| Yes, you should worry about these problems; yet, at | | | | for log home manufacturer, you can always tell which |
| the same time, you don't have to worry about these | | | | log home builders construct with green or wet logs |
| problems. Molds, bugs, termites, fungus ... all of these | | | | because they must have some method of handling |
| issues are problematic in any home, and it doest not | | | | shrinkage and settling. Some of them are not |
| if it is a solid brick home or a log home. Nonetheless, | | | | straightforward when you ask these questions |
| because of construction techniques and the mass of | | | | because they know that building with green logs can |
| wood in a log home, you do need to look more | | | | lead to potential problems and increased maintenance |
| closely at these issues and make some decisions | | | | over time so question whomever you are thinking of |
| when building a log cabin or home. | | | | building with. Ask them if they "do anything to |
| Let's start at the beginning, and that is the root of a | | | | compensate for settling or shrinkage." If they tell you |
| log cabin or home --- the TREE. A tree is a | | | | everyone does, they are wrong. No matter, if they |
| living-breathing thing right up until the moment it is cut | | | | leave gaps above the windows and doors to allow |
| down. While still alive, a tree plays host to all sorts of | | | | for the log wall to shrink and settle or have slots |
| organisms. Bugs eat, sleep and lay their eggs in the | | | | where they nail doors and windows to a log walls, |
| bark and wood. Molds and fungus will grow just | | | | their logs are green enough to demand some sort of |
| about any place if there is the right moisture content. | | | | mechanical solution to compensate for the shrinkage. |
| If we are going to be able to control these potential | | | | There is another hint. If the builder talks about |
| enemies, we need to understand how they get | | | | through bolts that need to be tightened or they talk |
| there, how they live and what they need to survive. | | | | about self-tightening springs, they are building with |
| Let's first look at the life cycle of a tree. It starts life | | | | wood that is green or wet enough that it will shrink |
| as a seed, germinates and grows to a seedling and | | | | or settle. |
| over years develops into a mature tree. Then along | | | | This is the same process used by the pioneers and |
| comes a logger and he cuts down our tree, which is | | | | some of those cabins have lasted hundreds of years, |
| destined to become a log home. | | | | but they do require additional maintenance, especially |
| As soon as the tree is cut, it begins to decompose. | | | | in the first few years. While drying your logs this way |
| This is normal and all things do this, but we want to | | | | will work given time, these log home manufacturers |
| stop the decomposition of our wood for this log is | | | | need to address the bug, mold and fungus issues |
| destined to be part of our log cabin or house. But | | | | immediately and so these manufacturers will typically |
| Mother Nature doesn't know what we plan to do; | | | | put some poison on the logs or will dip them in a tank |
| and molds and fungus do their part and continue the | | | | of poison. Modern man has developed a wide range |
| decomposition of the tree with the intent of turning | | | | of pesticides, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides. |
| our log back into dust. The insects also continue to | | | | There is a poison for just about anything you may |
| do their part as they continue to eat their way | | | | want to kill. This can be sprayed on the logs but |
| through our log. This is all part of nature's process of | | | | more commonly the manufacturers that use these |
| decomposition but we want to stop that process | | | | poisons will dip their logs into the solution. The poison |
| and preserve the tree for hundreds of years. | | | | soaks into the wood and kills the bugs, the fungus or |
| As we said, molds and fungus begin turning our log | | | | the molds. The poison has residual properties and can |
| into dust immediately. What molds and fungus need | | | | continue to kill molds, fungus and bugs for a long time |
| to survive and prosper is a warm, moist environment | | | | to come. This is good and bad. Remember that this |
| with a food source. By weight, a tree trunk is over | | | | same poison that is killing the insects, molds and |
| 40% water. As long as there is moisture in the log, | | | | fungus, is being released into your home day after |
| this will be a viable environment for our molds and | | | | day, year after year. If your log home manufacturer |
| fungus and they will continue to consume the tree | | | | uses this method of control pest control, do your |
| trunk. Insects likewise do their part. As the tree rots, | | | | homework. Find out what type of poison and what |
| the wood becomes softer and more and more | | | | concentrations they are using. Do your research and |
| insects fine it a nice place to eat, live and raise a | | | | find out if the poison could have any harmful side |
| family. If left unchecked, the process continues until | | | | affects for adults, children or pets or people with |
| nature has totally decomposed the tree. If we left | | | | allergies. |
| this tree lying on the forest floor, in no time at all, | | | | Some log home manufacturers build with huge logs |
| this tree would become a rotten skeleton of what | | | | and kiln drying is not feasible. Some of them will |
| was once a once mighty tree. | | | | stack these huge logs for a log time in a controlled |
| In our case, we want to break this natural cycle and | | | | environment and will dry their logs this way. This is an |
| preserve this tree trunk using it to build a log cabin or | | | | extremely expensive process and is normally only |
| a log home. What we have to do is break the life | | | | used on high end, one-of-a-kind houses. Most log |
| cycle of the molds, fungus and insects. How a log | | | | home manufacturers that do not build with green |
| home manufacture breaks this cycle is dependent on | | | | wood kiln dry the logs. Let's see how this is used to |
