Conference 7.286::home_work

    	Built a half-dozen of these beauties out in Colorado.  We used
    "Real Log Cabin Homes" brand pre-fabs out of Vermont.  (and I suppose
    Vermont gets their wood from Colorado, right?!  Whadda country!)
    
    	At that time, I was not envolved in the purchasing of materials,
    and even so, any prices I could quote would be out of date.  As
    I was told, the framing package ran about 30-50% *higher* than a
    stick-frame house.  So, you're looking at up to 5k for "esthetic appeal"
    on your log home price.  (hmmm they may be Worth it!)
    
    Some of the things to look out for:
    
    	Settling - Over the first year or two the logs will shrink about
    two or more inches per floor.  You have to leave large spaces above
    all the windows and doors to allow for this, and the interior
    partitions were built with "feet": 2x4 blocks under the wall that
    can be [easily?!] knocked out later on.  (The exterior walls shrink,
    but the interior ones don't.)
    
    	Sealing the cracks - This can be done very well or horribly!
    The "other" crew in town, you couldn't hold a candle to - because
    they did such a bad job with the joints that the wind just blew
    right thru the house!  The ones we put up had a 3/8" rabbet top
    and bottom into which we placed a 1 1/2" masonite spline.  Then
    on either side of the spline there was this adhesive foam sealer.
    If it's put on correctly it makes a very tight house.  Other suppliers
    used a tongue-and-groove system.
    
    	Insulation - An inch of wood is the "standard" for caculating
    those "R-factors" we through around... One "R" is one inch of wood's
    Worth of insulating power.  Since the average thickness of a log
    home wall is 6", the R-factor of the wall is only six, compared
    to 18 or more for a stick-frame house.  To make up for it the floor
    and ceiling are super-super insluated.  12 or more inches each.
    If you have a cathedral ceiling with rough beams covered with t&G
    pine [beautiful!!!] then a regular roof is framed *on top* of that
    one so that you can put insulation up there.  I was told taht this
    makes the total heat loss of the house no greater than normal.
    Perhaps someone else knows first-hand.

    	The ones we built had irregularly shaped logs, so any ledge created
    by a log outside had to be planed down so that water wouldn't sit
    on it.

    	They were a lot of fun to build and I regret never having been
    able to live in one!  Good luck on the project!
    							Don Arey

    
    	A friend of mine built his log home almost by himself..He has
    lived in it for 2 years and is finally putting the framing around
    the windows.  Same as in .1, you must leave enough room for shrinkage
    I've heard 1/8 of an inch per course.  His houses roof line shrunk
    a total of 2 inches, so as in .1 watch your interior walls.  Outside
    of this, he is totaly satisfied and I can atest to it's beauty and
    warmth inside and out...no leaks!!!!!
    						bill..g.
    

    I cant think of anything to favor log construction. It seems a terrible
    waste of wood, insulation is not practical, shrinking is a problem,
    water getting into the joints, of which there are many, causes rot,I
    cant imagine how you replace a rotted log.                         
    
    I built a post and beam summer house. Look at a book called Designing
    and Building Energy Efficient Houses by Alex Wade. He has lots of
    good ideas, only one TERRIBLE idea, a dry laid brick floor.
                                          
    

	Just scanning through the new issue of HARROWSMITH this past
	weekend, I can across at least 5 advertisements for log home
	kits.  You may want to check it out.  MOTHER EARTH probably
	has the same story.

	-gary

    Another good source of log home advertisements is "Adirondack Life"
    magazine.  There are usually about a dozen per issue.  I don't keep
    back issues, and have one available.  If the person in .0 (or anybody
    else) wants it, I'll send it to you.  Sorry, I only have the one
    copy right now.... but there's always another issue.

	Thanks guys about the advertisements.  As I stated I'm more interested
	in what you people think about building Log Homes.  As far as 
	'Manufacturers' go I would rather pick one of the local Mills arouund
	where the property is as I would want someone close by if I had any
	problems.  Besides from my discussions with other people on pricing
	the two mills I've talked to have just about everyone beat.  The
	shipping charges would also be minimal.  In another note Gary of
	FROST:: mentioning a Post & Beam mill in Vermont, if you could send
	me the phone # I would appreciate it.  I'ld like to compare the costs
	of putting up a P&B with 'stress-skins'.  


