Log Cabin with Bark Siding

[rox]

Don't know if any of you ever look at the www.HGTV.com website, but every year they build a Dream Home and give it away. This year they built a very unique house that used log veneer, and since so many of the people here on TBN seem to like a rustic look you may be interested in watching this video of how they did it. On this page, Clcik on the Log Veneer & then the Log Chinking
http://www.hgtvpro.com/hpro/pac_ctnt_ihdr/text/0,2595,HPRO_20976_40179,00.html

Ont his page, scroll down the video list until you come to Log & Bark Siding. They used Bark to side the house and it came out really really nice! I never heard of Bark siding before.
http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/pac_ctnt_988/text/0,,HGTV_22056_32757,00.html

 

[bmac]

rox,

Did you enter the contest to win the house?

 

[rox]

well you have to be a resident of the USA, so I couldn't register to win. However I registered both my children, so i hope one of them wins. This home has really captured my imagination. I lovet he fact that at 5,000 sqf form the outside it doesn't look like a monstrosity. I love the exterior look of this home, the architect is really something. And I know that is a sore subject with you /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Since my son is in the Peace Corps in Guinea Africa, and if he wins, I hope they will consider him a resident just like they would a military person. Like a military person is stationed overseas, doens't mean tha he isn't a resident. Anyway the chances of winning are so slim that it will probably never be an issue. You can register to win once a day.

I love watching the construction videos of these Dream Homes. I went on the chat board and suggested that on their next Dream Home thy build one with a swim up bar. Those are so cool, jsut liek in the resorts. Some day when I build my pool here in Provence I am going to build it with a swim up bar.

What did you think fo the bark siding? Did you like it?

 

[EddieWalker]

Rox,

Last year they built the Dream House here in Tyler. They made it out to be this magnificent home that anybody would want, but in reality, it's a disaster that people joke about.

The architect wasn't from around here, and if I remember right, he was from Austin. That's about 200 miles South West of Tyler.

He designed a home that might work in there, but here, we get freezing weather in the winter and extreme humidty in the winter.

He designed a house with a DETACHED master bedroom. You have to go outside to leave your bedroom!!!!

The winner of the house is from out of state. Very poor and doesn't have a job. His previous house was 800 sq ft.

He was given $100,000 along with the house, but owes over a million dollars on taxes for the house. It's been for sale for awhile now, but he's holding out for a miracle before his taxes are due on April 15. It's a source of speculation what will happen if he doesn't sell it and clear escrow before then.

He didn't list it with a realtor and doesn't have an asking price. He announced he's accepting sealed bids on it and the highest bidder will get it.

Anyway, to your observation about this years home. When I saw the special and the siding with the bark on it, I thought it was a composit.

I was shocked when they said it was real wood with the bark still attached. They never mentioned how the bark will stay on the wood, or how bugs will stay out from living under the bark.

My guess is it's one of those experiments that the winner of the house will have to fix. There's just too many issues with it for me to think its something I'd want to have on my home.

The setting is amazng along with the outdoors living area, but overall, it has too many experimental eliments to it for me. If I won it, I'd sell it just like every single winner of these homes has done since they started this.

Eddie

 

[rox]

Eddie,
Have a look at this website, a Bark manufacturer.
http://www.highlandcraftsmen.com/faqbarksiding.htm
The Kiln Dry the shingles. What is the difference between using Cedar Shingles and Bark Shingles? Both are wood. Why would insects go for the bark shingles and not the cedar shingles. For that matter I had redwood siding on my last hous and huge wood shake roof. I didn't have any insect issues.

Read the FAQ's formt he website, they have been watching a Bark home built nt he 1930's that exists in harsh conditions, belwo zero weather, and no problems. If you think about hundreds of year old trees, the bark is still good.

When combined with the log veneer I think the outcome is very pretty. It's really unique.

