American pioneers were driven by an unquenchable thirst to explore the new and unknown: to be free. To find that special place in the new world that would support them and their families. A place that they could — through honest labor — make their very own and pass along to their children.
Today’s pioneers are those who still want to go out into the world and make their mark, leaving something of themselves for those who follow. They long to leave a personal legacy which expresses their character, personality and lifestyle. Log homes are a culmination of a lifetime of dreams come true.
“Building a log home is truly about a feeling, an ambience,” says Mary Best, owner of Best Properties, Inc., and a Golden Eagle Log Home dealer in Park Rapids. “It is very much a lifestyle.”
Most people think of log cabins or homes as vacation places located in the rough-wooded scenic outback. The truth is that almost 90 percent of log homes are the primary residence of the owners, with 84 percent of these homes in or near metropolitan areas. Most owners who build log homes as getaway places eventually move into them full time because living there is like being on a perpetual vacation.
The average log home owner takes about four times longer than a traditional home builder to research and develop plans for his or her home. Log home builders are faced with a number of decisions not applicable to stick-built homes — log species, log profile, log size, type of corner treatment, etc. They must resolve considerations of budgets, financing, home features, where to build and how to find a qualified builder.
“Building our home was definitely a five-year plan for us,” says Rick Miede of
The Miedes developed several different floor plans over the years. It was when they attended the Golden Eagle Tour of Homes at the company headquarters in
“We walked in to the Double Eagle home and immediately knew this was what we wanted,” Miede says. “Once we saw that house, all of our other plans went out the window.”
After deciding where they wanted their home built, the Miedes relied on Best’s experience as a general contractor for Golden Eagle to find the right placement for their home.
“We help our clients recognize the contour of the building site and what view they want from a particular room at a particular time of day,” Best says. “Building a log home is a commitment to a certain lifestyle. We want our clients to maximize the natural environment.”
As part of their learning process, the Miedes discovered there is quite a bit of information that log home builders have to understand before beginning the building process. For starters, log homes are either handcrafted or milled. A handcrafted log home is built by specialized craftsmen who strip shape, and custom fit each log in place. This method is a specialty skill and is more costly. Milled log homes contain smooth, uniform logs planed to strict tolerances. Some packages come numbered with all materials needed to construct the shell of the designated home. The more components the package contains — such as windows and doors, pre-cut logs, flooring systems and roofing systems — the fewer decisions the homeowner is required to make.
Logs can be air-dried, kiln-dried or standing dead wood. Golden Eagle’s logs are dried to 16 percent moisture content to minimize shrinkage. Tony Altermatt, sales manager with Whispering Pines Log Homes in Verndale, says their logs are air dried for three years. Pierce Log Homes in Park Rapids kiln-dries its red cedar to a uniform moisture level.
“There is no shortcut to a good product,” says Maynard Pierce, co-owner of the company.
There are plenty of options when it comes to the “profile” or style and look of logs provided. Golden Eagle offers double round, “D” log, or Swedish cope. Log sizes are usually 8 inches and larger in diameter.
“Choosing your log profile is easy at Golden Eagle,” Best notes. “We have full logs and split logs. We can create the look you desire, inside and out.”
Corner intersection details are an extremely important factor to consider. Log walls can be saddle notch, which produces the overhanging look; dovetail, where the logs are tightly fitted together; interlock-overlap, where both logs extend past the intersection; butt and pass, where only one log extends past the intersection; and corner post butt, where neither log extends past the corner intersection.
Log species is a personal preference. Choices include white pine, red pine, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, poplar, white cedar, western red cedar, redwood, Douglas fir, oak and walnut. Pine and other coniferous woods are used most often because they grow straighter and are easy to harvest.
“We build exclusively with pine and spruce,” says Best. “White pine is more abundant, easy to work with, offers excellent insulation properties and is cost efficient.”
Western red cedar is considered by most to be the premier wood species to use because it lasts longer when properly maintained, has excellent insulating properties, and is naturally decay and insect resistant. It is, however, initially more costly.
“There is a small increase in cost,” Pierce agrees. “In the long run, though, there is a huge benefit to the homeowner by having a warmer, lighter log home which is more efficient to heat.”
Individuality and craftsmanship are important to log home owners as well as builders. The ability to design your own home or choose from an existing plan is entirely up to the home owner.
“We use master workmanship to lovingly create three or four custom homes per year, specifically designed for the most discriminating buyer,” says Tom Wagner of Thomas Log Crafters in
From excavation to framing, from the first row of logs to the latches on the doors, if you’re contemplating building a log home, there is a great deal more involved than meets the eye. Many builders have plans online or in brochures to provide design ideas. At Golden Eagle Log Homes, Thomas Log Crafters and Whispering Pine Log homes, the emphasis is on meeting potential customers face-to-face. Best’s Golden Eagle dealership averages three to four homes constructed yearly; Thomas Log Crafters and Whispering Pines also limit the number of homes built each year in order to provide the personal attention they feel their customers deserve. Pierce Log Homes is a producer of milled logs and supplies contractors with the necessary logs for a home.
Many companies offer packages which detail the type and amount of materials necessary for a home’s completion. It is wise to compare the elements of packages when deciding on which log home company to use. Some packages will cover the entire process, including flooring, electrical, cabinetry and more. Others may view things as “options” or “upgrades” that are not included in the base package price.
“If it’s shown in the plans, it’s included in a Golden Eagle package,” says Best. “The company’s motto is ‘Relax. We’ve thought of everything and it’s included.’”
A log home is a lifelong dream come true. Log homeowners are passionate, individualistic, dreamers. They want a home that will tell the world they are unique, casual and thoughtful. While the interior is packed with every technological advance and convenience known to man, the exterior still retains historically what the pioneers entrusted to us. A log home is one built with a warmth which invites everyone to share in the fun and casual lifestyle in close concert with the natural environment.
“We’ve dreamed about this for years,” says Miede. “It’s exciting to watch the process unfold, see our ideas be built. We’re looking forward to enjoying our home immensely when construction is completed.”
Mary Weaver is a freelance writer who lives on
Article originally appeared in the Oct/Nov. Issue of Lake and Home Magazine. Part 1 of 3
