Log Cabin plans and floor plans for a 30x30 or 35x35 loft

[dgrover13]

We are planning a weekend retreat log cabin on newly purchased lake lot here in Northern Wisconsin. 

I am building the log cabin myself using traditional methods.  I am in search of pretty basic floorplans for a 30x30 cabin.  Ideally we would have open living/kitchen with a master and bath on main floor.  In the loft have 1 bedroom space-  maybe two bedrooms.

Where can I find basic plans to start with.  I am not ready to purchase per say - as I just want to start looking to find the right one.

Where should i be looking on Countryplans or elsewhere?

[Redoverfarm]

We are planning a weekend retreat log cabin on newly purchased lake lot here in Northern Wisconsin. 

I am building the log cabin myself using traditional methods.  I am in search of pretty basic floorplans for a 30x30 cabin.  Ideally we would have open living/kitchen with a master and bath on main floor.  In the loft have 1 bedroom space-  maybe two bedrooms.

Where can I find basic plans to start with.  I am not ready to purchase per say - as I just want to start looking to find the right one.

Where should i be looking on Countryplans or elsewhere?

Finding something that actually fit to a tee might be a little hard.  You can take a lesser dimensional plan and expand it which will actually give you more room (within the rooms) than the original plans call for. You will just need to tweak them to figure where to place the additional square footage and adjust your framing to compensate. 

A 30 X 30 log cabin contains the same amount of space to work with as a traditional stick built homes providing that it utilizes (6" logs)  which 2X6 exterior wall framing does or maybe just a tad thicker.  At least most do if it is a kit style log cabin.  Only exception in interior framing is the settling of the logs.  You will have to allow slip window & door framing.  That will hold true also with any interior walls that attach to the exterior wall logs.

I googled the dimensions and got several plans. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=30+x+30+house+floor+plans&rlz=1T4TSNA_enUS401US438&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjgjfKXsunKAhUjuIMKHUOUD1QQsAQIHA&biw=1093&bih=453

[Don_P]

Let's kill 2 birds with one stone, you are closer to better timber than the ponderosa's in SD. I can rattle off a dozen log home companies in your state off the top of my head, you are in the thick of it. Several log builders in the Black Hills use the local pines, nothing wrong there. I prefer your white pine (up there some call it soft pine) but have used a good bit of your red (Norway pine) as well. White is softer and more dimensionally stable, tends towards opening up one major check where red tends towards more, smaller, radial checks. Our favorite tavern to go eat after work around Solon Springs was Soft Pines, it was in a grove of white pines. Red pine, pinus resinosa, is our only relative of pinus sylvestris, European hard pine, scots pine. In a log wall dimensional stability is more important than strength. For beams, horizontal spanning members... joists, rafters, purlins, etc, strength and stiffness are quite important. All things being equal red is stronger and stiffer than the other two in a round or sawn round log beam.

There are many traditional methods of building with logs, describe further what you have in mind.

I'd start with a sketch of what you are thinking of.

[dgrover13]

Let's kill 2 birds with one stone, you are closer to better timber than the ponderosa's in SD. I can rattle off a dozen log home companies in your state off the top of my head, you are in the thick of it. Several log builders in the Black Hills use the local pines, nothing wrong there. I prefer your white pine (up there some call it soft pine) but have used a good bit of your red (Norway pine) as well. White is softer and more dimensionally stable, tends towards opening up one major check where red tends towards more, smaller, radial checks. Our favorite tavern to go eat after work around Solon Springs was Soft Pines, it was in a grove of white pines. Red pine, pinus resinosa, is our only relative of pinus sylvestris, European hard pine, scots pine. In a log wall dimensional stability is more important than strength. For beams, horizontal spanning members... joists, rafters, purlins, etc, strength and stiffness are quite important. All things being equal red is stronger and stiffer than the other two in a round or sawn round log beam.

There are many traditional methods of building with logs, describe further what you have in mind.

I'd start with a sketch of what you are thinking of.

Thanks for follow up.  I am planning a pinned stacked log cabin with butt and pass corners.  I am going to be building it mainly myself and plan to do it over next 3-4 years.
Plan to use green logs, no mill or hew.  I feel everywhere I search for info - people are blogging about their doug fir and yes red pines and what not.  They always seem to be in mountainous regions.

