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Butt-and-pass entails having the logs around the house all at the same level, i.e., the seam in a north wall will match up to a seam in a west wall. Where two logs join at a corner, one butts up against the side of the other one, which "passes" and sticks out in the familiar log house style. |
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Dovetail refers to the method in which logs are joined together using compound angles that naturally interlock forming a sturdy corner. Dovetail joinery is generally utilized with hand-hewn timber or logs that are flattened on two sides. This type of log home construction requires chinking after reassembly. |
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Three major parts to a handcrafted log homes are: a notch, a saddle, and the long groove. Cutting two flat downward sloping surfaces on each side of the log shapes a saddle cut. Following, the notch is scribed and cut to fit snuggly over the sides of the saddle with a precise amount of clearance space at the top. Lastly, the long or lateral grooves are cut. |
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A wall system consisting of half-logs applied to either side of a conventionally framed or structural insulated panel core. While insulated log walls have the appearance of solid log, they are not subject to settlement and can have a substantially higher R-value.
Log homes often use insulation made from fiberglass, loose cellulose and several types of rigid foam in roofs and around doors and windows. In solid log systems, the logs themselves provide the wall insulation. |
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A milled dovetail is just that, precision milled and ready for assembly. Whereas a traditional dove tail is created on sight by hand. Milled dovetail log homes are a popular log home choice, because of the minimum effort required to join the logs together. |
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The basic mortise and tenon log home comprises of a tongue (tenon) cut into one rail and a mortise cut all the way through the other rail. Joints are strengthened by fitting or by snuggle fitting wedges.
For maximum strength, the tenon width should never be more than one third the width of the timber in which it is cut. |
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Post and beam log home construction, or timber framing, is a century old building method. The framing of the post and beam home is crafted from solid log timbers, which are connected by mortise and tenon joints and fastened together with oak pegs. |
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Round log offer a design unsurpassed in strength and "seal ability." The logs are locked as one with a large single tongue and groove, and a foam gasket and wood-binding sealer are applied between each grove prior to securing the logs together with lag screws. The full round log is planed smooth on all sides, giving that unique prairie or western look. |
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Originating from Scandinavia, full-scribe log joinery is the oldest form of log home construction. Methods are centuries old and have remained virtually unchanged. However, with today’s technology using chainsaws and planners, the same result is achieved for building this style of log home. Full-Scribe log home building methods entail many years of apprenticeship before one can truly master the art. |
