We have the largest selection of available product in the
industry today. Whether you want a massive 14” round log,
a simple 4” square log, or anything in between, we have it.
Our specialty log is Western Red Cedar, but we also offer
Pine and Fir. You can choose any log and any profile.

The logs are then machined or scribed to Linwood’s exacting
specifications. This ensures a tight fit for maximum stability
and the highest possible insulation values. For additional
strength, the logs are thru-bolted for a sturdy, long-lasting and beautiful home.

Why Western Red Cedar?

Western Red Cedar is an aromatic wood with the subtle, sweet fragrances of the forest. It’s rich grain is showcased in a wide spectrum of warm tones ranging from light honey to deep reddish brown. Cedar has been prized as an outstanding wood for centuries. In fact, archaeological excavations have shown that the indigenous Peoples of the Pacific Coast have been using cedar as far back as 6000 years ago. Cedar’s durability and versatility is proven today in the many beautiful artifacts preserved from generations of Aboriginal craftsmen.

Western Red Cedar is one of the most long-lasting woods in the world.

Cedar is highly practical to live in. It is one of the most long-lasting woods in the world. It has natural preservatives that deter both insects and decay. The wood of a fallen tree often remains undamaged for a century after it has fallen. The wood’s loose cellular structure creates interior air spaces that give it an insulation value significantly higher than other woods, and significantly higher than concrete or brick. As a result, cedar log homes will stay cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. These air spaces also give cedar very good sound absorption qualities, making your home a quiet retreat. Cedar is free of pitch and resin, allowing easy finishing for paints and stains.

“A log home is a haven – a place that provides you with a warm, comfortable, casual sanctuary and sense of pride.”

Designing Your Log Home

“If you can dream it… We can build it.”

Summit Custom Homes will work with you from
the very beginning of your project to ensure that
you achieve our dream. Start your design process
with the clippings from magazines, photographs
and sketches of homes that appeal to you. Look
for details that would enhance your plan – vaulted
ceilings, exposed log trusses, log stairs, stone
fireplaces, etc.

Talk to us and send us your ideas and let us work together. Once your initial plan is drawn, we are even able to create a virtual tour for you so that you can see your new home before your final purchase. Imagine viewing that master bedroom or the living room and being able to make changes before you build. Now you can. Our designers will ensure that you have a log home that not only shelters you, it reflects your lifestyle.

Selection of Logs

The three important decisions in choosing
the type of logs for your home are:

• Size of log
• Shape of Log
• Corner Styles

As a Linwood homes authorized dealer,
Summit Custom Homes offers an extensive
selection of log choices, unlike most log home
companies. Since we cut our own timbers from
the prolific forests of British Columbia, we offer
you the choice of Western Red Cedar, Spruce,
Fir, or Pine. Our specialty wood is Western Red Cedar, often unavailable from other log manufacturers or so expensive that it is outside most budgets.

Size of Log

Linwood offers the widest range of log sizes on the market. Choose from 4”, 6”, 8’, 10”, 12”, or 14”. No matter where you are building, we have the perfect log for you.

Shape

Our logs are available in any of the popular profiles. Flat, Single D, Double D, hand peeled or machined round, or even hand hewn square-cut log.

Corner Styles

The corner style you choose will have a dramatic effect on the appearance of your new log home. From the refined appearance of the half notch, or the more contemporary saddle notch, or classic dovetail, all of these systems have been refined over the years to give your home the structural integrity coupled with the air-tightness a modern home requires.

Species

We offer the following species of logs: Western Red Cedar, Pine, Spruce, and Fir.
Click here for our Log Species Comparison Chart.

Energy Efficiency

There are three key factors affecting energy efficiency. These are the R value of the species of log selected, its thickness and the shape or profile chosen.

The shape affects energy
efficiency because the wall is
usually it its narrowest where
the logs are stacked on top of
each other. Machined logs are
the most efficient as they gener-
ally utilize a tongue and groove
system with a gasket in between. Hand hewn logs need to be cut expertly as it is harder to make the logs fit together without energy loss.

A good log home will be quite energy efficient but in a poorly constructed home you can often see daylight through the walls. All Linwood Log systems are designed and built to be as energy efficient as possible.

Thermal Cycling Patterns

 Log homes, if constructed
properly, are extremely energy
efficient. This is because of
thermal mass. In a log home,
when you heat the home during
the daytime the logs absorb and
hold some of that heat and when
the house cools down during the
night the walls radiate the heat back into the room, maintaining a more comfortable temperature. In the morning, the reheating cost of a log home is not as high as a conventional home, therefore substantially reducing fuel bills.

