Thank You so much,I am 50 years old and have had a dream for my own log cabin,It is only me and my wife and your videos really help!I will build my own log cabin,Hopefully dreams come true. Traditional is the way to go.
In Nebraska were I live I have seen a few original log cabin (late 1860''s to 1900's) with square notching. the square notching really does not hold up well compared to the other types. Surprisingly there were many log structure built in Nebraska especially before statehood. I wrote my honors paper in college on early Nebraska log structures and have rebuilt one from the ground up for a museum. I really wish I had found your channel earlier!
Thanks for your feedback Ron. Here in Virginia the only time I see square notching is on farm buildings that were covered over with siding. You are correct those flat notches will hold water and rot fast.
I am covering that in great detail within the upcoming Log Cabin Academy... that is a long and complicated process to do it so that it holds up well and looks good (way too long for youtube)... even the famous tv guys mess this one up big time.
Hello Noah, love your video series. Very informative and enjoyable to watch so keep them coming. :) When you final assemble the dovetail cabin, do you use long timber screws in the dovetail notch corners to secure the logs or do you just rely on the weight of the logs (gravity) on top of the notch to hold the building together?
The notches also benefit from being on the ends of the logs, where water that's been absorbed can easily be aspirated back out. Maybe he said that, I'm in my car watching on lunch at work. Anyways, I've seen a ton of old barns out there and most everyone else can too if they just look they'll notice what he's talking about. My house is 6 to 8 inch round pine logs with a lincoln log style notch. It's very crudely built and one wall is showing a bit of rot where vines were once allowed to grow on it. It has all the associated water issues with using round logs and it was rechinked with log jam about 30 years ago( failing in spots these days). But hey, its over 60 years old at least (first deed).
Noah, thank you so very much for what you're doing! Have you ever experienced a problem with water finding it's way into the log through the large splits/checks/cracks and rotting out a log? Obviously it can't be that big of a concern with log homes like this standing for centuries but I wanted to get your perspective on it. Thanks!
My quick reply would be half-dovetail because it carries all the water to the exterior of the home whereas half the v-notch carries it back to the house... BUT... from what I've seen they both have proven to be equally qualified.
Noah, awesome information. I've been watching your videos for a few months now. I've alway had the dream of building a traditional vintage log cabin. I'm 59 years old but consider myself very handy and work in the building trades. The one question I have is how do you convince. Codes enforce in the town's you build in to allow you to build a vintage log cabin? All the codes im aware of want all new construction to be stick framing construction with traditional dimensional lumber. How can I get around this.
Hi Lawrence. My life and work is a testimony that it can be done... I go into more detail on this question, on drawing and getting plans approved in the Handmade House Academy. Thank you for following along!
Hello Noaha. In the video you had mentioned the sealers on modern log homes. I understand the water shedding abilities you discuss here with the flat log, chinking and the angled notch such as the dovetail and the v notch. My question is about the wicking of water. If no sealants are used do the logs not wick water as it runs down them?
Perhaps... but if that happens it must also wick itself back out. I must admit that I'm not a scientist nor an engineer. And, I didn't invent this form of log construction. I've just been around it for decades and seen thousands of cases of it holding up well for hundreds of years. And during that same time I received hundreds of calls from folks with log cabin kits where one log rests upon the other who have had tremendous rot issues. So, I pay attention, come to my own conclusions, and share them with anyone who cares to listen. If something has proven itself to hold up well for centuries it's got my attention. And if it's something new and improved... I'm always skeptical.
Thank You so much,I am 50 years old and have had a dream for my own log cabin,It is only me and my wife and your videos really help!I will build my own log cabin,Hopefully dreams come true. Traditional is the way to go.
You are still young! and you've got a helper!... you will have a great time building your future cabin!
Awesome. Thank you.
EXCELLENT! Thank you for the clear description and explanation.
Thank you!
As my friend Faye once said, " Don't worry about them kind!" Love what you're doing Noah, keep it up.
Sage advice! thank you!
A tip: watch movies on flixzone. Me and my gf have been using them for watching a lot of movies recently.
