Editing Log house (section)

== {{anchor|Methods of log home construction}}Construction methods ==
[[File:Lom kirke 2015 2.jpg|thumb|Scandinavian full scribe log construction, an addition to the [[Lom stave church|Lom Stave Church]] in Norway]]
*''Scandinavian Full-Scribe'', also known as the "chinkless method", is naturally-shaped, smoothly-peeled ([[drawknife]]d) logs which are [[Coping (joinery)|scribed]] and custom-fitted to one another. They are notched where they overlap at the corners, and there are several ways to notch the logs.
*In the ''flat-on-flat'' method, logs are flattened on the top and bottom and then stacked (usually with butt-and-pass corners).
*''Milled log houses'' are constructed with a tongue-and-groove system which helps align one log to another and creates a system to seal out the elements.
*With the ''tight-pinned butt and pass'' method, the logs are not notched or milled in any way. They are in a single course and do not overlap; vertical pairs of logs are fastened with tight, load-bearing steel pins.

{{anchor|Saddle notch}}

=== Corner styles ===
[[File:Findal notch.jpg|thumb|The corner notch in medieval Norwegian log buildings]]
[[File:Rauland notch.jpg|thumb|The traditional corner notch used in Norway from the 14th century through the present]]
[[File:Dovetail corner, Full-scribe, hand-hewn logs.jpg|thumb|alt=Corner made of notched logs|[[Dovetail joint|Dovetail]] corner—handcrafted, full-scribe fit, hand-hewn logs]]
[[File:ButtPass7.jpg|thumb|alt=Another corner, with logs sawed flat instead.|Butt-and-pass corner style logs sawed flat top and bottom]]
[[File:Tooth type edge joint.jpg|thumb|A locked or tooth-edge joint in the door corner of an old wooden storage building at the Lamminaho estate in [[Vaala]], Finland]]
[[File:Smoky Mountains - Cable Mill Blacksmith Shop - detail.jpg|thumb|The Cable Mill Blacksmith Shop at [[Great Smoky Mountains National Park|Smoky Mountain National Park]]]]
[[File:Thist angle.JPG|thumb|A corner joint in Russia]]
[[File:Rimetea Torocko house 8.JPG|thumb|A traditional log house in Rimetea, Transylvania, Romania]]
[[File:Skiftesverk Visby.JPG|thumb|[[Post-and-plank]] construction, including [[timber framing]] with an infill of logs, at a house in [[Visby]], Sweden]]
[[File:Berind12.jpg|thumb|Ornate corner joints on a hexagonal end of a plank church building from 1752 in [[Sânpaul, Cluj]], Romania]]
* ''Interlocking saddle notch'': Normally seen on D- or full-round profiles, where a notch is cut into the top of one log and the bottom of another; these two logs then interlock, creating a tightly-sealed corner. Also popular in handcrafted, full-scribe log houses.
{{anchor|half-dovetail notching}}
* ''Dovetail'': Typically seen on square, hewn, or chink-style logs. A dovetail joint is cut on the end of a log, where it would rest in a corner—one to the right and one to the left; this creates a tight, interlocking corner. Handcrafted dovetails can be full dovetail with notch surface slopes in two directions simultaneously, or half dovetail with notch surface slopes in one direction.
* ''Locked'' or ''Tooth-edged'' joint: Typically seen in square logs. A lock joint is where distinct tooth-like profiles are cut at the end of each log for a tight "locked" fit.<ref>Lars Pettersson (ed.), "The Finnish Wooden Church", Helsinki, Otava, 1992, pp.28-29.</ref>
* ''Butt-and-pass'': Unscribed (or milled) logs butt up against each other at the corners without notching
* ''Saddle notch'': Used where two round logs overlap each other near the corners; common with the Swedish cope profile
* ''Vertical corner post'' also known as [[post-and-plank]]: Typically larger (e.g., 8" x 8") than the wall logs (e.g., 6" x 6"). The wall logs would be "toe nailed" into the corner post.
* ''[[Mortise and tenon|Mortise and Tenon]] Joinery'': the tenon (tongue) of one log connects to the mortise (hole) of another forming a 90-degree angle to secure the joint.

