We do our best to locate FSC certified logs.

What is FSC Certified Wood?

We build according to National Building Code. But we go further than that, to ensure the quality and safety of your home:

• We strive to provide exceptional customer service, with attention to detail. And we work directly with you, our customer.
• Logs are chosen for quality, and peeled by hand.
• Many builders use log-tongs to move logs. These leave holes in logs: we don’t believe in marring the beauty of your logs this way.
• All surfaces are plane – cut, not sanded. This gives you a smoother, cleaner finish.
• We use EMSEAL – a high tech sealant tape that expands and contracts with your logs.
• We use a “yard guard” that has been rated as environmentally preferable, certified by Environment Canada’s EcoLogo program. This protects logs against rot, mold, UV breakdown and insect damage during construction.
• We use sheep’s wool batting, not fibreglass, to insulate between lateral grooves and notches. This is safer for everyone, and environmentally friendly.
• Our commitment to building environmentally friendly homes includes providing you with information, resources,
  and sources that will enhance your home – inside and out.
• We adhere to safety standards on job sites.
• Owners are welcome to participate in the building process, under Dave’s direction.
• We have fun, because we love what we do.
• Local people are involved in forest management.
• The rights of Indigenous Peoples are respected.

We are endeavouring to use FSC certified wood products in our construction to support the efforts of responsible foresters, and to ensure that forests will be healthy and whole seven generations from now. For detailed information on this certification process, see the FSC website at http://www.fsccanada.org.

Logs are chosen for quality, and peeled by hand. All surfaces are plane – cut, not sanded, to give you a smoother, cleaner finish. What we are looking for in our building logs:

• FSC certified
• 10” top size minimum (length varies)
• straighttaper: 1” per 10 feet of log
• sweep: reasonable
• no machine/bug/rot damage
• straight grain (max. 1” in 20”)
• newly harvested (can control checking, and reduce/eliminate bug and fungicidal damage, as well as UV damage, by applying a “yard guard”)

Many builders use log-tongs to move logs. These leave holes in logs: we don’t believe in marring the beauty of your logs this way.

We use EMSEAL – a high tech sealant tape that expands and contracts with logs.

WHY USE EMSEAL LOG HOME SEALANT tape?

• Permanent elasticity/memory allows it to adjust to the shrinking and settling natural to log construction
• It expands to fill all contours
• EMSEAL provides a weathertight seal and thermally insulates over extreme temperature ranges
• Does not dry out, become brittle or crack
• Unlike putty-type (butyl) and liquid sealants which squeeze-out under compression, EMSEAL compresses into itself and remains in place.
• Resistant to ultraviolet light and ozone
• Does not cause “log-float” (suspension of logs by airfilled cells of closed-cell gaskets)
• Highly resistant to vermin (bugs, rodents, birds, etc.)
• No ozone-depleting chemicals used in manufacturing and contains no volatile organic compounds (V.O.C.’s)
• We use a “yard treatment” that has been rated as environmentally preferable, certified by Environment Canada’s EcoLogo program. This protects logs against rot, mold, UV breakdown and insect damage during construction.

We use sheep’s wool batting, not fibreglass, to insulate between lateral grooves and notches. This is safer for everyone, and environmentally friendly.

For a full listing of the benefits of wool for insulation during home construction, see the link to our supplier: http://www.goodshepherdwool.com/benefits.htm

Here is some more information about the sheep’s wool insulation we use, from the producer:

“Sheep wool insulation products are now being offered containing petrochemicals &/or plastics, and the manufacturer is very tight-lipped about it! These cheaper products are coming available and use either recycled carpet or polyester chemicals to reduce the amount of wool in their product thereby reducing the cost and the R-value. So often people go for cotton or other cheaper products like wool laced with petrochemicals and we later hear how unhappy they are. We use 100% virgin wool (no recycled fibres) with a natural borax treatment for mice, moths, mildew and insects. You will not find sheep wool insulation cheaper anywhere in North America that uses 100% virgin wool. Please beware of impostors offering a cheap product that doesn't insulate nearly as well and brings petrochemicals into your home. They usually say nothing about the additives used so you think you are getting 100% virgin wool but it is anything but that! It's another case of buyer-beware.”

We adhere to safety standards on job sites.
We want our employees to feel safe at work. For that reason, we use the safety equipment provided for our industry, and our job sites are drug and alcohol free. When our employees are safe, your home will be built by people who are free to focus on the job at hand and applying themselves 100 % to the quality construction that you have a right to expect.

Our commitment to building environmentally-friendly homes includes providing you with information, resources, and sources that will enhance your home – inside and out.
“Building green” is not just a catchy phrase, it’s a way of life. We know that you are likely doing a lot of research to make this happen and we want to support this in any way we can. To that end, we have put together info packages to help you locate more information to help you in your planning process – which is where every green home should start! Drop us a line requesting this information, and we will e-mail it to you.

Owners are welcome to participate in the building process, under Dave’s direction.

We have fun, because we love what we do!