In Wisconsin - I have found 1 private seller with red and white pine ready to cut.  But I am looking to obtain the logs in 2017, not yet.  You said local mills would sell green logs?  I am in northern wisconsin about 2 hours northwest of twin cities.  Hayward/rice Lake area. 

Who should I be calling to line up a price on green logs - 10 inch minimum and looking for 40 foot lengths.

[Don_P]

Your state forester knows all the local loggers as do the sawmills, the sawmill may give you prices. If you can get a logger with a self loader it'll save you having to have a knuckleboom there. At 40' you may be out of that range though. You'd be over what my little boom truck could do much with. If you are going to be creative and use a skyline or similar to unload him be prepared to pay him for waiting, those guys need to roll to make a living.

Not really traditional, that's a method Ellsworth created. You can pick up a good bit of stability and get a better corner seal by cutting a V into the passing log, as viewed from above, and inserting a matching V point that's on the butt log.

Oh, for rails and details also look at northern white cedar, you're again right in the heart of things. Beautiful and rot resistant heartwood... wear a mask if creating dust, it can cause you some respiratory grief if you suck too much.

[Redoverfarm]

Not really traditional, that's a method Ellsworth created. You can pick up a good bit of stability and get a better corner seal by cutting a V into the passing log, as viewed from above, and inserting a matching V point that's on the butt log.

Most experts that I have talked to state that either full or partial dovetail joints are the best for stability.  In addition they state that this particular joint is the best to shed water and preserve the log to rot.  Although it is more complicated to cut.   There are jigs available or plans to make these on line.

[dgrover13]

Hi thanks all, I have thouroughly done my research and based on my assessments - my plan is to do butt and pass corners rather than dovetail.  To each their own.

Would you see issue with using ponderosa for walls, and use use some local red pine for ridge poles and roof beams?  I plan to do large overhangs (4.5 feet) and make sure foundation is raised 2 feet off ground. 

I will check into local sawmills/forester to see if I can find some local red or white cedar.  But I am planning a build for 2 years from now - so I need to find a reliable source for timber that I can plan on for my dimensions.  Thats where the SD ponderosa pine comes in - they will not run out.

Love this forum - great input from everyone.  I plan to blog my planning phase this summer.

[rick91351]

If you are planning huge over hinging eves such as that you should also be planning a lot bigger fire set back. They are huge heat sinks and tend to explode. Open porches like on my home are worse yet.  You can have them just plan for them.   Around here you can have some one from the USFS visit and do a fire assessment.  Myself I think they are a very good idea.....   

[Don_P]

No problem with different species for walls and beams. Check with the local building dept for snow loads and apply that when sizing those members. Does Rock eng still work with LHBA, he would be the most experienced, you should probably run them through an engineer.

I hit you with too many woods at once, the cedar up there is northern white. It is not really a structural wood but is good for rot resistance... railings etc.

[dgrover13]

If you are planning huge over hinging eves such as that you should also be planning a lot bigger fire set back. They are huge heat sinks and tend to explode. Open porches like on my home are worse yet.  You can have them just plan for them.   Around here you can have some one from the USFS visit and do a fire assessment.  Myself I think they are a very good idea.....   

Good point but I don't think we have the same fire codes as out west.  I am actually surrounded by lake on one side and low land marsh on the other.  I'll make sure we don't have any fire setback rules.

But what could explode?  Could you explain?

[rick91351]

Heat becomes trapped under the eves and when the flash point is reached you then have a fire.  Same with open porches....  If you look at the photos of our house the porches are away from the pine trees on both ends of the house.  The eves are not overly large.  We used the regular sized soffet material.  We have a lawn around the house with a parking pad in the rear and the front both. So you have lawn then the nonflammable parking pads.  No flammables are close to the house i.e. over 100 ft. and that is on the east side. The yard is fenced so we keep the cattle out. That said we will graze this part of the ranch usually second. The cows will graze here on the hills sides and around the fenced area of the yard from June until like first of July. They then will move to other pasture when the fuels are pretty benign.  But we still have a pine forest on the east side.  So you try and trim back a lot of the ladder fuels and and any brush you feel might be a fire hazard.     

We do not have any set back rules or codes.  However we live with the threat of wild fire every year....  That said we do not have a fire district or fire department.  So if something should occur you and a little planning has to go a very long way....

However if you are not in such a environment where range and wild fires occur don't sweat the small stuff....    I tend to forget not all of us live out here in the west where some summers as the firefighter say - black is the safest color....  (Means it has already burnt)