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Sing Log Homes FAQ Frequently Asked Questions

 

Frequently Asked Questions



About Sing Logs


Home Design


Construction & Maintenance


Sales, Cost, Finance & Insurance



About Sing Logs

Q: What kind of wood is used in Sing Logs?
The patented Sing Log system can use virtually any kind of wood at a reasonable cost, since we can use thinned and waste wood in our process. Pine and fir are the most economical, but the resistance to twisting, checking and shrinking imparted by the quarter sawn laminated system makes these logs equal to prime cedar in stability. We do offer cedar at a higher cost if that appearance is desired. The quality is in the cutting, and the vertical straight grain that results from the Sing quarter sawn method is generally considered to be the most handsome and desirable.

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Q: Will Sing Logs logs settle, shrink, or crack (check)?
Wood, being a natural material, will always move and change with temperature and humidity, but only Sing Logs have been engineered to virtually eliminate shrinking, warping, and checking. The patented quarter sawn straight grain and laminated construction make the Sing Log the most stable in the industry. Sing Logs are also kiln dried to guarantee the maximum stability possible.

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Q: Why is there so much attention paid to stability and the lack of shrinking, twisting, and checking?
It’s simple! Logs that twist, shrink, or check will allow water to enter the gaps, thereby causing future maintenance problems. Damp logs will begin to rot and decay internally, at the same time attracting insects such as termites and carpenter ants that can’t normally live in a dry log. Any gaps that appear in conventional logs must be cleaned and caulked, often every few years. Since a Sing Home has each layer glued and screwed to the next, the wall behaves like a single laminated beam, with no gaps or checks to cause problems.

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Q: What are the major advantages of quarter sawing?
Quarter sawing produces vertical grain lumber with consistent grain orientation. They are dimensionally stable and show a minimum shrinkage and warpage. The lumber’s ability to hold paints and stains is also enhanced. Please visit Sing Log’s Manufacturing page for more information on quarter sawing vs. plain sawing.

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Q: What log packages do you offer?
Sing logs are sold by linear foot. You can also choose to purchase our flooring, decking, roofing systems, interior walls. Our packages are all custom made depending your budget and the Sing Home products that you are interested in for you log home.

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Q: Are your logs treated for decay and insects?
Log homes are no more at risk for insect damage than conventional homes. Our logs are delivered untreated and kiln dried. If they are kept dry, there is no moisture to support insects or rot. In areas of severe insect problems, borate or other preservatives could be field applied in the interior cores during erection. All logs must be treated with an appropriate sealer after erection; otherwise precautions typical of your area should be employed.

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Q: How are the logs protected from weathering?
Once the roof is on; use brush or airless sprayer to apply a UV and water resistant coating system. We recommend Sikkens® Cetol® exterior and interior finishes as they have been thoroughly tested and proven to be superior. An initial 3 coats are required, with a recoat every 2 or 3 years on southern and western exposures; 3 to 4 years on northern and eastern exposures. If your own site has heavy weather from a different direction, adjustments should be made.

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Q: Why insulated log is better than regular round log, laminated log, milled log
Patented sing log and sing eco log has the highest R value than any conventional log home. In the cold winter and hot summer R value will cut down your energy consumption which other log homes do not have.

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Home Design

Q: What plans can I use?
We are able to work with any home design, either from other log manufacturers or from conventional plan books. It need not be a log home design. If you bring us a plan, we can estimate a log price. Our goal is to turn your dream into reality.

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Q: Does Sing Home offer design services?
We can refer you to an outside designer who is experienced in Sing Home designing, or we can work with your own designer and provide him /her with the necessary information pertaining the Sing Log System.

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Q: Does Sing Home offer engineering services?
Sing Home does not provide professional engineering services, but can refer you to a Professional Engineer or supply the engineering paper for your engineer’s review. The building department in your municipality may not require your house plan to be stamped by an engineer, but with one, the approval process is usually quicker and easier.

