Will Beaver Mountain build my home?
You will work with Beaver Mountain directly (no middlemen or dealers) to create a custom-designed log or cedar home. From there we will create formal construction drawings of your home and a complete shell kit. Due to our precut and numbered log and/or panelized manufacturing process, our complete assembly and detailed drawings, construction manual, and on-site technical assistance and support, a qualified builder of your choice will be able to erect your builder-friendly Beaver Mountain home.

Your Building Consultant can often refer builders who have built our homes or you can choose a builder you may have previously worked with or know. We think you should be able to choose your builder in the same manner that you chose your manufacturer: by researching, comparing costs and construction details, and picking someone you feel comfortable working with.

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Does Beaver Mountain treat their logs?
Beaver Mountain uses only the finest materials: kiln dried Northeastern White Pine or Western Red Cedar logs. These wood species are moderately to highly resistant to rot. Our logs are milled from heartwood; the harder, older growth. This removes the soft, sweet outer sapwood from the logs, which is the portion of the tree that is most susceptible to rot and insect infestation.

We do not treat our logs at the factory. Why? Submerging the entire log in harsh chemicals and/or ester of boric acid causes these toxic compounds to infiltrate the logs being used to build your home. One side of the log is your inside wall. These substances would be present in your living environment! Salt-based treatments and chemicals deter the adherence of the caulking and gaskets used within the building system. Pressure treating the logs with either of these water-born materials also increases the moisture content of the log, therefore increasing the possibility of settling and shrinking of the logs after construction.

We do provide an exterior wood preservative and water repellent finish blended with a mild pesticide (WOODguard®). This finish is applied to the exterior of the home after the shell is erected.

When you apply a wood preservative to the exterior of the home after construction, you protect the home without adversely affecting your living environment and without compromising the quality of your construction.

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Are log or cedar homes truly "Maintenance Free"?
The beauty and longevity of your home depends on the care and maintenance you provide for it. Although, strictly speaking, these homes are not "Maintenance Free", they should not be more difficult to care for than a traditional stick-framed home.

To protect your wood exterior, proper initial treatment, regular inspections and routine maintenance will help preserve your logs.

For new construction, a thorough cleaning of all wood surfaces to remove dirt, grease, waxy residue and mill glaze will allow stains and preservatives to absorb into the wood fully and evenly.

If you have checks (small cracks in the log's surface) that have opened up to 1/4" or greater, and are on the upper curvature of the log, they should be caulked with a product designed for logs that will adhere and move with the log's expansion and contraction.

The next task is to protect the logs from growth of mold, mildew, decay and insects. All exterior wood surfaces should be coated with a wood preservative and water repellant. A pigmented tint in the coating will help protect against the sun's ultraviolet rays. Never use varnish or paint surface coating on the exterior of your log home. These products seal the wood and keep it from breathing. Varnish and paint are not designed to stand up to the expansion and contraction of the wood fibers caused by varying humidity and moisture conditions and may crack or peel.

To stay abreast of the continuing exterior maintenance of your log home, take some preventative measures. Walk around your home in the spring and in the fall looking for bushes or trees that have grown too close and trim them back. Look for water patterns on the wood surface caused by broken downspouts or groundwater splash-up and reroute the water from the wood. Check the coating on the home. If it shows erosion down to the bare wood or surface water does not bead up, or the pigment has weathered or dulled significantly, you need to clean the surface and reapply the exterior stain/preservative.

Your custom Beaver Mountain home is an investment, but more importantly, it is your dream come true. The best way to insure its beauty and longevity is to prevent any problems before they arise!

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Is a custom log home more expensive to build than a conventional home?
This is a question we are asked frequently. Unfortunately there is not a simple yes or no answer. There are many factors to consider when determining the cost of constructing any custom site-built home.

Due to the nature of a log home, most people build them in rural areas on the piece of undeveloped property where additional expenses would be required for clearing the land and putting in a septic and well. In addition, it is common for the home owner to have to pay to get electrical power to the site. In contrast, conventional homes are typically built in subdivisions where there is very little site development required. These homes generally tie in to municipal water and waste lines, and electrical power is often already present.

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What is an Insulated half log building system?
As an alternative to solid log wall construction, our insulated half log is the building of individual walls or wall sections prior to delivery to the building site. Beaver Mountain uses the open panel-type system. Exterior walls typically have the window and doors framed with the headers in place, and the plywood sheathing installed. Beam pockets are framed and supports for the beams are installed. The interior of the panel is open for wiring, plumbing, heating and on-site inspection. With this building system, the walls are erected in hours, instead of days or weeks, and your home is enclosed sooner, which is particularly beneficial during early spring or winter construction.

Our log home customers choose insulated half log construction and combine it with log siding with full log corners for that log look and feel. You can also choose to incorporate stone, sheetrock, or other finishing materials with your home.

Ask your Beaver Mountain Building Consultant for more information on our insulated half log homes.

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What is the Log Homes Council? And why is that so important?
Beaver Mountain Log & Cedar Homes is a member of the Log Homes Council.

The Log Homes Council (LHC) is a part of the Building Systems Council (BSC) of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The BSC is an umbrella group representing conventional code-complying building manufacturers and their suppliers.

Council Members pledge to adhere to the Building Systems Business Creed, which assures consumers of high-quality materials and standards of workmanship, along with fair, frank and honest business practices. The Log Homes Council's Code of Ethics Committee screens manufacturers who apply to the Council. If there is a reason to believe that the manufacturer cannot live up to the expectations of the LHC, the manufacturer's applications may be rejected.

What does that mean to you, the consumer?
There are hundreds of log home manufacturers and it can be a daunting task to select one to work with. However, a select few have chosen to belong to the Log Homes Council. These manufacturers agree to abide by the ethics and standards for quality and service that the Council has set and to comply with conventional codes. Look to the members of the Log Homes Council first, and you can narrow down your search right from the start. That's why we say, "Before you buy a log home, choose a Log Homes Council member."

For more information on the LHC, check out their Web site at www.loghomes.org.

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