About Log Siding is here to explain the differences in log siding, give some recommendations for installing it, and also introduce a premier supplier of siding. Log siding is a popular choice for both remodeling, new homes, and commercial construction.
There are a wide variety of log sidings available ranging from 2×6 log siding, 2×8 log siding, unique 4×12 handcrafted log siding, half log siding, cedar log siding, and more.
Log siding is a good option for large commercial buildings Many have used the 4×12 Western Red Cedar handcrafted log siding with 10 3/4 inch coverage.
For homeowners that desire the look of log on the outside, but want drywall on the inside of the home, log siding is a viable option. Some mills are able to provide siding with ‘full log’ corners, also referred to as ‘false log corners’. This can be a good option, but the weather can be very hard on exposed butt and pass log corners.
Log siding is also used many times to finish the ends of a log home and the dormers. The solid logs go up to the top of the wall and then the gable ends
of the home are framed and then finished with a true match log siding. Typically a log home is built with stacked logs to the top of the walls. Then the triangular gables are framed in with standard framing lumber, covered with Tyvek house wrap, and then the log siding is installed over that. This limits shrinkage over the entire area of the wall. Log homes without this framing and log siding matched with stacked log walls have a larger area over which the logs can shrink. No matter how dry the logs are they will shrink at least some. The effect is almost a deflating of the wall that is magnified over a larger wall space. In a twenty year old log home I visited recently the interior drywall walls showed signs of the logs shrinking. It was obvious where the logs began and where they finally stopped shrinking. The homeowner had the scrape away all of the caulking and paint and then redo the edges of each room. Typically though the vast majority of the shrinkage occurs during the first twelve months after construction.
The 2×8 log siding provides a slight curve to each piece of siding. The full half log siding is a milled log that is split down the middle. It has more curve to each peice. The 4×12 handcrafted log siding is the widest. It is very wide and covers 10 3/4 inches.
This handcrafted 4×12 log siding is a specialized product available from Cowboy Log Homes.
Take a look through our site for more details on log siding and construction ideas.