The Log house Project begins........

[jix]

I don't see any issue with air flow through the purlins and R panels. What I haven't seen is any soffit vents and ridge vents to pulle the air from the bottom to the top. Air flow is all you are after, but there has to be a start and and end to get it going. Having smaller openings just creats a venturi effect and should speed up the air going through those areas. In theory, it might even help by having bigger and smaller openings. Either way, I don't see a problem with the way the roof is built. I just don't see how air is getting in and out of the space?

Again... Be very careful of over thinking, over engineering and over doing a fix. The easiest isn't always the best, but the most complicated and expensive never is the answer either. Keep it simple and stick with what is proven to work. Either create proper air flow or seal the space.

There are lots of types of foam out there and the goal isn't to get an air tight seal, just to eliminate the vast majority of the air space so there is less volume of air in the cavity, resulting in less moisture that the air can create condensation.

Eddie

Eddie is spot on with his advice. Soffits with vents, or fill the outer voids edges with expanding foam. Foam is toxic to rodents, BTW...bugs and mice hate it.

 

[MotorSeven]

Jix, there is no place for a soffit...1.5" decking, 3" of styrofoam, purlins then metal. Air movement is completely at the mercy of the raised ridges in the metal and the very small space under the ridge cap.

 

[Billrog]

The theory with the pail or box is that the heavy cold air will stay in the container ( not rise) and restrict the flow of cold air in except what is drawn in by the stove.

 

[MotorSeven]

Thanks Bill .......sounds like the way I need to do mine.

 

[MotorSeven]

I think Billrog gets the cookie. Since I installed the 6" outdoor air kit on the furnace all interior and exterior dripping has stopped. The furnace runs much better and there is no more smouldering when the house is at the set temperature on the thermostat. I will say that unit is too big for my house and will overheat once at temp if I load much more than two splits at a time. And even then we can get up to 75 degrees at that.

Anyway, Les takes a lot of pictures, this is that one in a thousand that came out really perfect....I call it, "Three Dog Day":

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Glad you are having better results. You need to harness those dogs to pull a sleigh.

 

[MotorSeven]

They are certainly loving this 2' of snow. It's the most snow we have seen in 8 years and it has lasted longer than all our other snows put together. We have been using the UTV and ATV to get back and forth up the driveway. Even had a couple of days that those machines could not make it, so we had to hoof it back & forth. All in all we have really enjoyed this unusual dump of white stuff!

 

[Billrog]

MotorSeven I'm happy to hear that worked for you. Other than turn the draft down very low ( which will create creosote) I also control the heat in my shop by just loading less in the stove at a time.
Toughs dogs sure do look like their enjoying the snow. Nice looking home and lots of fire wood :thumbsup:

 

[123maxbars]

In case I missed this in your thread I am sorry, What do you use to treat preserve the outside of your cabin? I am trying to find something I can put on cedar to keep it looking fresh and not turning gray,

 

[jix]

marine spar varnish every 2nd year

 

[MotorSeven]

Yikes...Marine Spar Varnish?.....sorry jix, but that would be my last choice....the stuff requires sanding and re-coating frequently and tends to peel off once it gets compromised.


I went with Nature's Edge.....if I remember correctly it was the translucent "Natural" color:
Log Home Stain | Nature's Edge Wood Finish 5 Gallon

This is a penetrating stain which does not build up a coating on the surface of the wood. I am trying to avoid those types of stain which after a few years just start peeling off. So far the Nature's edge is preforming very well....no flaking anywhere. Any wood stain is always going to require more maintenance than paint, so I hope to pressure wash and re-coat every 4-5 years...that would make me happy.

My buddy went with the top of the line Perma-Chink on his White Cedar Log house that was finished 6 months before mine was. He has had the builder out twice already in 3 years to re-do the stain because it is just flaking off in many places. I was over there last week and yep, it's coming off again.

 

[sld]

I recently used Sherwin Williams Deckscapes on about 300 feet of cedar fence. It is oil based and 1 year later it still looks like the day I put it on.

 

[mark02tj]

I'm not an expert, but I've lived in a log home for 4.5 years now. The home was finished in late 2000. The previous owner (who had the home built) passed away so I couldn't ask him any questions, but I think he used some sort of latex stain on our place. It might have been PermaChink as it does leave a "film" on the wood (which is one of their selling points). The finish was in pretty bad shape, so last July my BIL and me cleaned, power washed and stained the place with Lovitt's stain. I'm pretty happy with the results. Back in March, we did the garage with the same stuff.

Years ago I put CWF (I think) on a cedar fence I put up. We moved about 3 years later, but it still looked great! When I used to drive by the house, I would look at the fence and it appeared to hold up pretty well over the years.

 

[BoFuller]

Motor Seven,

It's been a couple years, how's it going with the log home?
Anything new?

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm curious too. How about some more pictures. The last on with the snow was amazing.

 

[bindian]

Hey Rick,
How is your recovery coming along?
hugs, Brandi

 

[kantuckid]

I'm too lazy to read these 230 pages so I'll just kick in that I built a homemade log cabin in 1979-80. We raised our three sons here and continue our senior years here back in the woods of eastern Kentucky. I built it from scratch, not a kit. The old part of my 2 story house has the equivalent of 300ea., 16' logs that were sized as 8.5" small end, 11.5 large end.
My logs came from an even age stand of hard Yellow Pines not so common in this area. These were planted by an early CCC camp. I peeled them all with a draw knife.
My "new part" is a great room built in 2005-6 as a true timber frame with log siding in & out. Entry was created via chainsaw taken to two window edges and a step down into the new room. Another window became a doorway onto a deck built around a large tree that's new room length. It has a glassed end toward the woods and 8 double hung windows. In the beginning all doors were made by yours truly as was the 2x6 T&G ceilings in both rooms and wall paneling on partition walls. As light is hard to get into log homes I switched a few doors later for manufactured French doors. My home has zero drywall. All furniture except some upholstered is from my lifelong wood working. Floors are all wide board oak done by self.
Spar varnish is an extremely!!! poor choice for a log home outer coating, no matter what climate-that's a fact! Inside on my hand peeled walls varnish is fine. I sprayed 32 gallons of varnish on the ceilings and walls of our original old house.
There are choices for finishes and my favorite is not a typical log home choice. The best I have used over the years is Cabots Australian Timber Oil, hands down. It gives the look I like , easy to apply (well sort of) and lasts well.
One of the realities of a log cabin is finishes that need redone fairly often. In our humidity the need is a bit different than the Rocky mtns..
I'll post some pics later.

 

[teg]

Love to hear about it but really you should start a New thread vs. piggy backing on this older thread... no problem with it, just you'll get more readers about it...:2cents:

 

[kantuckid]

I was involved with reading search results for FEL bucket forks and stumbled onto this thread.

 

[MotorSeven]

Hey gang, I'm still around, just don't spend too much time on TBN now...too busy with a zillion other projects while traveling a bit and doing a lot of cross country motorcycle riding.

Bo, I almost have the root cellar finished(I know, I know, Lesley has been giving me heck). I used 12' yellow Poplar logs and it came out pretty good. Still have to build a door((3x6 cedar plank) and enclose the gables. Photo's to follow.

Eddie, here is a teaser.....guess where we were for 3 weeks in Sept?

and the new to me bike:

Brandi, it's been so long...my ACC injury?

all healed up.........Had two carpal tunnels and an elbow fixed to....!

Kantukid...post up some pic's!