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Construction & Maintenance

Q: Are Sing Log homes hard to build?
In a word, NO! The Sing Log system does not require more than basic carpentry skills, along with some pure labor. Unlike most manufacturers, whose heavy logs require cranes and other specialized equipment to erect, Sing Logs generally weigh under 70 pounds each and can be moved entirely by hand. When compared to conventional framing, The wall construction process is also greatly simplified, since the exterior Sing Log has replaced the siding, sheathing, framing, insulation and the interior wall board at the same time.

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Q: Is a Sing Log Home difficult to maintain?
There are many log homes around the USA that exceed a century in age and are still occupied. Like any other home, proper maintenance will greatly enhance the usable life. An initial application of a UV resistant log coating protects the logs from weather and provides any desired color. The flat faces of Sing Logs means there are no surfaces to catch dust on the interior, or water and dirt on the exterior. Other than the periodic recoating recommended by the finish manufacturer, occasional washing with a garden sprayer should be adequate to keep the exterior of your log home looking fresh.

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Q: Are Sing Log homes difficult to heat or cool?
Logs contain millions of tiny air-trapping cells that are a natural insulator and the thermal mass inherent in log construction both slows the transfer of heat and stores it for slow release later in the day. Log homes are efficient to heat and cool, as well as minimizing the temperature swings typical of frame houses. Washington State recognizes log construction as exceeding the energy code requirement for walls. Comparative testing on identical houses has shown that log homes use less energy over a year than frame or masonry construction.

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Q: What kind of foundation is required?
Local conditions and regulations will have the final say, but log homes can be built on any foundation: crawl space or basement; concrete, masonry, or wooden foundation; concrete slab; or posts and piers.

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Q: What kind of roof construction can be used?
Any style of roof used with conventional houses can be employed with logs. It is more common in log homes to take advantage of high, cathedral style ceilings and open loft space as well as exposed timber framing. The Roof System Options page on this site lists a few common options offered through our Dry-in and Plus Packages. In addition, Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) has also been successfully used in conjunction with Sing Logs by many of our clients.

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Q: Must (or can) interior walls be logs?
For most suppliers, interior log walls may be required for structural reasons or else can add considerable cost if chosen as an option. With Sing Logs, interior partitions are the owner’s choice. Please visit the Interior Wall Options page for common interior wall configurations.

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Sales, Cost, Finance & Insurance

Q: How can a Sing Log Home provide more value at less cost?
Value begins with quality of the materials and no other log system can match the stability and straight grain appearance of our laminated engineered system. Generally, the cost of having a construction crew to build a Sing Log home is comparable to the cost of building a custom framed house of similar size and features, but there are steps an owner can take to reduce costs. Typically, more than half the cost of a home is in the labor and construction management. The Sing Log system makes it possible to save considerable money by investing time and energy rather than cash. Acting as your own General Contractor, hiring subs, arranging for permits and buying materials can save as much as 20 percent of the finished cost.

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Q: How much does a Sing Log home cost?
Costs of construction can vary considerably due to many factors. Local wage rates, foundation type, and site conditions have a major impact, as does the amount of labor contributed by the owners. As stated above, if you have a contractor build your Sing Log home, the cost would be comparable to that of a custom frame-built home. You’ll be able to reduce the cost if you choose to do part of the work yourself. In either case, with Sing Log Home, you will get a more solid house for your money.

Buying wholesale Eco Logs- by buying our logs whole

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Q: I’m planning to build a Sing Home sometime in the next few years. Can I lock-in the current log price to prevent future price increase?
We have a Lay-Away Program for our clients to lock-in the current log price. Lay-away interest free for the next three years, with a minimum 10% down and as low as 1% monthly payments. In fact, most Sing Home owners began their Sing Home projects this way. Please contact our office for details.

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Q: Are Sing Log homes a good investment?
Since most log homeowners are building the home for the rest of their lives, log homes are not commonly available on the market, but studies show appreciation is equal to or greater than with conventional homes.

