Building a Cabin or Home? (Deer Lodge, Libby: inspector, lodge, plans)

[ScottyDM]

Let's talk a moment about DIY alternatives to log building. And that really is the greatest advantage of logs--if all you want is a simple cabin, anyone really can do it.

The last two nights I stayed in a tipi here on the Blackfeet reservation. Grass floor, double thick canvas walls, and a nice fire pit in the center. It did get a bit chilly at night, but the real downside is the neighbor's dog thought he should introduce himself. Then early this morning a ground squirrel came in under the edge and started scrabbling at my plastic ground cloth. Woke me up.

Tonight I'm staying at the hostel here in East Glacier Park Village. Real natural log construction with concrete chinking. I'm on the second floor and I think the building's settled a touch. The hallway pitches down toward the center, and the floor of my room is pitched as well. I can see the ax marks on the logs in my room. Nothing to do with being a log cabin, but the walls are frameless board and batten--that is they are 3/4" thick. Where the knots have fallen out the holes are patched with thin strips of wood. But at $28.75 per night for a private room, I'm not about to complain.

S~

[Hawknest]

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

Let's talk a moment about DIY alternatives to log building. And that really is the greatest advantage of logs--if all you want is a simple cabin, anyone really can do it.

The last two nights I stayed in a tipi here on the Blackfeet reservation. Grass floor, double thick canvas walls, and a nice fire pit in the center. It did get a bit chilly at night, but the real downside is the neighbor's dog thought he should introduce himself. Then early this morning a ground squirrel came in under the edge and started scrabbling at my plastic ground cloth. Woke me up.

Tonight I'm staying at the hostel here in East Glacier Park Village. Real natural log construction with concrete chinking. I'm on the second floor and I think the building's settled a touch. The hallway pitches down toward the center, and the floor of my room is pitched as well. I can see the ax marks on the logs in my room. Nothing to do with being a log cabin, but the walls are frameless board and batten--that is they are 3/4" thick. Where the knots have fallen out the holes are patched with thin strips of wood. But at $28.75 per night for a private room, I'm not about to complain.

S~

When we camp in the forest for 10-14 days we bring a tipi instead of a tent. Sure it takes longer to set up, but it sheds snow, rain and holds up better in storms.

The long houses as we call them and multistory log structures settle over time, as the logs shrink, because there was no kiln drying process back then. Plus, they put them directly in contact with the earth, so there's rot and bugs. Your choice was to either air dry for a couple of years, which wasn't practical, or you put them up green and with lotsa chinking. There were no foundations or knee walls.

[KTMMan]

I'm not an expert, but my Dad has a log home in Wyoming that was built in 1978. He bought it in 1985 and spends the Spring through fall seasons there. It looks as good now as the first time I saw it. He does maintain it well, having the outside sprayed every two years. My observations are: Don;t lrt the logs get cold in the fall and the house stays plenty warm. In fact to warm for me, so I sleep in the basement where it's cooler. In the summer my uncle's brick house down the road aways, stays much cooler. Enough to where my Dad had A/c installed afew years ago. You don't have to spray those bricks.

[ScottyDM]

On my way home I successfully found that home for sale that was made of EverLogs. This is that home in Larkspur Colorado, at 995 Longbow Place.

The insulation looks to be 1.5" EPS, which should be about R8 or so. The interior of the "logs" are unfinished concrete, meaning you can add more insulation before adding the interior finish. The outside looks great.

In picture 3 note the sameness of the two concrete posts. The builder should have twisted one of them a quarter turn, as each face is different.

EverLogs are NOT a do-it-yourself construction material. But if you want a "log" home that will last forever and ever with very little maintenance, they should excel.

[rambrush]

There is a concrete house similar to that down towards Wise River on the Hwy 43. Believe it was created by the company out of Missoula

[induchman]

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

The insulation looks to be 1.5" EPS, which should be about R8 or so. The interior of the "logs" are unfinished concrete, meaning you can add more insulation before adding the interior finish. The outside looks great.

R-8 is practically nothing. When I lived out that way, my walls were R40 and the ceiling was R60 and snow load roof was 120 psi.

Everlog siding looks like Hardiplank. I wonder if it will hold up any better?

[ScottyDM]

Originally Posted by rambrush

There is a concrete house similar to that down towards Wise River on the Hwy 43. Believe it was created by the company out of Missoula

Exactly. That's where EverLogs is located.

Originally Posted by induchman

R-8 is practically nothing. When I lived out that way, my walls were R40 and the ceiling was R60 and snow load roof was 120 psi.

Everlog siding looks like Hardiplank. I wonder if it will hold up any better?

R-8 is nothing. A 2x4 stud wall with standard fiberglass bats is R-13. The EverLogs brochure says the walls are R-19, but I don't know where they get that number.

I had to Google HardiPlank. It looks very similar to another brand of fiber-cement siding my wife kinda liked.

EverLogs are nothing like HardiPlank. HardiPlank is thin, can be cut with standard power tools, and picked up and installed by one man. EverLogs are these huge long chunks of concrete, over six inches thick (first photo). Each probably weighs several tons and a crane is required to pick and place each one. Look at those posts in the third photo. They were about 10 x 10 and solid concrete. Not a DIY product.


Personally, I'm leaning toward ICF walls, and timber frame trusses for the roof with SIPs for the roof sheathing and insulation.

S~

[Threerun]

I like SIP construction coupled with the poured insulated concrete foundation/basements. I've been in a few and they are tight homes! A little salty on the price, but very tight..

There was a home for sale just outside Helena that was a SIP home with a cool post and beam interior. Price wise it was pretty decent- and dropping. It was on the market for a while. I passed on it because it was literally sandwiched between two other homes in the middle of no where. Had it been a little more private, I would have definitely taken a good look at it..

[Threerun]

Originally Posted by ScottyDM

On my way home I successfully found that home for sale that was made of EverLogs. This is that home in Larkspur Colorado, at 995 Longbow Place.

The insulation looks to be 1.5" EPS, which should be about R8 or so. The interior of the "logs" are unfinished concrete, meaning you can add more insulation before adding the interior finish. The outside looks great.

In picture 3 note the sameness of the two concrete posts. The builder should have twisted one of them a quarter turn, as each face is different.

EverLogs are NOT a do-it-yourself construction material. But if you want a "log" home that will last forever and ever with very little maintenance, they should excel.

.. and the woodpecker gives it a whirl and says- "wtf mate?"

[hermit without a mountain]

Hi Rambrush. My husband and I have property outside Anaconda, too. We built a small cabin there two years ago and hope to get back next year to start on a small house. We're planning on cordwood but are worried about how difficult it's going to be to get the permit. Good luck to you!