And the Katahdin begins

Well that low a R value kills the idea for me. Dead in the water. No point having a log home, then putting up studs and drywall inside to get the R value up. I am not one of these people that care much about kerb appeal. I dont live outside the home i live inside it and especially in winter. So having nice log finish outside meh whats the point if the inside has to be insulated somehow.

Heh, don't bail out quite so quick Rob :D The values we're talking about here are nominal for the wall only and don't take into account the rest of the building which can make a huge difference. Also 6" log walls are (imho) on the shy thin side. Once you get up to 16" or so you're competitive with 2x6 with fiberglass - without taking into account the thermal mass effect of the logs (which - using exceedingly handwavey numbers puts it closer to 14" average log size to be competitive).

A couple of interesting articles on log efficiency:
https://www.uaf.edu/files/ces/publications-db/catalog/eeh/EEM-00852.pdf
http://www.logbuilding.org/RValueLogs.pdf <- this one has some nice comparisons of the different wood types.

This paper is claiming I'm all washed up as well - which is probably true to some extent although I'd take what they say in general with a wee grain of salt given that its part marketing:
http://www.findhomesincharlottesville.com/energy-efficient.asp
The claim is basically that thinner logs are cheaper and it takes to long to pay back the cost of thicker logs based on cost/therm of heating. That is most likely true and is similar to the argument around window replacements (price/month for heating vs that $20k window replacement has how long of a payback period? Yeah.. fixing the weather stripping and maybe adding storm windows starts to look pretty good).
 
Good articles Ryan. Problem I observe is the issue of long term log shrinkage and windows/doors.
But even more important is what form of energy is going to be used for the source. If one has access to a abundant source of wood requiring only ones personal labor well then squeezing the most out of it is not essential. Its when one is funding that hearing that it gets testy.
I also think this forced air system while being convenient and unobtrusive does not beat radiant heat.
I think of my last shop with 6 inch stud bays filled tight with roxul and covered with poly then double layer 5/8 drywall with green glue barrier between and a radiant Nat gas heat tube was a real tight efficient setup. Now if we did that kind of thing for homes we could heat them for peanuts. But it don't have the look of a log home. ;)


Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
I finally thought of what this picture reminds me of (its been bothering me since I saw it)
e198896e03544360bbcb960bc1b86b63.jpg
That plus the spline picture looks a lot like a "post and plank" build https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-and-plank - I've never seen one built but there were a few old cabins made that way I saw as a kind up in B.C.

Good articles Ryan. Problem I observe is the issue of long term log shrinkage and windows/doors.

IF (big if) the logs are properly seasoned and the opening is properly engineered it doesn't seem to be to much of a problem. The better designs do a variety of slip joint fittings to keep them fairly air tight even with shifting.

I also think this forced air system while being convenient and unobtrusive does not beat radiant heat.

Well the plan is a cabin in the woods anyway so I think you're good to go :D :rofl: I agree with radiant heat, the forced air is certainly convenient but when you come in cold a nice wood fire is real hard to beat.

I think of my last shop with 6 inch stud bays filled tight with roxul and covered with poly then double layer 5/8 drywall with green glue barrier between and a radiant Nat gas heat tube was a real tight efficient setup. Now if we did that kind of thing for homes we could heat them for peanuts.

Or if we buried them underground.. But there are aesthetic considerations as you note ;)

But it don't have the look of a log home. ;)

There is also "log wall siding" (or "log cabin siding") where you just slap a faux log house look on the outside.
 
I am in for the Curb Appeal. Log homes are just downright really cool. With burning firewood, I would bet the thermal arguement would be out the window.

This is about the coolest thread I have seen in a long long time
 
c43314f7a5c5610a7b3c529720a14efa.jpg

Built us some new tables today. The little log on the bench goes next to the door. the first four rows by this door have to be cut on site due to the door being a window when the logs were cut at the factory.
41e37ec9c62b6dad8341aef34c57cb69.jpg

Cutting the notch for the wall between the porch and house.
7335f957553fcc4be77f7bcfe1999639.jpg

Same log in place.
8deb346336fe7fb763dccfa9474170e1.jpg

Front of the house
feaf3cf409892b51fe0cf83a8cb65d63.jpg

we decided we didn't like the square butt below so we are rounding the ends of the log at the joints.
397e282fe84a5843cfd4ae5498cabfd5.jpg

Ugly square butt joint Above is how we are fixing the rest this one will get covered by baseboard.
 
