Frequently Asked Questions

 What comes in a log home kit?

            What do you want to come in the kit?  We design a kit to include with as much or as little as you would like.  Whether you choose to buy a turnkey home complete with cabinets and fixtures or simply a bundle of logs, we at Johnson Lumber would be delighted to answer any of your questions to find the right kit for your needs and your budget.  We know that different people have different needs and designing cookie cutter houses just isn’t what we do.

            We have access to everything from steel roofing and shingles to windows and doors to the kitchen sink, literally.  We also know that sometimes part of your dream home includes the perfect bay window or fixtures and anything less is simply less.  Johnson Log Homes will also deliver a quantity of logs to fill the needs of the do-it-yourselfer as well. 

May I use any contractor that I choose to build my log home?

            Johnson Lumber understands that the degree of completion of the log home can seriously affect the price of the log home.  That is exactly the reason that we offer so many different choices for our customers.  Whether you choose to build it yourself or use one of the independent contractors that we are associated with or use your own personal contractor, we will work to ensure that our customers get the attention and the guidance needed to complete a quality log home, no matter who builds it.

What’s the difference between green logs and kiln dried logs?

            The difference is simply that a kiln dried log has had the majority of the water in the wood removed whether exclusively by a kiln or after the logs have been air dried for a period of time and then kiln dried.  Basically, the advantages of a kiln dried log are simply that in a controlled environment, the majority of the moisture in the log is removed using moving air combined with high temperatures. This means that the log is much less likely to twist and split after construction because most of that has already taken place in a kiln prior to milling.  Furthermore, most kilns, including ours, reach a temperature of 160° Fahrenheit which ensures sterilization of any bacteria or living organisms that may be in the wood.  In fact, whether you purchase your log home from Johnson lumber or not, we strongly recommend a home built with kiln dried logs as opposed to green logs. 

How often do I need to treat my new log home?

            The general rule of thumb for frequency of preservative application is every three to four years or roughly the same as you would repaint your home.  This will ensure that your log home maintains the same appeal as it did when it was new.