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As published in Northern Business Journal
Panache Wood Products of Sudbury is doing something the provincial
government and wood industry representatives would like to see
throughout the North. It is selling value added wood products – products
harvested in the North, refined in the North and ultimately sold to
northerners.
“We need to have more of these manufacturing firms in the North,” says Jim Cullen, owner of Panache Wood Products, an exclusive dealer for the Chapleau based manufacturer, North Country Log Homes.
For thirty years North Country has harvested raw material from regional
forests to produce uniquely designed, gleaming logs for the building of
homes, saunas, camps and an assortment of other buildings. For the last
two years, Cullen has been promoting the product to the
Sudbury-Manitoulin and French River regions, highlighting features
which, he says, distinguish North Country’s products.
“There are many features to the design of our logs which make them unique in the industry,” he explained.
Doubled tongue and grooved cuts milled into each log ensure that logs, when placed on top of each other produce a tight, seamless fit, preventing moisture and other material from penetrating the wood. So called “saddle notches” keep log ends fastened tightly and symmetrically together. North Country Log Homes employs a “chinkless” method of assembly. Chinks are filler commonly found in older models seen between logs. They could be a potpourri of materials like hay, cement, hair and dried dung.
Chinks provide a haven for moisture to penetrate the material and eventually rot out the logs. In a chinkless system each log is tightly mated to the one below, producing a hermetically sealed wall unit.
Adhering to using the best material and latest technology, Cullen insists that today’s log structures can be built with a minimum of maintenance requirements. The manufacturer uses only the best material from each tree, scaling down layers of moistened wood until only the “heartwood” is left. Cullen says this provides the best material and saves headaches down the road when moisture and other contaminants threaten the structural integrity of the logs.
“The heartwood is a more stable product,” he says, adding, “with less moisture embedded in the wood, the drying time is quicker and there’s more structural integrity to the finished product.”
Cullen sells only red and white pine logs, a preferred choice known for their rich luster and beautifully grained appearance. With the advent of more refined stains, ultra violet coating and fungicides on the market, log home exteriors can maintain their lustrous gleam for five years before a touch up coat is required.
Jim Cullen has been busy. Since he introduced the product to the
regional market, interest has been growing and customers have been
paying for the privilege to live in log homes, many surrounded by
forested areas. His product can be found on the shores of several lakes
in the Sudbury region. And business continues to expand into a much
larger market. “We have sold homes throughout the United States and as
far (away) as Germany,” he said.
Cullen attributes much of North Country’s success to its two tiered product service. Solid log homes, which come in eight, ten and 12 inch diameters, is one product option. The other is the log-siding product which, says Cullen, provides many benefits.
“If you look at a cottage which has been retro(-)fitted with log siding, it’s almost indistinguishable from a real log home.” Log siding finishes are coming into vogue because of the look, easy maintenance and comparably lower price than a full log structure. Log sidings are also widely used for interior finishes and are found attached to garages, sheds and saunas.
As an exclusive agent for the region, Cullen also provides advice and do-it-yourself-kits complete with manuals for customers eager to assemble their own structures or refinish surfaces with log siding.
Customers can also expect competitive prices, a function of having the
product harvested and produced in northern Ontario. “Because our mill is
in the North it gives us a cost advantage which we pass onto the
consumer,” Cullen said.
Further information can be obtained from Panache Wood Products website at: www.panachelogcabinkits.com
For professional results, contact Marek Krasuski at (705) 675-5571 or by email: news@marekkrasuski.com
Marek Krasuski writes for:
thesudburystar.com | northernbusinessjournal.ca | offroadproductions.ca |