This spring we tore a stone wall out that used to be at our front entrance. (link (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,89362.msg1375068.html#msg1375068)) It was nice looking, but very obtrusive. Once the flowering crab tree died, (link (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,1122.0.html)) it was an easy decision to go ahead and redo the front entry, and that is what we are working on now.
So, I got the wood-mizer fired up and made some cookies out of some of the cedar I had here. I cut a hunk of treated plywood to fit the area I wanted to address on the entry way. I then painted that to hopefully emulate the color of mortar. I then arranged all the cedar cookies on the board and screwed them on from the back. We could then afic the entire sheet of plywood to the wall, and it can be removed if we want to do something else. The picture below shows it dry fitted. It has to come out so I can pour the concrete where the dirt behind the wall was. I have some other ideas for finishing off the new treated berm wall with cedar logs. Again, can;t do that until the concrete is poured, and they will do that when they pour my polebarn floor.
To cut the cookies I cut some logs in short lengths, then strapped them together in a bundle. Stood the bundle up and secured it to the mill, then sliced away. When I got down to my strap, I took the bundle apart then screwed the remaining log ends to a board, and finished slicing them up. The blade I used has been on that mill getting rusty for about two years, but it worked fine for this. I'll change it before cutting any lumber though. The mill ran well, but my feed is really jumpy for some reason, so I just pushed the head through the cookie cuts.
All in all, I think our Faux Cordwood wall looks really good!
Pictures begin with the stone wall that was there that needed to go.
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Wow. That really changes the entrance. Looks great. You are going to enjoy that extra space.
Well that looks pretty dan g good. All in a days work.
Lazerdan
I need to figure out what I am going to seal the cedar with. I don't want a stain, just something clear that I can spray on if someone has some suggestions?
Jeff I showed that wall to my wife now she wants one but this summer project list is full .
Gosh, I've always loved the look of cordwood walls. Looks really nice. A suggestion for a clear spray on is spar urethane. I love the stuff. It shines up a bit, not glassy but a warm gloss. It works on metal, wood, stone. I love the stuff and it lasts for at least several years out of direct sunlight. Periodic re-application would be required eventually, of course! It seems like nothing lasts forever. :)
Looking good. Helmsmen has the UV inhibitors that you may need.
What ever you decide to seal it with, I am assuming you will lay the wall down flat and give it a good soaking. :)
While your over there shooting water balloons, I'll sneak over there and write my name on one of them. :D
What about soaking them with/in linseed oil?
I was thinking an oil, too. Like 100% pure tung oil. Spar urethane will peel as it weathers.
Maybe boiled linseed oil ?
Some AW32 would probably do just as well ;) ;D
That looks really nice, Jeff! I love the look of cordwood walls, too.
The question is will you be happy when the log ends turn the normal aged color, probably black or grey or do you want to prevent that discoloration? I doubt just oils will stop the color change.
Maybe the same stain that is on the rest of the siding?
Very nice fix by the way. 8)
Quote from: Ox on April 23, 2016, 08:53:25 PM
Gosh, I've always loved the look of cordwood walls. Looks really nice. A suggestion for a clear spray on is spar urethane. I love the stuff. It shines up a bit, not glassy but a warm gloss. It works on metal, wood, stone. I love the stuff and it lasts for at least several years out of direct sunlight. Periodic re-application would be required eventually, of course! It seems like nothing lasts forever. :)
The "out of direct sunlight" is critical. Helmsman Spar Urethane will peel/crack in a very short time if exposed to Oklahoma sun. You milage may vary.
I like Zinzer Sanding sealer, it is a dewaxed shellac that can be coated over without sanding as needed . just clean and coat . The varnish will melt into the old .I like it for outside doors without a paint job.
That looks great. You may want to come up with some kind of termite/ant shield to keep bugs from making tunnels between the wall and plywood with it being less then 8" of ground clearance. :)
Neat and original. Nice job!
I like it.
