The Simplest House of All

For those of you contemplating homesteading, here is a good read on how to build that first shelter.

http://www.homestead.org/MarkChenail...seofAll-p1.htm

If I did it all over again Rick I would have built and lived in a barn first. I felt rushed by the wife to get out of the bus we lived in and didnt think the plan properly. This has cost me alot of money to correct over the years ontop of building a 150K barn later. Could have killed two birds with one stone so to speak and took my time building the "dream home".

Yeah I think it's a good plan to first build something that'll be a storage shed or some sort of outbuilding in the end, or plan the house in such a way that the first small building can be attached to it later.
My boyfriend and I did things kind of stupid - we had thought of having sort of a tourism business out here, not because we love tourists so much but how do you make money out in the bush. So we built the tourist cabin first, then of course had to move in, and have been living in it ever since...leaving no space to accommodate paying tourists (phew! lucky!), turned out we can make money in different ways, but now we still "have" to build our house! This spot is totally mosquito infested in June and you never see the northern lights. motivations are running low. Whenever I mention "the house", my partner just rolls his eyes :rolleyes:

150k barn is a lot further than i'd go.

if on my own, i'd be inclined to go with a 20k home.

Very nice Rick, Simple is always better, avoid any snags :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by canid

150k barn is a lot further than i'd go.

if on my own, i'd be inclined to go with a 20k home.

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Why do you say that canid? Just wondering.

I guess I would have to agree with building the barn first.

I don't know about Dacha3. Seems like it wouldn't work very well in winter or colder weather. You'd need a wood stove in each bedroom + kitchen. Dacha2 would by my choice (if I had animals and a need for a shed).

am I the only person who still thinks a log cabin is a reasonable way to go? cheap, built from your own wood, and incredibly strong.

Native Dude would probably agree with you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Assassin Pilot

am I the only person who still thinks a log cabin is a reasonable way to go? cheap, built from your own wood, and incredibly strong.

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Nope, I'm with you there. You have to calculate in some means of transportation though to pull the logs out to the building site, unless the site is densely wooded with great timber. But if you build piece-en-piece (which is similar to post and beam) you can work with short log sections which are a lot easier to transport, such as in a regular pick-up truck or even carried.
Also an Alaskan Mill is a good thing to have because you can make your own lumber, need a decent size chain saw for it though. But you get very nice boards that way, or can also use it to cut your building logs two-sided if you don't want to scribe.

The logs require log oil, or Rawhide every other year. It is very hard work fitting and working with large logs, and they are not as good insulation as 2X4 or a fraction of 2X6 framing. Electrical is systems are hard to hide.

Can you seal the logs rather than oil them every other year?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

Can you seal the logs rather than oil them every other year?

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I don't know...but dang....a log cabin just seems like a lot of work. I mean...haven't you ever seen "Alone in the Wilderness"?:):):):):):):):)

Not sure what you mean by "sealing"? As in painting versus staining?
When chinked with log jam or perma chink, a log building becomes as tight as a frame building. Expensive stuff, but buying plywood will still cost more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wildWoman

Not sure what you mean by "sealing"? As in painting versus staining?
When chinked with log jam or perma chink, a log building becomes as tight as a frame building. Expensive stuff, but buying plywood will still cost more.

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By sealing I was thinking some type of application that would prevent water penetration. And if you do that, is it still required to oil them (or would that even work.

I ask because, around here most of the log cabins that I see have a shiney finish, almost like a coat of varnish on them. I don't see too many, and our climate here is a wee bit different that yours. I'm sure the extreme cold transitioning to warmer weather takes its toll. I know here termites and wood destroying beetles is a huge concern.

I have log cabin siding on my house, it just has a stain, which is good for up to 15 years, and I know it works as a place down river from me has it and it works great. My father has a grage that is made out of log. Once it was chinked and the cracks filled with insulation it was very easy to heat, and kept the heat for along time. It acuatly has paint on the outside, and so far (10 plus years) has stayed good.

The wiring is placed in the cracks where the logs meet. This way it is almost impossible to see. The boxes are cut into the log's and looks good.

My brother in law is a log home builder in Salmon Arm BC and the only product they use is http://www.nam.sikkens.com/product.c...egory=exterior. He wont use any other product.

Two other things to think about is it is hard to get fire insurance on log homes. And The dust builds up on th top of the logs, Inside and out. Don't get me wrong I love log homes, I would never build an other one.

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