LOG HOME FROM SCRATCH

[ammn20012000]

Ever built a log home from scratch. I plan to start this process in May 02. I am retiring from the Navy in Apr 02 and have been waiting all my adult life to start this endeavor. Have 17 river front acres in North West Maine. Last year built a small cabin to live in while going through this process. Got a local sawmill to cut all the wood. Thought about renting a large dozer or tractor but why do that, I have a utility tractor to dig the basement. Might regret it, but have the time. The concrete footers, foundation is going to be a task. Anyone have any recommendations, comments, etc, on topcis such as alternative energy, foundation work do's and don'ts, or any other topic would be helpful. Hope someone reading this web page has info. Thanks in advance. Hugh T.

 

[Egon]

Building from scratch:
Just a few thoughts:
Dig your basement by yourself. Then get a contractor for the cement work as they have forms, tools and men to do the job.
How are you intending to lift the logs and trim them to fit? What size will you use as this affects the insulating value and leaks between the logs.
Have you considered shrinkage of logs as they dry out and the result on interior walls, windows and doors.
How will you seal between the logs and at the corners
How much patience do you have??? This is very important.

I built one 30 some years ago using a precut kit. Never again. But they do look nice.
Now if you want to kown about all the mistakes I made just ask cause the list would be very very long'

Egon

 

[cowboydoc]

Hugh,
Have you ever done this type of thing before? Montana and Idaho are full of log homes that people tryed to build and they didn't turn out so good. I bought two a couple years ago that were $350k houses that the builders had royally screwed up on. I bought both of them for $200k and my brothers fixed them right and we sold them for a nice profit. The point is is that depending on what you are going to build it is not that easy to get the materials to fit right if you don't have alot of experience at it. The problem is that the wood will contract and expand with the seasons and with age and you have to account for that. Having the local sawmill cut all your logs and wood also is a bit worrisome. The kits you get from reputable mfg. are pretty good and take alot of this into consideration. If you are going at this yourself with just fresh sawed lumbar you really need to be careful. Now if you've done all this before then just ignore this thread as you already know what I'm talking about.

As far as foundations go it's the same thing. Your house is only going to be as good as it's foundation. No foundation bad house is inevitable. Foundations are not easy to do without the right equipment, in fact they're nearly impossible. What kind of foundation are you planning on pouring and I could give you a few more pointers.

If you've got the experience then great but if not then I would hire someone to help you that knows what they're doing. Look for a guy that's retired and just does small side jobs, there are alot fo those guys out there. Also you can talk to some of the local contractors and such and alot of time most of the guys will do jobs on the side if they are employed with a big company. I wouldn't attempt it without at least one person that has done it before.

There's no better feeling than building your own house and if you're going to be retired then definitely go for it but I'd get some good help to make sure everything is done right the first time. It always takes three times as long to go back and do things right.

 

[Egon]

Take Cowboydocs message to heart.
Log Houses are a passion of love, not utility.
Logs are heavy, obstreprous and just plain difficult to handle.
Now one more question. How will you run the electrical wiring and plumbing lines.
Egon

 

[JJT]

I helped a neighbor with the electrical runs in his log cabin. As the logs are laid the wiring chases must be drilled in every log. Every outlet and switch box in the oustide walls need to be chiseled out. All the plumbing gets run in the interior walls.

We considered a log home 10 years ago and ended up building a post a beam. We have no regrets going this route. It took me a year to cut the frame for a 3000 sq ft home, and a single day with a 15 ton crane to raise it. It's the biggest woodworking project you can imagine.

 

[beenthere]

You are getting good advice from the others. Remember that log homes always were, and always will be temporary structures at best. Modifications to the logs (half logs, log siding, etc) help the longevity but true logs are temporary. In the 'old' days, the logs had no wiring or steel pins (nails) buried in them, so when some individual logs decayed, it was simple (not easy) to jack the good logs up, and slide a new log into place. That cannot happen when there are interior walls attached, steel pins holding the logs together, and internal wiring, splines, and other things involved. The decayed log is a nightmare, and sometimes the logs are decayed (early stages) before they are put into place. Keeping water off of and out of logs short of a very large overhang, is nearly impossible. Very strong preservatives will help prevent decay, but are not pleasant to be around.
You didn't say what species of wood you plan to use. Out west, the conditions for decay are usually less, and species such as white oak are known to resist decay better than Eastern softwoods or poplars.

 

[pdxman]

Hugh, I think most would agree that many of us have that 'pioneer spirit' that draws us to the dream of living in a log home. I certainly have thought about it. But I've also seen programs on building them that made me change my mind. The construction of them is completely different than a stick built home. Everything from walls, windows, doors, and kitchen cabinets need to be installed in a manner to accomodate for the constant settling of the logs. The Learning Channel has a program that covered this called Hometime. The house they built was awsome, but what they didn't do is go back a year or two later to see how it was doing. Check this site: www.hometime.com

"He who dies with the most toy's....wins!"

 

[PitbullMidwest]

My inlaws handcrafted their log home back in the mid 70's. Hand picked the logs in MN, pealed every last one by hand (hint:sharpen the edge of a car leaf spring instead of using a draw knife, they went through a lot of knives before someone told them this secret).

The biggest advise I can give you is NOT to use lindseed oil as the preservative. The State Fire Marshal believes this was the primary cause of my in-laws house fire that destroyed their home.

You say you built a small cabin and have dreamed about this your whole life, so I'll assume you know what your getting into. You're getting some good advice, but don't let anyone talk you out of what you believe is the right choice for you.

Gonna use saddle notch or swedish cope?

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by PitbullMidwest on 12/27/01 05:24 PM (server time).</FONT></P>