=== Other methods ===
[[File:Crostau - Am Park 08 ies.jpg|thumb|An Umgebinde house in eastern Germany]]
* ''Half-Log'': The structure is built with conventional building techniques, and "half-log" siding is applied to the exterior and interior walls to replicate the look of full-log construction. Some half-log sidings may also have saddle notch, butt-and-pass, or dovetail corners to give a more realistic appearance.
* ''Palisade style'': The logs are standing on end, and are either pinned or bolted together.
* ''Pièce en pièce'' or ''pièce sur pièce''. Similar to [[post-and-plank]] above: Uses short logs (e.g. 8' long) lying horizontally between upright posts, resembling [[Timber framing|post-and-beam]] construction (but usually lacking the complex notching seen with post-and-beam). ''Pièce en pièce'' typically uses a large (8"x&nbsp;8") vertical corner post. It is important that a vertical component (often 3"x&nbsp;6") be placed on both sides of each window and door.
* A unique house type in the Oberlausitz region where Germany, [[Upper Lusatian house]] or Umgebinde in German. Part of the ground floor has log walls inside the posts of a timber frame.

=== {{anchor|Settling of log homes}}Settling ===
Once fabricated and assembled, the shell of the log house may be disassembled, and the parts may be shipped to the building site. This allows for centralized manufacturing of the house and relatively quick construction on site. 

Full-scribe-fit handcrafted log construction is a method of precisely marking where to cut each individual wall log to provide a tight fit between naturally shaped logs along their entire length and in the corners. A high degree of craftsmanship is required for success in this method, and the resulting tight fit of naturally shaped logs has aesthetic appeal.

==== Causes and Effects of Settling ====
Log homes experience settling due to moisture loss in the logs over time. The extent of shrinkage depends on several factors:
* [[List of woods|Wood species]] – Pine and spruce logs shrink **6–10%**, while hardwoods like oak may shrink more.{{cite book |last=Hoadley |first=Bruce |title=Understanding Wood |publisher=Fine Homebuilding Books |year=1980 |isbn=978-1-56158-358-4}}
* [[Wood_drying|Drying process]] – Kiln-dried logs shrink less than air-dried or green logs.{{cite book |last=Chambers |first=Robert |title=Log Construction Manual |publisher=Deep Stream Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-9715736-2-1}}
* Log size and construction method – Larger logs take longer to dry and settle compared to milled or laminated logs.{{cite journal |last=Richards |first=David |title=The Science of Log Home Settling |journal=Building & Construction Research |year=2021 |volume=29 |issue=4 |pages=90–105}}

Studies show that a log home can settle **1/4 to 1/2 inch per foot of wall height** over time.{{cite journal |last=USDA Forest Products Laboratory |title=The Wood Handbook |journal=Agriculture Handbook |year=2010 |volume=72 |url=https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/wood-handbook}}

==== Techniques to Manage Settling ====
Log houses that settle require specific construction techniques to compensate for height changes, including:
* [[Slip joint]]s – Installed over all window and door openings to prevent warping as walls shift.
* Adjustable jacks – Placed under vertical elements (such as support columns and staircases) for periodic height adjustments.
* Expansion gaps – Left in [[Piping and plumbing fitting|plumbing, wiring, and ducting]] to prevent damage from shifting walls.
* [[Screw mechanism|Through-bolts and compression screws]] – Used to hold logs together while allowing for controlled settling.

If settling is not properly managed, issues such as **door misalignment, window frame warping, and plumbing damage** can occur. Proper maintenance and periodic adjustments are essential to ensure the stability of a log house.{{cite book |last=Bomberger |first=Bruce D. |title=The Preservation and Repair of Historic Log Buildings |publisher=Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service |year=1991 |url=https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/26-log-buildings.htm}}