My mother's half of the family has a French Canadian heritage. My grandfather told me stories of his mother who as a child lived in a log cabin some where in Quebec. He told me that her mother (my great great grandmother) would send her children out in early fall to search for and gather moss in the woods and bring it all home. They would use the moss to stuff it in between the logs any where there was any kind of a gap to help keep the wind out. My great grandmother (whom I never met) never went to school, could not read or write and spoke only French. At some point she and her husband moved to Rhode Island. My grandfather told me that even though she never had an education, she could go to the church thrift store, buy a large man's coat, take it home, take it apart and make 2 coats for 2 of her smaller children with it without even using a pattern. Pepere (pronounced Pep-pare) said those coats would rival any factory made coat found in the stores.
Vous deviez être toujours fier de votre heritage française, canadienne et québecoise! Vive le Québec libre! Vive la Louisiane française! Vive le Royaume de France et la Nouvelle France! Vive le Roi!
@@robertbaldwin2383 : The Greater Louisiane and Canada (or Nouvelle France) were colonies of the Kingdom of France inhabited by french people long before both the american "purchase" and the british invasion respectively!
Norwegian log homes are done without chinking. The history of log homes goes back to the Viking era. We insulate between the logs with moss, hair, sheepswool or natural linen. The logs themselves has a v-shape that fits into the log under. img.gfx.no/2040/2040266/tb9f91c4.980x551.jpg Look at the details in the roofing. Some of the oldest homes standing in Norway is from the 1200´s. A fun fact, is that the houses were designed to be moved. A smallholder, not owning his land, could pack his house and home together, and move it to another location. It was also prefabricated kits that could be quickly assembled after fires.
I couldn't afford a log cabin home so I ordered a special order cargo trailer 14x7 and built the inside to look like a log cabin. In the back I put up a tongue and groove wall across the back with a screen door and hard door. The walls in the first 7 feet I used T 1 11 and I wanted some color inside so I painted the logs(the 4 inch wide strips)with a cranberry color and the grooves bone white to look like chinking. The front part of the trailer I did in tongue and groove and cabinet doors with black hardware. The back of the trailer has a ramp door I use as a deck. The trailer was ordered with 5 ,30 x 15 slider screen windows all framed inside with white pine and includes a window AC ,heater ,2 door refrigerator freezer, memory foam mattress, hand made quilts ,leather love seat, hand built coffee table that looks like a sled, snowshoes on the wall with lots of other items you would associate with a log cabin.
Just Curious. You mentioned several times that log cabins traditionally left the gaps between the logs that were then filled by chinking and dobbing (BTW, thanks for brining up dobbing as no one mentions it anymore). When I was overseas back in the 80's I saw several ver old cabins in the nordic countries where the guide explained the log joints were so tight they used thin pieces of tarred oakum to seal the gap where they could actually fit it in with a thin bladed chisel. To me the tighter the gap, the less you have to rely on chinking/dobbing which as you stated is prone to failure. I'm not saying these tight gapped homes were prevalent in all of Europe, but certainly some of the Finnish/Swedish carpenters immigrating to the US two hundred years ago would have brought those skills with them.
Cabins, where the logs were fit together tightly and chinked the way you describe are very common in ship building communities and cultures. Yes indeed... the traditional American method of building a log cabin is the result of woodworking skills of the British and the Scandinavians combining here in this land of virgin forests.
Those people may have had some finer tools to get the logs as flat as possible to sit right on top of each other. But the pioneers of the western area of the States, didn't have so many tools, or maybe so many people to help them get the logs nice and flat, or even the time. They often tried to toss up some sort of shelter out in the middle of no where with very few tools or help available and next to no time. So gaps between the logs were inevitable. Also, logs with expand and contact with the weather, and as they dry out will shrink in time.
SpiritBear12 Logs weren't usually made flat here, in Scandinavia/Finland, it's better have round logs so that rainwater doesn't stay between logs. A special wide groove is cut under every log, all length, so that logs stay more firmly together. There is some room for moss insulation, groove is so wide and deep. Insulation shouldn't bear load of logs above, wall will settle too much over time. Only outernmost fibres (linen) have tar, so that they don't get soaked. Tar conducts heat too well, whole insulation thickness shouldn't be impregnated. Sides can be flat, but usually weren't, unless the type of corner demands it. Inside log faces better be flat, or they collect dust. I think dobbing has been used in Middle Europe, not so much in north. Clay and mud conducts more heat than dry moss.
RUclips: Traditional Finnish Log House Building Process says round log building has come 11th century, that the inner sides of the log have carved from the 14th century onward and the outer log from the 17th century onward. I´ve not seen old round log buildings in Finland, just some summer cottages that are not very old, or some hay barns.
This was the video I've been waiting for. Thanks a bunch Noah! We are in the process of buying a couple of acres, and I can't wait to start the process of building my own handmade log home this year.
You should read the Foxfire Book. Traditional chinking, the type that lasted hundreds of years, was a mixture of clay, wood ashes, and salt. Salt is expensive, perhaps you could use the type used for winter ice on sidewalks etc. I think it's about a 3-2-1 ratio by volume. This stuff sets up hard like concrete.
The ancient traditional european log cabins namely the Scandinavian ones and those made by the finnish people don't have any gaps between the logs which are carved to fit perfectly one on top of the other thus there's no need for chinking them except for inserting some tar oakum, moss, hemp cordage fiber or tree leaves as a base for the logs to settle along on each other serving also as a sort of insulation on doors and windows! The stone foundations in the old european log cabins are a closed wall along the perimeter of the whole cabin featuring a few small gaps for ventilation of the floor instead of using just isolated corner stone pillars with some inbetween like in America!
How well does this chinking method hold up as the logs shrink and settle down when drying out. I know of a log cabin made with milled tongue and grove logs that had been kiln dried, yet that cabin still settled more than 2" in height over 8-10 years.
I've really enjoyed your videos. Thanks! We are preparing to build a small cabin in VA. I have many pine trees, but they are tapered. So my plan is to cut the top/bottom flat. Wondering if that's a good idea? Maybe join the corners w/ a vertical log?
thats brilliant! my dad used smaller wood peices and then the portland cement, and after it dried he painted it white and the logs he painted black. on the inside he just put up woodgrain panneling which i dont like. i want to see the logs inside.
I have just found your videos today. My impression of chinked houses is that they were always cold and drafty (ie Hollywood & in Australia). I live in Estonia and European log homes are scribed - which take more time. I do prefer their look.
Isn t cement destroying the wood ? (for example: in europe half-timbered houses from the middle ages where they put cement on it later on) wouldn t be clay the better choice ? Also, the advantage wood has over the other building materials is the thermal energy storage - with those gaps, isn t it cold in winter ?
the mixture can be : lime + hemp + sand ( in small quantity ). It has the same thermal-resistance as wood and is perspirant . This mixture is used here for wall restoration .
Hi Noah, on your website, I see an article for handmade stone cottage. Do you teach this course as well? I am more interested in the stone house construction.
Noah, in your video on chinking I would like to know what product you use between the chinking? you mention spray foam. By the way you have great videos. This will be my third cabin and have used Styrofoam products in between. Just looking for faster easier way.
Commissar Gamza, you clever sonovabitch. I salute you, sir, for your mastery of racially insensitive humour. You've taken the hatred from the hate speech and replaced it with joviality; that's the only way to effectively deal with that shit, expose it for the laughable ignorance that it is and laugh at everyone's discomfort who isn't laughing with you.
Hi,great videos,but I am wondering what the chinking recipe ratio is that you use,,is it cement mortar,lime and sand? I am starting my chinking on the cabin next week,and your videos seem to make more sense since I’ve watched many,and I really don’t want to have to rechink it again,,it really is a lot of work,can you help me out here,Thank you,We are in central Alberta off the Alaska highway,so winters are cold.
