Manufacturing over 23,000 homes has given us experience with many types of fastening methods, including both OlyLog® and LogHog® fasteners (Oly-fasteners), and through-bolt systems. While the patented REAL LOG HOMES® joinery system consists primarily of Oly-fasteners, the use of one fastening system in place of another is often cause for confusion. Debate sometimes occurs surrounding the overall merits of Oly-fasteners vs. through-bolts. This oversimplifies the truth about these two systems: Each is designed for a specific application.

Although both systems are often referred to as "fasteners", unlike through-bolts, Oly-fasteners are threaded screws that allow actual “fastening” from log to log. They’re specially coated and manufactured for log homes. Screwed through the top of one log into the log beneath it, Oly-fastners effectively “fasten” each individual log course to the course below, pulling all the log courses together for maximum holding power and stability. They also fasten the bottom log course to the sill at the bottom of the wall and onto the foundation. Oly-fasteners provide excellent log-on-log marriage for a more weather-tight and draft-free home. Because their unique design is self-counter sinking and requires no pre-drilling, labor is greatly reduced over out-dated methods like lag-bolts and spikes.

Through-bolts consist of a series of continuous, vertical rods that run through your log wall from top to bottom. They are typically "fastened" only at the top and bottom of your log wall. Through-bolts should be used in areas of heavy seismic activity or high wind, where your building department or engineer requires extreme “hold-down” force between your building and it's foundation. In some cases, installing short through-bolts into just the first log course will provide the necessary hold-down strength required for these conditions and will avoid drilling holes through your entire log wall.

Through-bolt systems are sometimes altered to include a spring or other device at the top that exerts downward pressure on the log wall without other “fasteners” present – an attempt to address log-on-log marriage that we don’t find suitable.

While the use of through-bolts is appropriate under some specialized conditions, they alone will not meet our strict requirements for effective log-on-log marriage. Because of this, and to help keep your labor costs lower, your REAL™ log home will require through-bolts only when necessary for local code compliance or engineering, and only in addition to, not in place of, Oly-fasteners.