My Wife Doesn't Want Logs in the Kitchen

Many of our customers, after giving the exterior of their home a cedar log make-over, want to continue the log look and install log siding inside too. The aesthetically obsessed have even installed log siding throughout the house, including the kitchen and bathroom! While we appreciate the rustic motif as much as anyone, there is something to be said for other interior finishes.

An advantage of modern frame construction is that it allows for the installation of a wide range of exterior and interior finishes. So now that you have opted for the log look outside, here are some ways to bring some rustic appeal indoors without over doing it.

One or two walls paneled with log siding in the living area is done most often. Just one log paneled wall facing you as you enter the room immediately gives log cabin impact. If you elect to panel two (or more) walls, use a 2 x 2 trim piece at the inside corner as miter cuts rarely match perfectly. Take care to make nice square cuts, as you will not have the luxury of hiding gaps and bad cuts with caulking as you did outside. Where the log paneling butts up against adjoining walls, no trim is needed. The curvature of the logs against textured sheet rock or other flat surfaces give a scalloped effect that accentuates the log cabin feel.

One rustic minded homeowner who had a lavish home with a large, round, sunken living room really wanted to get the outdoors in. He had the contractor install a huge, 30 foot log right in the middle of the room to support his cathedral type ceiling. That was just an aside. Let's get practical again.

Wainscoting is another option. Log siding installed three or four feet high along a wall or the perimeter of a room will definitely give the log cabin flavor - with half the work. The weather lap on the top course will have to be removed and planned smooth. Handle the inside corners as suggested above.

Keep in mind that you can also install log siding vertically for a "stockade type" look. When installing vertically, corner trim is not needed.

Occasionally, a room will have an "outside" corner extending into the room. If you are paneling this room with log siding, log corner assemblies used here not only help with the log cabin atmosphere, but can double as a handy place for knickknacks.

Any exposed beams can also be lined with log siding adding to the rustic effect.

Since it is desirable to keep it as bright as possible indoors, and although we discourage the use of pine on the exterior of the house because of maintenance problems, pine can be an excellent choice inside where the moisture and UV rays can do no harm.

Pine is light in color, has a pleasing knot pattern and is less costly than cedar. If you like the fragrance, and will be using cedar inside, a good choice is our light colored Port Orford cedar.

Whatever wood you choose for your "log" interior, Urethane or Varethane are two products that will preserve the natural color of the wood and provide a hard smooth surface that will be easy to keep clean. Especially in the kitchen!

Author: Ron Berge - Modulog Industries Inc. http://www.modulog.com.