Welcome Family to the August 2013 issue of The Oak Leaf! For new readers, this is a monthly newsletter that is sent by e-mail to those that have expressed an interest in Gastineau Log Homes. We use this as a way of communicating technical, design and industry information. For more information, check out our web site at www.oakloghome.com.
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Trivia Question: What are the 8 least expensive places to live in the US? (See the answer below.)
Thought I would share a photo of my personal home from this summer. I have lived in this GLH since 1986 and I still love it! It is 3 miles from our office so a very easy commute. I planted the big Oak trees between the house and the lake. They sure have grown!
Six ways to build a better log home: 1. Proper orientation on the site. Consider the view from each room plus the path of the sun and direction of wind. (And don’t put your septic or well under where you plan on adding on a room later!) 2. Keep all the trees you can around your house. Use deciduous trees on the south and west to block the summer sun. Use a good windbreaking pine tree where you will have driving wind. 3. Think about window placement. Limit windows facing north. Limit windows facing west unless you have a porch to shade the sun. 4. Have rooms with more than one purpose. An office can double as a guest room. A sunroom can double for a dining room. Large open spaces provide flexibility and minimize square footage. 5. Use dormers in two story homes. They make a huge difference in the useable space in a sloped roof design. Worried about maintenance on the dormers? Use a low maintenance siding for the dormers so you won’t have to climb on the roof. 6. Don’t rush the design stage of the project. Changes are much easier to make on paper than on site during construction. We offer preliminary blueprints that allow you to get started at a nominal investment. Call us to find out how to get your plans started!
One of our home owners sent me this picture recently. This is a Lauderdale plan built on a walk out basement. It is all finished except for the rock on the exterior of the basement and the landscaping.
Do your kids or grandkids want to paint on the walls? NO PROBLEM!! Benjamin Moore has Chalkboard Paint that turns any interior surface into a chalkboard. It is water based so easily applied and is washable. PLUS Sherwin Williams makes a Dry Erase 2K paint that will create a dry erase wall. It can be applied to virtually any interior substrate and over any color. WOW! Those sure would have kept my kids out of trouble!
This is the front door chosen by one of our customers in Ohio. This is a Therma Tru Fiberglass door, which looks just like wood after it is stained.
The most important tool for log home construction: an accurate level Keeping walls level as you build anything is critical to a satisfactory end product. To do that, you need a level that is accurate and durable. Because lets face it: a level will be dropped numerous times during a project. Check out Empire Levels to see extreme durability. What else do you need from a level? You need to be able to see the bubble! Empire levels use Lexan glass for exceptional clarity.
This future “garage” was used as a vacation house until the “big house” could be built later. It will be converted to a garage and guest house at that time. Note how the location of the garage doors in the exterior walls was framed and sided so logs did not have to be cut out later.
Easy to Install Wi-Fi Enabled Light Switch: Want to be able to turn your lights on and off with your cell phone from anywhere in the world? All you need is a standard light switch connection, a Wi-Fi network and a Belkin We-Mo light switch. It has no minimum wattage so can be used with any type of light fixture and can even control ceiling fans. Works with Apple devices IOS5 or higher or Android devices 4.0 or higher.
All the cabinets in our future Log Cabin 2 Go park models will be made of Oak. This photo shows a double wardrobe unit with a storage window seat custom made for this cabin of Oak.
Kohler introduces first residential wall hung toilet! I admit it. The worst thing about cleaning a bathroom is around the bottom of the toilet. This toilet is awesome simply because it eliminates that step! Would save a lot of room, too. Plus, the need to “reset” the toilet if you replace the flooring. (Would need to be on a frame partition wall and not on a log wall for plumbing purposes.)
This is a modified Seven Gables built in Colorado. They built a three car detached garage and removed the two car attached garage and added wrap around porches. This home was built using our Smart Match log siding inside and outside.
Construction Seminar Schedule for 2013:
Here is our schedule for 2013!
Only one more this year!: Sept 28th
The one day construction seminars are held at our model home center on I70 on the southwest outer road of Exit 144 in Central Missouri. Call or email to register as class size is limited!
->Answer to the Trivia Question: Look here: The 8 Least Expensive Places to Live in the US to see the article and statistics. Places include Dalton, GA, Michigan City, IN, Sandusky, OH, Jonesboro, AR, Cape Girardeau, MO, Danville, IL, Morristown, TN and (drum roll please….) #8 is Jefferson City, MO!
Quote of the Month: “A taxpayer is someone who works for the federal government but doesn’t have to take a civil-service exam.” – Ronald Reagan
