Log cabin construction

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I built a 36X28 pine log cabin about 5 years ago. It is my hunting cabin/getaway, not my primary residence. I felled the logs myself and had a local guy with a potable sawmill come in and saw the logs into 6X7 rectangles. I put 2 parallel strips of 1X2 between each course and chinked between the logs. I just like the chink look plus adding 3/4" to each course eliminated a course of logs. I also fastened each course of logs to the one below using the oly-log screws. I would highly recommend those type fasteners. They surely make a sturdy structure.

Building the cabin was hard work but a labor of love. It was slow going just working on weekends, but I wouldn't take anything for the experience. It is quite satisfying using and enjoying the fruits of my labor.

One thought regarding using oak. I agree that I don't think it is the best choice of materials. I think it will be much harder to work with than a softer wood like pine. You will notice that almost all of the log home companies use some sort of pine, although there is one that I know of that uses oak. I think they are called Gastineau Log Homes out of MO if I remember correctly. I have seen their adds in log home magazines.

I am not a building trades craftsman and only mildly handy so completing such a project without much input from people more knowledgable is somewhat a miracle. That's what makes it such a satisfying experience.

Here are some pics. In one of the pics is a door I made out of tongue and groove 2X4s. I made the headboards out of limbs off the pine trees. The interior walls are skinned with random width 1 bys cut at the same time as the logs were being cut on the sawmill. The ceiling is 1X6 tongue and groove pine bought commercially.

 

[EddieWalker]

I live in North Alabama

Have you bought the kit already?

I'm a General Contractor and do allot of home repairs, including log homes. Here in East Texas, Satterwhite is the biggest dealer and supplier of log homes. I don't know how they compare to others, but there are some issues with them. Most of it is because of our high humidity and amount of rains. Four feet per year is normal. I'm guessing that Northern Alabama is about the same.

It is a never ending chore to keep them from rotting out. Exposed wood as a general rule of thumb here in the south is either bug food, or compost waiting to happen.

If you are building because you really like the look of a log home, I would recomend looking into stick framed homes with log looking siding. You get to insulate it, run your wires and pipes through the walls and you can wrap it with house wrap to make it weatherproof. Add the logs to the outside of the framing and nobody will be able to tell the difference from just looking at it.

Whatever you do, be sure to compare other log homes and the owners of them that live in the same climate as you do. Northern Alabama is nothing like Montana or Maine. They have totally different issues and are great areas for log homes. The South just isn't a good place for log homes.

Eddie

 

[N80]

The South just isn't a good place for log homes.

Eddie

Eddie, I've got to disagree to a certain extent. The south might not be the best place for log homes but down here in hot humid SC they do quite well. There are three others near mine. The oldest is pushing 30 years old and they have had no problems with the logs. Ditto for the one that is right at 20 years old. Both are permanent homes. Mine is about 5, the other one about two. Zero log problems. Average rainfall in Fairfield county is 3.8 ft/year (much less in the last few years though) and humidity in the summer is routinely in the 90% range. Mine faces south gets good sun.

I think the key lies in several aspects. First, the design of the logs, particularly the end joints is important. Mine are dovetail. And the logs screw down tight. Second, the logs have to be stained with the right stain and stained properly and at proper intervals. Mine will need to be stained again in about a year. Third, I think the insect treatment is important. And again, my logs are guaranteed for life against insect damage.

These kits are extremely popular around here and I don't know of any recurrent problems. Makes me wonder about the manufacturer you have there.

A lot of these kits are sold by franchise type dealers who only market and sell the kits. And who knows where they get their logs. The place where I bought mine, Southland, cuts and mills the logs on their main site in Columbia, SC. They also kiln dry them and treat them there. And maybe that makes a difference.

 

[MotorSeven]

N-80 you forgot 3 more things to prevent rot:
1-a large overhang
2-a large overhang
3-a large overhang


RD

 

[Highsmith]

This is a log cabin workshop my son and I attended: Log Home Builders Association | Log homes & log cabins from scratch - don't buy kit log homes
You can join a forum to discuss everything related to log home building. The class was exceptional and we learned a lot.

