Log building help

[curator]

Hey all, just found this place and have been browsing...looking like I could spend a lot of time here!!

I have a project underway that I could use some help with.

I am taking over our family (private) museum over the next couple of years...while it is private, it still stays non profit, and no one is ever charged to come view the displays. 

Anyway, a 25'x25' log cabin/house was donated to the cause for our new main building..under the premise that I move it.

So, the building is down, and I need to start rebuilding it...

I got hold of the building inspector, and because I don't have washrooms or the like in the building, I can't go to a commercial building and he suggested that for the time being I just submit plans to build an outbuilding/storage building for the time being with the option of going commercial later on when an outdoor washroom facility is in place...

My question then, is where do I find a decent plan for building this foundation/floor to put the log structure on?  He suggested just hand drawing one..but it has to be to code..lol..which I know nothing of..

I would like to put the building on Sonotubes (frost line 18" here) and beams to reduce cost as I am footing the bill out of my pocket..

Can anyone suggest anything or somewhere to figure out this plan? 

Thanks in advance and I look forward to sharing this building with you all!

-Curator

[Don_P]

It depends. Most of the old log homes here had a continuous sill log(s) and were on healthy corner piers of stone, often with stone or brick curtain walls between piers. The floor system was often independent and on its own piers. When I've reworked them I've done a continuous stone foundation on a footing with a ledge inside to support a modern floor system that is bolted to the sill logs. The ones I've worked with are usually getting pretty tired of spanning piers, when the sills and piers haven't already let go.

This also has a row of piers supporting a girder down the center of the floor.

I've use lath wire and modern portland cement and synthetic chinking but have removed old lime based mortars. As I've researched there is alot to be said for the old way of using slaked lime "slack lime" and sand. Much of the decay I've come across was primarily from poorly applied and detailed mortar but I also wonder how much is caused by the switch from lime to portland.

Anyway, if you have some pics of yours I'd love to see them.

[curator]

The building I am dealing with is reasonably new..I was figuring on joisting between the beams to build a solid floor.. or, thinking on pouring a full outer pad to put a solid cinder block foundation on...I have to lift the building about 3' off the ground to get above floodplain..thought of also maybe doing a 4' cinder block foundation with a 4' pony wall on top of that to build a higher "crawl space"...half of that being below ground level.  It hasn't flooded here in 35 years.

here are a couple pics of the building as it was coming down..

[glenn kangiser]

curator.

John (Redover Farm) did a cool project that may be of interest and use to you.  http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=3613.0

Nice project.  I do a bit of mining and a couple of us miners here collect antique machinery and like to display and run it for the masses to see.

[curator]

THanks Glenn, and yeah, the project itself is a lot of fun...just crazy time consuming..lol  Will be happy when the museum is all up and running and moved.

My big plan for this particular building is a relief map of the area with markers of interest...then a kiosk for each area of interest.  This will be the main building...and it will also house the library and resource material. 

But again, I just need a drawing to take to the building inspector...lol..and see what they say I guess..

[curator]

With the weight of logs being so much heavier than that of standard buildings...do I need larger piers and sonos than normal..say 10"?  Do I need 4 rows of 3 across the building or are 3 rows of 3 sufficient?

My thoughts are 3 rows of 3 pier and sono or pad and sono I guess...with 10x10 on top, thinking 2x8 floor joists every 16"?  The span would be approx 12' on these...is that enough?  No interior walls to speak of..

Thoughts?

[Redoverfarm]

    curator

Sorry I didn't pick up your original thread.  Been a little busy lately.  My log construction is hand hewed logs from the mid to later 19th century.  I set mine on a block wall (partially crawlspace and partial basement).  The sill logs ran the narrow demensions so I had to improvise somewhat by removing that support log and making the front & back the sill logs. I sawed the bottom log to set flat on the deck.   I set them on a convientional subfloor with joist and advantech.  

I realize that concrete block is not very appealing.  The reason I did the 1/2 basement is for the mechanicals was to give me more room in the log cabin area. The blocks can be parged or use cultured stone (what I did) on what was visible.  From the photographs that you had posted it appears that this was the type of foundations originally used.

Here is the earlier stages of that build.  The subsequent pages are from that date to the present.

https://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/redoverfarm/hightop/?start=400

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=3613.msg40882#msg40882

http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=3613.msg40964#msg40964



Good Luck

John

[firefox]

Wow! Now that is what I call inspiring.
Bruce

[Don_P]

when people talk about log homes being so heavy, do remember that a brick home is much heavier and is built on a conventional foundation. If you do sonotubes I'd get an engineer's ok.