Anyone consider a DIY Log home?

[ellbaker]

Just curious is anyone researched a DIY log home before deciding to build one of these plans.  I have been reading loghomebuilders.org or LHBA for the last few days.  It looks like a fun way to build a house yourself.

[MushCreek]

We considered it for a while, but it looked like too much maintenance in the long haul. The outside needs to be treated every 5 years or so, there are a lot of places for air to leak in and out, and I've heard enough horror stories about settling problems to keep me away. I know there are good kits, and you can make a good home out of one, but there's a lot to go wrong, too. I also think that there would be work to keeping the inside clean as well, with all those logs for dust to settle on- that was the wife's concern. In some parts of the country, there is also a lot of trouble with carpenter bees, although they can attack any natural siding. Since we will retire in the home we are planning, I'm going as low maintenance as possible- tin roof, and fiber cement siding.

If you do consider it, there are places where you can buy just the milled logs, and build to your own design. It looks a lot cheaper than the kits, but of course you have to know what you're doing.

[ellbaker]

The settling issue appears to be a non-issue with the techniques on LBHA.  They claim no settling.  I really like the open, rugged look on the interiors.  I agree that outside maintenance would be a pain.

[glenn kangiser]

LHBA seems to be one of the most credible of the bunch. Most of the kits are not highly recommended.

Chatycady did one of John's plans with squared logs - it came out very nice.

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=1925.0

[Squirl]

I considered it but abandoned the idea when I found out the problems getting it to pass code in certain areas.  Soft wood has an R-value of around 1.2 per inch and hardwoods .8-1 per inch.  So for an R-19 wall (code in my area) the logs would have to be 15 inches in diameter at the chink.  So I would have to build an interior and insulation in addition to the log exterior.  In addition to all the other cost, maintenance, and work. It just didn't seem worth it.  I could probably list dozens of negatives about building a log home.  I could list only a few positives. How beautiful they are is the largest.  I don't want to dump on them to heavily.

[Don_P]

Actually you are allowed to credit the thermal mass in the R value equation, ResChek has log options in their calc, I also have the code "log home standard" here if anyone gets to where they need that info.

As for the group mentioned, I would study their methods and those of others with an open mind while formulating an opinion. My warning bells always go off when someone attempts to win converts by disparaging others rather than being able to rely on the positive aspects of their methods.

Take a couple of 2x4's stacked on top of each other and space them apart with popsicle sticks. Now nail them together with angled nails. Remove the popsicle sticks. Push down on the gapped 2x4's and they will not settle, they are held apart by the angled pins. That is essentially what this method is doing to support the logs and prevent settlement, using lengths of rebar instead of nails.

Their definition of "kit" includes pretty much anything not constructed onsite. A handscribed log home fitted and assembled by a craftsman in his yard and then reassembled on the homeowners lot is lumped into the same definition as a machined log home. I don't have a particular bone to pick with any of those methods just trying to give some perspective. I've built log homes that settle on their fasteners in order to maintain wood to wood bearing as the logs dry and shrink and have also built some that are bearing on the fasteners and have gapped in between logs. Either can work. I'm not sure that I can agree that a "kit" is necessarily inferior. We have 2 kit companies and one handcrafter nearby. One kit company is trash, one is quite good and the handcrafter is excellent.

[CREATIVE1]

In Washington state, I looked at this manufacturer.  Very tempting, but went with stick built.  These logs are manageable sizes and come insulated if you choose, getting around the R-value issue.  But, they're not real logs.

http://www.singloghomes.com/

[mountainmomma]

I currently like in a 3 side milled butt and pass cabin and HATE the rough cut interior. I thought it was quaint at first and now come to recognize it as a housekeeping nightmare. We also do have plenty of airs gaps in our 12x16 cabin. And, the logs are cold to the touch on the cold winter nights.

I was REALLY going for building a log home and even purchased some big beautiful logs iwth the promise from a foormer student of the Log Home Building Assoc. that he could build me a shell for little more than the cost of the materials. When he disappeared, my beau and I were left with a pile of logs and a decision to make. I bought a bil ol chainsaw mill and we toyed with milling the logs flat on two side and after getting frustrated with that.....well....sufice it to say; we wound up agreeing on a stick frame after nearly killing ourselves and each other whilst messing about with some giant logs.

It was a big dilema for me in that I am a big advocate for natural building and using local resources. I still really like the look of a log home but I no longer see it as the romantic dwelling and building process that I once imagined it to be.

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for the update and added info, mountainmomma.  Information like that is hard to get.