The idea for a log house stemmed from a love of nature, the outdoors, fresh air and northern timber. For our nature-loving family, the choice of house type has always been clear. There is something about wood that is important and close to our hearts. Its presence is calming and promotes well-being, taking our minds off the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
When we managed to secure the plot we wanted, an old 1950s war veteran’s house still stood there. Over the years, the garden had turned into quite a jungle, even though we’d heard that proper gardeners had once lived on the property. We were told that there had once been rowan bushes in the middle of the garden, and upon closer inspection we found some sort of flowers, such as white and yellow anemones. The yellow anemones were rescued from the construction site and planted in the neighbour’s flowerbed to await the completion of the new house, or ‘log house Kultsi’. That was the nickname given to our future home.
Good to breathe, beautiful to behold
In the summer of 2018, we sat in the garden swing of the property we had purchased with the architect and a builder we knew, pondering the specifications of our future home. For my husband and me, choosing a log house was somehow a given, and none of our friends ever asked, for example, why we wanted a log house; it was more a question of what sort of log house we wanted. Our architect told us that his daughter’s home has an interior decorated with wood, and as he sat in that swing, he reflected that wood is a material that makes you want to go and touch it. The surface of wood is alive and nuanced, and it is soothing to the eye.
However, the biggest factor in our decision to choose a log house was good indoor air quality. I myself have been exposed to poor indoor air quality in various workplaces and homes, so we absolutely wanted a home where the air was good to breathe. Log is said to effectively regulate indoor temperature and humidity, and harmful microbes do not thrive on log surfaces, so for us, a log house was practically the only option worth considering. There’s also talk of the eco-friendliness of log construction, so that felt like a good choice in these times of climate change. We just hadn’t realised just how many different options there are when it comes to logs!
Dreaming of a modern log house
I’ve scrolled through hundreds, if not thousands, of log house photos on Instagram. I’m clearly drawn to modern style and interiors, as well as beautiful light-coloured surfaces. Although our original idea was based on solid timber, our final choice leaned towards modern spruce laminated logs. In fact, the main reason we chose Kuusamo Log Houses as our supplier was that a friend recommended Kuusamo to us. He had even visited the Kuusamo Log Houses factory to inspect the premises and the logs, and he was convinced by what he saw.
So, first of all, we set about identifying log house suppliers who could supply a house made of solid logs. There aren’t actually that many of them in Finland, if we’re talking about the supply of full-sized detached houses. But as for what happened to our original idea, we received further information about the functionality and possibilities of laminated logs from our supplier, although I don’t suppose he had anything against solid logs either.
Safe and healthy laminated log
We had numerous discussions with our Kuusamo Representative, Jaakko, about the adhesive used in laminated logs, which naturally concerned me. It was important to me to clarify issues relating to various emissions and materials so that our house would be as non-toxic and allergy-friendly as possible. Through Jaakko, I received information about the adhesive used by Kuusamo in their laminated logs. The adhesive is a wood-based PUR adhesive. It was important to me that the adhesive did not contain formaldehyde, and indeed, Kuusamo’s laminated logs do not use it. I also read about the emissions from laminated log from various sources and became convinced that laminated log could work for building our home. Of course, I also liked the modern look of laminated log and the opportunity to decorate our future home in the style I wanted. My husband, on the other hand, didn’t want the greater settling typical of solid log construction. We also considered that non-settling laminated logs would allow us to build a well-insulated and energy-efficient house.
As well as adhesives, we considered the suitability of the insulation to be placed between the logs. Kuusamo offered polypropylene or flax insulation as options. I wanted to take a closer look at these too, and I received samples of both in the post to see and smell. We also read reports online about the insulation materials, which stated that both were roughly equally resistant to moisture. In the end, we opted for flax. The decision was based purely on gut feeling – flax, a natural material, just seemed to suit a log house better. Perhaps our future carpenter will be ‘grateful’ for this choice, as our Kuusamo Representative Jaakko, a carpenter himself, told us that linen strips are slightly more difficult to weave between the logs when erecting the house due to their toughness.
A 150-square-metre piece of love
Our family has been dreaming of a log house for about three years now. We’ve been planning and brainstorming, searching for pictures and models online and from friends. We’ve drawn and sketched it, both ourselves and with the help of professionals. Now it is finally a reality and on its way: that 150-square-metre “piece of love”. We trust that the slow-growing timber of the north will create a wonderful home for our family, “House Kultsi” or “Casa de la Skutsi”. After all, a beloved child should have many names.
Welcome to follow our building project and our journey towards a new log home!
Taija
The family is building a modern log house by Kuusamo Log Houses in Central Finland based on their own plans. Blog posts will be published on the different stages of the build. You can also follow the build on Instagram.
Taija’s other guest posts:
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