20x24 Log cabin

Brainerdboy · August 17, 2007, 11:51:46 AM

While searching for information on ladder access to a cabin loft I came across your site and found it quite interesting. I am in the process of building a 20x24 "log" cabin. The walls are made from 6x6 "D" logs and I am putting conventional parallel cord trusses on top of that at 10:12 pitch. One half of the cabin has a loft and one of the long sides includes a covered porch. I had 11 cords of logs hauled to the site and a gentleman came in with a portable mill to saw the wall logs along with much of the dimensional lumber used for things like the 2x6 loft floor. Although I am not done yet I am getting closer every day and would be happy to share my learnings.

glenn kangiser · August 18, 2007, 02:05:52 AM

Welcome to the forum. We'd really like to hear more about your experiences and see more pix. Yours is similar to the one Chatycady and Co. built.

August 18, 2007, 08:40:15 AM

I started this project just over 1year ago with the building of a "wood" shed to store my logs. Following that we sawed logs and the rets is history. It is amazing what one person can accomplish in a short period of time. I have worked just about every weekend and vacation for the past year on this project. I was lucky whith respect to weather, Minnesota experienced a warmer than normal winter last year, if the temp was above 15 degrees I was working. The few weekends that were too cold I built an outhouse in my garage and hauled to the cabin site which is 45 minutes away. Inoticed many questions on your site about foundations. I have lots of clay so choose to put down 12 inch round concrete piers to a depth of 70 inches. On top of the piers I bolted two rows of railroad ties. In addition to tie runners on both long walls I ran a row of ties down the middle so the 2x8 treated floor joist only span 10ft. The floor is insulated with 5 inches of rigid styrofoam between the joist.

glenn kangiser · August 18, 2007, 09:09:54 AM

Thanks for the foundation inf. We always have members asking and my area has no frost depth to speak of.

Nice out house. I could really get comfy in there.

Looks like blue stain pine.

Can you still get Sears catalogs for the proper operation of the outhouse?

Ode to the Little Brown Shack Outback

Sassy · August 18, 2007, 10:38:04 AM

Very, very nice! That outhouse is too cute!

August 18, 2007, 07:02:15 PM

QuoteThanks for the foundation inf. We always have members asking and my area has no frost depth to speak of.

Nice out house. I could really get comfy in there. Looks like blue stain pine.

Can you still get Sears catalogs for the proper operation of the outhouse?

Ode to the Little Brown Shack Outback

I haven't heard that in years. Thanks for posting it.

glenn kangiser · August 19, 2007, 09:39:42 AM

It's one of my favorites.

MountainDon · August 19, 2007, 05:39:49 PM

Yes, the outhouse is superb. Is that an electrical cord snaking thru the snow, or cable TV?

John Raabe · August 19, 2007, 05:45:29 PM

Might be the electric seat warmer?

August 19, 2007, 07:04:36 PM

That would be most welcome in MN, wouldn't it?

Brainerdboy · August 19, 2007, 08:35:20 PM

Glad you folks like the outhouse, as I mentioned it was a winter project, I had a 300 gal tank installed before things froze up. The day we moved it to the site it was -15 without wind chill, needless to say we did not try it out that day. Building in the winter can be a challenge the picture below was the coldest day of the year that I did any log raising. It was about 14 degrees, I had to be careful not to strip out the 8 inch screws that went from one log into the other as some had enough moisture that the screws would strip if countersunk too much.