I am looking for some information about cabins. I recently purchased a cabin that was built in 1970s. We are in the beginning stages of rehabbing the cabin. Most of the logs are still quite solid with exception of some that have water damage. The logs are 5 x 5 1/2 D shaped. The gap between the logs is very thin and the chinking that was there is all dried up and needs to be removed. I am assuming I need to remove the old chinking.. but after that I don't know what the next step is? We are in Missouri and are looking for some new logs to use to replace some old ones. Any information would be awesome!! Thanks so much Amy B
Hi Amy... I am not an expert on log cabin kits... but there is general rule on restoring and repairing anything.... First, remove everything bad or that you don't want... and then repair, replace, and add back what you do want.
Hey Noah, thanks for your videos, thats awesome information. I am wondering if the chinking needs to be sort of elastic as the wood is shrinking and swelling all the time with moisture?
While you sure have much more experience than I do, I am concerned about the use of the modern product cement. Coming from a european background, the experiences here have been that half timbered homes that used cement in the gaps would eventually slowly rot because cement does not dry fast enough and gives moisture to the wooden beams. People in restauration tend to go back to lime plastering the half wooden houses because while it initially soaks up much more moisture, it also dries almost instantly. What is your take on this? Is this due to differences in climatic circumstances?
I have no problem with others using lime... none whatsoever. I've heard and appreciate the points that are made about the use of lime... it's just that based upon my own experiences and observations I choose not to use it, nor recommend its use. It seems that there are always a few in any given field who are strong proponents of their chosen specialty (such as the lime enthusiasts), Many who seek the position of being labeled an expert in one specific aspect of the housing trade often develop strong convictions of their opinions and will generate or seek out some kind of documentation to back it up. They will turn their viewpoint into one of absolutes... "I'm right, and if you don't agree with me, you are wrong", when in reality nearly everything comes with its set of pros, and it's cons. (just try to find one log builder who likes timber frames, or vice versa). The reasons I do not use lime are as follows: 1.) A minor point... but in my experience, working with lime is a miserable experience with respect to the powder getting into to my eyes, my mouth, my clothes, and all over the jobs site. For some it's no big deal, but I dislike it. 2.) Lime tends to brighten the chinking too much from a visual perspective when it comes to a log cabin... it makes a cabin look like a zebra. Being able to control the color with pre-mixed cement has been a priority of mine and added lime will alter or void the shade of any dye. 3) I've never seen where lime has added any benefit to my mix... its an extra step, and an extra expense. As a comparison, I've had plenty of people tell me what type of oil I should put in my truck, often handing me literature proving the benefits of their product... but I'm not interested... I use what I use and the engine is still running strong with over 450,000 miles on it... so I don't recommend their product for others to use. 4) From a structural perspective (arguably the most important), the cement chinking is applied to metal lath. Roughly a bit more than a quarter inch touches the logs. In the 30 plus years I have been building and maintaining log cabins, I have not seen or experienced rot on any logs due to the use of cement chinking applied properly.... not even the smallest spot. (I have seen fence posts rot out where homeowners have poured cement around the post to fill the dug hole, I don't recommend anyone doing that) 5) I've also observed plenty of lime chinking throughout my career... I've never once seen it hold up more than a couple of years without some crumbling and cracking occurring (often extensively so)... the lime chinking looks good... and, it doesn't appear to harm the logs... but it doesn't last long in this application. Now I'll be honest with you... if I was hired by a historical society to parge between the timbers of a fourteenth century timber frame in Paris I would be motivated to use lime, because that is the way it was done, and the folks who would hire me likely could afford to have me come back for regular maintenance or replacement. But for chinking a log cabin the folks that hire me look to me to chink their cabin so that it is attractive, durable, and does no harm to their precious logs, and from my experience added lime plays no part in that standard. Again, the above is my opinion based on my experience of working on hundreds of cabins,.. and observing thousands. You can certainly find others who might disagree with me on this, and they, like you, are free to use the materials of their choice. My best to you as you go forward.
@@tybaltmoon2082 Since I cannot post my response all in one reply it will take several to give you my perspective. Here it goes.... I have no problem with others using lime...none whatsoever. I've heard and appreciate the points that are made about the use of lime... it's just that based upon my own experiences and observations I choose not to use it, nor recommend its use. It seems that there are always a few in any given field who are strong proponents of their chosen specialty (such as the lime enthusiasts), Many who seek the position of being labeled an expert in one specific aspect of the housing trade often develop strong convictions of their opinions and will generate or seek out some kind of documentation to back it up. They will turn their viewpoint into one of absolutes... "I'm right, and if you don't agree with me, you are wrong", when in reality nearly everything comes with its set of pros, and it's cons. (just try to find one log builder who likes timber frames, or vice versa).
@@tybaltmoon2082 The reasons I do not use lime are as follows: 1.) A minor point... but in my experience, working with lime is a miserable experience with respect to the powder getting into to my eyes, my mouth, my clothes, and all over the jobs site. For some it's no big deal, but I dislike it. 2.) Lime tends to brighten the chinking too much from a visual perspective when it comes to a log cabin... it makes a cabin look like a zebra. Being able to control the color with pre-mixed cement has been a priority of mine and added lime will alter or void the shade of any dye. 3) I've never seen where lime has added any benefit to my mix... its an extra step, and an extra expense. As a comparison, I've had plenty of people tell me what type of oil I should put in my truck, often handing me literature proving the benefits of their product... but I'm not interested... I use what I use and the engine is still running strong with over 450,000 miles on it... so I don't recommend their product for others to use.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley Actually, I'm referring to the stacking of the logs, and what by way of wood for spacing. Also for a large cabin structure. Would you perhaps use rebar (instead of lag bolts) for vertical stability? Thank you!
I don't know why today I'm getting questions pop up from four months ago... sorry about this one Laura... likely I've already answered your question by now in another format... I've never had serious cracking in cement chinking... not once in over thirty years... a few hairline cracks yes, but nothing to be concerned with.
Laura... the Log Cabin Academy video (#8) that was released today shows me step by step mixing the cement and applying it (complete with the recipe) .... between the previous video in the series... and the conclusion on the next one you will soon be an expert on the topic of chinking.
Can't wait to watch!!! I really do appreciate all your time and the effort you put in to do this all for us. My husband and I have learned a lot and we have taken LOTS of notes. Thank You!!!
That was interesting to find out that you used spray foam insulation between the layers of cement for part of the chinking system. Are you using the DIY spray foam kits available at the local big box hardware stores (home depot, lowes, etc)?
great videos, I wanted further information after seeing 'alone in the wilderness' and you have more than filled in the gaps... see what i did there!? haha
That is a good question. I live here in Virginia and they are just as pleasant of a home as one can have... but I've never to Maine... so I can't speak to how the weather there might affect things. I would imagine there would be little difference.
That's a great question... and one that I don't feel qualified to answer as I've never done it... that would be a question best asked from those who work with cob on a regular basis.
I know that the price of my synthetic chinking cost an arm and a leg. I put up a 16' x 24' and even with a discounted price, it still cost me $2500.00. Look forward to watching your chinking tutorial on the future!
a good alternative for portland cement based mortar would be a lime based or even a lime/clay based daube or mortar in a sand-fiber/straw or cellulosa-binder = 1-3-1 ratio. cement based mortar is not environmentally friendly and also very agressive against wooden material which breaks down after a while when in contact.
one of my main concerns with most houses any house actually is most houses today are sealed too good! and what can happen then is mold build up because of no air moving through the house
You know I'm the same way! A few years ago it seemed everyone was concerned over radon poisoning because with our houses were to airtight. And our homes always seem to have some new product in them that is out-gassing. I appreciate the air outside so much more than what might be trapped inside for months on end. At my house we tend to open every window and door on most days and on those cold winter days I don't mind the ever so slight air infiltration that might come from living in an handmade house.
ok so what your saying is these houses are NOT air tight? let me tell ya mold is a huge problem in humid area's and thats most of the country, I live in western part of Arizona very dry here, I do tend to like it here but cannot afford land have to look elsewhere. BTW I do not like these crappy prefab log houses :)
Thankfully I've never had any issues with mold... I think the key method to keeping that at bay is having a dry foundation area and a house off the ground. It's hard to build any house out of natural materials and have it as airtight as something that comes out of factory.
