Vertical Log Cabin

[BWG]

I'm about ready to put up a small (16X20) cabin with vertical log construction.  I'll be using NW cedar in the 8-10" range.  Any advice on fastening the logs together.  I plan to put it on a green treated foundation, and will likely spike the top and bottom.  Should I spike them together...one log to the next?

Thanks for the help...

[Don P]

Well having zero experience really frees one up to give advice  :D
I think I'd use oly screws every 2-3 feet vertically to keep things aligned as it dries.

[Tom]

Is this manner of building going to produce a structure like the vertical log stockades?  How do you put a roof on it and how do you seal the gaps.  ......How do you put windows in vertical log walls? It looks like the upper parts would fall down?  Not joshin'  I really want to know.

[TexasTimbers]

The Timberloks are good but I prefer GRK line of fasteners to anything I've found for timber construction.

Talking about vertical log construction. I ran across a website a couple years ago or so where a lady had built her quite impressive vertical log house by herself. I forget how many years she worked on that thing. There was even a 15 minute spot on one of the national shows about her. Her 15 minutes of fame. Then, right before she got it done the DanG thing burned to the ground.  :'(
Anyway, she had all kinds of advice on her website about how to do it I believe.
If memory serves, she is (has) rebuilding it. Now I got my curiosity up I'm going to go looking for that website. I'll post it if I find it.

[Don P]

I'll have to give them a try, I've heard good things about them. I've been popping loghogs pretty frequently in some attitude challenged southern pine recently. I think we had 3000 and I'm about out with many logs to go  :D. They've usually done pretty well in white pine, I do prefer lags so far.

This is one old thread on vertical log;
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=5996.0
We had another recently maybe around Christmas. Hoop I think had some pics of his. In that one TW gave a Finnish name for this type of construction, I googled that word and there was alot of info, I meant to translate and read some but got sidetracked  :-\, there were some good photos along that surf. I'll keep trying to find that thread or hopefully he'll pipe in and get us back on track.

[HORSELOGGER]

Here ya go Kevjay:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/ainsworth38.html

[Hoop]

I built a vertical log garage.  It could easily be modified for a residential house.   The photos can be seen at  Please use the forum gallery for photos (admin)

My logs were approx the same size as yours, but I had a portable sawmill cut them flat on 3 sides, leaving me a finished size of approx 6" x 6" and 8' in length.    When I erected the logs, I drilled (countersunk)  3 holes(top, middle, bottom) in each log about 3" deep.  I used some 6" ringshank pole barn nails to tie them together.  A drift pin (punch) was needed to hammer the the ringshanks to the next log.  Makes for a most secure fit.  
After the logs were all erected, I used backing rod between the logs and then applied caulk.

If you're using full round logs, you should probably think about using 8" ringshanks that are countersunk 4".  
You'll be going through a boatload of caulk using the round logs.  To put  it in perspective, my 24 x 40 building used approx 60  of the 29 ounce tubes (believe the cost was about $650).  These were logs that theoritically fit "tight" to each other.  
I'd suggest at minimum, you nick off some of the rounded edges of each log with a chainsaw to insure a better fit and so that less of that expensive caulk is required.  All logs tend to have SOME taper.  Nicking them with a chainsaw removes some of the taper.

I don't know where you live in the UP, but I'm located about 40 miles south of Watersmeet, between Eagle River & Three Lakes, WI.  And of course you're more than welcome to view it in person and fire away with any questions.

If you want to contact me, email me hoop@newnorth.net    Be sure to post "log building" or something of the like as the heading.  Like everyone, I get hundreds of junk emails that I rapidly delete.  Real emails from real people are ALWAYS welcome.

[TexasTimbers]

Yah thats it Horselogger, Thanks! 
I remember after re-reading it that she did in fact get it rebuilt. I'll sleep better tonight.

[Don P]

Furby to the rescue  8) This is the thread I was thinking of from around Christmas.
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=15977.0

[TW]

Don P
The Swedish word you thought about is "skiftesverk" but that means horizontal log infills in a frame. I think you call it "piece sur piece".



Vertical log walls are common in elderly buildings in Finland, mosly built between about 1880 and 1970. It was usually made with recykled logs from old loghouses and almost always covered with weatherboards.

I have not built with this method myself but as I am born curious and sceptical I have studied several old ones and even seen one beeing built when I was a child in the eighties.

Some common specifications:
The sill log 5x6" with dovetailed corners and with a 1 1/2x1 1/2" nailed on tongue on the upper face. That tongue fits into grooves in the ends of the standing logs. The standing logs are sawn or hewn to 5" thickness and scribefitted to each other. The scribe fit is usually carelessly done so it is easy to caulk. The plate log is similar to the sill log. The corners are sometimes reinforced with iron straps that anchor the outermost standing log to sill and plate. Those prevents the building from spreading when it is caulked. The caulking is usually second class flax fibers. I do not know how and if the standing logs were joined to each other.

I know wey little about this but I hope it helps somewhat.

[BWG]

Thank you for the info.  Tom, Yeah it might fall down...I'll close the door slowly the first few months. ;D

I plan to take much of the advice given here...for better or worse.  I'm thinking about using 10" logs that are cut on two sides so they fit together with a minimum gap.  At the top I run a 2"X10" that will hold the walls together with vertical spikes into each log.  Then I'll put up the truss on top of that.  I've got the material (on the stump), so I might as well put it to use.  It will just be a UP deer camp, so I'm sure I can make it work.  Thanks for all the help. 

[sbishop]

BWG, i'm planning on building a vertical log cabin this summer. 24X28 out of black spruce all my logs are in the 8"-10"

i've seen somewhere where a person can run a chainsaw up and down between each log to get a tighter finish...!

Good luck

Once I start building I will post some pics!

SBishop

[twobears]

the sawmill and indepenant woodlotowner magizine had a good artical on short logs.i,ve have to dig thur my pile of mags to find out which one its in tho.

outdoorsman for life
delbert

[Stephen1]

I watched a vertical log building go up, and they cut 3/8 slots in the adoining sides of the logs and inserted plywood to handle the shrinkage of the logs also as a backer for caulking. Helps keep the skitters out.

[Don P]

Thanks for the info Stephen, and welcome. From your avatar it looks like you'll have some upcoming pics  .

[junkyard]

No body mentioned this yet so I will. If you put one log upside down and the next right side up. This keeps the taper from getting worse as you goalong.
I saw one bulit with the logs sawn on the center line. He built a stud wall plywood on the out side. Nailed the half log on the plywood then caulked them. On the inside he insulated and another sheet of ply wood then naile half logs on the inside of the rooms he wanted to look like logs. The rest of the rooms were sheetrocked. This was his home built in a pine plantation. Logs for the house came from clearing the site to build.
Junkyard

[Daren]

Not to change the subject...but I checked out that ladies site Horselogger linked. About the middle of the page there is a picture of a guy with a CHUNK of wood on his shoulder, the caption reads "Kirt carries a 500-lb. log to the truck". If it ain't 500, it is still a log I would never get on my shoulder (unless it fell on me). That guy is an animal 
At the bottom of the page it says Kirt her boyfriend felled and CARRIED 300 logs like that in 3 weeks. If he worked 7 days a weeks, that was 14 felled, bucked, carried and stacked logs a day...one man, by hand. I hope she was a good cook, that man deserved a decent supper of an evening.