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Q: Is financing available?
Most lending institutions will finance log homes- FHA, VA and conventional financing are possible. If you have difficulty, we can recommend some sources that specialize in log or owner-built homes. We highly recommend Timberland Bank. They are ready and willing to work with you on building your dream home.

Make sure the bank has experience to release the fund to you as an owner builder instead to the general contractor

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Q: What is difference in building with square log vs. round log?
Log home—–the disadvantage:
Large logs take large trees which we need more of to reduce our global warming.
It is more costly to build —not all the logs are square and straight so you need skilled craftsman and it takes longer time to build with more expensive material if you want to have a high end log home ,
It is costly to maintain—-conventional logs need more maintanence due to natural of the log which has tendency to
Dimensionally not so stable—crack (It cause the suffice treatment fail and lead to decay of wood by letting the moisture penetrate the wood).
twist (It creates a constant air leak problem
Shrinking (you need to adjust the floor height to meet the settling of the wall.
Insulation value R value of log home is a challenge But Sing log and Sing eco log assure you. Patented Sing honeycomb insulated log is the strongest lightweight most insulated log ever builds with affordable price,
It is difficult to build in town such as city of Seattle. (There are Sing log home build in city of Seattle, Sing home might be the only log home ever build in city for last 100 years.)

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Q: Will I have difficulty with insurance?
Most insurance companies will insure a log home at the same rates as conventional construction. An interesting aspect of log construction is that the heavy timbers resist combustion longer than a frame house where the fire can spread up through the stud spaces.

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Q: Patented insulated log ——Wholesale log price for truckload purchase, log priced by linear foot.
Buying wholesale logs by the truck load is the most economical way to go. Save shipping cost. Or patented energy log at wholesale price is the best insulated log with honeycomb core for strength and dimensionally stable ever made. Our energy insulated log has the highest R value and benefit of thermal mass as other log homes. With our exclusive simple connection system it allows you to extend long length logs at the job site.

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Q: Why Sing log home is a green building product?
Energy saving—select building materials that take energy to produce, less energy to build and consume less energy as long as people live in the house.

Renewable and recyclable building materials—Sing home uses small diameter timber and clean wood veneer as or main ingredients of home construction materials.

Functional home—-high strength to sustained high winds, earthquake, excellent sound deadening for peace and quite, thermal mass and moisture compensation keep indoor moisture and temperature steady.

Simple and easy to build—Takes less building processes. Less management and handling, easy for average person to build, and less weight but with high strength building materials.

Dimensionally stable—-It takes less skillful labor to build and will have higher quality walls that allows coating to last. It will increase the life span of the home. It will not cause leakage due to movement of building components.

Affordable—It takes less labor for almost any person to build a fine home, Sing home building materials are lightweight, costing less to ship and ease of installation on the job site.

Q: Why nobody has claimed the $1000 reward—-because no other home system is as Green as Sing Home?
Sing home has produced the most insulated window frame and fabricated the most insulated picture windows with our insulated window frame.

Sing home creates the strongest lightweight, most insulated and affordable door in USA.

Sing home creates the largest finished floor structure with built-in insulation—-The easiest way to build the strongest floor and its affordable

Sing roof system is the strongest lightweight insulated roof and easy to install.

Sing honeycomb wall has more insulation than any log home and more thermal mass than any frame home. It is the strongest lightweight & affordable home ever made in USA.

We offer $1000 to back our claim as mentioned above.

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Professor Miller Testimonial

Professor Miller – A Respected Civil Engineer

NOTE – Professor Miller is a respected civil engineer having taught at the University of Washington for over 40 years. Here is what he has to say about Sing Log Homes…

A Testimonial from Professor William Miller – I became familiar with your mill Practice some two years ago. By way of background, I am a civil engineer. I taught in that capacity at the University of Washington for more than forty years. Among my many subjects, I was involved with laboratory testing of construction materials, not the least of which was wood. I also taught wood design involving plywood, heavy timber, posts and beams, and dimensional lumber all the way down to the 2 x 2. In fact, wood is my hobby. Now, in retirement, I spend long hours in my home workshop. My point in writing is to inform you of my observations regarding your products.

