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Small Cabin Forum / General Forum / How do you guys do it?
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jrbarnard
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# Posted: 20 Sep 2011 06:28
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Man, these cabins are so beautiful. I almost wish I had not found this site *lol*.. just kidding!

What I am doing is just soaking it all in. I sent an email to Stoney to buy one of those books he had on fabricating a "log cabin" out of 2x8's, but no reply, so Stoney, if you get on.. ;) (probably out at his cabin.. heh)

I love the actual log cabins! They are so beautiful, but wow, just to build a 300sq ft cabin would cost me my first AND second born here in Texas ;) I might cut down a cedar or two to add some accent though ;)

For you folks that have a more log cabin feel, even if not real "logs", how do you hide the electrical? I see a lot of beautiful small places that do not incorporate the standard framing build, so curious how you handle the electrical lines etc.

What about insulation?

R

trollbridge
Member
# Posted: 20 Sep 2011 10:25
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Welcome Jrbarnard,
Don't worry, before you know it you'll be underway with your project and others will be looking at your place for inspiration. Good luck on your build.

Montanan
Member
# Posted: 20 Sep 2011 15:28
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Welcome! Our cabin is log (pine.) Insulation is no issue- wood is a great insulator...just takes a long time to heat up! We're heating with wood stove only and plan on being cold (and huddled in front of the fire) for a while upon arrival in the winter. Our roof is insulated with foam core sheets (not recalling the R-value right now, but mid-level) Our floor will be the same (we'll be insulating from below, as the floor is already in.)

As for the electrical, I've been asking the same question of Kirk. You can find our discussion here:
http://www.small-cabin.com/forum/6_1342_0.html

The short answer is that we are making extensive use of the 2 interior frame walls we have built, and also running wiring through conduit underneath the cabin (we are on piers.) Finally, we will do our best to conceal electrical along the bottom of the walls, behind the baseboards and across the top sill log, where is can be easily concealed from view.

Borrego
Member
# Posted: 20 Sep 2011 21:59
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Yeah as they said, I started off looking in as a newcomer and here i am with my pole house half built! Seems like yesterday when I started... Just start and the rest will follow!

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 20 Sep 2011 22:19
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FOr log homes, I though wall outlets low can poke up through the floor via some conduit. And be mounted to the first log. And can romex be fed in the log valleys and hidden with chinking for light switches etc. Or one could plan ahead and have the wiring ran through the logs as its being built.

Malamute
Member
# Posted: 20 Sep 2011 23:29
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I run the wiring in the log joints and inlet the boxes in the log joints. Just mark the outline of the box, drill some of the wood out, and chisel the remainder. I get them to set the depth I want to they are solid when set, and the cover plate flushes out with the logs, or at least at the top of the box, and chink around them after done. I cut the nail flanges off the boxes and screw thru the sides or back into the log. Vertiacl wires can be roughed in thru holes you bored when stacking logs, or run along door frames to get to the level you want. You can also use your chain saw to make a groove on the top of a log gable to run wire in for lighting overhead.

Why are logs expensive in Texas? I've paid between $2 and $4 per lineal foot for logs with up to 14" butts, 35 to 45 feet long. Smaller logs can be cheaper if the person you get them from doesnt use them as much as larger ones. I've been buying mine recently from a log builder in the area after the old local sawmill closed.

Another guy is a logger, he sells semi loads of logs for firewood. He'll get you better logs for cabins for a little more I think. The piles of firewood I've seen from him had some decent cabin logs tho. Think he gets about $1500 for a load. Way plenty for a small cabin, and a couple years worth of firewood as well.

jrbarnard
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2011 15:02
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Lol.. I do not have the knowledge to actually cut the logs myself. I was talking about pre-made log cabins :p

Now, that being said. .Stoney's idea with the 3 2x8's together was pretty darn cool looking. Waiting to see if he sells me a copy so I can at least see if it is something I can do.

I have a week in March and 6-10 guys that will be helping me build a cabin and get it dried in. Trying to get the most I can within that time, so not sure if I can dry-in something that fast if it is really complicated.

R

Malamute
Member
# Posted: 22 Sep 2011 22:03
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Depending on the size cabin you want, it's pretty fast to build with V plank corners. Not as strong as notched corners, but quick and simple. Seems to work alright for small places. My 14x18 cabin I live in now has V plank corners. Not my first choice, but I had limited time, logs and money, so did it this way.

It doesnt take much secret knowledge to do log work. Some knowledge helps, but if you look at old cabins, you quickly figure out that most of the builders were far from masters of the craft, but their cabins have stood for 10 years or more. There's a wide variety of corner styles, most work fine if thought out while doing it, like spiking the corners, and drilling and pinning or using allthread back from the corners a bit. One of the simplest corner styles I've seen, and seen fairly often around my area, was to simply cut a simple notch in the top half the lower log, and the bottom of the one going on it, and spiking. The rows end up being even on both sides that join, unlike round or saddle notches where the logs in meeting walls stagger in height. Not sure that was clear, but it's just a square cut notch in the top of the lower log, and a square cut notch in the bottom of the log meeting it, they lap, and are spiked in place.

toyota_mdt_tech
Member
# Posted: 28 Sep 2011 00:02
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Quoting: Malamute
...Not sure that was clear, but it's just a square cut notch in the top of the lower log, and a square cut notch in the bottom of the log meeting it, they lap, and are spiked in place.


You mean like big Lincoln Logs.

http://lincolnlogs.knex.com/?XCARTSESSID=bb09724d955971fe395c7b14e4c4ae0e

Man, be sweet if Home Depot just sold big lincoln logs.

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