The path from a tree to a perfect house
A modern log house is a truly ecological choice. It is an effective CO² sink and thus helps prevent the impacts of climate change. The entire chain from natural forests to a healthy house where generations can live is completely sustainable.
Wood, the building material that has been loved and used for generations, has been technically redesigned by Honka to meet the expectations of modern living. This is a safe and sound process that begins in renewable forests and ends in a carefully designed and built log house results in better environments for living and working.
Wood from sustainably managed forests
More than 70% of Finland’s land area is covered by forests. These forests grow faster than they are cut, and all wood used by Honka is PEFC certified.
Did you know that more than 70 % of Finland is covered with forest? Living in a Honka log house, you can be sure that for each tree felled to manufacture the logs used for construction, a new sapling was planted, and in time the saplings will grow into a forest.
The massive wood raw material used for Honka log houses comes from selected Finnish partners – local forestry and sawmill companies. This ensures consistency and control over the raw material’s origin and quality.
As Honka’s Karstula mill is located in the middle of Finland, the transportation distances of the raw material remain short. This is one more step towards minimising the ecological footprint of our log houses.
Log house factory with unique technology
Honka log houses are manufactured in an industrial–scale factory situated in the middle of Finnish forests. The combination of innovative state-of-the-art technology, dedicated and experienced people and effective production processes make sure that the fire– and earthquake–safe, healthy and ecological Honka log houses are also produced in an ecological way.
All incoming wood material is used for log houses and the rejected material is used for bioenergy. The used adhesives retain the wood’s natural ability to breathe and do not release odours or harmful substances into the air. The energy used for production is also renewable: the plant only uses bioelectricity.
Furthermore, the industrial production of massive wood is energy-efficient: it requires approximately 50% of the energy required for cement production and 20% of that required for brick production.
Honka’s modern, patented and pioneering technology is regularly tested and certified by third parties. In addition to continuous co–operation with various research bodies, Honka’s operations are certified in accordance with the ISO 9001 quality standard and the ISO 14000 environmental standard.
Effective manufacturing means quick deliveries
First of all, every house is produced by order. The needed wood raw materials are pre-processed: finger-jointed, glued, sorted, cut and marked for each delivery. The individual parts of the house are included in the overall production plan and the frame of the house is produced in one go.
The industrial–scale manufacturing of log house frames takes place on two separate production lines. Around 1 000 log houses are produced every year – this means frames for roughly 5–6 houses every workday. Each log is marked for a specific house waiting to be delivered. The same applies to other wood materials needed for each house.
Many parts of the houses are acquired from selected partner suppliers. These parts include windows, doors, stairs and even fixtures when they are included in the order. These items as well as the listed hardware store materials for building the house are all coded and compiled into a complete delivery package.
Delivering the material for building a healthy house
Every step of the production and delivery process has been planned carefully in order to ensure that the customer receives everything that was promised. When the frame and other goods included in the agreed upon delivery are ready, the final phase of delivering the material to the building site may begin.
Quick delivery and built times are some of the strengths of a log house. In general, a log house is manufactured in about 6–10 weeks from the order date – depending of course on the design, size and complexity of the house. The house package is then delivered to the customer by truck, trailer or sea container, whichever is the optimal delivery method for the customer.
Your life in a log house with good indoor air quality, low energy consumption, minimal environmental impact and a natural feel can finally begin, and the house will serve you well for tens and even hundreds of years to come.