12th round completed, June 18, 2010

Today we finished the 12th round of logs. As you can see from this view, this round capped the ends of the loft log beam. Next we will install the loft logs.

Loft main beam and support posts, June 17, 2010

Today we finished installing the loft log main beam and the three support posts. The 5 long loft logs and 5 short loft logs will be supported by this beam on 4 foot centers. The support posts shown are placed directly over the glue laminated main beam in the basement. The support posts are also directly over the three 6 inch by 6 inch posts that support the glue lam beam. Tomorrow will be spent installing cap logs on both end walls of the house, then stripping the cap logs for the sides that will be installed after all of the loft logs have been fitted. It gets to look more and more like a house every day.

11th round completed. June 14, 2010

The 11th round is completed. The next round, round 12, will include the main beam across the center of the house with three vertical support posts. The beam will run down the center of the building. Round 13 will include 5 - 38 ft loft logs going from the east side wall to the west side wall, plus 5 - 19 ft loft logs that will span from the east side wall to the main beam described above. This will be the foundation for the 3/4 loft. One problem I have now is finding suitable logs for loft logs. All the loft logs will be flattened on one side to accept the 2 X 8 floor boards.

First log installed in 2010, June 7

I'm Back! The first two weeks in Montana 2010 were filled with rain, rain and more rain. It finally cleared up somewhat so I could get my forklift and all my tools back on site. Today I peeled and installed (between light rain showers) my first log for 2010. These are larger logs as I want more log to work with when I start installing the loft logs. Peeling this log after a winter off was an experience. I know they will get easier as I get tougher.

Montana 2010 - Apr 13, 2010

In 6 weeks I will be back in Montana to complete the Log House I started in 2009. I am looking forward to the next phase of the building process. I will be installing one more round of logs, then I will begin installing the loft logs and the upright supports on the main floor of the house. I will try to find some logs that have character for these upright positions, as they will be visible after the building is complete. I had my cousin, Jim Hendrickson check the building out several times during the past winter and it sounds like everything is doing very well. A client of Jim's looked at our basement plan a month ago and liked it so well, Jim built an exact duplicate for them, right down to the retaining walls, for their home in Ramsey, MT.

Work complete for 2009 October 9, 2009

I have wrapped up the log building for 2009 and I am returning to New Hampshire. I ran 6 inch treated posts down the center of the floor, and laid reinforced plastic on both sides. The plastic is secured to the posts and the interior log walls with 2 inch wide wood laths, and the plastic goes out each door forming a trough. The water can get to 1 and a half inches deep on the floor, then it will flow out the doors onto the ground. If the weather warms up to 45 degrees again this fall, Tony will be back to continue sealing the logs and the rest of the deck. I am now signing off on this Blog until at least the middle of May,  2010.

Take care, Doug Anderson

10th Round completed October 2, 2009

I have the 10th round of logs on the walls. I now have full logs above all windows and doors. This really made the short walls solid. I was able to remove all interior braces from the short walls. I am now going to put a temporary roof on the house and head home for the winter. I will also saw cut all doors and windows to their final dimensions, and frame them in with 2X8's, then sheet them over with plywood for the winter.

Most of the exterior log walls have been stained. Weather permitting, we will finish staining the rest of the logs on the outside of the house, the rest of the deck support poles, the window and door frames, and the outer deck rim board in the next week or so. I would also like to get the interior walls stained before winter. We can always get a heater inside the house after the temporary roof is installed to get it warm enough to stain the interior.

We were going to seal between all log seams before winter set in with Log Jam, but when I add a log to the wall, there is some compression, which affects the appearance of the Log Jam seam. We will do all Log Jam installation after the final roof system is completed next year.