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Continuous Improvements/Technology

True North Log Homes is proud to introduce these innovative
log home building products. Click to learn more about each system:

The Key Spline Post Slide System
The New Log Lock Compression System
The Thermo-Groove Six Seal System

The Key Spline Post Slide System

Another Revolutionary Concept:

True North's ability to successfully join a log wall system to a post has become one of its foremost technological achievements. Our Key Spline system significantly expands our log home design possibilities. We can offer square post corners or utilize our exclusive Pentaposts to create any angled log walls desired. Turrets and prow fronts on your log home are easily accomplished. Log home design esthetic appearance remains intact.

DOWNLOAD INFO SHEET: KEYSPLINE

The blue arrows demonstrate the KEYSPLINE pulling the logs tight against the post forming 6 seals. The green arrows demonstrate the logs sliding down in the Post slide to accommodate log wall settlement.

Key Spline

A bay window wall configuration permits unique room design features i.e. breakfast nooks, hot tub rooms or turrets.

The Problem:

Overcoming the esthetic and structural issues when the log home design requires angled corner applications. (i.e. turrets, or prow features.)

Competitor's Bandage:

Competitor's typically stick-frame angled corner applications and clad with siding, compromising the structural integrity and esthetic appearance.

Esthetically: Nails used to attach siding can rust and deteriorate.
Structurally: Log walls settle, stick frame walls do not, which may lead to air infiltration. The competitor’s customer is required to regularly caulk and/or chink the transitional joint between the logs walls and the stick-frame walls.

True North's Solution:

True North's exclusive KEYSPLINE and POST SLIDE technology overcomes all esthetic and structural concerns. This technology provides an airtight seal between a post and a log wall while accommodating all log wall settlement. Our square and penta-posts permit any log wall angles required in log home design.

Installation of KEYSPLINE in Penta-post shown below.

Fig. 1		Fig. 2

(Fig. 1) A “Post Slide” has Fig. 6 been factory installed in the channel of the post. Four rows of foam tape are applied vertically on the post from top to bottom. Log 1 is installed against the post (brown arrow).		(Fig. 2) A specially designed foam pad is inserted into the Post Slide in the post and hole of Log 1. Two rows of foam tape are applied to each half of the KEYSPLINE. The first half KEYSPLINE “A” with a lower tab is inserted into the Post Slide in the post. The second half KEYSPLINE “B” with the upper tab is inserted into the Post Slide above KEYSPLINE “A”. The half KEYSPLINES slide together (orange arrows) and interlock to form one complete KEYSPLINE “C”.


Fig. 3		Fig. 4

(Fig. 3) KEYSPLINE “C” and the foam pad are then pushed downward (yellow arrow) along the Post Slide in the post and into the hole of Log 1. The foam pad completely seals between each Keyspline.		(Fig.4) A 10” spike is then driven into the top end of the KEYSPLINE (white arrow).

Fig. 5		Fig. 6

(Fig. 5) The spike separates the two halves of the KEYSPLINE in the hole of Log 1 (blue arrows). This action secures and pulls Log 1 tight (purple arrow) forming 8 seals while still permitting the logs to settle against the post.		(Fig. 6) Once the 4 rows of foam tape and 2 rows of butyl tape have been applied to the top of Log 1, Log 2 is then installed (green arrow) and the sequence continues.

What is the advantage to a True North customer?

Keyspline means:

Log Home Design Freedom
Airtight Square And Angled Post Corners
Esthetic And Structural Issues Resolved
Log Home Esthetics Remain Intact As Stick-Framing Is Not Required

The New Log Lock Compression System
(Patent Pending)

DOWNLOAD LOG LOCK INFO SHEET WATCH LOG LOCK VIDEO

Another industry first! Log Locks are installed in the centre of the log at approximately six-foot intervals and two feet back from the corners. The average size log home will require approximately 40 Log Locks depending on home design, to ensure the log walls remain tight. Competitor's thru-bolts installation time requires 2 days whereas True North's Log Lock cuts installation time to 2 hours.

The Problem:

Log walls are not held tight long term, due to obsolete joinery methods. The competitor's use of nails, screws, spring-less or spring only thru-bolts are obsolete fastening devices and may lead to gaps between the logs where air may penetrate the interior of the home.

Competitor's Bandage:

The competitor's customers are expected to fill the gaps between their logs with expensive and labor-intensive caulking and chinking on an annual basis.

True North's Solution:

Our new ratcheting Log Lock Compression system vir tually eliminates log wall separation. Our True North homeowners are spared the high maintenance cost of caulking and chinking, leaving more time for living-in rather than working-on their log home.

True North's Newest Secret:

The jaws hidden inside the Log Lock combined with the 2500 lb. compression spring are designed to permit the Log Lock to ONLY go downward one-way on the threaded rod. The Log Lock prevents logs from lifting, bowing or separating due to the naturally occurring shrinkage and settlement in log walls.

What is the advantage to a True North customer?

No air infiltration
Tight joints in log walls
No caulking or chinking, ever!
Eliminates adjustments and maintenance
Lightning fast installation = savings

DOWNLOAD LOG LOCK INFO SHEET WATCH LOG LOCK VIDEO

Thermo-Groove Six Seal System

True North's new Thermo-groove six seal system is an example of the kind of research and technology that makes True North the #1 choice among log homebuyers today.

Further Improving The True North Log Joinery System

The newly released Thermo-groove six-seal patent pending system is a recent innovation for True North Log Homes and available on our 8" x 12", 10" x 12" and 12" x 12" logs. The True North tongue and groove technology is designed with six channels to accommodate the butyl rubber tape sealant and the asphalt impregnated foam gasket tape. The outside channels are angled to accommodate the butyl tape. During construction, this unique angle prevents the butyl tape from falling off while setting the log above and actually increases the seal from 1/4" to 3/8" as we are utilizing the diagonal of the butyl tape instead of the width from side to side. This increases performance without the extra cost of a 3/8" seal. The channels also prevent the sealant from being completely flattened out by the upper log, so when movement occurs in the logs, a sufficient amount of sealant is still able to flex. The remaining four channels are designed to accommodate the asphalt impregnated foam tape. The foam tape provides insulation value and when compressed 50% it becomes waterproof.

The thermal performance can be compared to a thermal pane window: if the six seals represent six panes of glass, the trapped air space between the glass will act as an insulator. Each section of dead air space between the tongue and groove seals reacts in the same way thereby improving thermal performance.

The Thermo-groove six-seal tongue and groove system enhances thermal performance and significantly improves the sealing capabilities of the tongue and groove joints between the logs.