I've built quite a few log cabins in the traditional manner... and for the most part the only maintenance done to them has been to add a fresh coat of paint to the windows every eight to ten years. Everyone of those who I have built cabins for have wisely chosen to let their cabins age naturally rather than trying to keep it looking fresh and new like the high maintenance cabin kits where annual applications of toxic sealers and cleaners need to be applied. It is wonderful to go back to cabins that I have built 30 years ago, where virtually no maintenance has been done, yet the cabins look better now than the day I finished building them. There is nothing like looking at a decades old copper roof and thinking "oh, she probably has another good 100 years of life left in her". :)
Sorry but I don't. A lot of kits have R values created as each one created is identical to the next. But there are so many variables in handcrafting a cabin from scratch that it's just impossible to place a fixed number on them. I can say that I've never heard of a single person complain from lack of comfort in cabin I've built though.
Use diamond mesh lathe on the outside. Mix white cement and sand for outside chinking. Spray expansion foam is a very good idea for inside. On the inside chinking I would use taping joint compound mixed with fiberglass strands.
Hello. Taping compound is smoother than cement and works well with fiberglass and can be sanded but can only be used inside because it is a gypsum product. I love white cement and when you add in some lime it makes for a very workable product and it too can have added fiberglass strand added. It can be used both inside and outside. Overall I would say the best chinking would be a lime/white cement mix with 60 mesh sand added to increase durability. I am a former plasterer and my opinions are based on actual usage.
@@wms72 So there is application upon application of linseed oil on that log house? Doesn't look like it. I'm wondering if it has benefited from numerous applications of commercial pest control over the years. And without such commercial pest control, log cabins are too prone to early demise due to insect pests.
How cool is this. My wife knows this is where my heart is, a real log cabin out in the country. The down side is that she doesn't really support that style of living.
Some folks really enjoy the experience of primitive living. I did it for a few years myself... it made me really appreciate modern amenities when they came back into my life... and it was very liberating to know that I could make do just fine without them should I ever be faced with the situation.
Hi, I was wondering how these kinds of cabins hold up in wet climates? I live in Ireland and the typical rhetoric is that wood built houses don't hold up well in our climate and shouldn't be legal for habitation. I find that a bit hard to believe but know next to nothing about the subject.
I can't speak from experience with regard to Ireland... I've yet to visit there... but I do have some Irish blood! I can't imagine that it would be a problem at all... I've always heard that that weather conditions aren't all that different here than they are in Ireland.
Look to the Norwegian designs of log homes. In the western part of Norway, we do have the same weather conditions as you do, and the log cabins holds up for 100´s of years. The important thing is the roof overhang, to keep the water away from the logs. And we often treat the logs with tar. Sometimes they put an exterior wood panelling to protect the logs.
I believe that cement is the worst product you can use, especially in the British Isles. English heritage state you should only use lime render as it can breathe, unlike cement. The timber needs to breathe and cement will trap moisture. Have a look at... www.heritage-house.org/stuff-about-old-buildings/timber-framed-buildings/oak-frame-construction-and-repair.html
Hello Sir, I got to watch a few of your videos now, for your beautifully crafted cabins. Yet i must say my point of view on your videos, a constructive criticism, if you will..?! Only after mark 4:50 or so comes, the so awaited for, missing ingredient, after an on and on, flurry of distracting explanations. Too much of a good thing.... I do not mean to be rude or insulting, i follow your channel to learn, from the long time earned skills, you evidently possesses. To heed or not on my ideas, is your decision to make.. Again, apart from this little thing i noted, your vids are great ..!
I take no offense. :) And, I hope you won't with my response... Keep in mind that I'm just an old carpenter... not a gifted speaker, nor actor. I don't have anyone writing a script for me, nor a camera man, nor an editor. I don't charge any money for what I produce and share here either... I just do my best at the point I am at in this new phase of my life of sharing what I've learned after decades of building old houses. I hope and plan on getting better as I create these videos, but if waited until I was perfect it would likely never happen. The same is true in building a home... many never start because of the fear they aren't good enough... or that someone will point out the shortcomings in their work. Now how sad is that? I've had some email me to tell me I talk too much... and others will tell me that I need to talk more. Some want the facts only... while some want to discover where I'm coming from in my conclusions. Some think I'm conceited... others tell me how much they admire my humility. Everyone has their opinion. Your point is well taken and understood that I go "on and on"... I'm sure that if someone told you that you would take no offense. But it all boils down to the words of Popeye... "I am what I am, and I ain't what I ain't" I'm just an old country boy who occasionally turns on his camera and shares what's on his mind. If a few people find it of value then I'm thrilled. And if a few aren't pleased... well, I can't do much about that... they just need to (with all due respect) move on... or be patient as my skills in creating videos increase. BTW... I gave up, long ago, trying to please everyone... after discovering that it's simply not possible.
The ancient British method of wattle and daub was significantly superior. The american log cabin was really just what people could put together in a hurry on the frontier with little training so there is no need to stick to "traditional" american designs, there are far superior European designs which last a lot longer and are more weatherproof.
Yet so many in America still stand as good as new for 300 plus years 😉 To each their own! Mixing traditional methods from Europe and American culture can be great Also. Depends on the creators wishes really ! Thanks for your comment
Hello, I don't get why you are talking so warmly about keeping the traditions of log cabins and at the same time you are using cement, metal net etc. instead of clay and other stuff you said they used way back... and also you keep talking about this type of log cabin being the real one, what are you basing that on, log cabins and their history origins from europe and i have never seen a cabin like the here, and i own one that is from the 1500th century that has a tight fit between the logs... it is not that i don't like they method or style, It just seems to me that you have to check the history books.
Whew! Let me see if I can explain... First, the focus of the houses that I have built over my career has been on combining the best that historic, alternative, and modern construction have to offer. Each of these brings something to the table... and I feel the result of this act of combing these three methods is amazing. I'm not a purist to any of them... for example I love old cabins but I have no desire to have a dirt floor. As soon as cement and metal roofs became available to cabin builders they were seized upon... because they are simply better products. I am an American... here we are a melting pot of cultures. In the 1600's the house creation skills of the Scandinavians and the English came together and created a log home that worked best for this environment... some refer to it as the hewn log cabin, others as the traditional method. It was the most prevalent method of construction here in this country from that period until 1900. There are hundreds of thousands of these cabins still standing today, each well over 150 years old... while I am not aware of a single one here older than 1900 that was made of round logs. This is American history... it's the story of this nation... while not as old as Europe, it is what it is. Of course we had housing here in the 15th century, but few today would want to live in a wigwam, nor have to rebuild themselves a new home every few years. If I was building a cabin in Scandinavia I'd likely build it of round logs because that is the way it was done there... but here.. today.. this is, in my humble opinion, the proper way to build a log home... one that will be comfortable, and last for centuries to come, with minimal maintenance.
I agree, He thinks the method he likes is superior, but its really the lazy mans log cabin design. He says "everybody" who is anybody agrees. I personally think it looks cheap.
you're always so vehemently stating that this is the one traditional way, completely ignoring that you are broadcasting to the world. american tradition only goes back so far, as i'm sure you're aware.
Your very rude. He is just trying to spread some of his knowledge to the rest of us. Most of us value and appreciate his efforts and content. I think your misguided he is saying traditional here, Which in North America and the west this is our traditional. We don't need to start getting defensive and he certainly isn't saying this is the ONLY way. It is for our geographic. I say it's best you go watch other tradional channels more suited to what you're after . Making silly half witted comments in here to downgrade the man isn't needed nor nessescery. Move along ! Thanks for stopping by ;) Perhaps do a channel yourself on you're traditions??? Be of some help to humanity if you are able !
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley 30 years? I have a house that is 250 years old, it's a timber house (not chinked, never seen that in Sweden) with oak planks covering the outside. It has been maintained several times.
Chinking ti that ground up Chiesease plp stuff between logs..what ever to much to thick looks ughly ..best get logs to fit real tight togerther..good luck..give me a 5 by 10 foot sheet of marina ply wood any time..few here and a few ther and u got your tight weather proof walls up..
most of the cabins around here are traditional. No chinking at all. baiscally just very little gaping between the wood. as for inside not really known. but could have pitch between the wood otherwise from the outside you see just rounded wood. there are a few houses with massive amount of chinking between the wood. and to me they look just bad vs the normal more Traditional way with little or no chining at all
Whereabouts in Virginia can I go to see a cabin built this way? I'm a Virginian myself and have never seen one of these historic cabins. Do you have a link to one online? or can you send me an image?
