Milled Log Homes

montana front clh

Milled log homes are built from logs which are milled to a consistent diameter. This style of log home comes in a few different profiles including:  Swedish Cope log style, D-log (flat on inside and round on outside), double-D (round on interior and exterior), or square (flat on inside and outside).

Swedish Cope logs comes in a 7, 8, 9, 10, or 12 inch diameter. A Swedish Cope log is a full round log with a cope or moon shaped pattern cut from the under side of the log. Log sizes are typically 8 inch, 10 inch, or 12 inch. Wall log lengths are up to approximately 16 feet. Roof system logs and other structural logs are typically longer. End joints are completed by slotting the ends of the log and sliding a spleen into the end joints. The most common log species for milled log homes are Lodge Pole Pine and Spruce. Other wood species, such as Western Red Cedar and Douglas Fir, are available upon request.

The double tongue and groove stacked logs come in three profiles including: D-log, Double-D, or Flat cut. These logs come in log sizes such as 6×8, 8×8, 6×12, and 8×12. Other log sizes and profiles are available.

The wall logs can stack with either a Swedish Cope stack or Double Tongue and Groove Stack. The Double Tongue and Groove Style has two rows of tongues and two rows of grooves between the inside of the wall and the outside elements. This is superior to the Single Tongue and Groove stack style or the Flat Milling of logs between the rows.

great room of log home

The Swedish Cope style is where the underside of each log is cut with a half moon pattern. There is an overlap of log to log over a curved surface. All Swedish Cope cut milled log homes have full saddle notched corners. Most of our Swedish Cope log homes have solid log gable ends. Occasionally an owner opts for a framed gable with wood or log siding.

8 inch swedish cope log cabin

Swedish Cope Stack

Corner Styles include: Full Saddle Notch (available in both the Double Tongue and Groove Stack and Swedish Cope cut), Butt and Pass Corner, Dovetail Corner, or the Corner Post Profile.

Milled log homes can have whatever parts log that you would like. The log shell below is a more complete log shell with the log roof system, log staircase, log floor joists, etc. Other log shells may only include the exterior log walls. The milled log homes do require cutting on site. Different levels of precutting are available, depending on what the owners request. We usually price the log shell separately. Log shells can also have more pre-cutting before it gets to the job site.  Log shells also typically include the log wall assembly hardware of foam sealant and log screws to hold logs together.

madison log shell

Log Shell Sketch

Roof System- handcrafted log (round) or timber (square) beams and rafters are an integral part of our log homes unless something else desired by the home owners. Manufactured trusses can also be utilized (as per design). Frequently standard trusses are placed over bedrooms and garages.

The simplest log home price includes just the log shell, log wall assembly hardware, and construction drawings. The other materials are priced separately. The log shell specifically includes the logs for the walls, any interior log walls, log roof system including log ridge beam, purloins, log trusses, rafters (as per plan), or standard trusses are all available. If the floor plan includes a loft we also include the log floor joists to support the loft. Log or timber staircases and log railing is available upon request.

round log floor joists

The log shell can also be priced with other exterior materials. A dry-in log shell includes the log materials plus items such as: exterior doors, windows, roofing materials, final roofing materials of either shingles or metal, soffit, fascia, log siding or wood siding for exterior of gables, interior framing lumber, first floor subfloor, upper subfloor or decking, and exterior door and window trim. Windows are available from whatever supplier the owner chooses.

For homes with an open loft or second floor without plumbing, a popular option is timber joists with 2×6 Douglas Fir loft decking. By building the home in this manner, the home owner gains a finished wood floor for the upstairs, and the v-groove style for the first floor ceilings.

For homes with bathrooms on the second floor the home package includes timber joists and sub-floor (2 x joists with 3/4″ sheathing). This provides the necessary room for the plumbing.

Eureka elevation

For interior walls 2×4 and 2×6 framing lumber AND/OR solid log interior walls are included. Some log home designs come with some interior log walls. Features such as interior log archways can also be cut on site into interior log walls.

It usually takes about 6 to 8 weeks to get the log shell and materials ready to ship to the job site so it is best to plan ahead decide early when it is the most ideal to have the materials delivered. (Based on average sized home.) There is also a separate delivery charge depending for the logs and materials.

Cowboy Log Homes

Any projected costs, cost estimates, material costs, and estimated construction/ building costs, are only the opinion of Cowboy Log Homes and are drawn from our experience. Every home is custom tailored to meet our individual client's wants and desires. The construction of a log or timber home is based on two primary costs: material provided by the log home company and construction costs contracted with Cowboy Log Homes as the builder or another builder of the customer's choice. Final costs are obtained and contracted with each respectively. Cowboy Log Homes is simply the "glue" that helps bring these two together to provide a final culmination of a customer's project. *Please note floor plans may differ some from photo or elevation. The level of log shell pre-cutting depends on what customer orders.