What’s the Difference Between Log & Timber Homes?

Are you thinking about building a custom log home? If so, it is important to learn the difference between log and timber homes. Now may be the best time to get prepared to purchase and build your log or timber home. They both fall into the category of custom homes and are each separately designed and built on the owner’s site. Continue reading to learn about the differences.

Log Homes

Understanding the difference between log and timber homes means defining each. A log home can be created by simply stacking the logs horizontally to form the walls and by using the same piece of wood for the inside and outside walls. These walls typically feature an exterior embellishment that characterizes log homes, which are corners. Corners are formed when two walls meet. Overlapping, intersecting, and interlocking and the three basic types of corners. Older log homes were supported at the corners only and left with a gap along the logs that were filled with chinking.

Chinking happened to turn into another signature feature of log homes. Today, some homes still use chinking even when almost all wall logs are supported along their entire surface. Chinking can be used for aesthetics and to increase weatherproofing.

Timber Homes

Timber homes are a type of post and beam construction and support horizontal beams. The interlocking frames support the load of the home and transfer its weight to the foundation. Timber framing relies heavily on hand work to shape the timbers and fashion mortise and tenon joinery that is kept in place using wooden pegs.

Timber homes rarely offer a hint from the outside of the interior woodwork, enabling them to fit in with homes surrounding them much more than log homes. Additionally, timber frame homes were the earliest permanent residences constructed in England’s American colonies.

What Are the Differences?

The main difference between timber and log homes is how the wood is used. As a result, they achieve different looks. Since timber homes can implement many different exterior materials that have nothing to do with the inside, they may not be seen as timber homes. On the other hand, log homes are almost always identified as such, even those where less log may be visible on the inside. Log homes feature a horizontal profile, whereas timber homes are vertical. These differences come from the way the logs are laid down and how the post and beam frame stands up.

When it comes down to it, many people may choose one or the other because of the way they look. The building material quality or workmanship may also play a significant role, but the appearance seems to be what attracts people the most. If you are considering owning one of these homes, it is important to focus most of your attention on buying the one you love based on the look of it.

Categorised in: Home Building