Thermal Resistance of Western Red Cedar

A concern for many log home
customers is the R value of a
log wall compared to conventional
alternatives. New studies have
been carried out by the Eastern
Forest Products Laboratory in
Ottawa. They demonstrate that
the thermal resistance of wood,
or the R factor, actually increases
linearly with a decrease in temperature. In other words, the colder it gets outside, the higher the insulating value of your log walls. Western Red Cedar offers one of the highest R values as depicted on the graph below.

Building Your Log Home

Home Construction

Most purchasers of a log home are doing it for the first time. The key is to find a builder who understands log homes. Summit Custom Homes can help by arranging for one of Linwood’s highly experienced builders to supervise assembly of the logs for you. The cost is included as part of the cost of the package.

The remainder of the home construction is fairly standard and can be undertaken by a good quality local builder. Your Summit representative will be able to help you make sure these activities are carried out accurately and efficiently.

Site Preparation

The construction process begins with site preparation.
This includes the installation of the driveway and
bringing services such as water and power to the
immediate vicinity of the actual site of the building.
In many cases this will also include the layout and
placement of the septic field and preparing drainage
lines which meet local planning regulations.

Foundations

The next step is to excavate for the foundations of the
home. These may be simple concrete footings or a
foundation wall. Quite often there will be a walk-out
or regular basement involved and concrete floors will
also be poured at this time. Daylight basements are
also another popular alternative to inexpensively
maximize the usable floor space.

Summit offers advice on the best kind of foundation for your project.

Delivery of Material

Once the foundation is completed, the Linwood Log home package will arrive on site. This consists of all the building materials needed to construct the shell of the home to the lock-up stage.

Not only does the package consist of high quality materials but there is a major cost saving in assembly time. It also eliminates the need for expensive time wasted traveling to different building product suppliers that would be more productively spent in construction activity.

Customers Outside Summit Custom Home’s Immediate Building Area

For those customers outside our region, we offer the same great custom design support. No matter where you are, Summit will come to you to provide a thorough site inspection and to conduct a design concept meeting. This is yet another area where we separate ourselves from other companies offering home material packages. We build our own homes locally, and are equipped to guide you through the process no matter where you are. From post & beam, to timber frame, to log construction, Summit Custom Homes will exceed your expectations.

“We build our own homes locally, and are equipped to guide you through the process no matter where you are.”

Support from the beginning…

Even before your final building plans are drafted,
Summit Custom Homes can provide you with
assistance in selecting contractors, receiving and
evaluating quotes, obtaining planning permits, and
monitoring on-site job performance by the selected
sub-trades. Our clients even have access to a toll-free
hotline (1-877-VACUSTOMS) to answer construction
questions, plus construction experts who can provide
detailed instruction on the fastest and most efficient
method of assembling one of our homes.

Complete Package

 Your log home package includes all the materials required to build your home to the lock-up stage. This means the log walls and interior framing is complete, windows and exterior doors are in place and the roof is on. The home is now secure and weatherproof. The interior can then be finished at your convenience.

The package includes:

• Log and Interior Walls
• Floor system( including joists and plywood)
• Windows ( Wood, Metal Clad or Vinyl)
• Entrance doors and interior doors (Oak, Pine, Fir, or Cedar)
• Truss and/or rafter system
• Roofing Materials

We also supply necessary nails, thru-bolts, glues and caulking, together with a detailed Construction Manual.

Construction of Shell

The selected contractor commences stacking the
logs. This method is straightforward but a little
different than conventional construction. The
package comes with a detailed Construction
manual and access to the Linwood factory for advice.

Usually, a Summit Custom Homes design consultant will also make site visits to make sure everything is coming together properly. When this stage is finished the roof will be on, windows will be in place, and exterior doors are installed.

The interior can then be finished in a weatherproof environment at your own pace.

Interior Completion

This will involve a variety of specialized sub-trades.
Even if you are out of our immediate building area
and not using Summit Custom Homes as your
general contractor, each individual contractor
should be clear about your expectations and use
of materials before commencing work. Needless
to say, you should already have obtained a firm
contract price at this stage.

It is easy for this area to go over budget if expensive upgrades are made at the last minute. Your Summit representative will work with you if required to help make sure that sub-trades are experienced, reliable and reasonably priced.

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