I first consider your raw material – small diameter logs, mostly cedar, cut from trunks that generally taper down to less than a five inch diameter. Because of size and disturbing taper they are rejected by all other saw mills, and, at best have been utilized to a small degree for pulp. Normally these tree stems have been culled from the log stacks in the woods and regarded as waste. You are to be commended for taking these castaways and turning them into useful products. You have certainly become popular in the eyes of conservationists and environmentalists.

One would surely be mistaken to arbitrarily assume that the quality of wood in these “rejects” is lacking. Furthermore it would be incorrect for one to broadly label these poles “fourth” or “third” growth. I have personally visited your log yard and mill. I observed that the great majority of your poles are over 50 years old. They are slow grown. The rings are close, exhibiting about 50% summer wood. Through a cross-section the pith appears as a pencil point. Collectively, the cores appear to be highly invulnerable to fungi. When the logs are quarter-sawn through the pith and subsequently composed in your mill, cross-sections reveal very nearly 100% heartwood. I should also mention that the small knots are extremely tight. They do not diminish (and might even prove to enhance) the strength.

They provide a special beauty to exposed surfaces, unique and non-existent in conventional softwood lumber. In short, I recognize a high-quality material, one that has gone unused for too long, left only to eventually perish in the woods.

You take a log and reconstruct it – something that can now be done through the advent of quality glues. I now consider your range of potential products.

One raw log, having been lathed to a constant diameter, then quarter-sawn twice through the pith, then reorganized into a square cross-section, and finally glued produces a 4 x 4 “post”. Advantages? All four sides reveal a highly desirable close vertical grain. Quality control at the mill minimizes initial imperfections (such as shake, splits, etc.). There will be no further “in-service” splits. I will return to this matter shortly. The method of cutting and bonding induces stability. No cup, minimal (if any), bow, crook, or other types of warping. The quality of the wood remains high, in appearance, stiffness, and strength.

In wood construction, considering all of the various grades of dimensional lumber, the ultimate is designated as “appearance- structural”. The word structural can only be assigned to “stress-rated” lumber. The ultimate designation can only be achieved pending laboratory determination of mechanical properties and publication of allowable stresses. If, or when this is done, I’m convinced that your 4 x 4 “post” would successfully compete as an “appearance-structural column”.

You take four or more quarter-sawn lengths and bond them together side-by-side, keeping the wanes on the down surface. This you should declare to be a “sing-plank”. We know that the plywood industry produces a product described in part as “one side good”. I submit that your plank is “one side excellent”. There are main non-structural applications for your plank – yard furniture, benches, paneling, etc. I have personally built a kitchen bar. I also built a 24 x 24 foot, steel-framed carport deck. Decking spans were nominally 5 feet. My original design required (and specified) standard “selected decking”, hem-fir, 2 x 6 tongue & groove (1 1/2″ x 5 1/2″), random lengths. After plan review and issuance of the permit, I switched to 2 x 8 cedar sing planks (1 7/8″ x 7 1/2″). The deck was fully approved on final inspection. The deck surface is absolutely beautiful. Presently, I carefully observing the surface response to the rigors of very wet water exposure. I see the anticipated expansion due to moisture content but nothing excessive. No buckling, no cup, no splits – but, will splits develop with shrinkage from summer heat? The nature of the cutting, the log reconstruction, the gluing is such that they will not. I have conversed with experienced and reputable lumbermen in this area on this very subject. All agree, as do I, that the greatest single quality of the sing plank is the absence of “in-service” surface or end splits. So far as I know Mine is the first and only sing plank carport deck ever to have been constructed. I am well pleased.

