Why Post and Beam Construction Is Popular in Mountains
Why Post and Beam Construction Is Popular in Mountains
Post and beam construction has existed since the European Middle Ages, depicted in paintings, and some even stand in Europe today. In greater North America, there are some post and beam construction homes that are still standing from colonial America. Today, post and beam home designs are becoming more prevalent and modernized with technology and advanced techniques that give them a modern look without sacrificing the post and beam charm.
Let’s dive into why post and beam homes are popular in mountainous areas and regions, as well as a brief comparison of timber frame homes. The timber frame building method is a popular building method that lasts equally as long as the post and beams. The two construction methods are very similar, so let’s first take a look into what the difference between the two is.
Post and Beam VS Timber Frame, What is the Difference?
Timber homes can be either post and beam construction or timber frame, with the main difference being how the timbers are connected to each other. Post and beam construction typically uses decorative steel plates to tie members together. Timber frame, on the other hand, uses centuries-old building techniques that are connected by mortise and tenon joints and secured together with wooden pegs, typically made of strong material like maple or oak. Oak pegs are traditionally used for their durability as well as their availability.
The beams of both techniques of these homes are fully exposed to the inside. The timbers allow for a home to have much more clerestory space adding great amounts of volume to a room and highlighting the beauty of the wood. Many cabin homebuyers appreciate and love the beauty of the exposed framing in both build styles, and you can’t go wrong with either style.
Post and Beam VS Timber Frame: the Pricing
Timber frame homes are typically much more expensive than post and beam log home designs. The primary reason for this is that precision cutting and fitting the joints is very labor intensive and requires skilled labor to be done correctly. The second reason is that timber framing requires a cost increase for the extra timber. At Logangate Timber Homes, we utilize post and beam home designs to achieve a beautiful end product without breaking the bank or over-extending your intended budget.
Post and Beam VS Timber Frame: Similarities
Timber frame cabins and post and beam home designs both typically feature expansive wood vaulted ceilings instead of traditional drywall ceilings. Wood vaulted ceilings mean no popcorn ceiling, which is a vehemently opposed tragedy that was popular between the 1950s to the 1980s. So when you choose timber frame cabins or post and beam log home designs, you’re actually choosing timeless elegance that won’t go out of style.
Post and Beam Construction in the Mountains
Now that we’ve covered the two build methods, why are post and beam framing so popular in mountainous or hilly regions? The answer lies in its sturdy construction practices and how homebuyers love the traditional feel of open timber homes. Many mountain homes and lodges begin with a strong foundation on a steep lot. In a traditional home building project, the sloping grade of the lot is a very difficult problem to solve. Today, professional contractors often use a combination of pedestal homes and cantilevers to build the home around the natural landscape with minimal disturbance to the site. Building homes in this manner means preserving the natural beauty of the mountainous landscape. Another option is our Horizon plan. On steeper lots you don’t want a deep house plan, meaning from street side to view side. The deeper your plan the taller and taller your back foundation the more costly. The Horizon is only 22’-24’ deep and the width grows and shrinks in 6’ increments.
Logangate’s Mountain Home Building Process
Logangate Timber Homes are designed and built with affordability, style, and reliability in mind. Our homes begin with materials that are directly sourced from long-time partners. Partnering with lumber distributors saves on time and cost, which trickles down to the homebuyer. Additionally, our homes are manufactured in parts of a whole in an off-site climate-controlled manufacturing warehouse. Building homes in sections (also known as prefabrication) saves on the cost of materials, allows for greener and more energy efficient homes, and faster build times.
Reputation for Building Affordable and Reliable Homes
At Logangate Timber Homes, we hold a core value of building quality homes at an affordable and fair price for our clients has kept us going for over 50 years. At Logangate, we are proud of our reputation as one of the trusted leaders in the building industry. We’ve earned our reputation by building high-quality, gorgeous timber homes throughout the continental United States at a fair price with an emphasis on our client satisfaction. We believe everyone should have the home of their dreams, and we are committed to delivering post and beam home designs that will exceed expectations and be a pleasure to call home for generations to come.
Whether the property will be an investment home, a vacation home, or a forever home, homebuyers love the look and feel of a mountain lodge or cabin. Post and beam homes embody that spirit that homebuyers look for, and many look no further than Logangate Timber Homes!
