Building a Log Cabin. Need Some Help. | |
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DeadBeacon User ID: 1507302 United States 02/12/2012 06:02 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Go here and scroll down to Garage Gallery. You'll find more help and ideas than you could ever need. [link to garagejournal.com] :Canadian F::State of Texas: "Misunderestimating is only 5/4 th's of the problem"! "Some choose to hear, few decide to listen". "Question what you know and know why you question". "GLP will never be the sane...uhhh...same". "The markets will determine the fate of government intervention, not government intervening in the market". |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 1317751 Canada 02/12/2012 06:11 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Your 2x6's should be on edge, not flat. Yes you can just use logs for your rafters over purlins. What are you doing for the gable ends.......... are your logs going to be full length standing on end from floor to peak? How long it takes depends on you and how hard you give'r as well as what you have for equipment, etc for lifting the purlins in place. Probably a week to 10 days on your own if prepared at a minimum I would think. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1317751 Canada 02/12/2012 06:14 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Yes, they need to be seasoned for a period of at least 6-8 months. Cut them down in the summer, come next spring and start getting to work. Best to cut in the winter when the sap is not flowing. Harder to peel but better logs in the end. Lots of log home builders do not season logs for more than a couple months due to high demand and turn over of buildings, but the take into account 10% shrink and this factor is used as well when cutting window and door openings........ etc. |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 10604530 United States 02/12/2012 06:30 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Architect here. Let your timber season. Dont want to use green wood to build with. Pour Concrete pads for the footings and set the 6x6's on top of that in Simson buckets. No wood in direct contact with concrete or soil. A 6x6 is not good enough for a footing and they will rot anyway. A foundation like you described would be very undersized. If you want to use wood pilings use creosote poles, but they should be driven. 2x6 on edge but probably not deep enough depending. Find a builder or architect or structural engineer that can run some numbers and make sure you are not under sizing anything like the foundation for one. You only want to do this once. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1306067 United States 02/12/2012 06:43 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Here is a fantastic site for building ones own log cabin. [link to www.ourloghouse.com] They list step by step how to select, harvest, skid to build site, season/rotate, and finally number and catalog. |
jailarson User ID: 10641596 United States 02/12/2012 06:46 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Just typed out a long answer and lost it. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 10604530 Architect here. Let your timber season. Dont want to use green wood to build with. Pour Concrete pads for the footings and set the 6x6's on top of that in Simson buckets. No wood in direct contact with concrete or soil. A 6x6 is not good enough for a footing and they will rot anyway. A foundation like you described would be very undersized. If you want to use wood pilings use creosote poles, but they should be driven. 2x6 on edge but probably not deep enough depending. Find a builder or architect or structural engineer that can run some numbers and make sure you are not under sizing anything like the foundation for one. You only want to do this once. This is good advice. |
Burt Gummer User ID: 7702124 United States 02/12/2012 07:25 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 6266617 United States 02/12/2012 07:41 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Sqaure one side of log for rafters then strap the top with 2x4's and install 5/8 plywood or insulated panels. Don't use fiberglass insulation! |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 10573104 United Kingdom 02/12/2012 10:55 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | No advice, but my husband's double cousin (a sister and a brother married a brother and a sister) and her husband built a log cabin in Arkansas. She said they tested the logs by throwing clothes at them---if they didn't stick, the logs weren't rough enough . Good luck---I'm not sure why but it took them years to finish theirs. Maybe because of the testing method. |
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 10285481 United States 02/12/2012 11:10 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I am going to be building a vertical log cabin 32'x24'. I will be using all red cedar trees that are on the property. I am planning on getting all my materials first and prepping the logs. After I have everything I will then begin to build. I plan to use a pier support foundation with 6'x6' pressure treated lumber, sitting 24" in the ground (that is the frost line). I will space them 8' apart, giving me 12 supports. I plan on using main support beam s running across the width (there will be 2) and 1 support beam running the length. Creating (essentially) a grid pattern of 8'x8' sections totaling 8. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 7096971 My questions are, when affixing the floor joist, should I use 2"x6"s standing on end or laying flat around the perimeter. And, I plan on using cedar trees for the roof trusses and applying the plywood directly to them. Will this work as well as a traditional roof, built with store bought lumber? And lastly, how long will this take, (assuming I have all the materials prepped within a month) how long to put it all together and get the final house? Thanks if you can help. I don't understand. Are you saying that you are going to put the weight of the logs on the piers? That can't be right. As for floor joists, what will the length be? 12'? I'm sure you need at least 2/10's, in which case, you would also need 2x10's running on edge from pier to pier. the band should be the same as the joist. I think you need to talk to a builder before you waste a lot of time. Just a suggestion, but how about building a cordwood house set on concrete footing? If you are working by yourself, it would be a lot easier to build. |
GeekOfTheWeek User ID: 8795702 United States 02/12/2012 11:31 PM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | That's one year without the bark on them, longer if you leave the bark on. I suggest getting a portable mill to work the cured lumber. Cedar isn't a great choice of wood, as it's not very good for holding nails, so you'll be using lots of screws. Get some learning about it all online, it's not THAT hard, but you do need to learn some things. Also a water level will help you set the piers completely level. I'm talking about the kind with a jug and clear plastic tubing with a valve on the end of the tube. Set the level in the jug to where you want your piers, then take each pier to the right height just by opening the valve and watch where the water level is. Sure is quicker than a line and standard levels. I love physics. It bonds us eternally, it's what makes our computers work, it's what's in my morning cup of coffee, it's the thing that keeps the universe from vanishing due to lack of belief... |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 10683800 United States 02/13/2012 01:58 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Just typed out a long answer and lost it. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 10604530 Architect here. Let your timber season. Dont want to use green wood to build with. Pour Concrete pads for the footings and set the 6x6's on top of that in Simson buckets. No wood in direct contact with concrete or soil. A 6x6 is not good enough for a footing and they will rot anyway. A foundation like you described would be very undersized. If you want to use wood pilings use creosote poles, but they should be driven. 2x6 on edge but probably not deep enough depending. Find a builder or architect or structural engineer that can run some numbers and make sure you are not under sizing anything like the foundation for one. You only want to do this once. agreed two reasons...ternites and rot I would pour a high flat slab and start from there that way, at least the floor never "has issues" and when I say high, I mean 2 ft+ above the ground w/ 3ft footings and a few beams to boot concrete is gonna be the cheapest material you will work with "You only want to do this once" and you damned sure don't want to have to redo it in 10 years!!!! dr |
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