A poorly built log house shows its construction flaws quickly — within a few years the structure can start to rot. A carelessly built house's energy costs are, at today's prices, a painful hit to the wallet too. It all starts with one decision: who you trust with your project.
"It really does start with choosing the builder: it's always safer when a log-house company can show a certificate confirming every stage of production is checked and compliant materials are used. The builder has to know every detail of their work — there's no other way today. Competent site supervision is also a big support for the client." Taavi Tuvike, CEO of Vipson Projekt OÜ
Certification is not a formality
A certified builder and competent site supervision also bring a practical advantage: a house built under their supervision is easier to get an occupancy permit for, since the documentation is done correctly from the start.
It all starts with a good design
As with any construction project, it pays to use competent designers and engineers for a log house too — this also helps the client think through their own floor plan properly. A well thought-out design significantly reduces building costs and avoids later disputes with the builder, neighbours and other parties.
"The general rule is — think through your wishes and needs for the house. Bring in a designer or architect, check and approve the project documentation, which should state the volume of the building, the materials used, and a description of each specialist part of the project." Taavi Tuvike
The roof carries the biggest heat loss
A handcrafted log house's insulation can't be compared to other house types — its own rules apply. The joints between special parts and window/door openings need to be both insulated and moisture-proof, and the result depends heavily on technical choices: whether the joints are sealed, and what kind of wool insulation is used. If you want an especially warm log wall, the building can later be insulated from the outside and clad with siding.
"A strange belief has taken hold that if you build a stone house you put 30 cm of wool under the roof, and 20 cm for a log house. In reality it should be the other way round — a log wall isn't as insulating, so the roof should get more insulation. The roof joints should also be taped for maximum airtightness. Special attention should go to the transition points between the roof and the walls." Taavi Tuvike
A simple rule applies to the insulation layer: more rather than less. The right amount is found by calculation and depends on the project — cutting corners here usually just means the same money gets spent on extra heating later. Roof ventilation is just as important: if moisture reaches the structure, it needs to be able to breathe back out. Extra care is needed with metal roofing, where often only a 20 mm spacer batten is fitted under the roofing material.
Corners and window surrounds on older houses
If an older log house hasn't had external insulation added, it's worth checking draughty corners, log gaps and window surrounds — sealing them is a quick way to save energy. A thermal-camera survey can pinpoint exact heat-loss spots, since window surrounds are typically where the biggest heat loss occurs. Log gaps can be insulated with sheep's wool, flax felt or moss, for example, and the window and door trim needs to be removed for this and the surrounds taped — a special wind barrier tape on the outside, a vapour barrier tape on the inside.
Not every material suits a handcrafted log house's structure: reaching for expanding foam to fill a draughty corner is not the right solution. Log houses need breathable materials, special tapes and seals.
Windows, doors and wind
"For a log house, it's the windows, doors and roof that especially need to be well-insulated. Winter cold isn't the biggest problem — it's the wind. And log houses are often built right by the water, where there's a beautiful view — if there are also open two-storey glass walls, you get a feeling indoors that the wind is moving through the room. Large glass surfaces cool the air in the room, and that needs to be factored in if you want big glass façades." Taavi Tuvike
A backup plan for outages
Most log houses are built in the countryside, where week-long power outages aren't unusual. If a house's only heat source is an air or ground-source heat pump with no stove or cooker, you're simply left in the cold during an outage.
"Although current legislation doesn't favour building a wood-fired stove, log houses are mostly built in the countryside rather than in town, and week-long power outages are common there. If your house's heat source is an air or ground-source heat pump with no stove or cooker, you'll simply freeze." Taavi Tuvike
A wood-fired heat source is also a sensible backup if electricity prices rise too high. Although a heat pump gives a house a higher energy rating than wood heating, it's worth weighing up which is actually more valuable. "But what good is that if you're sitting in 24-degree cold for a week," notes Taavi Tuvike.
Log vs. brick/block
Masonry walls aren't as warm as a classic frame- or wool-insulated log house. A masonry house needs its air heat pump turned up to 24 degrees, since stone radiates cold — a log house feels just as comfortable at 20 degrees, since wood already feels warm to the touch. Masonry's initial cost may look cheaper, but that's only the start: insulation, boards, plastering and interior finishing all add up. A log house, too, can later have a wind-barrier board and a little extra insulation added, but that doesn't have to be done right away.
Certification as a guarantee
Vipson Projekt OÜ is a certified manufacturer of handcrafted log houses and log saunas, with buildings sold to both the Nordic countries and Estonia. A certificate gives the manufacturer, on one hand, the right to sell the product on the construction market, and on the other, it's a guarantee to the buyer — the manufacturer confirms that the production process has been checked from every angle, from sourcing the timber to the fixings used. Vipson Projekt's craftsmen have been trained by Norwegian log-building specialists.
Besides log houses and saunas, Vipson Projekt makes custom solid-wood furniture to order and has also built wooden bridges (including for Kõltsu Manor), forest pavilions, smoke saunas and swings — as side products, firewood and pine bark mulch are also produced.