Perfect Pitch
Log Home Living|August 2017

The key to a top-notch roof isn’t about how it looks, it’s how it works that counts.

Dan Mitchell
Perfect Pitch

It’s easy to get caught up in how your new log home will “look.” Everybody does, and for good reason — aesthetics are important. But what’s even more vital is how well your home will function, and your roof is a large part of its performance.

Though your roof makes up at least a third of your home’s curb appeal, it isn’t just something pretty to look at. At its core, your roof protects you from the elements, whether it’s rain, snow, blazing heat, debris, etc. You need the best roof you can afford, designed and covered to fit your home’s location.

A key element of a roof’s performance is its pitch. As a builder, I recommend incorporating as much pitch as possible, while keeping in line with the home’s overall design. A mantra in the log home industry is nothing less than a 3/12 pitch, meaning that the roof rises 3 feet for every 12-foot span. Personally, I advise my clients to double that to a 6/12 pitch (including porch coverings and gables), because it will shed fallen leaves, snow and rain more effectively and give the home a better aesthetic value with a negligible cost increase.

Having a hard time visualizing it? Think of it this way: If a 6-foot-tall man holds a 12-foot-long stick so it’s at head level on one end and slopes it to the ground at the other, the angle that’s created is a 6/12 pitch.

This story is from the August 2017 edition of Log Home Living.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August 2017 edition of Log Home Living.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM LOG HOME LIVINGView All
Coop It Up
Log Home Living

Coop It Up

With hobby farming making a comeback, here are 3 musts for starting your own backyard chicken flock.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2017
The Quest For H2O
Log Home Living

The Quest For H2O

A combination of research, technology and planning will help you tap into your subterranean water source.

time-read
4 mins  |
June/July 2017
Out Of The Woods
Log Home Living

Out Of The Woods

Furniture maker Bob Brown has a unique approach to his craft — he lets the wood tell him what it wants to be.

time-read
3 mins  |
June/July 2017
Second Nature
Log Home Living

Second Nature

A young family builds their all-natural vacation retreat in the lush forests of Ohio’s Hocking Hills.

time-read
5 mins  |
June/July 2017
From Missiles To Muses
Log Home Living

From Missiles To Muses

This self-taught woodcarver used to design warheads for a living. Now his attention has turned to more tranquil and inspiring projects.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2018
Log Home Living

Living On The (Modern) Edge

Living On The (Modern) Edge

time-read
1 min  |
March 2018
Log Home Living

Build It Yourself: Double Porch Rocker

With its solid construction and classic design, this rocker is sure to be the most relaxing project you have ever built.

time-read
1 min  |
February 2018
Log Home Living

Metal Roof Maintenance

Here’s the down-and-dirty scoop on cleaning and maintaining a metal roof.

time-read
2 mins  |
February 2018
Secret Stash
Log Home Living

Secret Stash

Storage is at a premium in any home, no matter its size. But the smaller a house is, the more efficiently it has to perform. If your big dream is for a little log cabin, here are 11 unexpected ways you can boost its storage space without upping its square footage.

time-read
3 mins  |
February 2018
Nature's Course
Log Home Living

Nature's Course

Golf legend Arnold Palmer’s family gives new life to a vintage barn.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2017