Cabin Kit... Some Assembly Required

[reuben_j_cogburn]

On the topic of teeny homes....This is the new cabin.... (some assembly required).....
It's going to be huge!!! approximately 14'x24' with a 6' covered deck..... (30 feet!!.... WTH!!)
Since we lost our BIG spruce to beetles about 7 years ago, I'll be doing more of a timber frame or "piece n' piece" style of construction. Vertical logs on the eves ridge and mid run (about every six feet) with horizontal logs about 4 feet high then filled in with regular framing with boards (2x6) I'm making here. It's easier to frame in the windows as well..... Plus I'll only have to manage logs that are about 6 feet long.. except the very bottom logs. I have 48 of the short logs stacked.. I'll need about 55, but there is still plenty of that stuff... I have the vertical eve and ridge logs... The eve's will be (about )7 feet, and the ridge (about) 13 feet.... this should give me about a 6-12 pitch, but I'll just have to work that out on the fly.. logs complicate everything.... (steep is better for snow but shallow is a lot safer to work on)
The foundation is going to be framed in pressure treated 2x12's (on the bottom) framed in on the sides, ends and two down the middle.. (pony walls). It is almost impossible to dig footings for posts here (roots and gravel).. so I am trying something new-ish. Piers work well but you need a lot of them..if I'm gonna do that why not just run the entire length and in the middle and ends... I know a guy who has an app that calculates the weight bearing ability of foundations and this should be overkill...
I scrounged up some really nice double pane windows I'll have brought up this winter along with an actual wood burning kitchen stove.. (probably)....
The roof will be 2x8x10's on 16" centers (for weight bearing) I'm not sure I'll make those as the quality of these dead spruce can be suspect... there is about 50 % waste in many tree's.. I may go with longer eve logs as I want plenty of room between the snow and my foundation...
Any traditional beams will be built in place overlapping and securing with lag bolts (as I'm working alone)....
Roofing will be 25/32 OSB and 30 wt felt..... then hopefully metal,.. but I'll settle for rolled roofing in the short term..
My goal it to take everything I've learned about living in cubicles and make it as efficient as I can and still have an actual living space that doesn't resemble a warehouse... there will be a half loft for storage....
Now.......
All I need is for someone to come up here and build the dang thing for me........

 

[blume357]

Now that's a project... I think we will be looking forward to more reports... my only suggestion is the roof on the porch, "Covered Deck", needs to be more than 6ft.... this only because ours here was a 10ft porch with a 2ft over hang and I thought that was just right... then Helene came along and damaged it and my wife decided to extend it out another 4ft... now we have a front porch 12x14ft and I think I'm going to like it. If I can ever get it finished... have to go back to real work on Wednesday....

 

[mirglip]

Things to ponder.
Logs shrink in diameter not length, so avoid mixing vertical and horizontal timbers if the horizontal ones support weight.
Horizontal timbers rot much faster than vertical timbers because they take forever to dry out when they get wet.
Don't skimp on the roof overhangs.
Elevate the foundation so drip from the eaves doesn't splash on the walls.
edit: plan on having all decks and exterior doors on the gable ends so you don't have a pile of snow where you don't want it.

 

[Wvfarrier]

Make sure to use vermin resistant logs. We battle wood borers every year....filthy buggers

 

[Hawk-in-Wi]

looks like one of these would make things go easier

https://valleeforestryequipment.com/

 

[eveled]

I thought I got a really good deal in my log cabin kit. I had no idea how long it would take to make. I’m off to a strong start. Wish me luck!

I think yours will be finished before mine.

 

[reuben_j_cogburn]

Now that's a project... I think we will be looking forward to more reports... my only suggestion is the roof on the porch, "Covered Deck", needs to be more than 6ft....

yeah.... there will be plenty of overhang on both the ends and the eves fer sure....

Things to ponder.
Logs shrink in diameter not length, so avoid mixing vertical and horizontal timbers if the horizontal ones support weight.
Horizontal timbers rot much faster than vertical timbers because they take forever to dry out when they get wet.

These logs are very well seasoned, and I'm pretty sure any shrinking has been done.... and they will all be 2 or 3 sided logs...
And I'm not inventing anything new here... the "piece n' piece" method is as old as logs cabins have been around. short logs are easier to handle since I'll be alone doing this... I have my cabin construction books to help guide me... The cabin is going to be about 30 inches off the ground as well... with only "ground contact" pressure treated in contact with the ground... and I'll probably re-treat the lumber with my special log treatment formula......
There is a small (recreational) cabin in the area that was done in a somewhat similar arrangement... only mine will be bigger...

 

[mirglip]

These logs are very well seasoned, and I'm pretty sure any shrinking has been done....

One tool every log builder should have is a moisture meter. Delmhorst makes good ones and sometimes you can get used ones on ebay. If you cut a log lengthwise, take a reading.
People who build wood doors and cabinets assemble them when the wood is down to 8% moisture content. If you buy a kiln dried 2" x 4", it will have a moisture content as high as 19%.
Take an internal reading on your logs after you rip one lengthwise.
After a log home is built and settled 5 years, it reaches "equilibrium moisture content" (EMC)meaning that shrinkage and movement is pretty much finished.
EMC for log homes is usually around 12%.
The longer you wait before chinking, the better. I chinked the inside of mine after 16 months, then the outside after 6 years.