HOME ON THE LINKS

When we left the Double Eagle in the January issue, the home was entering the final stages of completion. Golden Eagle Log Homes crews and subcontractors applied protective finishes to the logs, installed the stairs, framed and finished the garage and installed the final plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.

Now, with spring in full bloom in Wisconsin, we’re ready to wrap up work on the home before opening it to the public. We’ll install flooring inside, flowers and other landscaping outside. And we’ll watch as lighting, doors and kitchen and bath fixtures are put in place before the Log Home Design Ideas design team takes over to decorate the home for the grand opening.

FINAL GRADING & DRIVEWAY

A wet spring meant preparing the ground around the Double Eagle was no easy task. The sandy soil drains well but does not provide much support for heavy machinery.The challenge became working around the unpredictable spring weather — it was warm one day, snowing the next, then raining a few days later — and coordinating the many crews vying for time at the home as they finished details in and around the home site.

Crews from Bohn Trucking & Excavating first cleaned construction debris from the site, then graded it with small dozers.The topsoil was graded to direct water to the perimeter of the generally flat lot, which features the sandy soil common to central Wisconsin that does not require drains, ditches or storm sewers.

“Many things needed to be considered: the slope of the lot, the berm at the green on the golf course, the walk-out[basement] windows, where the gutters come down and the elevation of the road,” Golden Eagle project manager Bob Strosin says.“We worked this out with the excavator, who has all the experiences in this area. We actually discussed it before the foundation went in, so the elevation of the foundation was set a bit higher than normal.”

A concrete driveway was poured when the final grading was complete and the proper permit had been secured from the Town of Rome. Golden Eagle chose concrete over asphalt because, as project manager John Batzer says, “We simply felt the future owner of this home, based on its size, location and value, would expect the drive to be concrete.” A flatwork crew from Rich Weiler Construction framed the 24' x 135' drive around a uniform gravel base (subgrade) that was compacted and sloped 2 degrees from the house.

After the concrete was poured — 41/2" deep in the main drive and 6" thick at the apron — crews struck off the excess by dragging a straight board on edge between the forms using a back-and-forth, saw-like motion. The surface was smoothed (called screeding) with a long-handled bull float, then allowed to cure.

Several hours later, control joints were cut to prevent random cracking. In some areas, the apron (the section of driveway nearest the road) has to be paved with asphalt.This was not the case in the Town of Rome, where the Double Eagle was built. The town did, however, inspect the apron to ensure it met setback and drainage requirements.

LANDSCAPING

Golden Eagle Log Homes hired EMR Lawn Services, Inc. and Garden Center to design and install the landscaping elements at the Double Eagle. In addition to planting grass, shrubs and flowers, EMR was given the task of designing and installing walkways around the home’s perimeter.

“The Lake Arrowhead Development requires that the only trees to be removed from a building site are those growing where the house will be built. There is also a limit on the amount of shrubbery that can be removed between the home and the golf course,” Bob Strosin says.“We had to submit ‘before’ photos and sketches of the planned landscaping for approval.”

The landscape plan was kept informal, intentionally designed to reflect the Double Eagle’s wooded, rural setting.The home was built near the Lake Petenwell Flowage, an area teeming with wildlife, including turkeys and deer. That meant the shrubs and other plants installed at the home had to be animal-friendly yet discourage feeding, especially by the deer.

The site presented other challenges. Immediately in front of the home, where a paver brick walk would eventually lead from the garage to the frontdoor, large pine trees provide shade most of the day. In other areas, near the road in front and near the golf course in back, large swaths of the lawn go virtually untouched by shade. The bulk of the property, however, receives shade at some point during the day. With so many diverse planting areas around the home, it was a challenge to select plants appropriate for the sandy soil, natural setting and mix of sun exposure levels.

“We gave EMR a target budget along with a few requirements,” says Golden Eagle co-owner Tod Parmeter. Those requirements included a walkway to the front door that would feature rounded corners to mimic the home’s half- and quarter-round win- dows, as well as the need to keep the natural theme of the development in mind.“EMR then drew several plans and this is the one we felt best met our needs,” Parmeter continues.

Limiting the amount of grass around the home was another conscious decision. Given that the Double Eagle’s eventual owner could be using the home as a second home, the lawn area was kept to a minimum to keep it low maintenance.

At the same time, several areas of natural scrub brush and small trees were left in place around the lot’s perimeter.Though the adjacent lots are fairly dense with trees, the scrub provides privacy, especially along the rear lot line where the home site butts up against the 18th fairway.

The final grading began as soon as the frost went out of the ground. Doing this job any sooner is fruitless; the ground level raises and lowers as the frost goes out, meaning any grading done before may not remain at the desired level.

