HOME ON THE LINKS

When we left the Double Eagle in the December issue, the home was completely weathertight, allowing Golden Eagle Log Homes and subcontracting crews to begin working on interior walls, stairs, insulation and more.

Now, with spring arriving in Wisconsin, we’re ready to begin wrapping up detail work on the home. We’ll treat the logs with the stain, sealant and caulk that will protect them from the elements. We’ll install the log stairs and railings and finish the garage. And we’ll watch as masons assemble the fireplace stone by stone.

PROTECTING THE LOGS

Protecting the logs is arguably the most important part of any log home project.

“The protection of the logs, the beauty and longevity of the home, and the success of future maintenance are all dependent on this first critical application,” says Golden Eagle Log Homes project manager John Batzer.

Golden Eagle used Sashco’s Symphony gloss clear coat over the company’s Capture brand hazelnut stain inside.The exterior was finished with Sashco’s Cascade clear sealer applied over the company’s bronze pine Capture stain.

“We chose the Capture stain and Cascade sealer because they are an easy to use, water-based, environmentally-friendly product,” Batzer says.“The color selections are also very good.They hold throughout the years and don’t darken like some products. Capture and Cascade are also easy to touch up, and future maintenance is easier than with some products.

“It is important to choose a high-quality, reputable product — don’t let cost be a motivating factor in this area,” Batzer says. “Like your mother and father told you, you get what you pay for.” And surface preparation is just as important.

“Be sure to clean the logs properly and follow the manufacturer’s directions,” Batzer adds. “This will ensure your home will be well-protected and beautiful for years to come.”

THE GARAGE

Crews worked on the garage throughout the winter, framing it with 2x4s and covering it with OSB like most stick-built homes. The garage’s 45-degree angle to the house presented several challenges.

“An angled wall is not a problem itself, but it does require extra planning and measuring,” says Golden Eagle project manager Bob Strosin. “The main concern with the Double Eagle came from using a full-log wall on the exterior (front) wall and a 2x6-studded wall on the garage wall. Extra measurements were taken because the kitchen cabinet layout, the eave lines of the roof,the roof flashing and even the stair location was dependent on the exactness of the angle.” The transition from a two-story (house) wall to a one-story (garage) wall also required extra planning.

The garage was topped off with the same forest green shingles from IKO Roofing Products that were installed on the house. Eventually, matching pioneer green garage doors from General American Door Company would be installed.

HEATING & COOLING

A Bryant Heating forced-air HVAC system heats and cools the Double Eagle.The unit will ward off the cold of Wisconsin’s harsh winters and keep the house cool and comfortable in the state’s warm, humid summers.

“We do have a long heating season here, but we also use air conditioning several months of the year,” Batzer says. “A forced-air system will accommodate both at a very reasonable cost.”The Double Eagle HVAC system uses propane (bottled) gas.

“We chose Bryant because of its durability and quality,” Batzer says. “Plus, the local contractor, Jim’s Burner Service, has a reputation for servicing what they install. That’s something you should keep in mind when choosing any contractor."

FIREPLACE & MASONRY

The Double Eagle features a fireplace that supplements the forced-air heating system. Wausau Supply Co. installed the see-through Heatilator unit from Hearth Technologies, which straddles the great room and master bedroom. L&S Stone’s Eldorado Adirondack-style river rock, also supplied by Wausau Supply and installed by BluffView Construction, faces the fireplace and chimney. Installing the stone veneer is a little different from installing a genuine masonry product:

	A The fireplace is covered with a scratch coat (a mixture of mortar, sand and water) so the stones can be affixed directly to the fireplace. Each stone is chosen to fit perfectly in its spot.When necessary, the stones are cut with a brick trowel or nippers to create the needed shape.
	B The mason applies an even layer of mortar to the back of the stone, then presses it firmly into place until the excess mortar oozes out from behind the stone. Joints are kept clean and tight.
	C The stones are installed from the top down, which helps keep them clean.
	D When all the stones have been installed, the mason grouts the joints by partially filling them with the same mortar mixture used to affix the stones to the fireplace.When the mortar joints are firm, the mason uses a striking tool to rake out the excess mortar. (This creates uniform joints at the desired depth and forces mortar into the joints to thoroughly seal the joint edges.) Finally, the mason uses a whisk broom to smooth and clean away loose mortar.

CABINETRY

All of the cabinets in the Double Eagle were provided by HomeCrest Cabinetry. The custom Hampton Square designs are made of hickory with a natural finish that complements the hardwood flooring found in most of the home.

Like all HomeCrest cabinets, the Hampton Square line features solid wood doors and drawerfronts with raised panels, adjustable wall and base shelves, easy-to-clean laminated interiors and concealed hinges. Beveled edges and decorative crown moulding add the perfect finished touch. Every cabinet door is sanded by hand, visually inspected and assembled by hand to assure a proper fit and a strong bond.

In the kitchen, the cabinets were installed against both full-log exterior walls and stick-framed interior walls.Two sets of cabinets were also installed as freestanding units to form a peninsula. To install cabinets on the rounded log surface, crews from BluffView Construction simply hung the flat-back cabinets, which come with a full 3/4-inch hanging strip, as you would a picture or light fixture.

PLUMBING & ELECTRICAL

As in most conventionally-framed homes, plumbing pipes can be cut into a log home’s floor joists. The real challenge comes when those pipes have to be brought above floor level to connect to fixtures.

Whenever possible, plumbing lines are run through a log home’s stick-framed walls, as was the case with the washer hook-up in the utility room, before and after the wall was finished. At the Double Eagle, Advantage Plumbing & Heating was able to install all plumbing lines through stick-framed walls or in front of log walls.

Bringing electrical service to a log home is hardly different than installing it in a stickframed home. Just as you would cut a hole to accommodate an outlet in drywall, you start by notching a hole in a log.

Wires are pulled through the openings cut into the logs and run through holes drilled into the I-joists before being connected to a 200-amp station.

This article previously appeared in Log Home Design Ideas magazine.