| the company, but they all must break the cycle. Let's | | | | kill off the bugs, mold, and fungus and get rid of the |
| look at what the fungus and mold needs. Their needs | | | | water. These log home manufacturers place the |
| are pretty simple. They need a moist environment | | | | whole log into a large kiln. Some are the size of a |
| and, for optimum growth, it should be both moist and | | | | warehouse. If they leave it in the kiln for a few days, |
| warm. So all we need to do to stop them is dry the | | | | they are not truly trying the log. It can take three or |
| wood out and then keep the wood from getting | | | | four days to dry out just a piece of lumber much |
| wet. As for the insects, they are a bit more | | | | less a log. The log home manufactures that bring the |
| complicated as some insects will love dry wood as | | | | internal water content down to 13% - 16% will leave |
| well as moist wood. Further, when the tree was cut | | | | them in a kiln for up to 30 days and will slowly move |
| down, there were large numbers of insects already | | | | the temperature up to as high as 180 degrees. The |
| living in the wood and they have laid thousands of | | | | benefits of kiln drying are that it dries the log and |
| eggs just waiting to hatch and eat away at your log | | | | means you don't have to compensate for shrinkage |
| home. Somehow we have to break their life cycle, | | | | and settling. It also allows them to control the |
| and then we have to protect the wood from | | | | checking on logs and any logs that warp or check |
| additional intrusion by bugs. Let's now look at what | | | | too much can be discarded before they are placed |
| different log home manufacturers do to break the | | | | into your home. Being dried in a kiln also kills off all of |
| life cycles of molds, fungus and the wood-destroying | | | | the insects and destroys their eggs and larvae |
| insects. | | | | breaking their life cycle. This means that these |
| All log manufacturers first remove the bark. This is | | | | manufactures do not need to put poison on the logs |
| important as the bark used to protect the inter parts | | | | you are using for your house. There are other |
| of the tree like skin protects our bodies. The inner | | | | benefits to be gained from using kiln-dried logs. One |
| part of the bark is called the cambium layer, and it is | | | | of them is that you can put a stain and sealant on |
| where the tree's sap rose and fell moving nutrients | | | | your logs immediately. With a log home that builds |
| and water between the roots and the leaves or | | | | with green lumber, you have to allow the moisture to |
| needles of the tree. Bugs, mold and fungus love this | | | | escape from the log and so you need to wait a while |
| region of the tree. All log home manufacturers | | | | before putting on an exterior or interior finish. Kiln |
| remove the bark to destroy this important habitat | | | | drying also has the benefit of crystallizing the sap in |
| for the bugs, molds and fungus. After the bark is | | | | the tree sap. Homes built with green wood can ooze |
| removed we next have to remove the moisture and | | | | sticky sap for years to come. The last benefit to kiln |
| kill off the insects and bugs. Manufacturers vary as to | | | | drying is something I touched on earlier and that is |
| how they handle these problems. There are two | | | | quality control. When you look at a log, there is no |
| camps of thought. On one extreme you have the log | | | | way of guessing how it is going to dry. It can twist, |
| home manufacturers that build with green or wet | | | | warp and split badly. You can see this easily if you |
| logs and on the other extreme you have the log | | | | ever go into a lumberyard. Have you ever noticed |
| home manufactures that build with fully kiln-dried logs. | | | | that out of a pile of boards there will always be a |
| Between these two extremes are all the | | | | few that do some wild warping? They can twist and |
| manufacturers that do air drying, and partially kiln dry | | | | bend as much as a foot over a ten-foot length. |
| their logs. | | | | When logs are fully kiln-dried, if you find any of these |
| Let's first look at those that build with green or wet | | | | rogue logs, they can be discarded. If you build with |
| logs. The logs will be stripped of their bark and | | | | green wood, you will never know this until it is a part |
| stacked for a while awaiting the next order for a log | | | | of your home. Checking is another big issue with logs. |
| home. As soon as the log is cut, it begins losing | | | | All logs will check and this can't be stopped, but, by |
| moisture so this will allow some of the moisture to | | | | kiln drying, you can discard logs that check too badly |
| escape and will start the drying process. If the | | | | or you can turn them in such a manner that bad |
| manufacturer protects the logs under a shed, it will | | | | checks no not collect rain water and lead to trouble |
| keep the rain off and speed up the drying process, | | | | spots on the outside of your log home. |
| but the amount of water in a home build of green | | | | In conclusion, you do need to be concerned about |
| logs can be huge. A typical log home will need to lose | | | | mold, fungus and insects with a log home. Modern |
| up to 5 tons of water before it becomes fully dry. | | | | man has developed ways to solve these problems. |
| When an order comes in, the logs are sent to the | | | | Some methods include air-drying the logs, using |
| construction site and the log home or cabin is built. | | | | poisons to kill off the insects, molds and fungus, and |
| Green logs are very heavy. An eight-foot log that is | | | | kiln drying to kill pests and their eggs. Armed with this |
| about 12 inches in diameter will weigh over 200 | | | | information you should be better able to make |
| pounds but over time, the log will lose this water. | | | | informed decisions when talking to log home |
| One thing that happens, as it dries, is the logs shrink | | | | manufacturers and dealers. |
| and the whole wall will settle. When you are looking | | | | |