Q. How easy are your corners to install, your video makes it look simple but I’m a novice at wood work?
A. It’s as easy as what the video shows. You may want to get a friend with some woodworking knowledge to help you get started. Food and beer are good persuaders.
Q. Will your corners fit the log siding I can get at my local lumber yard?
A. My corners are designed to fit what is considered a standard in the log siding industry for 2×8 log siding. This is a stack height of 6 5/8 inch. The overall width should be 7 1/8 inches and the curve of the siding should come in contact with the curve of the next piece of siding. To answer your question- I don’t know, check with the lumberyard for sure. Sometimes they buy from sawmills that don’t mill to a standard dimension, and without a uniform corner, no one would know the difference. Still in doubt, have them call us. We can also make log corners to match the log siding that’s available in your area. It is a special order and may take longer. You will have to send us some samples of your siding so we can make sure it will fit correctly.
Q. Are your corners solid wood?
A. Yes. Very.
Q. How do you make your corners?
A. Forest gnomes.
Q. Do you have the ½ starter log available? I don’t like running a chainsaw.
A. Yes. What we do is send a ½ starter log with each corner, 4 corners, 4 starter logs. We send the other ½ with it too. Just let us know how many starters you need when you order. Oh yeah, no extra charge on cutting the starters and I agree on the chainsaw.
Q. How many corner pieces do I need for 4-8ft. corners?
A. Here is the formula: 4 corners X 8 ft. = 32 vertical ft. 32 vertical ft. X 3.75= 120 corner pieces
Q. What should I put on my walls before I put up the log siding and corners?
A. I recommend a house wrap fabric. It’s designed to stop air infiltration (read wind), but still allow moisture to escape. Plastic and tar paper have been used for years, but they trap the moisture. Not good on a house. Spend a little money and use a house wrap fabric that your lumber yard recommends. I think most building departments have gone that way, but it might be wise to check with them.
Q. How do you ship?
A. We bundle 6 corners together, stretch wrap them, then we stack them on a 4×4 pallet and stretch wrap them to the pallet. We then heat shrink a waterproof cover over the whole pallet so the freight company won’t lose or damage any. Each corner weighs about 6 lbs. and each sixpack bundle weighs 36 lbs. Easy to handle this way. We usually will ship by common carrier to your location. What we have found works well is to ship to the lumber yard you are getting your log siding from. They usually don’t charge for the use of their forklift and can load both on your trailer at the same time. Simple.
Q. Can I pick up my corners and tour your facility?
A. Yes, on the pickup. We are in northern Colorado, Gilcrest 80623. My gnomes said no on the tour. Kind of secretive animals.
Q. I noticed on your video that your logs have cracks in them. Is this normal?
A. Yes it is normal and guaranteed to be cracked. This is called a check. A round log will check when they are dry, so we want our logs checked. A square timber will usually not check too badly, because it has more surface area to release moisture, not so for a round timber. We will replace the corner piece if it splits apart. Any splitting apart will usually happen when we are kiln drying and before manufacturing. It provides us with some high quality, dry firewood for the winter here in Colorado.
Q. Do you have crews to install?
A. No, my gnomes don’t like to travel. A local carpentry crew is your best bet if you can’t install. Find a crew with good references and hopefully have experience with log siding. It doesn’t matter if they have never used these log corners before, they will find out that they are the easy part of the job. Just show them to my installation video. Just remember “If you think its expensive hiring a good carpenter, try hiring a bad one”
Q. I noticed that there are a few logs that look slightly blue in my order. What are these and are they OK?
A. This is pine that has been killed by an invasive pine beetle. Don’t worry, the beetle is a long time gone before we get the log. And there is no detriment to the wood, just slightly discolored blue. The pine beetle has devastated the forests in the western US and Canada, making it impossible to find a source of logs that doesn’t have some blue in them. The blue color will break down and fade with ultraviolet light from the sun in about 2 weeks, about the time you should let your log siding acclimate before staining. Here are some pictures of what a lot of the western US is looking like. Sad and dangerous.
Q. How long should I wait after installing my log corners and siding before staining and why?
A. About 2 weeks.
The wood needs a chance to balance out with your climate. This is called acclimating. The wood could expand or contract slightly, depending on the moisture in the air. Best not to stain when it has been raining or extremely damp. Do the unthinkable and read the instructions on the stain.
Q. What stain do you recommend?
A. I try not to. Some stains work better in different climates, so take a look around your area and find a stain that you can look at, that has been on for a while, and the owner is happy with. Do understand that all stains will eventually fade and breakdown. Stay away from the products you have to remove before recoating. I’ve found that stains that are formulated specifically for log homes are a lot more durable than the stuff you get at the discount stores. Budget some extra money for the stain, it’s worth it! And again, do the unthinkable, read the instructions.
Q. Your video says I need to caulk the corners. I hate caulking, is this really necessary? If so, what caulk do you recommend?
A. I agree with your feelings on the caulking. I seem to get the goo everywhere except where I intended. But, yes it does need to be done. You need to keep future moisture and dirt from getting behind the logs. Use a high quality caulk, preferably a product that is designed for log home construction. It has a lot more stretch and won’t break down over time. Don’t use the crap caulk that costs $1.00 and is guaranteed for life. It’s hard enough the first time, let alone removing and replacing with the good stuff you should have used the first time.
Q. I have a concrete block house and I would like to make it look like log. Can I use your products?
A. Absolutely! Have done it many times. Block, brick, steel barns, and even a full log home. It usually involves attaching furring strips to the block and then attaching the siding and corners to the furring strips. This is a great time to add more insulation. Call us, we are happy to share our knowledge.
Q. Why would I want to put log siding and log corners on my house rather than build a full log home?
A. If you did a little research, which you should do, you could answer that yourself. The main reason is cost and ease of construction. The exterior can look the same as full log and the interior can be done to your taste. Log siding fits very well on the interior and you can do as much or as little as you want. Ask a plumber, electrician, drywaller, cabinet installer, etc what they will charge to work on a full log home and you will be shocked. You say you don’t need those luxuries, good luck with that.