Welcome to the progress page on constructing our own log
cabin. This is our first log home. We are the general
contractor on the job so we have managed the entire
process.
We will try to educate you on log home
construction while we learn in the process. We
should be updating these images monthly as things move
along.
If you have any
questions along the way please contact us at
info@ncloghomes.net.
These our house plans, the Dakota, with an addition of a loft.
First you need to excavate the lot. Clearing trees and
brush.
Next step is to dig the footers. We were lucky, the same
company did both the clearing and the digging. Concrete
is poured and inspections are ready.
Next you need to fill the middle with gravel. This helps
to reduce mud in the next phase.
A good idea is to set the block in the middle for easier
access. In this picture the masons are setting the first
row of block. We are constructing a full basement for my
mother-in-law to move into when she retires.
Construction goes fast if the weather holds up. At this
point we are half way completed. Make sure you have
temporary electric hooked up and some access to water.
It will move things along much quicker. This is only
about 3 days of work.
Here we are at 7 rows high in the front and 12 in the
back. You can see we will have two sliding doors in the
back and a window. This will be the front of my
mother-in-law's portion. She will have a poured concrete
porch.
At this point, you can start the weatherproofing process. We applied a
product called Thuroseal to the walls. It is not sold
everywhere so you might need to hunt around for it. It
is like a liquid concrete that soaks into the pours of
the block to seal them.
Then you want to clean the footers off and start
applying a tar-based seal. You can pick up 5 gallon cans
of this anywhere. We used a roller to apply. It is messy
so wear shoes and clothes that you can throw away.
On the backside of the house we go higher with the
Thuroseal then cover with the black tar. We will use a
Bobcat to backfill dirt up to almost the top of the
block.
During this process the logs were delivered. They come
on a couple of trucks. It is overwhelming at first to
see them roll in. The company that Country Log Homes
uses to ship the logs is a great bunch of people. Many
of the drivers know CLH folks.
You will need to rent a vehicle to help unload the logs.
We used what they call a high-jacker. It was about $500
a day.
As you can see there are a lot of logs to be delivered.
Once the walls are up, you can prepare your inside of
the foundation for concrete. The black strip around the
inside of the walls is called expansion board. It sets
between the walls and the concrete so to reduce cracking
during heat and cooling expansion.
Next is to address the waterproofing again. We went a
step further than others and added black plastic to
ensure no water access into the basement. This plastic
goes under the drainpipe and then covered with clean
gravel.
Here is another view of the plastic. Once the backfill
of dirt is complete we will trim the plastic.
After inspections we start the subfloor framing. Make
sure you follow your plans exactly.
Once the framing of the subfloor is complete you can
move on to applying the tongue & groove OSB or plywood.
This is a view of the basement once the subfloor is
covered.
We used some trees for posts in some spots and others
pressure treated 4x6 posts. You can also see at this
point the plumbers are starting to rough in the basement
bathrooms.
We covered the gravel with plastic to provide a moisture
barrier.
This is a close up of the work in progress. This will
take time to settle so make sure you plan for that. You
may have to bring in more fill dirt after the initial
backfill.
Our next task was to backfill around the block walls.
Our waterproofing and drain was approved.
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