Sunday, June 5, 2016

Advantages Of Hand Hewn Log Homes

By Lisa Carter


Hewn log homes were constructed after a primary residence was already established. They were improvements of round log cabins. Hand Hewn Log Homes were found to be better than simple log cabins because they provided more insulation. In addition to that, homes made by square logs were much more attracting than those made of round logs.

Logs were hewed in such a way that a D-shape was formed. In other words, three sides were flatted while one side was left untouched. During construction of these hewed houses, one of flattened side faced interior of a house while the other two sides came into contact with other logs. This was important in preventing the occurrence of any space between different logs. On the other hand, the untouched side was left to face the exterior side. Interior of these houses were warm and comfortable.

For better results, notching was done for better locking of logs. This was done with intention of ensuring that numbers of spaces were minimized. These improved cabins did not only enhance privacy of the occupants, but also enhanced security of people within it. This advancement made it very hard for strangers to see the inner side of a house. Any space that was left accidentally was sealed immediately for betterment.

Initially, logs from any type of tree, were used in the construction of houses. However, after knowledge continued to increase, it was found out that some trees performed much better than others. This was in terms of durability and also the outer appearance. It was also found out that some trees were much easier to handle than others. Different trees that gained popularity are well discussed below.

Cypress; they were and are still being preferred up to today because they have unique features. They are strong, hard and also rot resistant. This vividly shows that cabins made of them were very strong and durable. Heartwood is very resilient hence it was frequently used for better results compared to sapwood which is much soft. This was advantageous because strong houses resulted. Sapwood is normally white in color while heartwood tends to be dark reddish brown.

Pine; the choice could either be yellow or white pine. Pines were commonly used trees during construction of houses. People liked them because working with them was easy, they offered resistance to tear and wear compared to other kinds of trees. In addition to that, they were rot-resistance. People preferred these trees simply because they were affordable. Pines were also readily available compared to other types of trees such as cypress. White pine was much easier to stain compared to yellow one, which was much stronger.

Hemlock and oak; both oak and hemlock were found to be very strong. This means that they were very durable. A house constructed with these kinds of trees served for a very long period of time. However, they were commonly used in constructing the base of a house for better results. In addition to that, the process was much more economical because these types of trees were relatively much expensive.

Cedars; these types of trees were successfully used during cabin construction because they were resistant to attack by insects. In addition to that, they were durable and could not rot even when left in wet places. These unique features made many people like them. Most of exterior doors were made using logs from these kinds of trees.




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