The Right Style of Log Home for You

Your home is an extension of your personality, a statement of your life. Log home living is a concept that embodies natural beauty, functionality, ease, and contentment. It is a break from the routine and an avenue of escape from the ordinary. Log homeowners are looking for the unique and tend to appreciate the harmonious living amid the wonder of nature.

The exterior of your home sets the stage to share a bit of your personality. Styles from modern contemporary to rustic and everywhere in-between, the options are endless.

Your desired look can come to life in a variety of Log Home architectural styles.

• Full scribe log homes were the very first building methods of a log cabin. This traditional style home is still built the same way today and involves stacked up logs on top of one another in a horizontal position to form a wall. The logs are hand-cut and placed tightly against each other without gaps. The groove part of the cut logs is fitted and secured to the log below.
• Chink style log homes. This style has come a long way since they were first built. Just like the full scribe log homes, the chink style is another old method of log home construction, with the main difference being that the logs for the chink style are not joined or fitted together even though they are stacked on top of each other like the full scribe method. Instead, the gaps between the logs are filled with chink – a type of mortar that’s similar to filling gaps between bricks.
• Post and beam log homes use full-size logs to support the structure. The natural log surface can be seen from both inside and outside the house. Compared to a full scribe log home, fewer logs are needed for post and beam homes, which makes them a cheaper alternative.
• Timber frame log homes are very much similar to post and beam style as the main horizontal structure is supported by the timber posts. The difference between the two is the precisely cut posts that are square-shaped rather than consisting of a round profile like the post and beam style.
• Hybrid log homes are the modern types of timber properties that use quarter or half logs. The siding of these homes has a log-like look, and timber frame methods are used to give the exterior a finished appearance, just like a full scribe log home.

Beyond design, the species of wood used in a log home can vary; There are literally hundreds of wood species in the USA alone. However, based on durability, color, efficiency and resistance to the elements, you will find these to be the top choices for Log Home construction, Cedar, Redwood, Pine, Oak, Spruce, Fur and Cypress. Wood species each have different characteristics that may make one better than another for specific purposes. Keep in mind that woods with the same name can differ, such as red or white oak, red, white, or yellow pine, and red or white cedar. We recommend researching the best choice for your environment. A residential construction company could be of immense help in building the right kind of home for you.

The final step to your exterior design is often stain color choice. Today’s choice of wood siding stain colors has expanded greatly over just a few decades ago. In the past almost all log homes shared the same hue of brown for their exteriors. As homeowners have become more stylish and choosier, manufacturers or stains and finishes have expanded their lines to offer a rainbow of color options, such as: Barnwood Gray, Butternut, Charcoal, Sage, Natural Teak, Natural Redwood, Mahogany, to name a few.
Finding the appropriate balance between form, function and budget is often a challenge, sometimes a daunting task, but always an adventure. However, when you find or construct the perfect Log Home, the allure is ever lasting.