COM/LHL
full-scribe or chink style construction. Log package quotes will include delivery and reassembly by
our experienced crew. Contact us for a copy of our plan book, DVD or video or visit our website at
DINING
14' x 16'
STORAGE
KITCHEN
19' x 23'
GREAT
ROOM
16' x 22'
GARAGE
23' x 32'
ENTRY
MASTER
BEDROOM
30' x 15'
WIC
OPEN TO
BELOW
DN
VIDEO ROOM
22' x 17'
BEDROOM
19' x 15'
BATH
STORAGE
UP
M BATH
FIRST FLOOR
First Floor
SECOND FLOOR
Second Floor
3250 Highway 93 S., Kalispell MT 59901

Phone: 406-752-2992 Fax: 406-257-7014
mtloghms@digisys.net WWW.MONTANALOGHOMES.COM/LHL
DELIVERING NATIONWIDE SINCE 1976
Shoshone
This homes flexible floor plan allows for an
optional formal dining room, breakfast room or sun porch.
Upstairs, the loft can be used as an informal living space
or partitioned off to create a third bedroom.
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2
Square Footage: 1,757
Package Price: $61,500
ENTERTAINING DECK
DECK AROUND
BATHROOM
SUN ROOM/
DINING ROOM
10' x 13'
DINING AREA/
LIVING
11' x 11'
STORAGE
CLOSETS
OFFICE/
STUDY
KITCHEN
11' x 11'
UTILITY
LOFT
20' x 11'
DN
SUN DECK
LIVING ROOM
19' x 16'
ENTRY PORCH
BEDROOM
13' x 10'
OPEN TO
BELOW
MASTER
BEDROOM
14' x 13'
UP
First Floor
Second Floor
BALCONY
Frontier Homes Inc.

1225 Willow Creek Road
Corvallis MT 59828
888-593-2257 406-961-3115
fax: 406-961-8309
e-mail: frntrlog@aol.com
www.frontier-loghomes.com
Handcrafted
Log Shell for Sale
Call today and have your log home
shell shipped tomorrow!
32-by-44-foot beautiful handcrafted log shell
for sale. Price will var y depending on shipping location. This is a ver y limited oppor tunity. Call today and you can have immediate
deliver y and set up on your foundation!
Plans/info package available for $5.00
check or money order.
Koski Log Homes

35993 U.S. Highway 45
Ontonagon MI 49953
906-884-4937
e-mail: jerrykoski@charter.net
www.koskiloghomes.com
Building
Homes
Where
Families Gather
We offer chinking,
h k
staining
and wood restoration.
Scandinavian Log & Timber Works Steve and Robin Estola (715) 561-5420
sestola@scandinavianlogandtimber.com www.scandinavianlogandtimber.com
Resources
34
Happy Campers
Pages 24-33
Log Provider: Coventry Log Homes (603-747-8177, coventryloghomes.com)
Log Stain: Perma-Chink Log Systems (East: 800-548-3554, West: 800-5481231; permachink.com)
Miscellaneous Materials: EcoBuilding Bargains (ecobuildingbargains.org)
Ceiling Fans: Hunter Fan Co. (888-830-1326, hunterfan.com)
Hickory Flooring: Hull Forest Products (hullforest.com)
Entry Chandelier: Varaluz (702-792-6900, varaluz.com)
Mason: Karl Armstrong and Sons (802-626-8775)
Catch of a Lifetime
Pages 34-43
Log Provider: Montana Log Homes (406-752-2992, montanaloghomes.com)
Designer: Jakes Drafting Ser vice (970-879-7929, jakesdrafting.com)
Builder: Montana Log Homes of Colorado (970-879-3031,
montanaloghomesofco.com)
Custom Cabinetry: Specialty Woodworks Co. (406-363-6353,
specialtywoodworksco.com)
Lighting Fixtures: Light Works of Steamboat (970-879-3905,
lightworksofsteamboat.com)
RIGHT: A seating area off the kitchen of this Colorado home provides
the perfect spot for greeting the rising sun and spotting wildlife. Wicker
chairs are aimed at the view of the Yampa River and distant mountains.
TRUE NO-SHOP
HOME LINES
COMPLETENESS, GREATER SELECTION, MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY
800-326-9614
www.kuhnsbros.com
KITCHEN
9'-2" x 13'-0"
DINING AREA
7'-10" x 13'-0"
PORCH
6'-0" x 18'-0"
CLOSET
MUDROOM
(OPTIONAL)
9'-5" x 9'-0"
DROP
ZONE
GARAGE (OPTIONAL)
25'-4" x 25'-4"
W.I.C.
ENTRY
MASTER BEDROOM
12'-9" x 17'-8"
LINEN
CAB.
LAUNDRY
BATH
CLO.
LIN.
LIVING ROOM
11'-10" x 19'-0"
OFFICE/DEN
11'-6" x 11'-4"
BEDROOM #2
11'-6" x 17'-11"
BEDROOM #3
11'-6" x 17'-11"
PORCH
28'-0" x 6'-0"
BATH
9'-10" x 8'-0"
CLO.
STONY CREEK
Window seat
CLO.
Window seat
FOR MORE OF KUHNS BROS. LOG HOMES FLOOR PLANS...