This answers my question from one of your previous videos in which I was asking about why you would put the gaps between the logs. Here is the thing; what you said here in this video is not true. As I said on your last video, Norway has perhaps the richest and oldest culture for log construction in the world, and chinking is NOT a thing, and it never was. Yes, we would fill the gaps inside the log-meetings with dried moss, but that would never be visible from the houtside, because we would notch the bottoms of the logs so that they would fit with a 10-15cm thickness of the wall at the smallest. Not only does this ensure you won't have to re-chink your log-structures; it also insulates better, and lasts EVEN LONGER. Not chinking is not a "modern redesign" as you put it, but a different building tradition all together, that has perhaps been minunderstood by many in the new world, but unchinked log constructions is the norm in Norway, and as an architecture student in Trøndelag that has had the pleassure to study some of the oldest log-constructions in the world, I can assure you the oldest ones are just the same. Last time I told you I am completely fine with you guys filling the gaps with cement or mortar etc, however I do not believe you are right in saying that this is a universally more sophisticated design, and I would actually argue the contrary, as the wood-working involved is an art in its own right. I am inclined to believe you are right that in the new world this is the traditional way of doing it. I have no clue how that came to be, as we in Norway try to even limit the amount of contact between rocks in the foundations and the wood to minimize non-wood-on-wood-creeping. Making that unwanted process happen in every layer in every wall of the entire house seems very odd in my opinion, and I would like an explanation as to why/how unchinked log-constructions could in any way be inferior.
I do appreciate your thoughtful comments Karl! When I say the traditional manner, I am speaking of "American tradition" and what is seen here. When I am referring to other/more modern styles, I am pretty much referring to the butt and pass innovations that have taken hold here in the US market over the last 40 years. I am not referring to or taking into account Norwegian, Slovenian, etc. style cabins, nor would I characterize any unique methods to build them as unsophisticated. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, we see predominently English, German, and Irish influences on our historical architectural styles. I am confident some Norwegians made their way here at some point, but any of their direct architectural influences are not readily apparent (at least to me or to my knowledge). I don't mean any disrespect to your building traditions in Norway. In fact, the resurrection of traditional craft--whether it is tools, timber frames, and cabins--I see in the woodworking/vernacular building world is very exciting and heartening to see.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley I figured as much to be honest, but at some point in the video you made it seem like this is the way it is done in every country that has experimented with log-construction. I am confident you are completely right about the american traditions. Its just your opening speech here comes off as a bit chauvinist towards other ways of building. Your videos are great, and I watch them all in delight. It was simply this video and the issue of chinking/not chinking that has been grinding my gears for awhile. Thanks for a proper response though!
Thanks for the kind words Karl and for following along! You are certainly welcome. I do apologize for any inadvertent intimation that I was speaking with respect to any traditions outside the US. I do try to be precise regarding my meanings of what I am trying to say, but when I am in front of camera, or in the editing room, sometimes the nuances of things escape this old man, lol. All the best...
lol... yeah... I suppose "the original way" of building a cabin was some guy in the woods looking at winter coming fast and him piling logs up in such a way as to survive until Spring. I am... an old guy, but not old enough to have been around when the first cabins weren't built here in the States... but I imagine they were built with round logs... and to my knowledge none of those early cabins survived to this day. That's the wonderful thing about looking around at what has been built... learn from what has lasted... avoid what hasn't. The Scandinavians brought in their round log cabin method to this nation... the British improved it with a variety of notches in the corners, hewn faces on the logs, and chinking gaps between the logs... and then of course the Germans came in and perfected it with their meticulous ways. This is the traditional method of building a log cabin/home... the American way... a blending of several cultures. It was the most common method of home construction in the US from 1650-1900, from Maine to Florida and almost as far west as the Rockies. There are hundreds of thousands of these homes still standing... the oldest one in New Jersey is now 400 years old. I'm not familiar with a single round log cabin in the States older than 1900... that's not to say there aren't any... but if there are any, I doubt there are many. Now there are some old round cabins in the Scandinavian countries and round cabins are quite popular in Canada and the Pacific Northwest... I imagine the climate in these colder regions is kinder to round log cabins. I'm a big fan of building vernacular homes... If I was in Norway and wanted to build a cabin I'd likely seriously consider a round log home... just like if I was in Nevada I'd likely build an adobe home... but here in most of the US... I'll stick with what looks like it belongs... and what has proven itself to be durable. So I guess we could say that this is the "original proven durable way" of building a log cabin.
You loss at least half of the insulatitve value of the home. With modern saw mills and tools they didn't have there is no reason to have a opening of more than onehalf inch.
What you don't mention is: geography, it depends on where you are as to what you can use. You also don't mention that lime, is a natural mineral, it can be and was made. Your log cabin is not impressive.
My mother's half of the family has a French Canadian heritage. My grandfather told me stories of his mother who as a child lived in a log cabin some where in Quebec. He told me that her mother (my great great grandmother) would send her children out in early fall to search for and gather moss in the woods and bring it all home. They would use the moss to stuff it in between the logs any where there was any kind of a gap to help keep the wind out. My great grandmother (whom I never met) never went to school, could not read or write and spoke only French. At some point she and her husband moved to Rhode Island. My grandfather told me that even though she never had an education, she could go to the church thrift store, buy a large man's coat, take it home, take it apart and make 2 coats for 2 of her smaller children with it without even using a pattern. Pepere (pronounced Pep-pare) said those coats would rival any factory made coat found in the stores.
SpiritBear12 Great story told. The people of this era were simply the best.
Vous deviez être toujours fier de votre heritage française, canadienne et québecoise!
Vive le Québec libre!
Vive la Louisiane française!
Vive le Royaume de France et la Nouvelle France!
Vive le Roi!
@@robertbaldwin2383 : The Greater Louisiane and Canada (or Nouvelle France) were colonies of the Kingdom of France inhabited by french people long before both the american "purchase" and the british invasion respectively!
Filipe Matias thanks tips
Nice story
Norwegian log homes are done without chinking. The history of log homes goes back to the Viking era. We insulate between the logs with moss, hair, sheepswool or natural linen. The logs themselves has a v-shape that fits into the log under. img.gfx.no/2040/2040266/tb9f91c4.980x551.jpg Look at the details in the roofing. Some of the oldest homes standing in Norway is from the 1200´s. A fun fact, is that the houses were designed to be moved. A smallholder, not owning his land, could pack his house and home together, and move it to another location. It was also prefabricated kits that could be quickly assembled after fires.
I couldn't afford a log cabin home so I ordered a special order cargo trailer 14x7 and built the inside to look like a log cabin. In the back I put up a tongue and groove wall across the back with a screen door and hard door. The walls in the first 7 feet I used T 1 11 and I wanted some color inside so I painted the logs(the 4 inch wide strips)with a cranberry color and the grooves bone white to look like chinking. The front part of the trailer I did in tongue and groove and cabinet doors with black hardware. The back of the trailer has a ramp door I use as a deck. The trailer was ordered with 5 ,30 x 15 slider screen windows all framed inside with white pine and includes a window AC ,heater ,2 door refrigerator freezer, memory foam mattress, hand made quilts ,leather love seat, hand built coffee table that looks like a sled, snowshoes on the wall with lots of other items you would associate with a log cabin.
I agree with you 💯 on the cement.
Just Curious. You mentioned several times that log cabins traditionally left the gaps between the logs that were then filled by chinking and dobbing (BTW, thanks for brining up dobbing as no one mentions it anymore). When I was overseas back in the 80's I saw several ver old cabins in the nordic countries where the guide explained the log joints were so tight they used thin pieces of tarred oakum to seal the gap where they could actually fit it in with a thin bladed chisel. To me the tighter the gap, the less you have to rely on chinking/dobbing which as you stated is prone to failure. I'm not saying these tight gapped homes were prevalent in all of Europe, but certainly some of the Finnish/Swedish carpenters immigrating to the US two hundred years ago would have brought those skills with them.
