When you close your eyes, how do you envision your finished log home looking? Many log home producers tout a specific wood species or a variety of log profiles. In general, these choices have little to do with the final look and feel of your home. The size, texture, stain color, and wood treatment of the logs has the largest visual impact. Let’s review how each of these log finishes can enhance the design of your log home.
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The Size of Your Home’s Logs
A home built with 7″ diameter milled logs will have a much different look from a home built with 12″ diameter milled logs. Choosing handcrafted logs can increase the log diameter dramatically. You should look at pictures of log homes constructed with smaller logs versus larger logs to see which you prefer, then work with your architect to determine the size of log that fits best with your style and your budget.
Adding Texture to Your Logs
If you choose to design and build a handcrafted log home, your logs will have a natural peeled texture. However, if you choose to build with milled logs, texture can be added after the logs are cut. Round logs can be drawknifed to appear hand-peeled, and square logs can be adzed to appear distressed or rustic. Once you have defined the style of home you want to build, you can work with your architect to see if adding a texture to your logs will complement the goal of your design.
Stain Color
In your mind, is your log home a pale yellow, a dark espresso, or a warm pecan? Just as the paint color on a traditional home makes an impression, so does your choice of stain on a log home. When your architect renders your home, they will show an example of log wall color. This will help you see what kind of stain will work best before you apply it. Of course, to get the most out of your stain, you will need to choose a quality stain product and a wood species that accepts stain well.
Applying Log Treatments
In addition to stain color, there are treatments that can add unique character to your home. There are glosses that can add sheen, and additives that can make your logs appear duller. There are even products that can make a brand new log home look as though it were 100 years old. Again, when you decide on the overall goal of your log home design, you can determine what custom log finishes are right for your project.
