Drying Choices For Logs used in Log Homes

You should be concerned about how your logs are dried. If you use freshly cut logs they will have a lot of moisture in them causing significant shrinking after the home is built. If you leave the logs outside for six months to a year, the moisture would evaporate until it nears the moisture level of the outside air. When the logs reach the same moisture as the air it is called air drying. Drying logs can be faster if they are kiln dried to a moisture level below that which you get by air drying. A lot of companies use dead standing trees. The trees from long ago were either killed by beetles, disease, or forest fires, and have dried and now just stands there. The trees have not been structurally compromised in any way and however they died is no longer a factor. Some trees may have blemishes but can be easily removed by milling or even by hand planing. But it is what you are satisfied with and the confidence you have in the company you choose, and if they stand behind their product that really matters.

Please visit our website at Muskoka Log Homes for additional information.