The corners where the log walls intersect are an important part of the unique log building look. They add flavor to the appearance. In the early days of log building the corners made the difference in how the logs fit together. When builders could not count on the logs fitting together tightly, the corners were the main way the logs were held together. Now that logs are milled and standardized, the logs fit together over their entire length. This made the corners less important to hold the building together. The corner design become more of an appearance decision.

You can select a corner type to fit how you want your log building to look. There are three basic styles of corners. These are intersecting, overlapping and interlocking. Each has a distinctive look and all are in use today.

The intersecting corner is where the logs on the connecting walls butt up against each other. They form an alternating pattern where each log end presses against the side of the log on the other wall. Each wall has alternating long and short logs to allow the logs to mesh together. This makes for a strong connection between the two walls. The logs don’t extend past the corner.

The overlapping corner is where the logs are stacked on each other. They have notches cut into them to allow them to fit over the log on the other side. They fit together like puzzle pieces. The notches hold the walls together. The logs on each side extend past the corner. This is a look many people associate with older log buildings.

The interlocking corner is where dovetail shaped notches and protrusions are cut into the logs. The logs in the one wall fit into the notches in the other. These corners are like dovetail joints in wooden furniture. It is a very popular corner type and provides a strong connection. The logs extend past the corner but with less overhang than the overlapping corner joint.

The corners in your home will depend on how you want it to look and what corners are available from the supplier of your logs. We suggest you look at many log building pictures and decide what look you want.

We at Log Cabins for Less will be glad to help you in your design decisions. We have the experience to guide you through the maze of choices that building this type of custom home entail.

Please contact us if your have any questions.