Crane, Delivery and Log Structure Assembly in Quebec
Assembly day is undoubtedly one of the most memorable days of any log home construction project. Watching dozens of solid wood pieces rise into the air and fit together precisely to form the walls of your future home is a breathtaking sight. But behind this magic lies meticulously planned logistics that begins several months before the big day. Here is how Viabois orchestrates the entire process, from the Saint-Isidore-de-Beauce factory to the walls standing on your site.
Manufacturing and Numbering of Pieces at the Saint-Isidore-de-Beauce Factory
Everything begins at our manufacturing facility in Beauce. Each piece of your structure — log rounds, squared beams, junction pieces — is precisely machined according to the approved plans and bears a unique number permanently engraved or marked. This numbering directly corresponds to a detailed assembly plan that will be provided to the lifting crew on the big day.
The numbering system is not trivial: it indicates the exact position of each piece (course, wall, orientation), the order in which it must be placed, and which face must be oriented toward the interior or exterior. A log placed upside down or in the wrong spot can compromise the structure's weathertightness or geometry. That is why each shipment also includes clear assembly instructions and 3D views of the structure.
The pieces are then carefully stacked on semi-trailer trucks in reverse assembly order: the first pieces to be placed end up last during loading so they can be unloaded first on the job site. This logistical detail avoids unnecessary handling and significantly accelerates the day's progress.
Logistics Coordination: Trucks, Trips, and Timing
The number of semi-trailer trucks required varies depending on the size of your project. A small structure (cabin type 30x40 feet) may fit on a single truck. A larger home or a project with an attached garage and annexes may require two to three trips. Viabois plans this logistics in advance and coordinates delivery dates based on crane availability and your foundation progress.
Site access is a critical consideration. The semi-trailer truck (and sometimes the multi-axle crane trailer) must be able to reach the job site and manoeuvre adequately. It is recommended to plan an access road at least 4 metres wide with sufficient load-bearing capacity. If your land is sloped or access is difficult, a preliminary site visit by our delivery team is strongly advised.
Timing coordination is equally important: trucks generally arrive early in the morning, and the crane must be in place before the first truck is unloaded. Any delay in the chain (broken-down truck, crane immobilized, bad weather) can have a domino effect on the rest of the day. That is why a buffer is always built into the planning.
Types of Cranes and Reach Calculation Based on Site Layout
The choice of crane is decisive for the success of the assembly day. Two main families of cranes are used in this type of residential construction:
Mobile pneumatic cranes are the most commonly used for residential log home projects in Quebec. They are quick to deploy, set up on a hardened stabilized surface, and generally offer a lifting capacity between 25 and 75 tonnes. They are suitable for the majority of Viabois projects.
Crawler cranes are used when the terrain is difficult to access, the ground is unstable, or the required reach is very significant. They offer better stability on uneven terrain but are more expensive to mobilize and transport.
The required reach calculation is performed by the crane operator in collaboration with our team, taking into account the distance between the crane installation point and the farthest lifting points on the structure, the weight of the heaviest pieces (ground floor logs can weigh between 300 and 800 kg depending on diameter and length), and the maximum required height. This calculation is formalized in an approved lift plan before the assembly day.
Assembly Day: Sequence and Required Crew
A typical assembly day for a standard-sized home (between 1,500 and 2,500 square feet) lasts between 8 and 12 hours. Here is how it typically unfolds:
In the morning, starting at 7:00 AM, the crane operator installs and stabilizes the equipment, performs the required safety checks, and coordinates with the Viabois site supervisor. The lifting crew (generally 4 to 6 specialized workers) reviews the assembly plan and assigns roles: guiding logs upon landing, fastening and anchoring, alignment and level verification.
The first course of logs is the most critical: it must be perfectly level on the sill plate bolted to the foundation. Each subsequent log is lifted, oriented according to its number, and locked into the log below via the pegs and mortises or the notch profiles specific to the Viabois system. The wall rise can go very quickly: 3 to 6 courses per hour can be placed depending on the configuration's complexity.
By the end of the day, if all has gone well, all four ground floor walls — and sometimes the first floor — are in place. The crew conducts a final plumb and level check, then temporarily braces the structure with provisional bracing while awaiting the roof framing.
Weather, Safety, and Required Conditions for Assembly
Safety is the absolute priority during an assembly day. The operation can be postponed or suspended in several situations: winds exceeding 40 km/h (risk of swinging suspended pieces), freezing rain or icy ground (fall risk), heavy fog reducing the crane operator's visibility, or temperatures too low affecting hydraulic equipment performance.
A favourable weather forecast over 48 hours is ideally required. If an assembly day must be postponed due to weather conditions, Viabois works with you to reschedule as quickly as possible. It is therefore important to maintain some flexibility in your construction schedule.
The job site must also be prepared before the crew arrives: foundations must be complete and sill plates installed, the access road cleared and stabilized, the material staging area marked, and no unauthorized third parties in the crane's working perimeter.
Structure Protection and Post-Assembly Steps
Once the log walls are assembled, your structure must be protected quickly from the elements, especially if full closure (roof framing and window installation) cannot be completed in the following days. High-quality tarps are secured over the structure to protect the log wood from rain and excessive moisture. The sequence matters: the tarps must allow slight ventilation to avoid condensation beneath the covering.
The steps that immediately follow wall assembly are, in the typical order: roof framing installation (trusses or rafters, depending on the design), roof sheathing and moisture barrier, door and window installation, then exterior cladding and insulation. From this point, your general contractor takes over for the interior finishing work.
An important point not to overlook: log wood is a living material that naturally settles over time. Our team integrates settling compensation mechanisms (adjusting screws, sliding profiles around openings) into the very design of the structure. These devices must be checked and adjusted during the first seasons following construction. Visit our services page to learn more about the post-assembly follow-up we offer.
Ready to See Your Walls Go Up? Plan Your Project Today
Assembly day is the culmination of months of planning, and it often lasts just one day. That is why every detail counts, and why Viabois's expertise — from manufacturing to assembly — makes all the difference. Browse our home models to find the one that suits you, then request your free quote to start planning your assembly day.