Log home manufacturer
Log home manufactures employ a variety of different methods of drying wood to accelerate the shrinkage process prior to building as a proactive measure. The two methods used by most manufacturers are - Kiln-drying and dead standing. Because the trees are generally standing dead for a number of years, much if not all of the shrinkage has already occurred and thus less is likely to occur in the constructed log home.
Most log home manufacturers offer complete packages. But as customers or log home owner you should be able understand the difference between terms like complete materials packages and standard packages. These packages usually contain only 1/3 to 1/2 of the materials required to complete a finished log home. There are more than just logs that go into a log home. Log home manufacturer usually try and explain the concept to their clients.
Log home manufacturer also emphasis on this fact for budget calculations. When calculating a total construction budget, prospective log homeowners should not mistake the cost of a material package for the total cost to complete, but rather assemble a total construction cost estimate.
If you are concerned about your energy bills in a log home, do not be. Any Log home manufacturer would be able to show the results of various studies held on Log homes, which when constructed correctly, offer comparable to superior energy efficiency versus conventional framed homes, as log home stays cooler in the summer and warmer in winter. Unlike R-value, the traditional measure of energy efficiency, thermal mass is a material's capacity to conduct, store and release heat over time given significant variances in temperature.
As for your query on - Which is better, a handcrafted or milled log home? Your Log home manufacturer can explain you their distinct advantages and disadvantages. However, there is no observed statistics to sustain the advantage of one style over another. As a result, it’s more a matter of personal inclination than strengths and weaknesses.
The big difference that can be discussed about the two would be - cost, log size, appearance, building and construction, etc., that generally cause a prospective log homeowner to select one style versus the other. Your log home manufacturer would be able to show you the kind of style you desire and fit your budget.
