Choosing Your Log Wood Species

Real Log Homes’ standard wood species is eastern white pine. If you have your heart set on another particular species of wood, we are happy to work with you to work with you to meet your needs. Below are the reasons why we feel eastern white pine is the best choice for your log home.

Eastern white pine has so many advantages for use in a log wall, it is no wonder it is the most popular choice for our clients. One of its greatest advantages is that it grows very quickly throughout a large region of the eastern United States and Canada. This means that the wood can be sustainably harvested while remaining an economical choice. Eastern white pine also does not tend to twist like some other woods like southern yellow pine, meaning your log walls will stay true through the years. The wood is also a good insulator, offering an R-value around 1.3 per inch of wall.

Eastern white pine is a pale wood, which can be a great look on its own. It also takes stain readily, allowing you to tailor your log home’s color to your choosing. The wood has a fair number of knots in it, and the knots tend to be on the larger side. This can lend a more rustic feel to the home.

Although it is not our standard, western red cedar is another popular choice that we are able to provide upon request. This species has such a wonderful smell that many customers cite it as a major reason for choosing the wood. This smell is also functional, since cedar wood is naturally insect resistant. Cedar is also a visually appealing wood, featuring a reddish tone, along with a very fine and prominent wood grain. The knots in cedar are typically smaller and less frequent, and some customers prefer them to pine knots. It is slightly less insulating than eastern white pine, with an R-value around 1.1 per inch. It is a very popular choice in the west, where it is grown, but is available nationwide. It is more expensive than eastern white pine, especially in the east, but many customers find the wood worth the wonderful sights and smells.

While these are our most popular wood species, we can educate you on other choices for log walls as well. For instance, while red or white oak can provide very beautiful log walls, they have low R-values around 0.75 per inch, may be expensive to buy and time consuming to finish. If you have a wood species in mind for your log home, or want to consult our experts to learn more, please reach out.