Monthly Newsletter: December 2009

The Log Connection Newsletter: December 2009

December 1, 2009

All I Want for Christmas is...a New Log Home!

It may be a little difficult to wrap and fit under the tree, but...O.K. let's admit it, it would be a present to yourself. But why not! As a TLC newsletter subscriber, you have the opportunity of special pricing, and this month we are offering a 20% discount off of the current log shell list price for our newest design, the Waterford. (See below for details). And if you want something to take your mind off winter, just have a look at the pictures...

This Month's Featured Design

Windows and decks galore...take full advantage of the view and nature

THE
Waterford

The Log Connection introduces another brand new design. At the cutting edge of modern design, the Waterford features dramatic shed roofs, suspended balconies and a large deck--details that make it perfect for a waterfront location.

Entry porch

A sweeping open plan main floor takes full advantage of the view, highlighted by a central open vaulted space that soars 25 feet. The kitchen is centre stage for the living area, with a curved island and eating bar.

Upstairs, two of the three bedrooms enjoy their own private balconies. The master suite includes his and hers walk-in closets and a full ensuite bathroom.

Living area from kitchen	Kitchen and Dining Area
Master bedroom with private balcony	View from above

See the Waterford floor plans on our web site

Watch the Virtual Walk-Through Tour

At $90,150 US for the log shell package, this is a dream home that is not out of reach. As with all our designs, you can customize the basement plan by adding more bedrooms, a games room...the options are endless.

Remember, as a newsletter subscriber you are eligible for an automatic 20% discount off this price! If you proceed with a design agreement and deposit before January 15, your price for the Waterford log shell will be a very affordable $72,120 US, a saving of $18,030. Money saved is money earned!

Special Offer
until Jan. 15:

20% discount

Log Home Construction Close Up

Drying and Settling of a Stacked Log Wall

Wood is a beautiful and versatile natural material. It has many advantages: it is renewable, it has great strength, it is easily shaped, and it has quite good thermal insulating properties. However, like most natural materials it is permeable, meaning it absorbs and releases moisture into the air which causes it to expand and shrink. It is important to note that this shrinkage is much greater across the wood grain than along the length of it.

Although this expansion and shrinkage occurs as long as the wood is exposed to variations in humidity, it is especially pronounced after a tree is harvested. A living tree has a high moisture content, and after being felled it immediately starts releasing it into the dryer ambient air, causing shrinkage.

For framing lumber, kiln drying is a common method of speeding up this process so the wood can be used sooner after being harvested. Kiln drying can also be used for full logs, although it adds expense and it is debatable whether the finished product is as good as an air dried log in the long term. And even kiln dried wood exposed to the outside air will continue to expand and contract somewhat with seasonal changes in humidity, unless it is totally sealed--which is difficult to maintain on a permanent basis.

In a stacked log wall, this is a significant concern because the wall logs are supporting the load of the upper floor and roof across their grain. As the wood shrinks, the upper floor and roof will typically settle downwards by several inches. This settling must be accommodated in many areas of the structure.

Upper stair sits on landing with room to move	Staircases As the upper floor settles, any flight of stairs attached to it will tend to move laterally against the floor or structure below. In our homes, we account for this by building the upper flight of the staircase as a single unit, and letting it sit un-attached on the stair landing (or on the main floor if there is no landing). We also allow a few inches of room at the bottom for the log stringer to move.
Frame wall lag bolted to floor joists above	Frame Walls Framed walls do not shrink appreciably even if they are constructed of wood, because the length of the studs and plates is along (parallel to) the wood grain rather than across it (perpendicular). Therefore some settling space must be allowed above the frame wall. The tops of the walls must then be secured by a connection that is free to move vertically; typically by the use of lag bolts driven through holes drilled in the top plates. Finally the settling space is concealed by a slip trim attached to the underside of the upper floor.
Screw jack over log post	Supporting Posts and Screw Jacks Wherever posts--whether log, or timber, or manufactured--support the upper floor structure, they also must be attached using a system that can accommodate settling. Typically this is done using screw jacks, which must be adjusted periodically--usually every few months during the first year, and once a year for the next couple of years. Whether the screw jack is located above or below the post, allowance must also be made for access to make the adjustment.
Steel angle installed	Windows Similarly, windows require special treatment. Our technique is to build a frame consisting of 2x8 pieces, or "bucks", into which the window will be installed in a similar manner to a common stick-framed house. The bottom buck is fastened to the wall sill log, but the side bucks are not attached to the logs. Instead a steel angle spline is attached to the side buck, and the angle fits snugly into a vertical slot cut into the ends of the wall logs. The wall logs can then move vertically without affecting the window buck. Also a settling space is allowed above the top buck, and both this space and the steel angle are concealed by slip trims, which are attached to the bucks and can slide against the wall logs.
Windows in 2x8 frames before slip trim installation	Finished slip trims neatly conceal settling space

Visit our web site: www.thelogconnection.com

Please feel free to contact our office at any time with any questions or comments. You can reach us toll-free at the phone number below, or you can reach us directly by email here. Thank you and have a great month!
Sincerely,
Stephen Hancock
President, The Log Connection

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