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Laminated vs. Log Wall Systems
One of the first questions people often ask us is, "How does U.S. Log & Timber laminate cedar homes compare to traditional log homes?"
First, we only use a decorative grade cedar. Its unlikely you'll come across another log home manufacturer that uses decorative grade materials.
U.S. Log & Timber is one of the few log home companies in North America that not only offers a contemporary, laminate log options but can take special requests and laminate different log species per your request. For example, if you wanted your home to have walnut facing outside and the inside a beautiful walnut or maple… We can do it. Now granted, it runs the cost up but we have the capacity to make your dreams come true.
Our CEO, Rob Patchett, built his first cedar laminate log homes in 1981, in Florida. The reason the laminate product was chosen was for its light weight and exceptional strength for wind resistance. Today, there is not much that can compare to a 13-inch lodgepole pine wall when it comes to strength and wind resistance. Furthermore, when shipping to South Florida, the Caribbean, the Hawaiian Islands and overseas - weight becomes a big deal. So we found that laminate logs were a perfect blend of both solutions.
Advantages of a Laminated Wall System
Our kiln-dried, glue laminated wall timbers do not shrink or settle. This is due to the stability of the multiple laminations of wood sandwiched together give it. Our laminate logs rarely have a timber check (wood crack) as is the nature of un-laminated wood.
Furthermore, lighter, kiln-dried timbers are easier to erect at the construction site. Each design is pre-cut to precision tolerances and is assembled without cranes or heavy equipment. Kiln-drying reduces the weight of the timbers and also reduces shipping costs.
A laminated timber home requires no chinking maintenance. Due to precision cutting, fitting and minimal shrinkage, our homes do not require chinking. Laminating increases the strength of the timbers by 70%. Pound for pound, a laminated cedar timber is stronger than steel!
Kiln-dried lumber has some industry standards that allow 15-19% moisture content. Our laminated wall material is kiln-dried to 9-12% moisture content.
Over the last 40 years, we have steadfastly tried to protect old-growth, tree stands. U.S. Log & Timber is committed to only using TPI top-graded pine, dead standing trees for traditional logs or fast-growth, or small diameter, 2nd-growth (farmed) cedar for laminate logs. Our mills are located in areas where we are able to harvest magnificent, large diameter pine trees that died in drought or extreme weather conditions in high, desert timber forests.
Laminating allows the use of second-growth cedar, thereby sparing old-growth cedar trees.
Unlike other manufacturers, we provide a complete weather tight shell. Our home packages include more than just walls and a roof. We also provide, windows, doors, interior walls, stairs, insulation, moldings, trims, window screens, floor system and all structural fasteners.
Laminated Log Information
Wood Species - U.S. Log & Timber Lam-log® (laminated logs) are available in Douglas Fir, Larch, Ponderosa Pine and Western Red Cedar. Upon request other species can be made available for your project or mixed to create special room or area looks.
Wood Grade (Decorative) – Most of our competition uses “Service” grade timber for their laminate product. U.S. Log & Timber will only use “Decorative” graded wood for its laminate logs. To achieve this grade one of the requirements are for the log faces to only have smaller, slick knots with natural wood characteristics allowed. This is to ensure long term lamination stability for our 30-year lamination log guarantee (regardless of warm or cold climates).
Patterns. V-Edge, Channel and Bull Nose log-face patterns are available for single or double tongue and groove.
Sizes. Depending upon customer and project application needs, our designers may recommend the displayed nominal thicknesses or combinations of them with of lam-log® below or combinations of them in our double-wall system. Our double wall system features two-log walls locked together with rigid insulation (of various thicknesses bonded between) to give whatever insulation rating that is needed to be achieved.
Surface Texture. Smooth Surfaced is what is offered but upon request, Coarse Sanded (16 grit), Resawn (crossband saw texture) or Wire Brushed can be provided.
Moisture Content. U.S. Log & Timber Lam-Log® only uses Kiln-Dried with 10% to 12% average.
Adhesive. 100% exterior waterproof type, meeting ASTM D2559. Lam-log® is cured under pressure using high frequency electronics in a radio frequency (RF) press.
Quality Control. Manufactured in accordance with ANSI/AITC 190.1 and certified by an independent inspection agency.