Quote from: 21incher on April 24, 2016, 06:11:48 AM
That looks great. You may want to come up with some kind of termite/ant shield to keep bugs from making tunnels between the wall and plywood with it being less then 8" of ground clearance. :)
There will be concrete underneath it, plus, it is northern white cedar and pressure treated plywood over plastic lined treated plywood. I don't think there will be a problem. We also already have a wood foundation that hasn't had an issue in 32 years. :)
There is a very smart business man on here that sells lots of Cedar products . I can't remember his name ? His son may sell.mulch in another state . . . I think he is the go to man for this question
What is the question? :) cedarman is an erc guy.
From the research I'm doing this morning, the cordwood guru's say don't seal. The beauty of the fake wall, is if it turns into something we don't like, it is easily changed out.
My 2 cents linseed oil
Bruno
I've done a few projects with boiled linseed oil and Helmsman spar urethane. It leaves the most beautiful finish to my eyes.
Jeff, do they say not to seal for vapor/moisture purposes? As in you need to let the wall "breathe" a bit reducing the trapped moisture inside the wood blocks with a sealed end?
Yes. Moisture is the enemy of cord wood, and end grain according to Rob Roy's books, you should not seal cord wood construction walls on the exterior. Interior is different. Sealing can lead to trapped moisture and additional maintenance and upkeep. We are going to try to let it weather naturally this first time. If we don't like the results of that, this is very easy to try again by simply removing the entire plywood sheet. Its a fun project anyhow :)
I wonder how your cedar cookies will compare with the rough sawn cedar on my house. Every two to three years, I spray a bleach/water mix on it and power wash. After a day to dry, I hit it with Thompsons. Most of the color comes back.
I'm thinking an inch and a half thick cedar cookie could probably get split apart with a pressure washer. Sometimes silvered looking wood can look good. Ive seen some beach front places on northern Lake Huron where they just let the cedar go grey/silver, and they really look pretty good. That is what I had planned on doing in the U.P. with a vertical log cabin if they would have let me build it.
I'm thinking now I'm going to build a pole barn in that spot one day in the hole I have there. ;D 12 foot side walls and the first 4 foot sided with 1" t@g treated plywood. Backfill it. I can side it with what ever I want, and what I may want is to infill between the posts with VERTICAL LOGS. It'll be for storage. Just simple storage. nothing more Once its up and inspected as a storage pole barn, I'll go in and put a wood floor in it at 4ft and start storing beds and refrigerators and kitchen tables and hunting cloths and stuff like that in it. Maybe an occasional warm body or two as well. ;D ;D
Boss, that's pretty much the same story I told the Cheboygan County building inspector about my ''garage.'' ;)
Tell me if I'm wrong.....spraying your wall with an oil base spray IS NOT sealing it and the wood will still air dry.
The oil spray will keep most moisture out.
I always thought when someone says SEAL....I think about Poly or a wax, etc.
There's been more than a few garages and barns that magically ended up being houses and homes around here, too. After the inspection passes for the former, it's fair game what you want to do after that. Nobody ever seems to say anything. We call it po-boyin' it.
I like the silver/gray look, too. It just seems that my untreated wood ends up an ugly brownish turd looking color with spots of sick gray mixed in. Like something dead tossed its cookies. I wonder if sea air has something to do with it? The salts and minerals blown in off the water?
Anyway, I hope your wall turns out like you're hoping.
Jeff, great idea! 8) I can think of several places I could use something like that (maybe ERC).
Need an old foggy bench in front of it for those morning coffee's.
Completed another step in my new entry project. I'm pretty happy with the sawing out of the log technique I used to saw out the wall ledge. Now I'm off to the cabin to try and find the perfect log to clad the corner.
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VERY nice ! :)
Looks nice. smiley_thumbsup Do you want me to send you an Armadillo to go on top?? ???
Sure! :D
My bluff has been called. Now what do I do?? ??? help_me
Unreal Boss! smiley_thumbsup
1 - 800 ARMADILLO.....
I could send you a woodchuck or turkey buzzard... :-* :D
Your project looks awesome. Lots of attention to detail beaming to my untrained eye.
Armadillo would look better than a goat. ::) ;D
That wall fits right in there.
