Featured Log Builder: EstNor Log Homes

Company Overview

EstNor is an Estonian based log builder creating charming log homes and cabins with a lot of character. The company was founded back in 2000, and their main practice is the manufacturing log homes. Over the almost 20 years they've been in business, they've built almost 450 houses or 600 units with Norway being their main export market shipping over 90% of their homes there and then to Sweden, Estonia and Finland as well. All of their homes are built at their factories in Kiili, Harjumaa, and Estonia. Yearly, they build about 50 homes which shows that they have a steady flow of customers without rushing the process. EstNor has about 52 full-time workers at a time, and they also work with partners who help them with other aspects of the building process. They also give a five-year guarantee to all of the log houses they build showing their pride in their work. It's also wonderful that they are a member of the Estonian Woodhouse Association and a Kiili Entrepreneurs Union. They first started out by purchasing a fertilizer storage building that they rebuilt to be a manufacturing building and soon after they built their first log home and by 2002 they had 5 employees.

Innovations and Growth

By adding a hoist crane to their product line in 2003, they increased the efficiency of productivity and then they also added on log frame houses as an option for customers. Around 2010, their production area had increased as they needed more space to build the houses to keep up with the demand, which is a good sign of any growing company. The log homes built by log builders at EstNor follow Norwegian building traditions, which have been formed over thousands of years. They construct their log houses using pine and hewed edges. The sides of the log are cut off creating a wall thickness of 200mm, and it's chamber-dried and only contains 18–20% moisture. The log is planed and polished by hand to make it look the best it possibly can and then each log is chosen for its purpose in the construction of the home. For bonding the edges, EstNor uses a wind-lock tenon that is windproof. Also, the log builders connect the logs with an inner stick and felt is used for insulation between the logs to create an airtight seal.

Sustainable Practices

The company loves to make their buildings as green as possible too which means using only trees from sustainable farms as well as implementing some passive house techniques like green rooftops. You'll notice that some of their log homes and cabins have grass growing on their rooftops and this is not by accident, nor is it a fault in the home. These green rooftops are implemented to help create some natural thermoregulation within the home because the soil and the greenery help to insulate the home. These green rooftops also help to create a place for animals and insects to go, and they make for a very charming hobbit-like house design that people love. They also build homes that implement more passive house ideas resulting in homes that have heating consumption of almost zero. For these projects, the log builders collaborate with Norwegian Passive house specialists to create the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly homes. The log builders also create beautiful furniture for their clients to match the interior of their finished log homes. So customers can get custom chairs, tables, beds, and more from the same company who built their home which would create a nice sense of continuity throughout the log home. Wouldn't you love to call one of these beautiful log structures your home?