Featured Log Builder: Heartwood Log Homes

Craftsmanship and Tradition in Log Home Building

Are you dreaming of a natural log home of your own? Heartwood Log Homes based in Nova Scotia, Canada combines the best of traditional and modern building methods to create some of the most beautiful log homes. All of the log homes from the company are handcrafted by their talented team of log builders in Nova Scotia and then transported to your land where they can be assembled. They ship their home materials anywhere in Eastern Canada or the Eastern United States so even if you don't live in Nova Scotia, you can still consider having them build a home for you. The log builders have built log homes and cabins in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. So they have a lot of log houses out there at this point and are just continuing to build more. Maybe yours could be next. The log homes that Heartwood Log Homes creates are solid, beautiful, warm and strong. Everything you could ever dream of getting in a log home. From the exterior to the interior, the log homes they create are masterpieces that their customers feel proud to own. The natural logs bring you closer to nature as well, and you can feel all of the talented skill and care that goes into each of their projects. These log homes will be able to stand for years and can be passed down through the generations to be enjoyed for decades.

Innovative Features and Structural Integrity

You'll notice that they like to incorporate exposed log beams, ceiling joists, and roof trusses which adds so much to the interior of the log home. These features might not seem like a lot at first, but they do add such an impact to the log home designs. The logs for these structural features are carefully chosen and crafted using engineering tables. They are also created to have special notches, so you don't see any of the hardware as they design the roof of the log home they use Sloping Flat trusses, which are webbed rafters. These rafters sit on top of the log roof beams. Everything is pre-cut and easy to install without lifting equipment. Once these trusses are installed everything in the roof is made weathertight before the insulation is added and the finishing is done. They design all of their roofs with a 4-foot overhang which protects the logs against the rain. It also provides a nice shelter for porches and decks as well. For the log floors, they recommend having a secondary joist made out of 2 x 6 or 2 x 8 installed above their log joists to help with the soundproofing. It also creates a space for wiring and plumbing to run through the floors as well.

Preserving the Natural Beauty of Logs

The great thing about the log builders at Heartwood is that they take the time to preserve the natural look of the logs. By cutting the logs in the winter or fall, the sap is not flowing which reduces checking and stains. When the fresh logs are delivered to their yard, the log builders remove the outer bark using a hand peeling tool. Then, the inner bark is removed using a pressure washer with plain water. Doing this will preserve the outer layer of the log and creates a smooth surface that won't require any sanding. So you don't get that grainy look. The knots are also cut off close to the surface to create a nice clean log. It's these simple, yet profound touches that make all the difference when creating a log home, so it's wonderful that Heartwood goes the extra mile to do all of this.