Ward Advantage

Among many other "industry firsts," Ward was the first to offer a complete home package and it remains one of the most comprehensive packages available today, with the highest quality components available from any log home manufacturer.

Our packages include the majority of other components required for construction, so there are no unpleasant, costly surprises and no delays resulting from extra trips made to the local lumberyard or home center.  (See our complete materials list enclosed in our Planning Guide). We also use only the best name-brand materials. As a result of our ability to buy in bulk, you benefit from preferred pricing on a wide range of brand-name components. Of course, you have the flexibility to eliminate or substitute nearly any component you like.

Our Included Features:

If you prefer to buy some of your materials locally, talk to a Ward sales representative about our Cedar Starter Package, which includes the pre-cut log structure, windows, doors and roof framing system. From there you add only the components you want.

• Energy-efficient Andersen® "tilt-wash" high performance windows
• Schlage exterior locksets for security
• Schlage Bright Brass knob sets for interior door hardware
• Log walls and timbers that are structurally graded 
• Pre-cut numbered and graded Northern White Cedar log walls and gables
• Complete roof system, including 30 year CertainTeed architectural shingles, drip edge, flashing and trim
• 6 panel, pre-hung interior doors
• First floor system, including AdvanTech sub floor 
• Beamed loft system and flooring
• Stairs with pre-cut cedar railings
• Premium quality tongue-and-groove paneling for interior walls and ceilings to carry the warmth of natural wood throughout
• Exterior and interior pre-cut Northern White Cedar trim for all doors and windows
• Porches and decks with pressure-treated framing and Cedar decking

Fitting your needs is our primary concern at Ward. We know a Ward Cedar Log Home is the right choice, but it has to be right for you. Once you have decided on a Ward Home, we help you discover options for planning and pricing that conform to your needs and wishes while offering some ideas you may not have thought of.

Whether your log home is based on a traditional farmhouse, a colonial design, a gambrel, or a Western ranch, we offer more design flexibility than you can imagine.

You also have the opportunity to personally design your dream home. Bring us photos of home styles you love or a rough floor plan sketched on paper, and your dream will be brought to life. At no extra cost, our complete Custom Design Service will guide the process and help you develop a plan to specifically meet your needs. We use advanced computer-aided design software to expedite this process and make it easy for you to visualize your new home.

Rest assured that, whatever type of home you envision, we will take your initial ideas through to final finished drawings. And no matter what kind of home you choose to build, when your home package arrives on site, everything is ready for you or your builder.

Ninety-five percent of Ward Cedar Log Homes are built for year round living. From the sometimes chilling northernmost corners of the United States to the hot, humid South and the arid Southwest, Ward Cedar Log Homes are designed to withstand virtually any climate. Our homes are designed to deliver superior energy efficiency, which minimizes heating and cooling costs.

In fact, independent testing by the National Bureau of Standards has demonstrated that log homes, with their tremendous thermal mass, consume less energy than frame houses. Ward uses Northern White Cedar exclusively because Northern White Cedar offers the greatest security against moisture and stands up better to insects, decay, and heat transfer. The energy efficient Comfort System 5™ combines tongue-and-groove joinery and newly formulated caulking to keep your home warm in winter and cool on the hottest summer day. And since two-thirds of a home's energy loss is through its roof, windows, and doors, Ward uses only the best name-brand components in our home package.

Cedar is considered one of the world's most highly prized wood species. With natural oils called thujaplicins found in its heartwood, cedar is highly resistant to insects, decay, mold, and mildew, making harsh chemical treatments unnecessary.

Northern White Cedar grows in abundance in the great north woods of Maine, in the heart of which is Houlton, home to our 35-acre manufacturing facility. Our round wood procurement practices and stringent specifications allow Ward to offer a higher grade of log than most other manufacturers.

Northern White Cedar offers the best insulation value per inch, is naturally air-dried for lasting stability and strength, has reliable great looks with a natural light honey color, a fine grain, and a smooth sheen, and it is easy to maintain.