Cabin building question.

[gypsyheart]

Here is a link to a cabin built quickly in Montana. Read the whole thing, but I will go straight into my question. For walls they are using laminated 2 X 4's stacked one on top of another. Nothing is mentioned about insulation and this is Montana! It is very cold. So, my question is does it just not need insulation or what? Here is the link:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1972_May_June/Our_Homestead_Buildings_Cost__215

Thanks in advance.

[Amanda_931]

There's a guy on another list I'm on who is building like that, although he's mostly using scrap from building sites, but I think he's mostly done outbuildings.  He likes the look.  And it's sturdy.

As far as retaining heat, it might be a bit better than a log cabin kit.  very little in the way of infiltration, for instance, unless you've got really leaky old windows, the way they did.  

It strikes me as possible that one could put on a plaster (clay, lime or gypsum) that had a lot of vermiculite/perlite (masonry, not gardening quality) in it and that would help a lot.  Or an inner--or outer--layer with one of the foams.

What they did with the floor (straw around the foundation) and ceiling (who knows) would be at least as important, and they had to do some serious sealing around the windows.

They piled straw around the crawlspace/foundation.  Not really recommended.  But I've wondered if it would keep my trailer warmer.

But you could not get by just laying things on the ground around here.  Termites, among other things!

The article was from 1972.  I wonder what it's like now.

[glenn-k]

I would say that insulation would be a definite  advantage but buldig this way there would not be room for it.

They would probably get  more of a thermal flywheel effect like earth buildings do and I assume they overcame the cold with a real decent sized wood stove.  The house they are talking about was the size of the Little House until they added on.  A good wood stove and dry wood can overcome a lot of cold in a small house.

My uncle built a house exactly like this but much larger in Oregon in about 1972 or so also --probably read the same article.  His later caught fire.  I only went there once so don't remember too much about it.