Cabins, where the logs were fit together tightly and chinked the way you describe are very common in ship building communities and cultures.
Yes indeed... the traditional American method of building a log cabin is the result of woodworking skills of the British and the Scandinavians combining here in this land of virgin forests.
Those people may have had some finer tools to get the logs as flat as possible to sit right on top of each other. But the pioneers of the western area of the States, didn't have so many tools, or maybe so many people to help them get the logs nice and flat, or even the time. They often tried to toss up some sort of shelter out in the middle of no where with very few tools or help available and next to no time. So gaps between the logs were inevitable.
Also, logs with expand and contact with the weather, and as they dry out will shrink in time.
Yes, most log homes were built using just two different kinds of axes.
SpiritBear12 Logs weren't usually made flat here, in Scandinavia/Finland, it's better have round logs so that rainwater doesn't stay between logs. A special wide groove is cut under every log, all length, so that logs stay more firmly together. There is some room for moss insulation, groove is so wide and deep. Insulation shouldn't bear load of logs above, wall will settle too much over time. Only outernmost fibres (linen) have tar, so that they don't get soaked. Tar conducts heat too well, whole insulation thickness shouldn't be impregnated.
Sides can be flat, but usually weren't, unless the type of corner demands it. Inside log faces better be flat, or they collect dust. I think dobbing has been used in Middle Europe, not so much in north. Clay and mud conducts more heat than dry moss.
RUclips: Traditional Finnish Log House Building Process says round log building has come 11th century, that the inner sides of the log have carved from the 14th century onward and the outer log from the 17th century onward. I´ve not seen old round log buildings in Finland, just some summer cottages that are not very old, or some hay barns.
This was the video I've been waiting for. Thanks a bunch Noah! We are in the process of buying a couple of acres, and I can't wait to start the process of building my own handmade log home this year.
Hey that's great news! Thanks for the feedback... and congratulations on moving forward with your project!
You should read the Foxfire Book. Traditional chinking, the type that lasted hundreds of years, was a mixture of clay, wood ashes, and salt. Salt is expensive, perhaps you could use the type used for winter ice on sidewalks etc. I think it's about a 3-2-1 ratio by volume. This stuff sets up hard like concrete.
The ancient traditional european log cabins namely the Scandinavian ones and those made by the finnish people don't have any gaps between the logs which are carved to fit perfectly one on top of the other thus there's no need for chinking them except for inserting some tar oakum, moss, hemp cordage fiber or tree leaves as a base for the logs to settle along on each other serving also as a sort of insulation on doors and windows!
The stone foundations in the old european log cabins are a closed wall along the perimeter of the whole cabin featuring a few small gaps for ventilation of the floor instead of using just isolated corner stone pillars with some inbetween like in America!
eggs and any kind of gras fed animal discharge make a very sturdy cement when mixed together with mud and fibrous materials.
Sounds smelly
How well does this chinking method hold up as the logs shrink and settle down when drying out. I know of a log cabin made with milled tongue and grove logs that had been kiln dried, yet that cabin still settled more than 2" in height over 8-10 years.
I've really enjoyed your videos. Thanks! We are preparing to build a small cabin in VA. I have many pine trees, but they are tapered. So my plan is to cut the top/bottom flat. Wondering if that's a good idea? Maybe join the corners w/ a vertical log?
While you could use a vertical log in the corners, it is not something I ever recommend....
It looks good already. Important to guard from flood and earthquake.
This looks a lot nicer than the modern kits!
ive always wondered up north it seems flat log is used more than round log. why is this, and what roll does the region difference play into it?
thats brilliant! my dad used smaller wood peices and then the portland cement, and after it dried he painted it white and the logs he painted black. on the inside he just put up woodgrain panneling which i dont like. i want to see the logs inside.
what about the expansion and contraction of wood .Why wont it crack the cement ? Thanks !!
If you are using vintage logs, then the logs have dried into a stable situation where they will not expand or contract much.
down south they used to use, cured red clay no sand needed the inside most commonly used to be done with news print
I have just found your videos today. My impression of chinked houses is that they were always cold and drafty (ie Hollywood & in Australia). I live in Estonia and European log homes are scribed - which take more time. I do prefer their look.
Thanks for the comment Phil. They don't have to be cold and drafty, although historically, they often were.
Isn t cement destroying the wood ? (for example: in europe half-timbered houses from the middle ages where they put cement on it later on) wouldn t be clay the better choice ? Also, the advantage wood has over the other building materials is the thermal energy storage - with those gaps, isn t it cold in winter ?
the mixture can be : lime + hemp + sand ( in small quantity ). It has the same thermal-resistance as wood and is perspirant .
This mixture is used here for wall restoration .
Hi Noah, on your website, I see an article for handmade stone cottage. Do you teach this course as well? I am more interested in the stone house construction.
This Fall I will be creating a course on laying stone... I'm really looking forward to it!
Noah, in your video on chinking I would like to know what product you use between the chinking? you mention spray foam. By the way you have great videos. This will be my third cabin and have used Styrofoam products in between. Just looking for faster easier way.
All you had to do was ask me (a Chinese man) to move in and it would be a chinked cabin! =D
Commissar Gamza, you clever sonovabitch. I salute you, sir, for your mastery of racially insensitive humour. You've taken the hatred from the hate speech and replaced it with joviality; that's the only way to effectively deal with that shit, expose it for the laughable ignorance that it is and laugh at everyone's discomfort who isn't laughing with you.
Hi,great videos,but I am wondering what the chinking recipe ratio is that you use,,is it cement mortar,lime and sand? I am starting my chinking on the cabin next week,and your videos seem to make more sense since I’ve watched many,and I really don’t want to have to rechink it again,,it really is a lot of work,can you help me out here,Thank you,We are in central Alberta off the Alaska highway,so winters are cold.
I give my chinking recipe in the chinking academy along with details on how to properly apply it for the best finish.
They definitely last a long time; there are at least 5 historical ones in my town.
I am looking for some information about cabins. I recently purchased a cabin that was built in 1970s. We are in the beginning stages of rehabbing the cabin. Most of the logs are still quite solid with exception of some that have water damage. The logs are 5 x 5 1/2 D shaped. The gap between the logs is very thin and the chinking that was there is all dried up and needs to be removed. I am assuming I need to remove the old chinking.. but after that I don't know what the next step is? We are in Missouri and are looking for some new logs to use to replace some old ones. Any information would be awesome!!
Thanks so much
Amy B
Hi Amy... I am not an expert on log cabin kits... but there is general rule on restoring and repairing anything....
First, remove everything bad or that you don't want... and then repair, replace, and add back what you do want.
y’all playing w fire ☠️☠️
Cheer~~a narrow opening or crack, typically one that admits light.😊
Hey Noah, thanks for your videos, thats awesome information. I am wondering if the chinking needs to be sort of elastic as the wood is shrinking and swelling all the time with moisture?
Once the wood has sufficiently dried/cured, no.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley thanks :)
@@korbi2275 You are welcome! Happy New Year!
I don’t know you charge but not too far down the road, I am going to need a log cabin built for me! I trust you!
You prefer Portland Cement to the synthetic stuff ?
Yes
While you sure have much more experience than I do, I am concerned about the use of the modern product cement. Coming from a european background, the experiences here have been that half timbered homes that used cement in the gaps would eventually slowly rot because cement does not dry fast enough and gives moisture to the wooden beams. People in restauration tend to go back to lime plastering the half wooden houses because while it initially soaks up much more moisture, it also dries almost instantly. What is your take on this? Is this due to differences in climatic circumstances?
m.ruclips.net/video/JMqZ8vaIAd4/видео.html
I have no problem with others using lime... none whatsoever.
I've heard and appreciate the points that are made about the use of lime... it's just that based upon my own experiences and observations I choose not to use it, nor recommend its use.
It seems that there are always a few in any given field who are strong proponents of their chosen specialty (such as the lime enthusiasts), Many who seek the position of being labeled an expert in one specific aspect of the housing trade often develop strong convictions of their opinions and will generate or seek out some kind of documentation to back it up. They will turn their viewpoint into one of absolutes... "I'm right, and if you don't agree with me, you are wrong", when in reality nearly everything comes with its set of pros, and it's cons. (just try to find one log builder who likes timber frames, or vice versa).