FEATURING QUALITY ANDERSEN PRODUCTS
INTEGRITY...QUALITY...VALUE...SERVICE...INNOVATION...
KEYSTONE
VARIATION
L1, C3, C9
FULL CONSTRUCTION
SERVICES & PERSONAL
DESIGN CONSULTATIONS
We can handle as little or as much of

your construction project as you want.
With a full range of services, starting
with the initial Plan Design, Financing, Construction Management,
Interior Design
g and Maintenance
Services.
ices.
...LOG ON TO WWW.LOGHOMEDESIGNCENTER.COM
800-326-9614
www.kuhnsbros.com
...IT MUST BE KUHNS BROS.
Rustic Redefined
The Frasure: 1,652 Sq Ft, 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths
Traditional Lok-N-Logs
Log Homes
Weather-Tite or
Complete Packages Available
Kiln Dried, Precut Log Walls
Hunts Mountain Lodge: 2,950 Sq Ft, 3 Bedrooms, 2- Baths
Lifetime Warranty against

Wood-digesting Insects*
Panelized Lok-N-Logs
Homes
Lifetime Warranty against

Wood Rot*
R-19+ Traditional
2" x 6" Panelized Walls
Fully Customizable Plans
R-40 System Features

a Dual Wall Panel(s)
Traditional Peeled Log or

Shaped Log Looks Available!
Log Rafters and
Log Joists Standard
Roof Panels Come with

Tongue and Groove
Attached
Full Log Rafters and
Joists Standard
You build or we build shells
on all panelized homes.*
*Call (800) 343-8928 for more
details or for pricing with
description of products.
7898 State Highway 12

Sherburne, NY 13460
800-343-8928
E: lnlinfo@loknlogs.com
www.loknlogs.com
Visit our Home Office to view the
Hunts Mountain Lodge
Find us on Facebook too!
Elk River II
The Elk River II is a two-level, three-bedroom, twoand-a-half-bath home with a main-level master suite.
The wraparound porch is perfect for entertaining, but
a private, cozy screened-in porch at the rear of the
home awaits you, too.
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 1/2
Package Price: Call for prices
SCREEN DECK
10024 Parkside Drive

Knoxville TN 37922
800-438-8274 865-693-4833
fax: 865-693-9230
e-mail: sales@stonemill.com
www.stonemill.com
UTILITY
WIC
BATH
UP
DN
CL
KITCHEN
BATH
CL
LOFT
MASTER
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
BEDROOM
DINING
OPEN TO BELOW
LIVING AREA
COVERED
DECK
COVERED
DECK