	Chuck

	re -.1:

	I'll check it out tonight (if I remember) to see if I still have thier
	brochure.  The phone number (from the local phone book) is 

	Vermont Frames  (802) 482-2722


	Just another though....how about a cordwood house?

	-gary

>	Just another though....how about a cordwood house?

	-gary,

	What, pray tell, is a cordwood house ?  I've never heard of it.


	Chuck

	re -.1

    >	What, pray tell, is a cordwood house ?  I've never heard of it.



	See notes 432.15 - 432.23 for a discussion on said topic..

	I was 'up north' this past weekend to check out the Camp and we
	stopped in at a place that deal in PATRIOT LOG HOMES.  This is a
	Quebec company that has a few different twists on the Log home
	package.  Things like Dovetail joints and insulation factor of
	R-25 for the exterior walls.  Their packages are delivered to
	your site and are very complete, windows are double-paned casement
	and the doors are very think.  Interior staircases and railings are
	all included as are the interior walls (T&G pine).  The finshed look
	of these packages are much nicer than anything I've yet seen.  The
	price is a little higher but the rate of exchange is around 33% for
	a Canadien outfit so their Suisse Chalet that goes for 34,000 Canadien
	is around 22,000 American.  

	Has anyone ever heard/had any experience with these guys ?  



	Chuck

For more log homes info (lots more) subscribe to Log Home Guide....
Quarterly  (?) with info on builders, construction techniques, etc.
Well constructed log homes are just the bees knees; I understand there
are log homes in Scandinavia (habitability unknown) standing after 700
years. Long before the invention of the 2 x 4... :-)

                                               ken

I've always loved log homes.  Before moving to Washington last year to 
join DEC I planed for years to buy property someday and build a log home
here in the North West.  After moving to Washington I began my search for 
property to build on.  In my search, I found a log home already built that 
was exactly what I wanted!  About 2 weeks latter I saw a "For Sale By Owner" 
sign go up!  Well I bought it about 5 months ago and I love it.

Its about 1800 square feet and sits on 5 acres.  The home was hand
crafted by a group of people who builds custom log homes in this area. 
The logs were from across the street where they were clearing for a Horse
Ranch.  They average about 14-18" in diameter.  This home uses what is called
a Swedish Cope.  It involves hacking a V at the bottom of each log.  The
round top of the log underneath snuggles up in this V to make a tight fit.

>    P.S. Do you think a general notes file on the advantages and problems
>    with living in unique homes (log, dome, earth, etc) would be worth
>    having?  I know I could talk forever on log homes! 
    
    It's certaily within the spirit and scope of this conference to do it
    right here.  
    
    I, myself, at various times have considered log, dome, and underground
    homes.  It would be interesting to see how others have made out with
    their non-traditional decisions.
    
    -joet 

Announcing the Log Homes conference on SUSHI::LOG_HOMES (KP7 to select). 
If your node doesn't know about SUSHI:: use 32089::LOG_HOMES instead. 

This conference is intended for anyone interested in log homes, or just 
curious about them. It isn't intended to overlap existing conferences 
such as HOME_WORK and STOVES, but there are some interesting 
peculiarities about this style of construction that warrant a separate 
forum. Please join in and share your experiences and questions!

The introductory note follows:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                  <<< DAB3:[NOTES$LIBRARY]LOG_HOMES.NOTE;1 >>>
                           -< Log Homes Conference >-
================================================================================
Note 1.0           Welcome to the Log Home Living Conference!         No replies
SUSHI::KMACDONALD "Got any ICE you need climbed?"    23 lines   9-FEB-1988 19:22
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welcome to the LOG_HOMES conference!

The purpose of this conference is to discuss any and all aspects of 
living in log homes. Subjects could include:
   Builders/Suppliers/Contractors
   Building your own
   Decorating
   Heating/Cooling/Plumbing systems
   Problems
   Designs
and anything else you'd like to discuss on the subject.

The conference resides on SUSHI::LOG_HOMES. SUSHI:: is a development 
uVAX and is subject to occasional crashes and downtime for various 
reasons. If the conference is unavailable for some time, send MAIL to 
EDWIN::KMACDONALD for status.

Finally, this conference is:

                 * FOR DIGITAL INTERNAL USE ONLY *

                               enjoy! your moderator/host,
                               ken macdonald [SUSHI::KMACDONALD]