Log Styles and Joinery

Requirements for any corner joinery are to provide structural integrity of whole log home construction, to avoid air and water infiltration and to appeal to the esthetics of the home owner. Here are four methods of building log homes that I utilize most.

 

Scandinavian Saddle Notch Log Joinery

Naturally-shaped with hand-peeled logs which are hand scribed and saddle-notched to custom fit each log. No chinking is required for this style of log home.

Square Log Dovetail Joinery

Typically flattened on four sides and joined at the corners by a  dovetail joint. This corner notch is very stable, secure and the timbers become self-locking.

 
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Full Scribed - Dovetail joinery

Flattened on 2 sides, the top and bottom are left with the logs natural taper. These logs are scribed and hand cut to fit precisely onto the log below leaving no chinking gap.

Log Truss Joinery

We use a mortise and tenon for our round log trusses. Our goal is to make the logs appear as if they grew and fused together.