Log shed
- Thread starter bb07
- Start date
-
Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Pretty much the size of the average logs on horizontal log homes in the lower 48 as well. 6-8 inches average.
I'd go along with that except that most of the older log houses I've seen had squared logs. They also tended to be rather widely spaced, presumably to make the logs go further. I don't know what may have been used originally to chink the logs, possibly a mixture of mud and grass or hay and probably white-washed to make it more weather resistant. I don't think I've ever actually examined the chinking very carefully but these days, most look like they're chinked with cement. Very old log houses that have been abandoned for a long time tend the be missing the chinking and taking on the look of a corn crib. Usually the roof is of tin now.
The log house I lived had long been covered with siding on the outside but there were a few places on the inside where the logs could still be seen. I couldn't see the corner notches, so I don't know how those were made but I've really only seen a single type of corner notch on old log houses (and I don't know if it has a name, either). However, the logs on that house were much wider, maybe eight or ten inches wide, but I don't know how thick they were. It's actually possible they were sawn logs but the house was still constructed in a traditional log house manner. It's been fifty years since I've lived there and I don't remember what the finish of the logs was and probably took no note of it at the time. Log houses weren't that interesting at the time. The traditional way to square the logs was with a broad-axe, which usually leaves a distinctive pattern on the logs.
The log house I lived had long been covered with siding on the outside but there were a few places on the inside where the logs could still be seen. I couldn't see the corner notches, so I don't know how those were made but I've really only seen a single type of corner notch on old log houses (and I don't know if it has a name, either). However, the logs on that house were much wider, maybe eight or ten inches wide, but I don't know how thick they were. It's actually possible they were sawn logs but the house was still constructed in a traditional log house manner. It's been fifty years since I've lived there and I don't remember what the finish of the logs was and probably took no note of it at the time. Log houses weren't that interesting at the time. The traditional way to square the logs was with a broad-axe, which usually leaves a distinctive pattern on the logs.
I imagine the chinking material varied regionally just as the available materials varied. In Mississippi the older ones were originally chinked with clay (usually) Indeed, the fireplaces were made of smaller logs stacked the same way as the walls and were chinked and lined with clay.
I've heard of some log homes being chinked with large rope soaked I tar but I've never seen one.
I've heard of some log homes being chinked with large rope soaked I tar but I've never seen one.
I would imagine that large rope soaked in tar would be scarce wherever log houses were being built. For that matter, good clay is not necessarily available everywhere, either. But good logs are the most critical material, of course, together with the idea that a house could be built from plain logs.
In the eastern United States, there are still standing a few old houses from the 17th century and I don't think any of them are of log construction. In Virginia, I think they were at first of what approximated half-timber construction. Even brick was used pretty early, too. On the other hand, however, I suspect that log structures were probably used as temporary shelters early on and built without foundations and they've long since disappeared. No doubt there is some on-line resource that tells all about log houses in colonial America and in Alaska.
In the eastern United States, there are still standing a few old houses from the 17th century and I don't think any of them are of log construction. In Virginia, I think they were at first of what approximated half-timber construction. Even brick was used pretty early, too. On the other hand, however, I suspect that log structures were probably used as temporary shelters early on and built without foundations and they've long since disappeared. No doubt there is some on-line resource that tells all about log houses in colonial America and in Alaska.
