We Manufacture Almost All Log Houses from Spruce

Spruce is an excellent choice for log house construction for many reasons. Its unique properties make it an ideal material, offering long-term benefits in terms of both durability and appearance.

Spruce’s Superior Moisture Resistance

The cellular structure of spruce wood is denser and more uniform compared to pine, making it less prone to moisture fluctuations. The cell structure of spruce resembles the heartwood of pine, meaning spruce does not absorb moisture as pine does. This is particularly significant in modern houses without eaves, where walls are more exposed to moisture. Thanks to the properties of spruce, walls maintain their quality for decades. Its excellent moisture resistance also reduces the risk of mold and decay, enhancing the house’s longevity.

Spruce with Smaller Knots

Spruce typically has smaller knots compared to pine. This not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of a log house but also reduces the number of knot holes and other inconsistencies that could weaken structural integrity. Smaller knots create smoother and more visually pleasing walls.

Spruce Darkens Less Than Pine

The darkening of logs over time varies depending on the type of wood. In Finland, pine has traditionally been the most common material for log houses. Pine is naturally darker and more variegated than spruce, and it darkens significantly over time when exposed to sunlight and other environmental factors.

Spruce retains its beautiful, light color better than pine. This makes spruce an excellent choice if you want your log house to maintain a bright and fresh appearance for years to come. The light tone creates a sense of brightness and spaciousness, which is particularly important in Nordic interior design.

At Polar Life Haus, we have always manufactured log houses from both pine and spruce. In recent years, however, our customers have increasingly requested lighter log surfaces. For this reason, we now produce nearly all of our log houses from lighter and smaller-knotted spruce logs. Spruce provides a more aesthetically pleasing and brighter appearance, retaining its lightness significantly better over time than pine.

Although spruce darkens over time, it does so much more slowly and less noticeably than pine. This means that a house built with spruce logs will retain its original bright and fresh look for longer, which is important for many of our customers. The darkening of the logs can also be slowed down with various surface treatments that protect the wood from UV rays and other environmental impacts.

Less Resin

Spruce contains less resin than pine, which is a clear advantage for log house structures. Less resin means fewer sticky surfaces and less resin leakage over time. It also reduces the formation of resin pockets, which could weaken the wood’s structural integrity and aesthetic appeal.

Summary

Spruce offers many advantages as a raw material for log houses. Its excellent moisture resistance, small knots, light color, and low resin content make it an ideal choice for creating durable and beautiful log houses. By choosing spruce, you are investing in long-lasting quality and aesthetic enjoyment.