If you take two sing planks and glue the wane-side faces together, the result is “sing beam”. All four sides meet the requirements of “appearance” grade lumber. Perhaps it is only a matter of time and laboratory testing for you to be able to present this as an “appearance-structural beam”. I certainly encourage you to do so.

You take the sing planks, separate the wane-side surfaces with glued-in 2 x 4 spacers, and you define the product as a “singlog”. Obviously you do so it is presently employed in the competitive arena of log house construction. May I suggest you think about renaming it the “SingTimber”? Thus, to the convenience and benefit of the consumer all of your products would be in full concert.(and competition ) with the rest of the softwood lumber industry.

Sincerely,

William M. Miller
Emeritus Professor
University of Washington

CONTACT A SALES REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!
CALL – (360)495-3577
INFO@SINGHOME.COM

Testimonials

Customer Testimonials
Satisfied Builders Speak Out

Thanks to our experience, Sing Log Home serves our customers like no one else can. We focus on the little things, so you can focus on the bigger picture. Right down to the smallest detail, we’re here to ensure that pieces are in place for you to have your best home ever. But don’t take our word for it —listen to what former customers are saying:

  • A Testimonial from Dave Kellog – Dave Kellog is the first Sing Home customer to build in Wyoming. He’s beginning with a 24′ x 36′ multiple use cabin, and will later add a large Sing Timber residence. Dave writes:

    “The project is going extremely well… the building is 24′ x 36′, and after the foundation and floors were poured, I got to wall height (10’3″) in just seven days… All work has been completed by me alone…so this has been a one person operation. I have had a lot of interested folks stop by, all very curious about the Sing Timbers. I think when I get the house and garage built, I may spec one just to see how well it sells! It has been a lot of fun so far, just like building with big Legos, and boy is this thing solid! I really like the Sing system, it is wonderful for ‘do it yourselfers’, especially if it is only yourself doing it!”

    Dave Kellog
    Lander, Wyoming


  • A Testimonial from Bob & Linda Freeman – The Freemans built two Sing Homes, a 24′ x 24′ cabin w/ garage, and a 2000 s.f. prow front home. They write:

    “We built the garage/bonus room last year because our home in Bellingham was still for sale. We wanted to see if Sing Logs was what we really wanted. It turned out better than we thought it would. They are easy for people who know nothing about construction work. They look great and the logs are very strong…stronger than conventional post and beam. How do we know? We are now building the house attached to the garage and I had to cut the door opening. It was really difficult to knock the door out, even after it was cut with a chain saw! The logs also make the interior quiet, and through the winter, it was toasty warm with just a propane stove.”

    Bob and Linda Freeman
    Mazama, Washington


  • Aaron from Washington State – After 2 1/2 years of living in their Sing Log Home, Aaron talks of the many advantages:

    I have lived in my Singhome for 2.5 years. My wife and I are very pleased with the product, and are enjoying every aspect of our new home. I opted to use the honeycomb window frames, exterior doors, and sub-floor products. The window frames have worked very well, and the windows have shown no signs of moisture in the tracts, weeping, etc. The doors are also functioning well, and are not only strong, but they minimize noise and are fully insulated. Lastly, the Honeycomb floor panels have provided for an ultra-insulated floor with amazing strength. I was able to put a radiant heat system on top of the honeycomb panels with 2,000ft. of pex tubing and 1.5″ of concrete on top. The Honeycomb easily manages the weight of the concrete while the insulation in the panels themselves help to keep the heat in the home. The house is amazingly solid, and very quiet. Even during storms, the wind and rain are nicely muted.