DECK
Second Floor
First Floor
Springcrest
Springcrest is a beautiful home with many appealing
amenities. Downstairs, the great room opens into the
dining area and is separated from the kitchen with
an eat-in bar. Both of the downstairs bedrooms have
double closets, and one bedroom boasts French
doors opening onto the wraparound porch. There is a
full bath, laundry room and ample storage space.
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2
UTIL
DINING
10' x 11'
BEDROOM
12' x 13'
KITCHEN
9' x 11'
PORCH
WIC
LOFT
19' x 11'
PORCH
10024 Parkside Drive

Knoxville TN 37922
800-438-8274 865-693-4833
fax: 865-693-9230
e-mail: sales@stonemill.com
www.stonemill.com
DN
BEDROOM
15' x 13'
GREAT ROOM
19' x 14'
BEDROOM
13' x 11'
OPEN TO BELOW
UP
PORCH
First Floor
Second Floor
Nantahala
The Nantahala has two bedrooms, three full baths and
plenty of open floor space for family and friends to
gather. It has a wraparound porch and double sliding
doors leading into a spacious great room with beamed
cathedral ceilings. This is a great plan to inspire new
beginnings.
Bedrooms: 2
Baths: 2
Appalachian Log Structures
P.O. Box 614 Ripley WV 25271
866-LOG-HOME 304-372-6410
fax: 304-372-3154
e-mail: info@mail.applog.com
www.applog.com
Second Floor
First Floor
2817 sq.ft.
3 BR/ 3 BA
Deluxe Shell Pkg. $45,183.
Orchard View
48 SHED DORMER
BATH
#2
BEDROOM #3
15'x11'1"
OFT
21'x13'10"
BEDROOM #2
15'2"x15'11"
OPEN TO
BELOW
SECOND FLOOR
GABLED SUNROOM
17'5"x15'7"
DECK
14'x16'
MASTER
BATH
OFFICE
7'2"x9'8"
DINING ROOM
14'x11'
DECK
14'x16'
KITCHEN
14'x11'
PANTRY
7'5"x7'2"
BATH #2
MUDROOM
13'11"x5'10"
CLO.
GREAT ROOM
25'10"x16'3"
MASTER
BEDROOM
15'2"x13'6"
GARAGE
25'4"x27'4"
CLO.
LAUNDRY
11'9"x7'13"
W
D
COVERED PORCH
48'
FIRST FLOOR
13'9"
26'
The Orchard View blends the breath-taking beauty of the traditional log home
with the efficient and practical features of todays lifestyle. The welcoming great
room with timbered cathedral ceiling and large stone fireplace; the master
bedroom with double closets and master bath; and the centrally-located dining
area leading out to the spacious sunroom - designed for convenience and
practicality. The breezeway includes a pantry, laundry, mudroom and full bath.
Portfolio of floor plans and Planning Guide for $10., call 800-368-1015.
Hochste
nville, OH 4
The Timberlog
The Timberlog is a blend of traditional and modern
styles. The focal point of the first floor is the great
window package and the vaulted ceilings in the living
room that open to areas below. The master suite
layout is a private, spacious retreat. You will find two
bedrooms upstairs just to the right of the large loft
overlooking the living room. The traditional dormers
and the shed porch roof on the front gives this
uniquely blended home an added flare.
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 1/2
The Original Log Cabin Homes
P.O. Box 1457
Rocky Mount NC 27802
800-562-2246
fax: 252-454-1550
e-mail: info@logcabinhomes.com
www.logcabinhomes.com
First Floor
Second Floor

GEM LAKE
WYOMING
SPRUCE CREEK
Call us for a floorplan that raises

your heart rate.
For 35 years weve been the leader in log homes that perfectly
match the location, lifestyle, imagination and budget of their
owners. Call today, we will e-mail you a floorplan that fits you.
GIVE US A CALL 406/363-5680
RMLH.COM
The Magazines You Know And Love

Now Available To Download
Available at loghome.com/digital
Available at oldhouseonline.com/digital
Whether you have a passion