Last edited:
de6d450db5f24b645cf32a4938d65da9.jpg

Got the saw between the tables for better stock support. The stock supports on this one year old saw have given up. As is the case for the saw but we will use it until it just plan dies or one of us get sick of the fence not being square anymore and toss it in the dump.
0320293576014a8201d80d47a5aed5a2.jpg

Yesterdays progress. Off to the right end of the table you can se a batch of the window bucks all made up waiting to be installed.
58acc3dd3c72d261dd7a232cedbc3727.jpg

A shot of the weather stripping. You can also see we fill the hole for the lag bolt with caulking.
9e52f85c49aeb64561b4e5d013db6dbf.jpg

Today's video of the well drilling....... Oh that's a still photo you say well that's just how the truck has set for the last two days:thumb::rofl::rofl:
 
Last edited:
Calling those Logs I think is a bit of an insult. Those look like some very well machined construction materials.

I know Rob had concerns about wood movement, but are those actually wet lumber? I know I've seen some non-kiln dried lumber out here before that felt like a wet sponge, that when they dried twisted like a slinky.

But those don't look that way to me?
 
Love the attention to detail, the rounded ends to look substantially nicer than the square ones and they should wear better as well with less chance of splinters. Nice!

I remember when they were drilling a well at the lot next to ours (a bit less than 1/4 mile away). It started right after loml had been up up all night solving an oncall problem 2 days in a row and was trying to catch up a little on sleep. Wham! Wham! Wham! My guess is that you're not entirely sad that its not running at the moment ;)
 
So i guess for now the headaches have stopped and you can think clearly. :rofl: What i still dont understand is why the upright logs? You had me looking at log home builds on ytube and I dont see any with those kit log homes.

How come you aint finished yet? I thought these logs are like lego :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU9_v58YL0A

These guys got theirs all drilled marked out etc so it just a big mechano puzzle. I see they use rods to pull the whole thing together and they have nice looking dovetails on each end. Looks like their milling process also includes providing holes for all sorts including electrics and place to put dowels to secure window frames to. Pretty neat system by looks of it. Oh ANNNND its a company just up the road from me well.....not quite up the road but around 130Km or 2 hours according to Google.:D

http://www.discoverydreamhomes.com/


Then of course there is Pan Abode http://panabode.com/#homes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDkT6_e6HR0

Of course we can always go the way i would really prefer and that is the Norwegian way check this out these guys are old school and use hand tools. Warning language on this is not understandable ....well at least to me. ;):rofl:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3J5wkJFJzE


And the list goes on ...........so how does one make a decision. ???????
 
This guy showed up and filled up our yard again. Mostly insulation and a few more packs of v-match
9c0a89a5e8c9501b61495d9a7e1f9e2c.jpg
9a1fe523d0f2d18d855e71e76235c0aa.jpg
 
Last edited:
Well you all taught me what a lally column is. :thumb:
Those vertical 2X6's look to be a pain to stack logs around from the deck. I realize they are necessary for the wall to be straight vertically up, but bet it takes some contortions to get around it. As others have said, thanks for the pictures and taking us along on this journey!
 
306c0dcdb6a6b91e7397a73afc6dd4c0.jpg
bc418553ec4ad61b713b48032cb18b67.jpg
0ffd0dae85da1d347b8e071191d02f66.jpg
423d7fb7029e1094f8cc7ebfa59d63c8.jpg
0d8e1632bb53a606305ab544f3173188.jpg
As you can see I am now useing that drill over my head. The pile is getting taller.
 
Last edited:
5800e1a1ee44ecc040f27ce6c95dcde0.jpg

This corner got away from us and we had to pull down some of the log to fix it. No fun at all taking the logs apart.
 
Last edited:
So Chuck are they going to insulate and drywall interior as well?

Is that a HF chop saw u have on the bench.
Also why do windows have to be supported so much? Are they not fixed to logs or are logs layer to them?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
Top