@Kaison Dante yea, have been using Flixzone} for since november myself :)
@Kaison Dante yup, I have been using Flixzone} for years myself :)
In Nebraska were I live I have seen a few original log cabin (late 1860''s to 1900's) with square notching. the square notching really does not hold up well compared to the other types. Surprisingly there were many log structure built in Nebraska especially before statehood. I wrote my honors paper in college on early Nebraska log structures and have rebuilt one from the ground up for a museum. I really wish I had found your channel earlier!
Thanks for your feedback Ron. Here in Virginia the only time I see square notching is on farm buildings that were covered over with siding. You are correct those flat notches will hold water and rot fast.
Nice corner puns!!!
I hope to see a preview of how the window's and doors are installed soon.
I am covering that in great detail within the upcoming Log Cabin Academy... that is a long and complicated process to do it so that it holds up well and looks good (way too long for youtube)... even the famous tv guys mess this one up big time.
Hello Noah, love your video series. Very informative and enjoyable to watch so keep them coming. :) When you final assemble the dovetail cabin, do you use long timber screws in the dovetail notch corners to secure the logs or do you just rely on the weight of the logs (gravity) on top of the notch to hold the building together?
The notches also benefit from being on the ends of the logs, where water that's been absorbed can easily be aspirated back out. Maybe he said that, I'm in my car watching on lunch at work. Anyways, I've seen a ton of old barns out there and most everyone else can too if they just look they'll notice what he's talking about. My house is 6 to 8 inch round pine logs with a lincoln log style notch. It's very crudely built and one wall is showing a bit of rot where vines were once allowed to grow on it. It has all the associated water issues with using round logs and it was rechinked with log jam about 30 years ago( failing in spots these days). But hey, its over 60 years old at least (first deed).
Noah, thank you so very much for what you're doing! Have you ever experienced a problem with water finding it's way into the log through the large splits/checks/cracks and rotting out a log? Obviously it can't be that big of a concern with log homes like this standing for centuries but I wanted to get your perspective on it. Thanks!
Given your explanation of water runoff, which do you feel is better for the long term health of the house, v-noch or dove-tail, and why?
My quick reply would be half-dovetail because it carries all the water to the exterior of the home whereas half the v-notch carries it back to the house... BUT... from what I've seen they both have proven to be equally qualified.
Noah, awesome information. I've been watching your videos for a few months now. I've alway had the dream of building a traditional vintage log cabin. I'm 59 years old but consider myself very handy and work in the building trades. The one question I have is how do you convince. Codes enforce in the town's you build in to allow you to build a vintage log cabin? All the codes im aware of want all new construction to be stick framing construction with traditional dimensional lumber. How can I get around this.
Hi Lawrence. My life and work is a testimony that it can be done... I go into more detail on this question, on drawing and getting plans approved in the Handmade House Academy. Thank you for following along!
Hello Noaha. In the video you had mentioned the sealers on modern log homes.
I understand the water shedding abilities you discuss here with the flat log, chinking and the angled notch such as the dovetail and the v notch.
My question is about the wicking of water.
If no sealants are used do the logs not wick water as it runs down them?
Perhaps... but if that happens it must also wick itself back out.
I must admit that I'm not a scientist nor an engineer.
And, I didn't invent this form of log construction.
I've just been around it for decades and seen thousands of cases of it holding up well for hundreds of years.
And during that same time I received hundreds of calls from folks with log cabin kits where one log rests upon the other who have had tremendous rot issues.
So, I pay attention, come to my own conclusions, and share them with anyone who cares to listen.
If something has proven itself to hold up well for centuries it's got my attention.
And if it's something new and improved... I'm always skeptical.
So, how about the inner angle . doesn't it drain down INTO the wall?
On a v-notch such as you see in this video you are correct. (it wouldn't be much water)
And that is one of the reasons I prefer the half-dovetail.
Angled notches versus the common rounded notch: What's your take?
Round notches are fine with round logs... but I have never seen round notches with hewn logs... not once. Thanks for asking!