Featured Log Builder: La Cime Log Homes

Traditional Craftsmanship in Log Home Building

You can live in a timeless, traditional style log home built by La Cime Log Homes in Talbot, Quebec. La Cime is a log builder that specializes in the construction of log houses and traditional timber frame homes, and they do their work entirely by hand. The log builders see this as a form of art when they are assembling the pieces of natural wood to create a beautiful home full of character and charm. Using these log building methods is also best for the harsh Canadian winters due to the thermal performance of the logs and their ability to maintain a regulated temperature inside the home. Each log has the ability to store heat within them and then diffuse it as needed to keep the home nice and warm in colder weather. This also works the same in the summer, but the logs will absorb the cool air at night and then release it during the day to offset the heat during the day. The company uses dried white pine, red pine or spruce wood, so customers can choose their favourite type of wood depending on what they prefer. The log builders also use wood to build original one of a kind custom furniture for the homes they build. They harvest the wood for each piece of furniture they make and create each piece with the same meticulousness and precision as they use for their log homes.

Superior Insulation and Energy Efficiency

They also put the first layer of stain and wood treatment on the outside of the logs to protect them from elemental damage. For the roof structure, there is a central truss made from a log as well to match with the rest of the home. Depending on whether you're building a cottage or a full-time house., they will make sure that it's protected and properly insulated for the seasons you'll use it for. A cabin that's only used in the summer may not have to be insulated as heavily as a home that needs to be protected from the cold and heat. The thermal mass of the logs also helps to insulate so fewer insulation products are needed in the building. So these log homes will reduce the need for the high use of heating and cooling systems. There was even a 28-week test done in the US Department of Commerce which was able to show that a log home with R-10 walls will consume less energy than a conventionally built stick frame home with R-12 walls.

Energy Savings and Sustainability

There was also a study done where a log home and a stick framed home in the same area were subjected to the same temperature of 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside. The log home needed 6 kilowatts of electricity to maintain a temperature of 72 degrees F inside the home over a 24 hour period. The conventionally built home needed 8.1 kilowatts to maintain the same temperature for 24 hours. So the log home won with a 25% energy savings which shows just how wonderful these homes are. Logs are also a renewable building material, making them an even more desirable building material and La Cime Log Homes ensures that all of their wood comes from sustainable farms. Once the home is built, the log builders from La Cime will also walk customers through how to take care of their log home. It's very important to use the proper products to protect the wood, and they recommend Broda products since they are all eco-friendly products made with natural oil. This will keep your log home looking like new for years to come and will help protect it from the sun, rain, wind and snow.