The reasons I do not use lime are as follows:
1.) A minor point... but in my experience, working with lime is a miserable experience with respect to the powder getting into to my eyes, my mouth, my clothes, and all over the jobs site. For some it's no big deal, but I dislike it.
2.) Lime tends to brighten the chinking too much from a visual perspective when it comes to a log cabin... it makes a cabin look like a zebra. Being able to control the color with pre-mixed cement has been a priority of mine and added lime will alter or void the shade of any dye.
3) I've never seen where lime has added any benefit to my mix... its an extra step, and an extra expense. As a comparison, I've had plenty of people tell me what type of oil I should put in my truck, often handing me literature proving the benefits of their product... but I'm not interested... I use what I use and the engine is still running strong with over 450,000 miles on it... so I don't recommend their product for others to use.
4) From a structural perspective (arguably the most important), the cement chinking is applied to metal lath. Roughly a bit more than a quarter inch touches the logs. In the 30 plus years I have been building and maintaining log cabins, I have not seen or experienced rot on any logs due to the use of cement chinking applied properly.... not even the smallest spot. (I have seen fence posts rot out where homeowners have poured cement around the post to fill the dug hole, I don't recommend anyone doing that)
5) I've also observed plenty of lime chinking throughout my career... I've never once seen it hold up more than a couple of years without some crumbling and cracking occurring (often extensively so)... the lime chinking looks good... and, it doesn't appear to harm the logs... but it doesn't last long in this application.
Now I'll be honest with you... if I was hired by a historical society to parge between the timbers of a fourteenth century timber frame in Paris I would be motivated to use lime, because that is the way it was done, and the folks who would hire me likely could afford to have me come back for regular maintenance or replacement. But for chinking a log cabin the folks that hire me look to me to chink their cabin so that it is attractive, durable, and does no harm to their precious logs, and from my experience added lime plays no part in that standard.
Again, the above is my opinion based on my experience of working on hundreds of cabins,.. and observing thousands. You can certainly find others who might disagree with me on this, and they, like you, are free to use the materials of their choice.
My best to you as you go forward.
@@tybaltmoon2082 Since I cannot post my response all in one reply it will take several to give you my perspective. Here it goes....
I have no problem with others using lime...none whatsoever.
I've heard and appreciate the points that are made about the use of lime... it's just that based upon my own experiences and observations I choose not to use it, nor recommend its use.
It seems that there are always a few in any given field who are strong proponents of their chosen specialty (such as the lime enthusiasts), Many who seek the position of being labeled an expert in one specific aspect of the housing trade often develop strong convictions of their opinions and will generate or seek out some kind of documentation to back it up. They will turn their viewpoint into one of absolutes... "I'm right, and if you don't agree with me, you are wrong", when in reality nearly everything comes with its set of pros, and it's cons. (just try to find one log builder who likes timber frames, or vice versa).
@@tybaltmoon2082 The reasons I do not use lime are as follows:
1.) A minor point... but in my experience, working with lime is a miserable experience with respect to the powder getting into to my eyes, my mouth, my clothes, and all over the jobs site. For some it's no big deal, but I dislike it.
2.) Lime tends to brighten the chinking too much from a visual perspective when it comes to a log cabin... it makes a cabin look like a zebra. Being able to control the color with pre-mixed cement has been a priority of mine and added lime will alter or void the shade of any dye.
3) I've never seen where lime has added any benefit to my mix... its an extra step, and an extra expense. As a comparison, I've had plenty of people tell me what type of oil I should put in my truck, often handing me literature proving the benefits of their product... but I'm not interested... I use what I use and the engine is still running strong with over 450,000 miles on it... so I don't recommend their product for others to use.
Did they reinforce in a way like the modern way, i.e. rebar and 2x4 spacing between logs?
No, just the notches, if you are referring to reinforcing the logs.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley Actually, I'm referring to the stacking of the logs, and what by way of wood for spacing. Also for a large cabin structure. Would you perhaps use rebar (instead of lag bolts) for vertical stability? Thank you!
I saw a video from Norway where they used something called "tar oakum" between the logs
I will let my Asian friends know, thanks for the video!
What if I’m building with all perfectly straight cut logs, could I skip this chinking process and just stack logs with no gaps between them? Thx.
No
What about cracking in the cement chinking? Were as perma-chick will flex? Cement cracks, right?
I don't know why today I'm getting questions pop up from four months ago... sorry about this one Laura... likely I've already answered your question by now in another format... I've never had serious cracking in cement chinking... not once in over thirty years... a few hairline cracks yes, but nothing to be concerned with.
Thanks Noah. I'm looking forward to your chinking videos in the fall. With the recipe, right???!!!
Laura... the Log Cabin Academy video (#8) that was released today shows me step by step mixing the cement and applying it (complete with the recipe) .... between the previous video in the series... and the conclusion on the next one you will soon be an expert on the topic of chinking.
Can't wait to watch!!! I really do appreciate all your time and the effort you put in to do this all for us. My husband and I have learned a lot and we have taken LOTS of notes. Thank You!!!
That is great to hear!
That was interesting to find out that you used spray foam insulation between the layers of cement for part of the chinking system. Are you using the DIY spray foam kits available at the local big box hardware stores (home depot, lowes, etc)?
I get my spray canisters online... they look something like a propane tank found on a barbecue grill.
great videos, I wanted further information after seeing 'alone in the wilderness' and you have more than filled in the gaps... see what i did there!? haha
Hey thank you!
Will wood stain or boiled linseed oil make the wood more resilient, or is it fine as is?
It is fine as is, provided the water can shed properly
Is this type of cabin suitable for colder climates like Maine (hardiness zone 4a)?
That is a good question.
I live here in Virginia and they are just as pleasant of a home as one can have... but I've never to Maine... so I can't speak to how the weather there might affect things.
I would imagine there would be little difference.
Ok, thank you Noah!
You are welcome!
With that mesh, will a cob alike mud do well?
That's a great question... and one that I don't feel qualified to answer as I've never done it... that would be a question best asked from those who work with cob on a regular basis.
Interesting Noah, Liked and New subscriber
Awesome! Thank you!
I know that the price of my synthetic chinking cost an arm and a leg. I put up a 16' x 24' and even with a discounted price, it still cost me $2500.00. Look forward to watching your chinking tutorial on the future!
in the future....,,
Whew!
Is your special cerment mix sonething like "air-crete" with a color added?
Good stuff, thanks for the video.
Peace of Lord Jesus upon you and yours
Thanks for the great info. Can you please tell me what you use I know you said Portland cement but I would like to know exactly what mix you use
a good alternative for portland cement based mortar would be a lime based or even a lime/clay based daube or mortar in a sand-fiber/straw or cellulosa-binder = 1-3-1 ratio. cement based mortar is not environmentally friendly and also very agressive against wooden material which breaks down after a while when in contact.
It was made of ash, clay, horse hair or straw. They pack the crake with straw and then tuck and point the gaps
one of my main concerns with most houses any house actually is most houses today are sealed too good! and what can happen then is mold build up because of no air moving through the house
You know I'm the same way!
A few years ago it seemed everyone was concerned over radon poisoning because with our houses were to airtight. And our homes always seem to have some new product in them that is out-gassing. I appreciate the air outside so much more than what might be trapped inside for months on end.
At my house we tend to open every window and door on most days and on those cold winter days I don't mind the ever so slight air infiltration that might come from living in an handmade house.
ok so what your saying is these houses are NOT air tight? let me tell ya mold is a huge problem in humid area's and thats most of the country, I live in western part of Arizona very dry here, I do tend to like it here but cannot afford land have to look elsewhere. BTW I do not like these crappy prefab log houses :)
Thankfully I've never had any issues with mold... I think the key method to keeping that at bay is having a dry foundation area and a house off the ground. It's hard to build any house out of natural materials and have it as airtight as something that comes out of factory.
Thanks for your response still more to look into, I would like a maintenance free home, proper log home seems like it
I've built quite a few log cabins in the traditional manner... and for the most part the only maintenance done to them has been to add a fresh coat of paint to the windows every eight to ten years.