Now if I can just get Lou to give up this tree. So far he won't let me have it. He has the property for sale now, so maybe its time to ask again. ;D
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Is it tamarack or spruce ???
Ça c'est beau!!!! Nice job, Jeff I would not put anything on the cookies. I beleive they will weather fine and look awsome when silver coloured!!!! :)
That burl looks kraft'y. :)
The adventure continues on this project. This time off to the woods with my friend Mike in search for a tree to use to clad my post. I found a cedar at the cabin that was highly decorated by a Pileated woodpecker and in tough shape. It was an adventure getting it out. We never would have done it without a logrite arch. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn68NVoul54
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwWdvWSsoUc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBeXgbwfLC8
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Nature is the original artist.
I was initially worried about the bark. After we drug it out, I tested it and it was on tight. I knew that dragging it home on a trailer 200 miles would probably dry it out and set the bark until decay loosened it instead of spring. Late in the day after cutting it and the day before I had to come home, it was warm and sunny. I tested the bark again and found it had loosened. Mike and I were able to strip the entire tree in a couple hours by getting pieces started with a screwdriver and them simply pulling it off. It was getting towards evening when we finished and the bark started to set up again in the cooler temps. I was lucky to get it all off. :)
Ma nature wanted you to put that cedar up so others can appreciate the beauty as well, didn't she? It seems she allowed things to happen just right to get the bark off. Cool. :)
My new entryway project is nearing completion. To think, this cedar tree I used, I didn't even really know existed only a week ago, now it is part of our home forever. Thanks to my Wood-Mizer, my Logrite tools and lots of help from Tammy and my friend Mike Foster :)
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It looks like it grew there. smiley_thumbsup
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Man, oh man. That looks awesome! What did you use as a finish on the cedar and wall? I like how it made it just slightly darker and makes things pop a bit too, kind of like linseed oil does.
I would love for my wife to be able to see that every day when she got home. Perhaps someday. Very nice work and you should be proud!
Does it look like a conductor of a symphony with his arms raised up? Pretty cool.
That looks great Jeff! smiley_thumbsup
Now that's an entrance way!!!!!
Love it! Absolutely LOVE IT!! 8) 8) 8)
Talking about creativity, you hit that one out of the park (old saying).
QuoteDoes it look like a conductor of a symphony with his arms raised up?
Yes, I know that conductor quite well, and I have attended his symphony several times. :)
(It's the first Saturday in August.) ;D
That's a view worthy of the price of admission. Should be on the cover of some home magazine. NICE
Looks good, but, I think it needs something on top of the stem. Like a carved animal. Maybe a Bear.
I was gonna send Jeff an Armadillo, but with all of the limbs, I may have to substitute a 'possom. :D
Quote from: Peter Drouin on May 10, 2016, 09:49:16 PM
Looks good, but, I think it needs something on top of the stem. Like a carved animal. Maybe a Bear.
The plan is either an eagle, eagle nest or a bear cub wrapped around a tree. A set of brass house numbers are also going on the front where the treated post was married into the tree trunk. ( or a possom :D)
I'm on the look out for a reasonably priced good looking chainsaw carving for it.
Email newsletter from woodmizer has a picture of it.
Really? 8) I never got that!
Trapper can your forward a copy to me?
I see we got a mention on their facebook page! 8)
sorry deleted it when cleaning out emails.
Hey Jeff, I've seen goats climb trees before :D
Splendid absolutely Splendid smiley_clapping
Quote from: Jeff on May 11, 2016, 08:13:41 AM
Quote from: Peter Drouin on May 10, 2016, 09:49:16 PM
Looks good, but, I think it needs something on top of the stem. Like a carved animal. Maybe a Bear.
The plan is either an eagle, eagle nest or a bear cub wrapped around a tree. A set of brass house numbers are also going on the front where the treated post was married into the tree trunk. ( or a possom :D)
I'm on the look out for a reasonably priced good looking chainsaw carving for it.
I think all these things should appear in the tree as you find them.
I think you need other things, squirrels, chipmunks, a porcupine and a SNAKE!!!
Goats climbing trees just ain't right.
I used rubber bands on my goats. Never had one climb a tree.