    Aaron
    Washington State


  • Gary Speaks out about the energy efficiency – One other benefit I have noticed is the general comfort level of the home:

    One other benefit I have noticed is the general comfort level of the home. The humidity is very stable. Though I have not had it officially measured, it never feels muggy in my home. Even on very warm days in the 80’s or 90’s, the house stays quite cool. When I visit my dad’s house a few miles away, I notice that his house is quite warm inside on those hot days. The heating bill for our 2,300sq. ft. home is around $200.00 per month in the winter. I turn off my heating system completely from May until Oct.

    Gary
    Washington State


  • Chuck Dudley – Pioneer Home Services – I was introduced to the Sing Home concept about 5 years ago and have since built 4 of them, with 2 more coming up in the Spring:
    I was introduced to the Sing Home concept about 5 years ago and have since built 4 of them, with 2 more coming up in the Spring. After having built with their product, I do not want to build again using conventional framing. There simply is no comparison in quality, stability and strength, longevity, energy efficiency, or beauty. The cost is comparable to a custom stick-built home, but with so many more advantages. There is also a financial advantage with a Sing Home. As soon as the home is completed it can easily be worth more than a third more than it cost to build.
    Can I recommend a Sing home? Absolutely I can! I stake my reputation of 35 years in construction on the Sing Home product.
    Chuck Dudley
    Pioneer Home Services
    P.O. Box 466
    Snohomish, WA 98291-0466
    425-232-3587
    1-866-347-7419


  • Chiggers Stokes talks of the diversity and benefits Sing Log Homes provide
    – I built my home six years of which Sing Log was 50% of the expense. It is just over 3,000 square feet on four levels with an additional 250 feet of covered porch. I live in the Bogachiel Rain Forest:

    I built my home six years of which Sing Log was 50% of the expense. It is just over 3,000 square feet on four levels with an additional 250 feet of covered porch. I live in the Bogachiel Rain Forest, 10 miles southeast of Forks, Washington. If you look out my east window down a 2 mile-wide corridor, there is no human presence for 50 miles. Looking to the west, there are about a dozen families between myself and Asia. The neighborhood is un-electrified and I am powered by a one kilowatt hydroelectric station which I built and have maintained for twenty five years. Sing Log was a good choice for building material for me, given its durability and energy efficiency…

    Overall, my satisfaction with the superstructure is high. Aesthetics are a personal thing, but most people that visit this house remark that it is quite beautiful. I like the fact that Peter Sing has found a way to use the waste from cedar mills to create a product that is pleasing to look at and characteristic of old growth cedar – without another stump in the woods.

    Once I treated the house with two coats of Sikkens preservative, the walls became impervious to moss, bugs, rot and the occasional photo degradation that characterizes this climate. Since application of the Sikkens, the finish and underlying structure look very stable. Living on this rain forest property for three decades I have seen many of my improvements come and go. It is with some satisfaction that I believe this house will be here years after I am gone.

    The insulation value of the house seems to by what the manufacture claimed. I have 250′ of plastic pipe embedded in the concrete slab of the lower floor of the house. My wood stove is plumbed into the hot water system and controlled with thermostats on the stove chimney and water pipes. When the stove is going and the water temperature reaches 190’F, the water is pushed through the floor. Except in freezing weather, if I burn the stove for four to eight hours, the house stays comfortable for 24. The heating is backed up with a propane hot water heater so that I can keep the house temperature about 50’F when I’m gone for extended periods. The energy efficiency of Sing Log product is a significant virtue.

    Time will tell, but at this point I am highly satisfied with the Sing Log house that I call Home. While it is especially well suited for an alternative energy house situated in the rain forest, it is a very reasonable and affordable construction in suburbia. I hope and expect that my joy and satisfaction will continue to increase.

    Sincerely,

    Chiggers Stokes
    Customer in 2000 (previous generation of Sing Logs medium sized)


    CONTACT A SALES REPRESENTATIVE TODAY!
    CALL – (360)495-3577

    INFO@SINGHOME.COM

Building Your Sing Log Home 6

Of interest: Check out Pioneer Homes Photo Page

Step 6: Finishing

Electrical Outlets…

The easiest way to go is to use the remote system for your outlets they are inexpensive and require no wiring. Another option is to run your wiring along the floor and up the corners and cover with molding.

