Frequently Asked Questions

At Estemerwalt, we exclusively use Eastern White Pine, also known as knotty pine. It’s durable, beautiful and versatile, and unlike other species, it shrinks only minimally. This wood’s cell composition also provides superb structural integrity.

Eastern White Pine is a superb choice for log-home construction for several reasons. The wood’s even grain and texture allow it to hold finishes well. In addition, Eastern White Pine is abundant. This availability supports Estemerwalt’s commitment to sustainability in two ways: We buy trees from local loggers that regrow more quickly than some other trees, and the wood from those local trees is transported shorter distances. That also saves on shipping costs and time.

We operate our own saw mill at our company location in Honesdale, PA., where we manufacture nearly every wood surface that goes into your new home. This creates a log-home package that is among the most complete in the industry – and provides a greater value for you.

Estemerwalt offers three types of logs:

• D logs, flat on one side and otherwise rounded so they resemble the letter D, are manufactured in sizes from 6x6 to 10x12.
• Flat logs are available in dimensions such as 6x12, 8x12 and 10x12.
• Round logs are available in 10-inch and 12-inch diameters.

Another benefit that sets Estemerwalt apart is that we manufacture 10-inch and 12-inch diameter round logs specially cut with a double tongue-and-groove pattern. This precision milling ensures that they stack true and tightly. The result is the perfect rustic exterior and interior perimeter walls for every home.

In addition, we produce varieties of 1- and 2-inch lumber, such as trim, flooring and many other products. These are kiln-dried.

Estemerwalt’s professional, knowledgeable design team will meet with you to discuss your vision for your ideal log home. After creating an initial design, the team will work with you to customize it until it precisely aligns with your dream home.

Prices for log homes are very competitive with other houses. Our package typically comprises about one-third of overall construction costs. We provide sub-floor framing, log walls and assembly materials, stairs and railings, second-floor systems interior walls and coverings, windows, doors, roof assembly, porches and decks and interior and exterior trim.

The general contractor will perform the site work and build the foundation, erect your log home, add plumbing, heating and electrical systems, install the kitchen and fireplace and finish the bathroom(s). The builder also will create the driveway, stain the home and insulate it. Estemerwalt is happy to pair you with a builder that best suits your project. We also will provide a list of local banks to partner with you on your home-construction journey.

Quality is paramount in an Estemerwalt home. Producing our logs, flooring, tongue-and-groove paneling and other elements at our own mill ensures that our lumber meets our elite standards and helps us closely manage costs and pricing.

The kilns we use to dry wood are fired by sawdust, the byproduct of our operations. This process fosters our commitment to sustainability by saving millions of gallons of fossil fuels that otherwise would power our kiln. It also allows us to pass the savings to customers and invest more resources in creating log homes of industry-leading quality.

At Estemerwalt, our commitment to quality produces a home with superb sturdiness and durability. A study by Rob Pickett & Associates, a housing technology firm and log-home expert, found that “log structures provide exceptional endurance and integrity.” Pickett is an authority in design, engineering, materials estimating and pricing. A testament to the durability of log homes is the Nothnagle Cabin in Gibbstown, N.J. Built in 1638, is made from logs.

A log home’s outside walls can be erected quickly because the effort involves one process, while numerous steps are required to structure a stick-built home’s exterior. For example, a 1,500-square-foot log home can have its external walls in place in four to five days. A stick-built home requires erecting external wall studs, sheathing the structure and siding it. These homes then require inside work including insulation, Sheetrocking and painting. Overall construction time depends on the size and design of your log home, weather conditions and other factors. The time, however, will be comparable to the time to build any other custom-built home. Manufacturing the components of your log home in our saw mill results in greater time efficiency in delivering everything to your property for assembly.

Log homes have the same electrical and plumbing systems as other houses. Your builder will cut the openings needed in the logs and timber for electrical wiring. The interior walls of a log home are framed similarly to any other home, and incorporate pipes and plumbing fixtures in the same way.

Built with superb craftsmanship and the highest-quality materials, Estemerwalt log and timber homes require minimal maintenance. An oil-based stain applied to your home every three to seven years, for instance, will maintain your logs’ beauty and strength. Ongoing care, to ensure long-lasting benefits, also should include visually inspecting the exterior of your home. A benefit of log homes: There are no interior maintenance needs on log walls such as painting or wallpapering. Learn more about the preservation and maintenance of log homes in this report from the Log & Timber Homes Council of the National Association of Home Builders.

Yes, they are very quiet. The mass and thickness of logs and wood used in log homes ensure that they are quieter than stick-built homes. Outside noises do not easily penetrate into living areas, and internal sounds are far less likely to be heard outside. Sound is both blocked by the logs’ solid mass and deflected by their shape, texture and placement, as explained by the National Association of Home Builders Log & Timber Homes Council.

A properly crafted and sealed log home is extremely energy-efficient. Logs and solid wood are natural insulators. This attribute not only saves customers money, it helps conserve natural resources as well. In wood-frame homes, air infiltration and hollow spaces between studs can influence internal air temperatures and decrease energy efficiency. Log homes meet or exceed energy-efficient standards set in the International Building Code. In addition, log homes score well in blower-door tests, another standard for energy efficiency.

Our high-quality log homes are designed to meet or exceed all state, local and other codes, standards and requirements. As the construction of your home nears, your builder or general contractor will secure the permits needed.

Absolutely! We would love to meet with you at our location in Honesdale, PA., the most popular log-home state in the nation. You can view our Design Center and take a tour of our saw mill. Our website offers several suggestions for nearby lodging. If you can’t visit in person, we’re happy to have a video call with you and provide a virtual tour of our facility. We also welcome phone calls and emails. Whichever way is most convenient to communicate, you’ll find that we are honest, trustworthy, experienced and accommodating.