Flatwork crews installed the driveway in two sections, pouring the concrete inside previously installed wood forms held in place with stakes. Here, a crew member uses a long-handled bull float to smooth the concrete surface. Later, a concrete broom will be raked over the concrete to give it texture.

With the final grading finished and the concrete drive cured, landscaping crews went to work. Their first task: dragging the lawn area to remove rocks, tree branches and other debris.

HICKORY FLOORING

Golden Eagle chose solid wood hickory flooring for the Double Eagle’s common areas, not only for its beauty but also for its durability and easy maintenance. “The rustic hickory flooring was chosen to match the hickory used in the kitchen cabinetry,” Batzer says.“We felt this was in keeping with the look of the home and would make a real statement when guests enter the foyer.”

Schmidt Lumber of Shawano, Wisconsin, provided all of the random width (3" to 6") hickory installed in the home. Golden Eagle says the wood flooring isn’t just a good match for the cabinetry; it’s also a popular choice among log home owners.

“Wood floors have always been a part of log homes. Some people even think they are automatically included. What has changed over the last few years is the proliferation of different species and grades of wood flooring,” Batzer says.“We are seeing more distressed floors with more knots in the homes we build — the more rustic, the better.

Some of the newer products have a more pronounced grain and a wider variation in color than the traditional maple or oak that was used in the past. Hickory fits both of these trends and is now our most popular floor.”

Upstairs, Golden Eagle went with southern yellow pine flooring in the loft balcony.“We wanted to show an alternate type of wood floor,” Batzer says, “and we wanted to stay with the look of the knotty pine doors and the tongue and groove pine used on the walls and ceilings.”

An oil-based polyurethane finish specially formulated for wood floors will keep the Double Eagle’s hardwood floors looking great for years to come. Modern finishes make the wood flooring an even better option than it was 10 or 20 years ago.

“The finish is not a place you want to cut costs,” Batzer warns. “Use the highest quality, hardest polyurethane finish you can find. This finish is most resistant to scratching and watermarks.”

Clean-up depends on the finish. The Double Eagle’s future owners will simply wipe up dust and dirt with a tack cloth or, when needed, wash with a warm water solution.

COUNTERTOP & SINK

Hallmark Building Supplies, Inc., supplied the custom countertops. Made of Zodiaq Quartz Surfaces, a brand-new product from DuPont Corian, the counters feature the vela brown color: a black speckled with dark tan and rust-colored specks.

The virtually-impervious surface is made of quartz crystals, which lends it a sparkling sheen.The quartz content also means the Zodiaq resists impact and dulling and is difficult to stain, chip or scratch. It will not promote the growth of mold, mildew or bacteria, making it ideal for installation in the kitchen, where a clean work surface is a must.

The double-basin Mixa sink, featuring both large and small bowls, is another new offering from Corian.They feature famously-tough Corian sidewalls and stainless steel bottoms for easy clean-up and maximum heat and stain resistance.

Finishing off the sink area is the copper Monticello Cathedral Arch faucet. Along with the countertops and sinks, this new product from Moen was installed by Bisley Fabrication, Inc.

BATH FIXTURES

Broan fan/light combos, Mansfield toilets and cultured marble vanity top/sinks from Imperial Marble & Granite were installed in all three of the Double Eagle’s bathrooms.

HomeCrest Cabinetry supplied all of the vanities and medicine cabinets and Moen supplied chrome and polished brass Monticello faucets that mimic the design of the copper faucet in the kitchen.

Advantage Plumbing & Heating, LLC installed all of the bath fixtures. In the master bath, a bone-colored fiberglass shower module featuring a hammered glass pivot door (both from Central State Supply) accompanies a one-piece bone-colored jetted tub from Aker Plastics. The tub is set in the bumpout added to the floor plan to increase space in the master suite.

Upstairs, the second bath is outfitted with a bone-colored fiberglass shower with a Showerite by-pass door that features the same hammered glass found on the shower door in the master bath; Central Supply supplied both products.

FINISHING TOUCHES

There were so many finishing touches being added in the last days of construction at the Double Eagle, it’s impossible to list them all.

Interior room and closet doors had to be hung, and shelving and rods had to be installed in the closets. Six-panel pine doors were used throughout the home, including the pocket door that was installed in the first-floor powder room to conserve space. Every door was fitted with Jamestown-style locksets and hardware with a satin steel finish.

Throughout the house, vent, switchplate and outlet covers had to be screwed into place. Every bulb in every light fixture was checked, every corner and surface wiped down to remove construction dust.

Outside, Golden Eagle crews installed aluminum soffit and fascia from EDCO Products, Inc. and applied Velvit Oil’s deck stain to the deck floor. In the garage, a crew from Prince Corp. installed Marantec America brand door openers. And when all was said and done, the Double Eagle was ready for occupancy.

This article previously appeared in Log Home Design Ideas magazine.