Outlets for lighting and electrical connections are relatively simple. Pick the log which will contain the outlet before installing it, and using your circular saw (or reciprocating saw) cut out the outlet from the interior wall half of the log, starting from the top. This is more easily done if your outlets are placed horizontally. Wiring should be prepared beforehand, so you can simply pull it through the hole to connect to the socket or fixture later.

Since the logs are staggered, there should be continuous space to weave the wiring inside the hollow space. You may also “fish through” after the wall is completed, use conduit, or have all outlets in the floor and ceiling.

Sing Log Home - How to build Sing Log Home - How to build

Corners…

Use a router or chisel to remove the tongues from the section of log which will become part of a corner. Exterior corners should be foamed in with spray insulation (common types like “Big Stuff” or “Dap” are readily available from your local hardware store) and covered with 1″ cedar trim up the entire vertical lengths of both sides. Use sufficient caulking around the seam between the logs and the trim, as well as where the trim boards meet to ensure a perfectly tight seal.

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Stains…

Once your walls are erected, and before windows and doors are installed, you should apply a stain to the outside facings. A porous, at least slightly tinted stain is recommended to prevent moisture and UV damage. It should preferably be designed specifically for log homes. We recommend Sikkens® Cetol® exterior and interior finishes as they have been thoroughly tested and proven to be superior.

Caulking…

For any log to log, or wood to wood caulking requirements, we suggest using Sashco Logbuilder. It has proven very easy to apply, extremely flexible, and long lasting.

Adhesives…

Recommended adhesives include Franklin titebond solvent free construction adhesive, PL Premium, PL 400, and 3M 5230. We prefer the Franklin Titebond because it is water based and requires no protective gloves etc. during application, and very easy to use and clean up.

 

Building Your Sing Log Home 5

Of interest: Check out Pioneer Homes Photo Page

Step 5: The Second Floor

If you have a second floor or loft, you can hang it directly off of the wall. Nail or screw 2×8 or 2×10 nailing strips onto the wall, and attach joist hangers to the strips.

Place the joists in the hangers and proceed with the deck, which can be a variety of materials including plywood, card decking, or other.

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finishing up –>

 

Building Your Sing Log Home 4

Of interest: Check out Pioneer Homes Photo Page

Step 4: Windows, Doorways, and Trusses

When working around openings for windows and doors…

Logs may partially reach into the opening to be cut out later if you’d like to speed up construction, but make sure you avoid the corrugated staples in the spacers as you cut. You may also want to let one course extend entirely through an opening as this has been found to reduce leveling complications, and cut it out after completion. Make sure that the course of logs that completes an opening, the header, is continuous over that opening.

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Windows using Sing Window Frame…

The window /frame unit can be pre-assembled and finished at the factory, ready to be fastened to the log walls rough opening. This saves labor for on-site framing, bracing, leveling and installing windows.

Sing Log Home - How to build Sing Log Home - How to build

Interior Walls…

Interior walls could be constructed with 10×5 Interior Sing Logs, or conventional 2x framing. Various finishing materials could be applied to the 2x framing, such as Sing Paneling or gypsum wall board.

Sing Log Home - How to build Sing Log Home - How to build

Trusses or other types of roof structures can be installed onto Sing Log walls in the conventional way. Insert double 2×4’s into the cavity of the top layer Sing Log to form a solid bearing surface for the roof structure

