Log Home Joinery - Comfort System 5 Log Wall
A log home should feel solid and comfortable, not drafty or hard to heat. That is why every Ward full-log home is built with our Comfort System 5™.
This system is our five-part wall system that brings together Northern White Cedar, precision joinery, and proven sealants to keep air and water where they belong on the outside. It is one of the main reasons Ward homes feel so steady and comfortable year after year.
Why Your Wall System Matters
Like any home, logs can move and change with the seasons. Temperature and humidity can cause small shifts that, over time, turn into gaps in a poorly designed wall. That is when cold air and moisture can find their way in.
Your wall system is what prevents that.
After more than 100 years and thousands of homes, we have seen just about everything that can go wrong with log walls. Comfort System 5™ is the way we prevent those problems before they ever reach your home.
The Five Parts of Comfort System 5™
- Northern White Cedar — Naturally, it all begins with this superior wood, known for its structural stability, energy efficiency, and natural resistance to the elements and insects.
- A Drip Edge — and notch milled beneath the drip edge exterior eliminates the capillary action of water, channeling moisture away from your home.
- An exterior bead of caulking — Specially formulated to fit in the 1/4″ groove on the exterior surface of our logs to protect your home from elements like rain and wind, which can cause problems with air and water infiltration. A thoroughly tested blend of acrylic polymer that dries to form an elastic, durable surface. Perma-Chink requires little to no maintenance. It is perfectly textured and colored to blend beautifully with the natural tones of a Ward Cedar Home, and it can be stained just like the logs.
- An internal foam backer rod — This creates a second barrier to perfect the weathertight lock, preventing cold air and water from penetrating and warm air from escaping. And, because the caulking will not adhere to the backer rod, Ward creates the necessary two-sided wood adhesion that sealant experts require under their warranties.
- Tongue-and-groove joinery — During construction, a closed-cell gasket material is applied to all tongues and end joints to create a mechanical barrier. This helps build one of the tightest log homes possible, prevents leaks, and improves energy efficiency.
In addition, with butt-and-pass corners, invented by Bruce Ward, logs alternately extend past one another instead of the square log ends butting against the face of each other. End logs fit together in a tongue-and-groove fashion with foam sealant, backer rod and caulking providing superior protection.
Does My Log Home Need Caulking on the Exterior?
Yes. Some competitors argue this feature isn’t necessary, but at Ward Cedar Log Homes, we’ve found it to be a critical component of long-term home performance.
It prevents water infiltration, protecting against rot and decay and improves energy efficiency by minimizing air leaks.
As a matter of fact, we have had homeowners that built with other manufacturers come to us to purchase caulking to caulk the exterior of their log home.
Why does Ward exclusively use Cedar for log homes and log cabin kits?
Ward builds exclusively with Northern White Cedar because it outperforms every other wood species commonly used in log home construction. Cedar offers the highest insulation value per inch of any native construction wood (R-1.43 per inch), is naturally resistant to rot and insects without requiring chemical treatment, and is more dimensionally stable than pine or spruce – meaning it warps, twists, and cracks significantly less over time.
While other manufacturers offer cedar as a premium upgrade, at Ward, it has been our standard since 1923 because we believe it’s simply the best material for building your log home. When you compare apples to apples, our cedar log home kits are competitively priced and come with long-term durability that other wood species can’t match.
We believe you’ll see why Northern White Cedar is the clear choice for your log home or log cabin kit.
Why are butt-and-pass-corners preferred?
Ward Cedar Log Homes invented the interlocking butt-and-pass corner system, which has since become a trusted standard in log home construction.
Here’s how it works and why it’s better:
- Instead of square log ends simply butting up to one another, logs alternate and extend past each corner, locking together for enhanced stability
- Each log features a tongue-and-groove profile that fits tightly and reduces air infiltration
- A foam gasket, backer rod, and caulking system is applied between each course, forming a weather-tight, energy-efficient seal
- This method allows for natural expansion and contraction while preventing moisture penetration and air leaks
The result is a stronger corner, better energy efficiency, and long-term durability, even in harsh climates.
Learn more about our Comfort System 5™ and how we seal every log joint.
The premier pre-cut purlin roof system is created from the finest handpicked spruce logs, which are peeled by Ward craftsmen and sized to specification for each individual home. Pre-cut gables are pre-erected at our manufacturing facility and then disassembled to insure the angle of each log has been perfectly cut.
Ward also offers the option of pre-assembled conventional truss roof systems for customers preferring traditional flat or vaulted ceilings. Conventional rafter roof systems are also available.
Discover the significance of log home joinery.
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