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or love old-houses,
we ve got you e-covered.
scan with
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www.broyhillwilesinc.com
317-660-6369 Noblesville, IN
The Premiere Log and Timber Frame
Building Company
A Colorado Compan
Company
y
Since 1984
25 Years Experience &
Over 500 Custom Homess
Built in Colorado
Windham, ME 1-800-427-5647
sales@mainecedarloghomes.com
www.mainecedarloghomes.com
Serving all of New England and Beyond
Tel. 207-532-4034 Fax. 207-532-9915

www.mainecedar.com
Email: o ce@mainecedar.com
www.broyhillwilesinc.com
919-306-9959 Chapel Hill, NC
The Premiere Log and Timber Frame
Building Company
Cypress Log & Stone Homes

DESIGN & BUILDING
1-800-714-0030 434-960-8312
southcoastcypress@gmail.com
www.southcoastent.com
PO Box 470, Orange, VA 22960
A division of South Coast Enterprises, Inc.
Designing and
building exceptional
log homes since 1985.
Karen & Gary Tenfel
262-534-6280
cccloghomes.com
Stylish
Stimulating &
18,000 Unique Items

More than
to satisfy
www.
your senses.
woodlandcreekfurniture
.com
Prenished wide plank ooring at

amazing prices. Boards up to 16
wide. No middlemen, from handpicked log to prenished product.
Several styles: Old World Rustic Wire Brushed
Tavern Basic Wide plank
Ainsworth Zeagler 912-682-0002

info@zeaglerfhf.com www.zeaglerfhf.com
We Build Log, Timber & Rustic Homes Anywhere

Full General Contractor
Design And Engineering
Heavy Timber
Restoration Specialists
Rustic tables, beds, vanities

706-573-8854
kjmaxwell@littlebranchfarm.com
www.littlebranchfarm.com
Call Toll Free: 1-888-jim-logs Fax: 1-219-279-3112

Email: pete@americanrusticbuilders.com
Visit us at: www.americanrusticbuilders.com
K&K Lumber
P.O. Box 210, Silt, CO 81652
Phone 970-876-2156 Fax 970-876-2613
www.kklumber.com
Lodgepole pine, deadstanding Engelmann
spruce, D shape logs. 8x8 double tongue &
groove, $5.60 lin. ft.; 8x6, $4.20; 6x6, $2.40.
Log Jam
Chinkers Edge
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BUILDING HOMES FOR

AMERICA S WAR WOUNDED
............ Go
To A Log Home Show
THE MD LOG HOME & TIMBER FRAME SHOW
April 27-29/
Maryland State Fairgrounds

Exhibition Hall
2200 York Road/Timonium, MD 21093
Upcoming Events for 2012
Seven Springs, PA/October 5-7/Seven Springs Mtn Resort

GO online for more info!
Learn what it takes to build your DREAM HOME!
Log Homes | Cabins | Timber Frame

Log & Rustic Style Furniture
FREE Seminars & Demonstrations
Tickets at the door or online
Loghomeshows.com/ 866.607.4108
Not Just Anyone

CAN JOIN
the LOG
HOMES
COUNCIL
PEACE OF MIND comes standard when

you buy from a council member.
To belong to the Log Homes Council,
a company has to meet a rigorous
set of membership requirements. These include:
Ensure the quality of each log through
third party inspectors
Adhere to a rigid code of ethics
Provide a complete construction manual
Sponsor research to raise log home

standards nationwide
information to both buyers and builders
Dont trust your life savings to a company that cant match these criteria.
Look for the Log Homes Council logo or visit loghomes.org for more information.
epilog
Gods Little Acorn

