What's the difference between timber and log?
Picture your dream home: it is likely dominant with the magnificence of wood design. Yet many people mistakenly move into the log home market without fully realizing the structural and beautifying advantages of timber homes. Before making your move, consider the following:
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| Timbers are logs taken a step further: taking the time to cut the best logs into structurally solid timbers. | Logs are historically “speedy” constructions consisting of hasty constructions and mud sealants. |
| Timber framing was the dominant design for home building up to the late 19th century. | Logs have never been a dominant building design in American history. |
| Timber homes use strategically-placed timbers for its structural frame, the remaining building material made of the best in the building industry. | Log homes consist of a lot of logs, making all walls and supports. |
| The earliest surviving timber homes date back to the 12th century. (France) | The original log homes take a great deal of effort to preserve. |
| Timber building focuses on structural elements of home building (posts, beams, trusses, etc.) | Log building focuses on non-structural elements of home building (walls, insulation, molding, etc.) |
| Timber homes pride themselves in exposing gorgeous timber truss support. | Logs use traditional stick construction for truss support. |
External Links to Further Your Research:
Listen to the Timber Guild’s president interview on New Hampshire public radio’s Front Porch program: http://nhpr.org/audio/audio/fp-2005-03-16.wax
Download TimberCad, a front-end program for AutoCad, free: http://www.tfguild.org/tools.htm
Visit two nonprofit Web sites in the timber frame industry:
- Timber Framing Guild (www.tfguild.org)
- Timber Frame Business Counsel (www.timberframe.org)
Start Planning Your Timber Home Today!
Are you convinced that timber is the way to build your dream home? Contact us today to start making your dream a reality, or visit our Riverbend Timber Framing page to see the dream in action.
Need timber components? We specialize in trusses, beams, corbels, and many other timber items. Click here to send us your specifics.
