FAQ on log houses

Do log houses come in standard designs only, or can they be customised?
We recommend choosing a house from our standard designs, and making the desired changes to that design. The supporting walls and the overall dimensions and height of the building must not be changed. Neither must the location of the stairs and the chimney. We also provide customised solutions for those who cannot find a suitable house among our standard designs.
 
How much will customised solutions cost?
Design costs amount to approximately 5-10% of the log house price. These costs will be added to the total price of the log house. Customised orders have a longer delivery time and construction time. Assembly costs will be bigger, as well. Experience has shown that the final m2 price of customised solutions can be up to 30% higher.
 
What kind of foundation do log houses require?
Log houses can be built on virtually all standard foundations used for residential buildings. The structure of the foundation depends on the terrain and construction site characteristics. All log house customers will receive a foundation plan that must be followed. As a rule, residential buildings are built on a basic foundation or a base slab. Small cottages and garden houses can also be built on a pier foundation.
 
How will log houses be assembled? Can this be done unaided?
A majority of the manufacturers (including Palktare) pre-fabricate wooden construction details, and assemble these elements on site in accordance with the established rules and regulations. Log houses can also be assembled without professional help. Still, assistance is recommended for the best possible result. We can provide a construction instructor for supervising particularly specific work (e.g. erection of the log part and installation of the roof structure). 
 
What kind of structural problems are liable to occur?
Major problems could occur if the log walls’ natural tendency to settle is not taken into consideration. In order to foresee and prevent problems, we recommend ordering either assembly work or do-it-yourself instructions from the manufacturer.
 
What is the suitable location for a log house?
Contrary to the popular belief that log houses should only be built in rural or suburban surroundings, log houses also harmonise with modern construction culture. Log houses erected in the heart of European towns are a good example. The question lies in the architectural design of the house, as well as whether the material used in the house has been handmade or manufactured.
 
How much does a log house settle? Will these cause problems?
If the raw material to be used for the walls of the building has been chamber-dried to the required moisture content, it should not settle more than 2-3% per meter. Log houses mainly settle during the first 2-3 years. Settling will not cause any problems, provided that the corresponding specific requirements have been followed in construction.
 
Do you use dried logs?
Our logs have been chamber-dried to a moisture content of 18-22%. This guarantees the prescribed quality and stability of the raw material. As a rule, raw timber is used for handmade logs.
 
Do houses made of dried logs still settle?
Don’t be taken in by the notion that dried logs will prevent settling altogether. But it is true that the dryer the logs, the less the house will settle. For instance, less space can be left above doors and windows; making assembly work much quicker, simpler and cheaper.
 
Do log houses require additional insulation?
We recommend additional insulation if the logs are less than 180mm thick. Additional insulation is installed inside the house so that other interior construction materials besides wood could be used, and the house would be more interesting and eclectic.
 
What kinds of solutions are used for electrical systems in log houses?
We drill cable grooves in logs so as to avoid installing power cords on walls. This lets most of the electrical system remain concealed. Experience has shown, however, that it is quite difficult to plan the location of all sockets and switches before the completion of the final electrical plan. We therefore recommend that the customer take time to carefully plan the location of electrical wiring.
 
Do you use finished or otherwise treated materials?
As a rule, our raw material is “wood-ready” —i.e. without any finishing, since customers wish to finish the house as they see fit. Deep-impregnated material has been used for terraces, balconies and exterior stairs. Doors/windows and interior stairs have been finished so as to be ready to install.