Western red cedar is widely used for log homes and log cabins. It is preferred for export to Europe and Japan, and is a very aromatic wood. It can be very costly, however. It is a much softer wood and has a tight grain. It is insect resistant, which makes it more preferable for export. Watch for a spiral grain when peeling this log as the spiral can cause the log to twist after it begins to dry. We are still able to use old growth as well as second growth Western red cedar.

Douglas fir is also frequently used for log homes and log cabins and is also readily available, although only second growth fir is used. The second growth is anywhere from 80 to 120+ years old. The old growth is just too big! There is less marking during logging, as opposed to Western red cedar, because this type of wood has a harder bark on it. Checking is about the same as Western red cedar, and the grain is fairly fine. Like Western red cedar, a spiral can cause twisting of the log after it begins to dry.

Engleman spruce is grown at higher elevations and is from the interior and northern British Columbia. It is somewhat straighter than fir and is a soft wood. It has a fine grain and produces no pitch. It is readily available for use in log homes and log cabins and is competitively priced.

Lodgepole pine is less expensive than cedar or fir and can be a good choice for a log home building. Keep in mind that pine has a high sugar content which, when compounded with the moisture content, can cause a blue stain.

WOOD SHRINKAGE AND MOISTURE CONTENT:
All log homes and log cabins will shift and settle, regardless of the species of wood chosen, or the construction methods used. Without proper construction, settling in a log home or log cabin can cause problems as logs shrink as they dry out. Log walls are also subject to compression from the weight of the logs placed above them. This is another key factor in choosing not necessarily the least expensive log home company to build your home, but rather one that produces the highest quality work.

A good log home builder is aware of the wood shrinkage that will occur and takes this process into account in the designing and building of their homes. An experienced builder has the ability and knowledge to calculate the amount of shrinkage that will occur in a log, and by using proven techniques, compensate for any future shrinkage that the log will undergo.

As handcrafters work with much larger diameter logs in longer lengths than manufactured log homes and log cabins, kiln drying is not generally an option.

Rather than fighting the shrinkage, a good handcrafter must have an excellent understanding of the dynamics of a given species of wood in order to accurately anticipate shrinkage that will occur, and compensate for the settling that will likewise occur.