Post and Beam & Piece-en-Piece Log Structures

We really have a passion for log post and beam structures! Post and Beam log homes offers a great deal of design flexibility and are also adaptable to a wide range of budgets.

This type of building showcases the form and function of a structure; vertical posts supporting horizontal timbers. Post and beam can feature very simple or complex joinery, and adapts well as a hybrid by including several rounds of scribe-fit or chinked logwork at the base of the structure.

Post and beam uses fewer logs while maintaining the strength and appeal of a traditional log home. Exposed timbers are flattened to accept stress-skin infill panels or conventional wall framing, while the interior and exterior of the logs retain their natural shape. Infill panels can be finished with stucco, tongue and groove or board and batten. Interior walls are typically finished with drywall or plaster.

A Piece-en-Piece Log Structure is essentially a load bearing post and beam frame using horizontal log in-fill panels for the walls, and offers great versatility of design.

The tradition of piece-en-piece was a logical log home construction choice in areas where long logs were less available. The short-log in-fill panels also made construction easier in the absence of the lifting systems we enjoy today.

That said, piece-en-piece is one of the most expensive choices in today's log home; labour intensive, each set of panels is pre-built, pre-assembled and pre-bolted at our site using either scribed or chinked system style, depending on the aesthetic preference of the customer. Panels are tenoned and ready to slide into pre-cut slots in the posts.

The house featured here was designed by Murray Arnott. You can find your way to his site by visiting our links page.

Logs used for post and beam and piece-en-piece log homes are approximately 18" -24" in diameter. Our species of choice are Western red cedar and Douglas fir.