Everyone of those who I have built cabins for have wisely chosen to let their cabins age naturally rather than trying to keep it looking fresh and new like the high maintenance cabin kits where annual applications of toxic sealers and cleaners need to be applied.
It is wonderful to go back to cabins that I have built 30 years ago, where virtually no maintenance has been done, yet the cabins look better now than the day I finished building them.
There is nothing like looking at a decades old copper roof and thinking "oh, she probably has another good 100 years of life left in her". :)
" moderninity " Thats a new one Ha ! Great vids Noah !
Modernization must has slipped his mind
you are in VA, I am in NC. When do you have classes on log cabins?
I'm subscribed: do you know the R value of this method, vs. the R value of log cabin kits?
Sorry but I don't. A lot of kits have R values created as each one created is identical to the next. But there are so many variables in handcrafting a cabin from scratch that it's just impossible to place a fixed number on them. I can say that I've never heard of a single person complain from lack of comfort in cabin I've built though.
ma•dur•nit•ti•tē lol. A+ for effort! Modernity
Excellent thanks
This is amazing
Thank-you very much.
Use diamond mesh lathe on the outside. Mix white cement and sand for outside chinking. Spray expansion foam is a very good idea for inside. On the inside chinking I would use taping joint compound mixed with fiberglass strands.
Ken... is there a reason you use a taping compound inside rather than cement?
Do you use white cement on natural finish cabins?
Hello. Taping compound is smoother than cement and works well with fiberglass and can be sanded but can only be used inside because it is a gypsum product. I love white cement and when you add in some lime it makes for a very workable product and it too can have added fiberglass strand added. It can be used both inside and outside. Overall I would say the best chinking would be a lime/white cement mix with 60 mesh sand added to increase durability. I am a former plasterer and my opinions are based on actual usage.
Mr noha you should make a detailed book sir
When did dobbing become chinking?
Very informative, thank you!
You are quite welcome! thank you. :)
how do you keep boring insects, like bees and such, out of the logs over hundreds of years?
Linseed oil
@@wms72 So there is application upon application of linseed oil on that log house? Doesn't look like it. I'm wondering if it has benefited from numerous applications of commercial pest control over the years. And without such commercial pest control, log cabins are too prone to early demise due to insect pests.
But they didn’t have Portland cement then- don’t you have a recipe that uses lime?
See my other video on lime. You can of course add lime to your mix if that's your preference.
How cool is this. My wife knows this is where my heart is, a real log cabin out in the country. The down side is that she doesn't really support that style of living.
Chinking is a delicious bird that also puts eggs we can eat.
How do you get rid of carpenter ants and carpenter bees?
Linseed oil
why not put some plumbing inside the cabin? who wants to go to the outdoor bathroom in freezing weather?
Some folks really enjoy the experience of primitive living.
I did it for a few years myself... it made me really appreciate modern amenities when they came back into my life... and it was very liberating to know that I could make do just fine without them should I ever be faced with the situation.
Me too
Why do the logs look so old?
They are indeed old... these are around 200 years old.
Hi, I was wondering how these kinds of cabins hold up in wet climates? I live in Ireland and the typical rhetoric is that wood built houses don't hold up well in our climate and shouldn't be legal for habitation. I find that a bit hard to believe but know next to nothing about the subject.
I can't speak from experience with regard to Ireland... I've yet to visit there... but I do have some Irish blood!
I can't imagine that it would be a problem at all... I've always heard that that weather conditions aren't all that different here than they are in Ireland.
Look to the Norwegian designs of log homes. In the western part of Norway, we do have the same weather conditions as you do, and the log cabins holds up for 100´s of years. The important thing is the roof overhang, to keep the water away from the logs. And we often treat the logs with tar. Sometimes they put an exterior wood panelling to protect the logs.
I believe that cement is the worst product you can use, especially in the British Isles. English heritage state you should only use lime render as it can breathe, unlike cement. The timber needs to breathe and cement will trap moisture. Have a look at... www.heritage-house.org/stuff-about-old-buildings/timber-framed-buildings/oak-frame-construction-and-repair.html
Hello Sir,
I got to watch a few of your videos now, for your beautifully crafted cabins. Yet i must say my point of view on your videos, a constructive criticism, if you will..?!
Only after mark 4:50 or so comes, the so awaited for, missing ingredient, after an on and on, flurry of distracting explanations. Too much of a good thing....
I do not mean to be rude or insulting, i follow your channel to learn, from the long time earned skills, you evidently possesses. To heed or not on my ideas, is your decision to make..
Again, apart from this little thing i noted, your vids are great ..!
I take no offense. :)
And, I hope you won't with my response...
Keep in mind that I'm just an old carpenter... not a gifted speaker, nor actor.
I don't have anyone writing a script for me, nor a camera man, nor an editor.
I don't charge any money for what I produce and share here either... I just do my best at the point I am at in this new phase of my life of sharing what I've learned after decades of building old houses.
I hope and plan on getting better as I create these videos, but if waited until I was perfect it would likely never happen. The same is true in building a home... many never start because of the fear they aren't good enough... or that someone will point out the shortcomings in their work. Now how sad is that?
I've had some email me to tell me I talk too much... and others will tell me that I need to talk more.
Some want the facts only... while some want to discover where I'm coming from in my conclusions.
Some think I'm conceited... others tell me how much they admire my humility.
Everyone has their opinion.
Your point is well taken and understood that I go "on and on"... I'm sure that if someone told you that you would take no offense.
But it all boils down to the words of Popeye... "I am what I am, and I ain't what I ain't"
I'm just an old country boy who occasionally turns on his camera and shares what's on his mind.
If a few people find it of value then I'm thrilled.
And if a few aren't pleased... well, I can't do much about that... they just need to (with all due respect) move on... or be patient as my skills in creating videos increase.
BTW... I gave up, long ago, trying to please everyone... after discovering that it's simply not possible.
Handmade Houses with Noah Bradley, VERY well said.
Thank you!
the fibre we called 'oakum' (not 100% sure of the spelling)
The ancient British method of wattle and daub was significantly superior. The american log cabin was really just what people could put together in a hurry on the frontier with little training so there is no need to stick to "traditional" american designs, there are far superior European designs which last a lot longer and are more weatherproof.
Yet so many in America still stand as good as new for 300 plus years 😉 To each their own! Mixing traditional methods from Europe and American culture can be great Also. Depends on the creators wishes really ! Thanks for your comment
Hello, I don't get why you are talking so warmly about keeping the traditions of log cabins and at the same time you are using cement, metal net etc. instead of clay and other stuff you said they used way back... and also you keep talking about this type of log cabin being the real one, what are you basing that on, log cabins and their history origins from europe and i have never seen a cabin like the here, and i own one that is from the 1500th century that has a tight fit between the logs... it is not that i don't like they method or style, It just seems to me that you have to check the history books.
Whew!
Let me see if I can explain...
First, the focus of the houses that I have built over my career has been on combining the best that historic, alternative, and modern construction have to offer. Each of these brings something to the table... and I feel the result of this act of combing these three methods is amazing. I'm not a purist to any of them... for example I love old cabins but I have no desire to have a dirt floor.
As soon as cement and metal roofs became available to cabin builders they were seized upon... because they are simply better products.
I am an American... here we are a melting pot of cultures. In the 1600's the house creation skills of the Scandinavians and the English came together and created a log home that worked best for this environment... some refer to it as the hewn log cabin, others as the traditional method. It was the most prevalent method of construction here in this country from that period until 1900. There are hundreds of thousands of these cabins still standing today, each well over 150 years old... while I am not aware of a single one here older than 1900 that was made of round logs. This is American history... it's the story of this nation... while not as old as Europe, it is what it is. Of course we had housing here in the 15th century, but few today would want to live in a wigwam, nor have to rebuild themselves a new home every few years.
If I was building a cabin in Scandinavia I'd likely build it of round logs because that is the way it was done there... but here.. today.. this is, in my humble opinion, the proper way to build a log home... one that will be comfortable, and last for centuries to come, with minimal maintenance.
