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What type of wood should I use?

When it comes to wood selection there are numerous factors to consider: Overall Strength, Stability (how much its going to twist, shrink, and/or checks), Exterior Durability, Availability of Size and Lengths, and Cost of Raw Materials. Log Home Outfitters uses Eastern White Pine as it's standard wood species of choice for it ranks highest in average in categories listed below. Refer to chart below for rankings of 10 common species used in each category listed. Items are ranked from best to worse.  At Log Home Outfitters the client makes the final decision on material selection.
 

Overall Strength:

Best in terms of resisting bending, loads against and parallel to grain, and shear strength of wood.

Best to Worst: White Oak, Douglas Fir, Red Oak, Yellow Poplar, Bald Cypress, Eastern Hemlock, Eastern White Pine, Western Red Cedar, Eastern White Cedar, and Re-Claimed Wood. 

 

Stability:

How much is the wood going to twist, turn, and Check.

Best to Worst: Re-Claimed Wood, Eastern White Pine, Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, White Cedar, Bald Cypress, Eastern Hemlock, Yellow Poplar, Red Oak, and White Oak.

 

Availability of Size and Lengths:  

Best to Worst: Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Yellow Poplar, Bald Cypress, White Oak, Red Oak, Eastern White Pine, Eastern Hemlock, White Cedar, and Re-Claimed Wood.

 

Cost of Raw Material: 

Based on East Coast Manufacturing (Cost of shipping is included)

Best to Worst: Eastern White Pine, Yellow Poplar, White Cedar, White Oak, Red Oak, Douglas Fir, Bald Cypress, Eastern Hemlock, Western Red Cedar, and Re-Claimed Wood.

Note:Re-Claimed Wood; IRC (International Residential Code) does not issue a structural value to Re-Claimed Wood).

Above items are measurable items, the final selection of material should be the owners preference.  The owner should ask themselves, do you like knots in the wood or not, do you like the pinkish / red colors, of the Cedar and Fir, the browns of the Poplar and Oaks or the creams of the Cypress, and Pines.  Let Log Home Outfitters share our experiences with you pertaining to the many material options that are available.

 

Milling Process:

Log Home Outfitters preferred cutting method is the use of a Hundegger K2 machine. All cuts are made to within a 1/16th tolerance. All mortises and tenons are pre-drilled for ease of assembly in the field. Hand joinery is available upon request and required if doing a reclaimed wood project.