 

[Tom_H]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What is the difference between using Cedar Shingles and Bark Shingles? Both are wood. Why would insects go for the bark shingles and not the cedar shingles.)</font>

One of my degrees is in biology. Cedar and redwood produce powerful toxins that prevent virtually any organism from functioning as what is called a decomposer. Dead redwood trees do not rot as much as they simply weather away over hundreds of years.

I also live in a log home. The maintenance is endless. Every summer I have to wire brush peeling stain and recoat. Every summer I have to clean out hundreds of feet of tiny checks and refill with acrylic silicone.

In the pioneer days, some people did build log homes without debarking. All those structures are long since rotted away. I stay very current in my reading on log homes and out of the multiple hundreds of producers, I am not aware of even one that doesn't debark the logs. I have seen a couple of companies that use hickory or poplar that has been heavily treated with preservative for interior siding. Dead bark splits and cracks much worse than wood. It gets damp and stays damp, yet allows air to get in at the same time. It is nutrient rich and does not have a strong cellular structure. It is an ideal incubator for copious types of decomposers: insects, woodpeckers, fungi, mold, lichens, moss, etc., et al. The idea of comparing redwood or cedar to bark is one of the most ludicrous notions I have ever heard. Hickory saplings will maintain a strong bond with their bark if kept dry and in fairly constant low humidity. It makes beautiful rustic furniture, but if it were exposed to the elements, it would soon rot. I don't care how much preservative these people claim to have used to pickle this bark, it is not going to last.

Anyone who builds, lives in, or even thinks that he won't have problems with a house built with nondebarked wood that is exposed to rain and sun is grossly misinformed.

 

[rox]

Tom_H,
Many thanks for your informed reply.

 

[PitbullMidwest]

Eddie,
On one of my business trips to Texas I was taken to the "La Hacienda Ranch" restaurant in the Ft Worth area. First thing I noticed was the building was bark covered logs. My inlaws have a log home and I couldn't imagine leaving the bark on, my first thought was "what about bugs?".

Apparently they've worked out the details.

 

[EddieWalker]

Maybe.

One thing about that part of Texas compared to my area and the area of the Dream Home is humidity. They don't have it, we do.

Log homes and huge maintenance projects that never end. In areas with allot of humidity and moisture, the level of maintenance increases dramatically.

I don't know if the bark will last on that home or not. I'm not familiar with how it was treated or any details about it at all.

I do know that it wouldn't be on anything I built or owned.

My experience is that bark doesn't last when exposed to the elements. It's a host for bugs to either feed or live.

Just because the manufacturer saws it will last means nothing to me. I won't believe it until it's a proven product. Let the other guy experiment with his home, I'm not taking the risk.

One more expample.

In California where I'm from, people use redwood for exposed construction. If it's going to be painted, than pine and fir is used without any problems.

Here in East Texas, pine and fir are never used for exterior applications. It will start rotting in months if the bugs don't get to it first.

Two totally different worlds and what works in one place doesn't in another.

Overall, I think the house is interesting, but stand by my statement that I wouldn't want it. I can understand how other people will disagree with me on this, but we all have different backgrounds and aproaches to what makes a good home versus a disaster.

Eddie

 

[beenthere]

In all probablility, the bark will not stay on. Between the bark and the wood of a tree is the 'cambium' layer, which is the growing cells of the tree. These cells produce the wood and are protected by the bark. At certain times of the year, like in the winter, these cells are dormant so are a bit stronger than during the growing periods. If the bark wood is harvested during this 'winter' period, then there is a chance that the bark will stay tight to the wood when first put on the house as siding. However, after that the shrinkage and swelling characteristics of bark and wood are different, so there will be a constant stress on this bark wood boundary during the weather changes (low to high humidity) as mentioned. Maybe in a dry climate, but wetting during rainy periods will add stress to that boundary as well. So, the odds that the bark will stay on the wood for more than a few years have to be very poor.
Amazing that people want to 'go back' to previous times. Bark on wood on houses was likely a 'poor mans' home that was at best 'temporary' shelter. Some with log homes realize how much work it is to keep a log home from rotting away.