I agree, He thinks the method he likes is superior, but its really the lazy mans log cabin design. He says "everybody" who is anybody agrees. I personally think it looks cheap.
rastamoma shut up moron
other than the opinionated topics. liked the video
Kinda large gaps???
Watch the video again. He explains why it looks that way (tops and bottoms of logs are rounded) though in the center, they're about an inch apart.
That is how the railroads were built
SPRAY FOAM AND CEMENT!!! that stuff destroys the wood! Use lime, like you do with stone.
Spray foam ruins the wood when it's encased between layers of chinking?
Show it!
you're always so vehemently stating that this is the one traditional way, completely ignoring that you are broadcasting to the world. american tradition only goes back so far, as i'm sure you're aware.
Your very rude. He is just trying to spread some of his knowledge to the rest of us. Most of us value and appreciate his efforts and content. I think your misguided he is saying traditional here, Which in North America and the west this is our traditional. We don't need to start getting defensive and he certainly isn't saying this is the ONLY way. It is for our geographic. I say it's best you go watch other tradional channels more suited to what you're after . Making silly half witted comments in here to downgrade the man isn't needed nor nessescery. Move along ! Thanks for stopping by ;) Perhaps do a channel yourself on you're traditions??? Be of some help to humanity if you are able !
Herro. I rike the chinking on your home.
Hence the term "YA DOBBER"
why didn't you show the process instead of just talking about it? You also used the phrase maintainence free about a log cabin. Really?
I do just that on other videos...
I have built log cabins for over 30 years and none of the logs/chinking used has ever needed any maintenance.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley
30 years? I have a house that is 250 years old, it's a timber house (not chinked, never seen that in Sweden) with oak planks covering the outside. It has been maintained several times.
@@alexanderbarkman7832 lol good for you! You're clesrly the best ! 🤣🤣🤣🤣
The logs don't look to be round.
This is a traditional hewn log cabin... the logs are round on the tops and bottoms... and hewn on the interior and exterior faces.
Chinking ti that ground up Chiesease plp stuff between logs..what ever to much to thick looks ughly ..best get logs to fit real tight togerther..good luck..give me a 5 by 10 foot sheet of marina ply wood any time..few here and a few ther and u got your tight weather proof walls up..
Modernity: muh-DER-nih-tee
/biz/
i prefer the other way for it. the more traditional way. pitch(pin tar) and fiber or rope. thats how it should be done.
most of the cabins around here are traditional. No chinking at all. baiscally just very little gaping between the wood. as for inside not really known. but could have pitch between the wood otherwise from the outside you see just rounded wood. there are a few houses with massive amount of chinking between the wood. and to me they look just bad vs the normal more Traditional way with little or no chining at all
Where are you located Chakat?
Virginia. but i also travel abit up and down east coast from Maine to Florida abit.
Whereabouts in Virginia can I go to see a cabin built this way? I'm a Virginian myself and have never seen one of these historic cabins. Do you have a link to one online? or can you send me an image?
This answers my question from one of your previous videos in which I was asking about why you would put the gaps between the logs.
Here is the thing; what you said here in this video is not true. As I said on your last video, Norway has perhaps the richest and oldest culture for log construction in the world, and chinking is NOT a thing, and it never was. Yes, we would fill the gaps inside the log-meetings with dried moss, but that would never be visible from the houtside, because we would notch the bottoms of the logs so that they would fit with a 10-15cm thickness of the wall at the smallest.
Not only does this ensure you won't have to re-chink your log-structures; it also insulates better, and lasts EVEN LONGER. Not chinking is not a "modern redesign" as you put it, but a different building tradition all together, that has perhaps been minunderstood by many in the new world, but unchinked log constructions is the norm in Norway, and as an architecture student in Trøndelag that has had the pleassure to study some of the oldest log-constructions in the world, I can assure you the oldest ones are just the same.
Last time I told you I am completely fine with you guys filling the gaps with cement or mortar etc, however I do not believe you are right in saying that this is a universally more sophisticated design, and I would actually argue the contrary, as the wood-working involved is an art in its own right.
I am inclined to believe you are right that in the new world this is the traditional way of doing it. I have no clue how that came to be, as we in Norway try to even limit the amount of contact between rocks in the foundations and the wood to minimize non-wood-on-wood-creeping. Making that unwanted process happen in every layer in every wall of the entire house seems very odd in my opinion, and I would like an explanation as to why/how unchinked log-constructions could in any way be inferior.
I do appreciate your thoughtful comments Karl! When I say the traditional manner, I am speaking of "American tradition" and what is seen here. When I am referring to other/more modern styles, I am pretty much referring to the butt and pass innovations that have taken hold here in the US market over the last 40 years. I am not referring to or taking into account Norwegian, Slovenian, etc. style cabins, nor would I characterize any unique methods to build them as unsophisticated.
Here in the Mid-Atlantic, we see predominently English, German, and Irish influences on our historical architectural styles. I am confident some Norwegians made their way here at some point, but any of their direct architectural influences are not readily apparent (at least to me or to my knowledge). I don't mean any disrespect to your building traditions in Norway. In fact, the resurrection of traditional craft--whether it is tools, timber frames, and cabins--I see in the woodworking/vernacular building world is very exciting and heartening to see.
@@HandmadeHouseswithNoahBradley I figured as much to be honest, but at some point in the video you made it seem like this is the way it is done in every country that has experimented with log-construction. I am confident you are completely right about the american traditions. Its just your opening speech here comes off as a bit chauvinist towards other ways of building.
Your videos are great, and I watch them all in delight. It was simply this video and the issue of chinking/not chinking that has been grinding my gears for awhile.
Thanks for a proper response though!
Thanks for the kind words Karl and for following along! You are certainly welcome. I do apologize for any inadvertent intimation that I was speaking with respect to any traditions outside the US. I do try to be precise regarding my meanings of what I am trying to say, but when I am in front of camera, or in the editing room, sometimes the nuances of things escape this old man, lol. All the best...
Spray foam HEY! That is cheating!
That is just one way to make a cabin not 'the' original way.
lol... yeah... I suppose "the original way" of building a cabin was some guy in the woods looking at winter coming fast and him piling logs up in such a way as to survive until Spring.
I am... an old guy, but not old enough to have been around when the first cabins weren't built here in the States... but I imagine they were built with round logs... and to my knowledge none of those early cabins survived to this day. That's the wonderful thing about looking around at what has been built... learn from what has lasted... avoid what hasn't.
The Scandinavians brought in their round log cabin method to this nation... the British improved it with a variety of notches in the corners, hewn faces on the logs, and chinking gaps between the logs... and then of course the Germans came in and perfected it with their meticulous ways.
This is the traditional method of building a log cabin/home... the American way... a blending of several cultures.
It was the most common method of home construction in the US from 1650-1900, from Maine to Florida and almost as far west as the Rockies. There are hundreds of thousands of these homes still standing... the oldest one in New Jersey is now 400 years old. I'm not familiar with a single round log cabin in the States older than 1900... that's not to say there aren't any... but if there are any, I doubt there are many.
Now there are some old round cabins in the Scandinavian countries and round cabins are quite popular in Canada and the Pacific Northwest... I imagine the climate in these colder regions is kinder to round log cabins.
I'm a big fan of building vernacular homes... If I was in Norway and wanted to build a cabin I'd likely seriously consider a round log home... just like if I was in Nevada I'd likely build an adobe home... but here in most of the US... I'll stick with what looks like it belongs... and what has proven itself to be durable.
So I guess we could say that this is the "original proven durable way" of building a log cabin.
;)
You loss at least half of the insulatitve value of the home. With modern saw mills and tools they didn't have there is no reason to have a opening of more than onehalf inch.
What you don't mention is: geography, it depends on where you are as to what you can use. You also don't mention that lime, is a natural mineral, it can be and was made. Your log cabin is not impressive.
Let's see one you've built Rusty Martell.
Was hoping for a few Chinese jokes here to be,honest
Seven minutes long, two minutes of content.
lol
Burnnn
You can figure it out yourself them.im sure ! You're a very rude person. Good luck to you I think you'll need it
Modern is better
Boring. Why not just show or get to the point?