Log Home Living - Second Time's The Charm

True North Log Homes customers Keith and Ann Bares in Minnesota discuss the selection, planning, building and furnishing of their second log home, which acts as a waterfront vacation getaway for them and their extended family in the February 2013 Edition of Log Home Living. As the story goes, the Bares fell in love with a True North log home model as they were driving one day. They worked with Rakow Construction to choose a log home design, which would best suit their needs. They say as they dug deeper they were particularly impressed by True North's patented log wall joinery system and zero air infiltration guarantee as theirs would be a year-round vacation destination.  Rakow proceeded to build a spectacular 1,924 square foot home with a large, walk-out lower level, wrap-around cedar deck and even a three-car garage (a must for Minnesota winters).

Inside, the Bares created a fantastic, traditional log cabin retreat they and their family will no doubt enjoy for years to come.
 

The full Log Home Living article can be found here on the True North Log Homes website or will be available on newsstands shortly.

Building Sustainable Green Log Homes

Robert Wrightman's True North Log Home was proudly featured on pages 46-51 of the October Edition of Green Builder Magazine as 75% of the lumber used to build the 3,300 square foot structure were locally sourced and FSC certified.  As the article states, this is both Wrightman's family home and a lasting example of the quality, workmanship and environmentally friendly display of True North's log home products.

This particular home is based on the Citadel design, one of many log home plans offered by True North and is indeed a model of sustainability and green building best practices, which includes radiant floor heating, spray-foam insulation and boosted soundproofing via sheep's wool stuffed in the interior walls.  Technology, in the form of a special log lock system developed by True North, also boosts the energy efficiency of the home.  Logs shrink as they dry and in many log homes this leads to gaps and air penetration; however, the patented log-lock compression system actually forces the logs of these homes closer together as they dry, thereby cutting down on potential heat loss. True North even offers the only 25-Year "Zero" Air Filtration Warranty in the log home industry. Other green building enhancements can include solar panels for electricity/heat and high-efficiency windows.

Each white pine log is specially cut in the factory to ensure an air-tight fit.

However, the truly sustainable component of this, or any log home, is the fact it has been built using relatively raw logs. Much less manufacturing and chemical treatment needs to go into a log home. Further, wood by its very nature is more insulative that many other building materials meaning less processed insulation needs to be added.

For those who are interested in building a unique and beautiful dream home, while also doing their part to help protect the environment, a log home is certainly worthy of consideration.