Log Home

C.C.R.

Last week a past customer's father called me and wants me to finish the interior of a log home. He's haveing it framed now. First floor is
8"-10" log, second floor is stick framed (2x6). I'll be doing : flooring (hardwood and ceramic), kitchen and bath (cabinets and countertops), trim/stairs, and some sheetrock. My question is, does anyone have experience with log homes? Is there anything I need to watch out for? Are there any tips to be offered? For instance the kitchen cabinets will be installed on the log wall. ( that's my understanding at this point anyway.) The customer said it will be at a point that I can look at it in a few weeks. It's about 2-3 hours away from me ( it's in the white mountains - N.H.). Also they offered to have a bed delivered so I can sleep there. I'm thinking I should be compensated for overnight. IF I HEAR BANJO MUSIC, I'M OUT OF THERE!

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Big Dave

The one thing that I know is that a log home will settle. ALOT. So you need to make sure that your cabinets will work with this. On the base cabinets I would cut a saw kerf where each screw will be installed to hold the cabinets in place. This will allow for the logs to slide down when the settle and shrink and not distort your cabinets. On the upper cabinets I would only screw them at the top and let them hang.

There should be no problem with the flooring as the subfloor should be standard conventional framing with standard plywood.

On the trim I would only put nails into the window frame or door frame and only one or two if any into any log. There should be a 2x wraping around windows and doors and it would be okay to nail into that.

When doing sheetrock most of it will probably be on the stick framed part of the house. There may be some on the interior walls downstairs in the log part. If that is the case there will probably be a notch cut into the logs to accept the wall and your sheetrock. Just slide the sheetrock back into the notch so that the end cannot be seen. Mud and tape in the normal way. Do not attach any mud to the logs.

Hope this helps. I don't know alot but this is what I do know.

Dave.

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maj

Big Dave pretty much said everything I was going to. I built one two years ago, and settling was always taken into account.

Keep in mind that everything on the second floor will be getting lower in the next 2-3 years(settling), especially the floor system/first floor ceiling height. So any sheetrock being hung on interior walls on first floor must be dealt with. This is done by leaving it 2" short at top, then using trim to cover the gap. The trim is fastened at the ceiling only, letting it "slide" down the sheetrocked wall.

Upper cabinets are fastened securely at the top, then fastened lightly at the bottom in a slotted hole(going up & down). Same slotted hole in top of base cabinets, fastened lightly, this allows the logs to slide down behind the cabinets when settling. You can fasten the bottoms of the cabinets securely. Fasten at the TOP of the slots on the base cabinets.

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Big Dave

Thanks maj, I forgot about the trim peice at the top of the sheetrock walls to cover the gap left for settling.

Log homes are a different animal altogether. I know that for plumbing and HVAC flex joints have to be incorporated to allow for the movement and settling also.

Dave.

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maj

Exactly.....

Plumbing drain lines have to have more slope than normal, so when settling is done.... It's not running uphill.

Also PEX should be used for water supply.

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C.C.R.

Thanks guys, these are just the questions I was looking to get answered. I really appreciate it.

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Mr. D

if those stairs are to be attached to part of the log structure on the upper level, you'll need to allow for settling there as well. log homes i do tend to settle as much as 2-3 inches. when your second floor comes down that much it can make your stairs slide forward. you'll definately want to see what the manufacturer recommends for settling. get some decent scribes, a couple extra chainsaw blades and a file. if you're lucky the framers made all your slots to slide your wall finishes into the logs. if your making the slots have the framers leave out the last stud before the wall so you can get your saw in there to make your cuts. I usually make those slots for the end panels on the cabinets to slide into the logs also. something to think about when ordering the cabinets. i have the end panels run a couple inches past the back of the cabinets so i can slide them into the slots. scribing them to the logs will make them bind when the house settles.

reveivl

Yeah, I've built a few of those, everyone here has nailed it:Anything that is vertical on the first floor will have an issue with settling. Think long and hard about the stairs. Find some local log builders and get some input re: the amount of expected settling as it will depend on species, time of year the log was cut, how long it has been sitting before notching, whether it was covered or end-sealed, how long the logs have been stacked up in the wall. With all that info you should be able to get the stairs to end up where they should. Show us some pics if you get a chance. Rich.

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