Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Good logs are often hidden under clapboarding and plaster on the exterior and under drywall
and plaster on the interior. Vertical strips were often nailed to log walls to align the clapboard-
ing or drywall. In 40 years of taking down log houses, I have found many surprising materials
used inside to smooth out rough log walls: old family albums (probably from the wrong side of
the family), religious posters, old calendars, many layers of newspaper and wallpaper, mud and
horsehair, as well as split-pine lath and plaster.
(end logs or plates) for windows, or to piece them.
That leaves tall stacks of logs with little to hold them
in line.
Beams for joists are often too small for building
code-approved reuse. We use them for collar ties, and
hew out or find heavier stuff for overhead beams such
as 4≈10 or 6≈10 beamwork. When something more
massive is desired and on view, we often hew log floor
joists or reuse warehouse or factory beams. When we
can, we leave the new material out for six months or
so, turning it so it ages nicely. If you don't have to look
at the joists, use 2≈10 lumberyard floor joists, 16
inches o.c.
Log and Beam Length and Size
Remember that few logs must be full length for a log
house. Cutouts for windows and doors and chimneys
mean most of the logs can be short, and thus easier to
find. Sills can be pieced. A one-and-a-half-story,
18-by-28-foot house may require only the spanners
over the doors and windows, which also carry the
overhead beams, and maybe two other pairs and the
top plates, to be the full 28-foot length. At the ends,
you can use a couple of 18-foot logs up to window
height and maybe three or four above. At the chimney
end, especially if there's to be a second fireplace
upstairs, you can cut out maybe four of these.
We often combine old logs from several sources. We
always try to stay with the same kinds of wood, even
if the old builders didn't necessarily do that. I've found
chestnut and oak, chestnut and poplar, oak and
poplar, oak and pine, and poplar and pine combina-
tions in old log houses. The fact is, few people can tell
the difference once the wood is weathered.
When we use old logs as building materials, we
often renotch if the old ends are bad. We also put in
more windows, which means more light and the need
for fewer long logs. A good rule for log length is to stay
three feet from corners with windows for stability.
Also, it's not a good idea to cut through the top logs
Costs
Prices vary a lot. At the time of this writing, the cost is
anywhere from $10 to $20 a running foot for hewn
logs, more for chestnut and for very long or very wide
logs. Heart pine beams are usually sold by the board
foot (1≈12≈12 inches) at $3 to $5 per board foot. Recy-
cled heart pine t.i.g. flooring, 6 inches and wider,
brings $3 to $5 a square foot. Remilled heart pine is
from $4 to $15, depending on quality, presence of nail
holes, percentage of heartwood, and whether it's flat
or edge grain. Oak and maple are usually cheaper,
being milled from new stock.