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Go to Step 5 –>

Building Your Sing Log Home 3

Of interest: Check out Pioneer Homes Photo Page

Step 3: Installing Additional Layers of Sing Logs

With the first layer done…

Place the logs for the second course parallel to their intended locations around the perimeter. Keep in mind again that just as the corners alternate with each layer, so should the butt joint seams. Align double tongue-and-groove joints, and squeeze a minimum of two (amounts vary according to log size & engineering conditions) thick beads of adhesive onto the top face of the log (outside of tongue) upon which you will install the first log of the second course. You should have at least one bead on both sides of the hollow space. Make sure that there is enough glue to squash down and form a tight seal when you place the next log on top. If you are using the recommended Franklin Titebond adhesive, keep in mind that in wet weather it may not fully cure for possibly 2 weeks because it’s water based, however it is very user health friendly and the screws pin the logs in place until the glue is cured. Make sure that the tongue on the bottom log is aligned correctly with the groove of the top log. If you find the tongues and grooves are fitting a little too snug, simply use a mallet and a piece of wood blocking to tamp them into place.

Sing Log Home - How to build Sing Log Home - How to build Sing Log Home - How to build

Drive an Olyscrew through a pre-drilled hole. It doesn’t matter which of the two wall sides you begin on, just make sure the screw is driven straight down to ensure solid contact is made all the way through the log. Be sure that it doesn’t hit the tie down plate or another screw below it. If at any time the screw threads or part of screw is exposed back it out and try again. No part of the screw should be visible (check the inside of the log to be certain the screw hasn’t gone through the curved part and is showing). Drive the screw until its head is countersunk and flush with the surface. Don’t be alarmed if the log rises further down its length, you will correct it when you drive the next screws. Be aw a leveling device, backing it out or driving it in tighter until its level. Avoid driving the screws into knots. After you gain a sense for the procedure and how it should look, you can are that the screws may alter the leveling somewhat, but you can actually employ the screw check for plumb and level every 2 or 3 layers.

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Building Your Sing Log Home 2

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Step 2: Installing the First Layer of Sing Logs

Once the foundation is prepared…

Select the logs for the first layer and place them parallel to their permanent locations. Remember that with the butt and pass method, butt joints are staggered, and alternate from course to course. When making room for door space, simply cut the log to allow enough space.

Place the first log with its end reaching to the edge of the foundation making sure that it is aligned in the proper position. Outline the upper face of the log where the tie down plate goes to hold the log to the foundation (use the plate as a guide for tracing, making sure that the rod slides through the aperture in the center). Use a router to notch out the space you traced for the tie down. Make sure it is at least 1/2″ deep to fit the thickness of the plate. If you find that blocking in between log halves interferes with the threaded rod, simply knock it out or cut around it. If you knock it out, you may have to replace it in another location by toe nailing it. If you are not using Olyscrews in your project, simply repeat this process every 3 layers, applying adhesive every course, until you reach the top plate.

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Remove the first log you want to install, and apply two beads of glue to the sill plate where the wood will have contact with it. Return the log, and place the tie down plates where you have notched out for them, with the threaded rod protruding from the aperture. Tighten nuts with wrench, as tight as you can. When butting logs together, it is important that this vertical seam be as tight as possible. Use plenty of adhesive, and you may also “key” this joint in the hollow space with a piece of 3″ (or double 2×4) wood blocking where the seam is, or use rigid foam insulation. You may also decide to chamfer the butt ends to provide an alternate appearance using a router or planer.

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Building Your Sing Log Home 1

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Step 1: The Foundation

The logs should be stacked as near as possible to your foundation, and if you have a slab foundation, it’s best to keep them right on it where they’re most easily accessible.

Your foundation should have 1/2″ or 5/8″ threaded rod extending from the J-bolts sunk in the concrete at approx. 3′ on center. Instruct whoever is doing your concrete work to make sure the rods are installed in the center of the stem wall, as they should extend through the center of the log. Install treated 2×8 (or other size appropriate) boards using a hole saw attachment to your drill to drill holes to accommodate the threaded rod, around the perimeter of the foundation.

Lengths of flashing bent at an angle over the outside of the treated boards to form a drip edge and termite guard are installed over the boards before laying the walls. This is called the sill plate, and the logs will be placed on top of it.

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