Luxury Log Home Construction: Understanding The Steel Pipe And Pin Non-Settling System
Picture this: you are waking up, surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, the rising sun and the chirping of birds before sipping tea or coffee from your balcony on a beautifully-constructed luxury log home. That's the life to look forward to, and with a little effort and help, it could be a dream come true. With over 751.2 million acres of forestland in the U.S., you can easily find the perfect spot to design and build your luxury log home. This article will dive deeper into the basics of the construction process, so that you have a better understanding of the steel pipe and pin non-settling system.
Accounting For Natural Shrinkage In Wood
Regardless of the type of wood that you choose, you can expect the wood to shrink as it settles into the blueprint of its design. Settling has always been an issue for many luxury log home construction contractors. The amount of shrinkage will typically depend on the moisture loss, the tree species chosen and the grain orientation of the lumber chosen. An 8-foot wall can shrink as much as 2 inches. This shrinkage needs to be accounted for in the design, especially since all of the lumber will not shrink at the same place or at the same time. To prevent the shrinkage from causing leakages or instability, most contractors will implement a steel pipe and pin non-settling system.
The shrinkage of the wood can be reduced as much as possible by pre-drying the lumber. Logs that are pre-dried to possess an equilibrium moisture content of less than 15% will typically exhibit minimized shrinkage activities.
Basic Premise Of The Steel Pipe And Pin Non-Settling System
Due to the fact that the logs are prone to shrinkage, it is unwise to depend on structural integrity of the luxury log homes from the lumber chosen. Instead, the steel pipe and pin non-settling system is commonly implemented, so that the luxury log homes will exhibit security and stability regardless of how much the wood may shrink. Minimal shrinking will, however, improve overall appearance.
The logs are stacked up on top of one another and held in place by a column of steel pipes installed at equal intervals into the middle of the logs. Pins are drilled directly in between the logs to hold the structural integrity of the walls in place while the steep pipes prevent the logs from falling as a result of gravity. The steel pipe and pin non-settling system helps to stabilize and secure the stacks of logs, and will also enhance overall structural integrity and add strength to prevent the future collapse of the wall.
Patching Up Gaps Or Uneven Surfaces With Chinking
Once the metal pipes and pins are in place, the logs will no longer move much even if they shrinks, and the shape of the luxury log homes will be maintained; however, as the logs shrink, gaps may form in-between the logs, and uneven surfaces may emerge. To prevent this, a process known as a chinking will be implemented.
Chinking is the broad white band that you can see in between the logs. This band was traditionally made from a mixture of clay, lime, sand and mud; however, it is now generally made from an acrylic compound that is designed to expand and contract with the logs. Chinking creates a tighter fit, patches up uneven surfaces and will prevent the wind from howling in-between the logs. Chinking also helps create a neater overall appearance.
Conclusion
If you are interested in designing and building your own luxury log homes, you need to familiarize yourself with different construction techniques that may be implemented in order to determine what types of techniques and foundations must be laid for you to get the best product possible. The steel pipe and pine non-settling technique has become a standard in the industry, and probably produces what is considered as the best results possible. By making sure that your luxury log homes are built properly and to last, you can avoid many future repairs and additional problems. For more information, check out a specialist's website, such as http://www.pioneerloghomesofbc.com/.