About Modulog Industries
PORTLAND, OR — Log homes are part of the American tradition and have always been admired. But there are problems with log homes. They are difficult to wire and plumb. They shift and settle, and they are expensive. Because of these problems, only the well heeled or aesthetically obsessed are able to achieve their dream of owning a log home. This leaves hundreds of thousands of American families yearning for a less expensive way to own a log home.
It was within this context that Ron Berge and his son, Steve, began experimenting with ways to achieve an authentic log exterior that could be applied to an ordinary framed structure.
The single missing ingredient to a believable log substitute was the crisscrossing log corners that give the look of solid logs. With a conceptual leap of faith, Ron and Steve figured out how to configure and bond solid log ends directly to lengths of log siding. Success required right and left hand corners to keep the weather lap up and allow the log end to snugly embrace the curved log surface to achieve a weather- tight joint.
In 1988 they applied for a patent and began marketing their product. The idea caught on quickly as customers discovered they could cut short the expense of erecting cumbersome logs and at the same time enjoy the many advantages of conventional framing. For remodeling, home owners now had an option other than shingles and boards and battens for a rustic look. Ron states that in 2005, remodeling accounted for about 40% of gross sales.
Export sales have grown and the siding is now being shipped in volume to Korea, Japan and Argentina.
The factory-built housing industry has begun to pick up on the idea. Several modular and HUD-code firms in the Northwest are taking orders for log sided models at their sales centers. Manufactured home dealers enjoy the visual interest generated by the warm, cedar tones that contrast to other units on the site that are usually sided with neutral tones of T-111 or hardboard. On freeway locations, these homes can draw focus and interest beyond 1,500 feet, creating more drive-in traffic.
Salespeople love a log model on the lot. "It's just like outdoor lighting," said one jubilant retailer. "People seem to see the lot for the first time. We get more people in here and sell more of everything because of it.
