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The Overscribe Advantage
Picture of Scandinavian corner notch
When building a handcrafted log home, the choice of log joinery used to construct your home will have the most dramatic visual and structural effect of any decision made throughout your construction process.
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Our handcrafted log home buildings implement the Scandinavian Overscribe construction method. The location where two adjacent wall logs make contact is called the lateral groove. It provides the connection between logs and accommodates our All-Weather Barrier gasket. The careful detailing and precise crafting of this groove is essential to maintaining a tight seal.
There are other techniques that are easier to produce with somewhat adequate results; none can surpass the time proven method known as Scandinavian Overscribe. Please see the illustrations below for more on how overscribe log home building works.
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Every Log Connection home is built using the overscribe method to ensure that your home maintains its natural beauty and handcrafted character for years to come. What you see today may not be what you see in the future if your builder neglects to employ the complete overscribe technique.
How the Overscribe Works
 
 
Overscribing is a technique in which a slightly larger space is initially created between the wall logs (lateral groove) than that of the corner notches. A shrinkage relief is cut into the top of each corner notch allowing it to bear 100% of the log wall weight. As the logs dry and shrink in diameter, the log above settles into the shrinkage relief, and the overscribe of the lateral groove closes, bringing all the scribed surfaces into full contact. The bearing load is now equally shared between the notch and the lateral groove. This method yields a weather tight seal that will last for generations.
Overscribed logs before settling Overscribed logs after settling
 
Tightly fit notches are the heart of your log structure. They resist any twisting that may occur in the wall logs, maintain the structural integrity of the home and prevent air infiltration. Chinking and caulking can prevent air infiltration but are not appealing substitutes for the tight fitting notches and joinery which characterize the handcrafted log masterpiece you have chosen as your home.
 
What you see today may not be what you see in the future if your builder neglects to employ the complete overscribe technique. Every Log Connection home is built using the overscribe method to ensure that your home maintains its natural beauty and handcrafted character for years to come.
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