If you are looking for an eagle for your tree, we have a guy close by that makes em. I bought four of them at the Farm Show last year, really stand strong in the weather and are fade resistent. they look impressive a a nest also. Here his his web site.
https://www.iloveeagles.com
Quote from: thecfarm on May 11, 2016, 08:38:41 PM
I used rubber bands on my goats. Never had one climb a tree.
You'd be surprised how fast a goat can climb a tree when you bring out da rubber band. :D
Goats in a tree (http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=goats+in+a+tree&view=detail&mid=EDC83A5841013D94E55CEDC83A5841013D94E55C&FORM=VIRE)
The rubber band must work,because I've have used the rubber bands on my goats and they never tried to climb any of the trees on The C Farm. ;D
I had rubber bands for ours also, they did not climb trees, but did anything else...... ::) They are expert at climbing fences only to stand on the post that holds the fence that should keep them in. ::)
Here Kitty, kitty, kitty
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:D :D
I thought his name was Dave?
My interpretation of an eagles nest. More steps in my front entrance project. Also added a rock garden below the wall.
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Good job
Looks finished to me. Very nice job.
Yes, very nice !
Your interpretation looks good to me.
I like how its all coming together for you, it looks good! :)
Looks very nice, but where's the goat? ;D
All those Goats :D
And the final product of Argun Oil sells for $300 a liter?
Tell me this ain't strange. :D :D :D
Its good to see the working side of the family. :)
Thanks Jeff.
And next they will be making coffee from beans monkeys poop out!! ;D
Check this coffee bean
http://www.most-expensive.coffee/
I took a picture last night of how the front of the house now that the work there is complete and the perennials are up in bloom. All in all I think it was worth all the work.
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Yes, it was! Just beautiful!! 8)
Excellent looking work, Jeff!
You're being recognized as far south as South Carolina.
My copy was in the mailbox yesterday. smiley_reading_book
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What's that say about the south if they have to feature a project from elsewhere? ;D
Very Nice 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Quote from: Jeff on July 17, 2016, 09:13:35 AMAll in all I think it was worth all the work.
And we agree. ;)
Quote from: barbender on July 17, 2016, 12:54:33 PM
What's that say about the south if they have to feature a project from elsewhere? ;D
Its says we need to get on the ball. :D :D :D
Yes,it all does look good. Great ideas you have there.
Wow that came out great. It looks so warm and inviting. I can't wait to see the pavillion that you design up for your new building. :)
I've decorated my entryway tree for the first time. BOO! :) his eyes fade in and out red.
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:D Cool, I like that!
I gave "Skully" an upgrade using garbage bags, conduit and some duct tape.
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That looks so awesome! Especially with that gray stormy cloud in the background. smiley_skull
You gonna scare the :o :o :o :o outta some kid. :D :D :D
Oh, I've been making kids cry since I was 12 when I put a walky talky in a big Jacko lantern on mom's porch. ;D
Quote from: Jeff on October 23, 2016, 06:23:53 PM
Oh, I've been making kids cry since I was 12 when I put a walky talky in a big Jacko lantern on mom's porch. ;D
:D :D :D :D Oh my side.....you're killing me. :D :D :D :D
One year we had Stacy standing in a body bag as Tammy sat out side passing out candy. Kids would eye her up and the ones that simply turned around to walk away, she would quietly follow out the drive, then freeze if they turned around. One poor kid wet his pants. He was with his mom and she thought it was hilarious. We did the same thing another year with me dressed like a scarecrow type wit a rubber mask sitting on a milk can in the corner.
My neighbor with a wooded lot has witches and ghosts on pulleys with hollowing music in the background. He has a scarecrow with a chainsaw against a lamp post, but on Halloween night, he is in the scarecrow clothing, and starts up that chainsaw. It's my habit to sit on the porch and listen to the children scream. They love it! I can hear them begging their parents to go back again. Once as I sat outside, I heard one of the children up on the road tell his mother, "It's okay here, Mom. Just some old woman."
Did I mention that I love Halloween?
Christmas makeover for Skully. Yea I know. I'm a sick puppy.