 

[Lasgambler]

I have to agree with N80. I am a General Contractor and have built Log homes in Washington State, Arizona and Louisianna. My Son-in-law has a large Log Home Company in Montana that builds homes all across the country. I'm sure that Eddie probaly has seen Log homes with problems. Probaly were not treated in the beginning or regulary maintained. You can't skimp on the finish treatment. Its Expensive Stuff. Then with regular maintaince they will last a life time and then some.

The Homes I have built have been Cedar, Pine and Fir. I don't think I would be interested in building a Oak Home. I googled " Log home Forum" and had a couple of hits. Good Luck! Build Your Dream!!, Just don't get cheap at the end when you need to treat it and finish it.

 

[EddieWalker]

While it's not possible for me to inspect any of the log homes you guy speak of, and I have reason to doubt any of you on how good you and your friends log homes are doing, I will argue that if I look at ten log homes, I'll find rot in at least five and two of them will be in need of major repair. We can blame maintenance, log type, log style and location, but it all starts with the basic use of logs for exterior walls. There are better materials for a home, but logs have a look and feel to them that nothing else can match. I love it that others have log homes, and I love it that there are those people who have them in my area of the country. I enjoy looking at them, renting one for a long weekend and of course, making money fixing them. I just won't own one in this area.

The main flaw to the Satterwhite log homes are the style of the logs. They are what's called D logs. Flat on top with grooves cut to seal them together. It sounds like a great idea, but it's where the water collects. If the ends were round, then water would shed off of them and they would last longer. The D logs hold water and in a few years, they begin to rot. I've never seen one yet that didn't have some degree of rot on top of those ends. I'm only talking about a few dozen homes, but it's 100% of them. It could be that only people with problems call me, but I've looked at buying them at one time, to either live in, finish off a job that the owners gave up on, and one to flip.

I take a screwdriver and start poking. Good, solid wood is stops a flat head screwdriver withought leaving a mark. Bad wood just swallows the screwdrivers tip. Most of the time, it's a quick fix of cleaning out the rot, putting in some coated deck screws and filling the void with bondo. Then sand and stain to match.

On a few occasions, I've had to cut out the logs and replace them. That's more work, but not that difficutl. Just screw a lenght of 2x6 to the log above the rot and fit a 20 ton jack under it. Jack it up until the logs seperate. Cut out the bad section and replace it with a good one. Use lots of silicone and lower it back together.

I've also had them with the ends so rotten that they are almost gone, but the rest of the log is fine. Instead of replacing the log, wich is expensive and involved, I've built it back up with bondo. I clean out all the rot to the good stuff. Install screws to hold the bondo in place and build it up to match the log. I like to create a round top to shed water that's not noticable from below.

Here's a few pics. The last one is full of rot on several of the ends, but all small stuff.

Eddie

 

[scesnick]

On modern log homes there is no chinking. My logs have grooves milled into the bottoms and ribs milled into the tops. You cover the ribs with foam tape then screw the logs together.

My kit used Oly-Log screws which are these long narrow hardened steel screws. They are fantastic and self tapping. They are the hardest steel I've ever encountered, even with a Sawsall it is tedious and slow to cut through one! You have to have a powerful drill to sink them but they sink fast and hold tight. I would highly recommend them for any new cabin.

I'm pretty sure they would not do well in oak.

I agree with N80, I have an Oldtimer Log Home and they also use the Oly-Lags and they are super hard and work very well.

 

[scesnick]

Eddie, My log Home usues "D" logs but I have saddlenotched ends. So, really only the top log has a flat area where water can lay. And, even then the top log is up under my soffit a bit so that also keeps the water off of them.
If you look at the corner of the house you have in the pic, each log has an exposed flat top. Saddlenotched logs have the next log right on top of it, not staggered. This does not alllow water to sit on top of the flat surface.

You are 100% correct about the rot factor but that can be GREATLY reduced by simply going with the saddlenotch corners. Any log home manufactuer worth his weight in salt should tell customers about this. I know Old Timer told me when I was looking to buy. That is one of the reasons I built an Old Timer. They were not just out to make a sale as quickly as they can, they take care of their customers.

 

[N80]

N-80 you forgot 3 more things to prevent rot:
1-a large overhang
2-a large overhang
3-a large overhang


RD

Yep, I went 24" all the way around.