that some of Americas log homes survive from
no windows; torches were lit to provide illumination.
the 19th century. A few even date to the 18th. Just imagine.
The 5-foot-thick oak tree trunks used for the nave walls
Well, theres one log building thats still standing from the
came from nearby Epping Forest. They were split down the
ninth century. Obviously not in the New World. Its a church
middle, so the erected walls were curved on the outside and
in Essex, England.
flat on the inside. The corner logs, instead of being split, had a
We think of English churches as stone, going all the way
quarter section removed to form the inside corner.
back to the Middle Ages. Indeed they were. Even longer ago,
The jumbo logs inspire awe, even among todays tourists.
though, Englands ample forOne child visitor who saw
ests yielded long and broad
asked, Could these
People have worshipped in Greensted them
timbers for building. In fact,
trees have been acorns when
church uninterrupted for 1,300 years. Jesus was on earth? If so,
timbrian is the Old English
verb for to build. The
these still-standing logs span
noun timber meant a building, and the act of building itself
the history of Christianity. People have worshipped in Greenwas getimber timbering. Timbrend is a builder.
sted church uninterrupted for 1,300 years.
Fittingly, this ancient church, officially St. Andrew at
What makes logs especially appropriate for Christian
Greensted-juxta-Ongar, was built timbered by Anglochurches is that they represent the tree, the symbolic link
Saxons. Those German tribes had been settling Angle-Land
between earth and heaven. Tree sometimes refers to the
since the seventh century. After converting to Christianity, they
cross. At least two New Testament verses Acts 5:30 and 1
first formally worshipped at Greensted, historians tell us, in a
Peter 2:24 state flat-out that Jesus was hanged on a tree.
simple wooden church built around 650. It was rebuilt later,
This reference to crosses as trees occurs often in Old Engpossibly around 845, of logs with a thatched roof.
lish Christian verse composed around the time the Greensted
Now, the English werent log builders, not in the sense that
church was built. In A Dream of the Cross, for example, the
we think of skillfully shaping and stacking logs so they dont
eighth-century poet Cynewulf wrote:
tumble down. But they did figure out how to stand the logs on
Wondrous that Tree, that Token of triumph,
end, side by side, like the walls of a fort.
And I a transgressor soiled with my sins!
The nave, which today lies inside a brick exterior, was
Evocative words, to be sure, but you neednt go to church,
formed by such upright logs. They had tenons cut at the base
even Greensted, to connect with the divine. Log homes, as anythat fit into a wooden sill. Their beveled tops were slotted into
one who has ever been in one can attest, are like heaven right
a beam at the top of the wall and secured with wooden pegs.
here on earth.
Roland Sweet
Furthering the mighty-fortress image, the original church had
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ROOM SPOTLIGHT: DESIGN A GREAT ROOM

INTRODUCING THE EARNHARDT COLLECTION

Every one of these

This stunning screened-in porch

To learn more about limited-time introductory pricing, visit EarnhardtCollection.com/lhl

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Log On, Media,

Starting Point, Mailbag

Remember the third dimension.

The Catch of a Lifetime

Inside the Box

The Finishing Touch

Regional Resource Guide

2 LOG HOME LIVING MARCH 2012

Imagine being able

Your Sanctuary Awaits.

now appearing online

ARE YOU IN THE

If youre considering making a

Our Facebook page is the perfect

TRY YOUR LUCK

If youd like to share pictures

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4 LOG HOME LIVING MARCH 2012

Were blessed with land spreading out so far and

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DEPOSIT BY MAY 1, 2012

VISIT WWW. KUHNSBROS . COM FOR

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America used to have a reputation for manufacturing top-quality mer-

ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR & COLOR SPECIALIST

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Elaine Nosaka

Isabel Sateri, Rich Wilkinson

HOME BUYER PUBLICATIONS,

Laurie Vedeler Sloan

ONLINE BUSINESS & OHMG SALES MANAGER

Heather Glynn Gniazdowski

SHOWS AND UNIVERSITY

EVENTS ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Efrem Zimbalist III

PRESIDENT & COO

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CIRCULATION,

VICE PRESIDENT, CONTROLLER

SUBSCRIPTIONS: For subscription questions or address changes, call

8 LOG HOME LIVING MARCH 2012

800-234-8496 (U.S. only). Subscription rate $19.95, plus $3 shipping and

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Laurent and Cheryl Veilleux (see page

Loving the Cabin Life

What keeps logs from falling

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