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Are Log Home Building Materials Disappearing?

You might think the environmental and green movements are slowing tree harvesting for constructing log homes and businesses. There is one way to keep building them that works and that’s using plentiful pine trees.
The trend for building log homes is still strong and so is planting pine trees on regulated tree farms. There will be enough wood for log siding, flooring, ceilings, paneling, cabinets, and much more for future generations.
The opposite is true for hardwoods because these trees are gradually disappearing all over the U.S. Land is cleared for farming, livestock grazing, mining, and drilling that account for more than half of the deforestation. Wildfires, insects, and urbanization account for even more.
The Log Home Trend Is Still Going Strong
Log homes are not just for living in the mountains, countryside, or on a lake. They are popping up in suburbs and businesses are using log construction to attract customers. The Log Home Council informs us there are more than 30,000 log siding, full log, and timber homes built each year in the U.S. This figure is up from 15,000 log homes built each year in the 1980s.
log homes account for 9% of the custom homebuilding market and are a multi-billion dollar industry in America. Log homes hold up better to earthquakes, flooding, and wind because their structure is strong and durable. We love log homes for these reasons:
- They help us get back to nature
- Log homes can be customized
- Their construction methods have come a long way
- Log homes provide health benefits
- Log siding homes are more economical
Log Home Building Materials: Pine Is The Favorite Wood
A long-time favorite building material for log homes is Northern Red also called Norwegian Pine. There are many reasons for using this type of wood, including:
- Pine trees are sustainable products because they are grown on tree farms
- They are replanted after harvesting to meet current and future needs
- Pinewood is affordable compared to hardwood trees
- Pine is easier to work with compared to hardwood trees
- Pine is ideal for log siding, paneling, and flooring
- Pine log siding, corners, and trims are readily available for online ordering
Knotty pine has natural characteristics that make it appealing, such as dark knots, attractive coloring, varying grain patterns, and some mineral streaks. Pinewood is a product we never seem to tire of.
“There is one way to keep building them that works and that’s using plentiful pine trees.”
Log Home Building Materials: Hardwoods Are Costly
Fewer log homes are being built with hardwoods as their primary construction material. There are some practical reasons for this downtrend in the U.S.
- Hardwoods such as oak, hickory, and cypress are becoming scarcer
- Hardwood trees are grown on tree farms in only limited amounts
- They are not considered sustainable products
- They are much more expensive than pine
- Hardwoods are not as easy to work with as pine
- They are heavier than pine and more difficult to lift
If you shop at a lumber or home improvement store, you notice the difference in price and availability of hardwoods compared to pine. Although hardwoods are attractive woods, they don’t fit into most peoples’ budgets for home, cabin, or business construction. The trend is preserving what we have and using them for furniture, picture frames, and tool handles.
Use Pine Log Siding: The Smart Move
We started with the question “Are log home building materials disappearing?” The answer is “no” because pine trees are sustainable products. As long as we keep planting them in large quantities, there should be plenty for future generations. Here are some additional reasons to use pine:
- Pine log siding is more cost-effective than hardwoods
- Its tongue and groove/end-matching design allows for fast and easy installation
- Labor cost to install log siding is much less expensive than for full logs
- Log siding is more stable and less apt to expand and contract with the weather
- Homeowners with woodworking skills can install it
- Pine is lighter to handle and easier to saw, drill, and sand
Complementary Building Materials For Log Homes
A log corner system and log trims are installed to complete any home or cabin construction. Knotty pine is available in other forms for your home, including:
- Paneling for walls
- Paneling for ceilings and decking
- Pine flooring
- Beams and trusses
- Posts and rafters
- Cabinetry
- Doors
Knotty pine is the ideal building material for homes, cabins, and businesses that want a rustic look and atmosphere. High-quality pine is available online for your shopping convenience.