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Ha ha, that's pretty creative! I bet you get more than one chuckle outta that.
I don't know about that one.
Remember Ray, this is not baby Jesus, it is a fictitious character making light of another fictitious character.
I'm all set and I suspect others that understand the guy in red are too.
It's just the 5-6-7-8 years old that I am thinking about. :)
Very few youngsters in this neighborhood anymore, They just appear from everywhere for trick or treating, so they know what to expect from me. Where we live, you don't just drive by, you really need to be living here close or visiting someone close.
This isn't the first time I've done something like this. Years ago, I had a small stuffed reindeer standing on top of the flagpole. The neighbor next door remarked how cold and lonely he looked up there, and she did it in a disparaging way. SO, I made a change for her. I got a huge stuffed eagle one of the kids had and put it up there with the poor little lonely reindeer hanging from it's talons.
Kinda like the guy that hung one of those white plastic reindeer with the clear lights,from it's heels in a tree. :D
A good friend of mine's parents had a Santa and sleigh with all the reindeer, us "kids" got pretty creative with where/how they'd find them hanging out in the yard the next morning, to the point his mom quit putting them out. It didn't take us long to find where she hid them so we'd set them out for her ;D.
Looks killer! And your approach to easy in and out works, if not satisfied, I like it, great motiffe
Quote from: Jeff on November 28, 2016, 06:09:05 AM
This isn't the first time I've done something like this. Years ago, I had a small stuffed reindeer standing on top of the flagpole. The neighbor next door remarked how cold and lonely he looked up there, and she did it in a disparaging way. SO, I made a change for her. I got a huge stuffed eagle one of the kids had and put it up there with the poor little lonely reindeer hanging from it's talons.
That's funny right there! Did you get any more feedback from her afterwards? ;D
Nah, she just would glare at it when she went out to her car. She never forgave me for putting a dozen gold fish in her pool when they were setting it up. What she didn't know was her dad was going to put two dozen night crawlers in it, and I talked him out of it. He actually paid for the goldfish. There was a party there that day to help set up the pool, and there was no chlorine in it yet. It was being filled for the first time. Everyone had a great time with it except her. She didn't find it funny ATALL. :D We always got along with those neighbors over the last 30 years, but we had an incident this summer where her husband came over complaining about Harley being dangerous and his wife scared of him after they witnessed the tail end of an altercation started by their great big dog. It came running across the property line and the it and Harley, who was with me as I worked in the side garden, got into a circling match with each other, growling and barking and showing teeth that spilled back across the line on their side before they ca,e around the house after hearing the commotion. The dogs never touched each other, and I was actually fearful of Harley getting hurt, but all in all, it was just two big male dogs being make dogs. The next day she sent her husband over here I am sure, with him telling me we had a problem. I suggested we try to acclimate the dogs with each other on leashes and he said "It's gone way past that, you either have to keep that dog tied up or build a fence or I am taking it to a higher authority" Well, everyone that knows me, including them know that I will go to the end of the world to find a solution to a problem, however don't come over and threaten me with an ultimatum. They are now "Dead to me" so to speak. Since, they built a fence that wouldn't stop either dog from crossing if they really wanted to. I just try to keep my dogs on the other side of the house. Pity. over 30 years of being decent neighbors and it came to that. The two other adjacent neighbors behind me love Harley and know he is a giant baby. We have to protect Harley from the one's Jack Russel! :D
So what do they think next door? I HOPE THEY HATE IT! ;D
That looks like Achmed the Dead Terrorist. You just have to learn to throw your voice. ;D
Jeff,
Do you have any recent pictures of how the cord wood wall is weathering? Curious to see what it looks like.
Thanks.
I stepped out and took a photo. Its a bit obstructed view right now. I think it still looks great. Its oxidizing a bit, but I knew that going in. I actually like the silver color tht northern white cedar eventually turns. :)
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Thanks, still looking great. I liked this so much, I am in the middle of a similar "cookie" project but for inside the house. I will post pictures once finished (hopefully next week). It is an insert for the fireplace. To place just inside the doors to hide the ugly appearance when not in use. I hope it looks as good as I envision.