Log Home Model

I've been wanting to get back and edit this post for a long time, since I never really did like it, it was just a fast place holder, but it's been a really busy spring.

Backtrack

As you know by know, the intent is to build a log home. However, not just any log home, a real log home, not a watered down kit (no offence to any kit home owners out there).

After 10 years of researching houses (most of that log homes) I finally bit the bullet and signed up for the Log Home Builders Association (LHBA) course. I flew to Washington state, completed the class and became a log home builder. Ok, at least in theory, I haven't actually built a log home yet, so I'll reserve the formal title, for a little later.

Side note: For anyone seriously interested in building their own log home, I strongly encourage them to check out the LHBA website: http://www.loghomebuilders.org/. LHBA is a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching people how to build their own home, from scratch, without the high expense of a kit, or a team of craftsmen. Now, there's nothing wrong with those other approaches, but for those of us of lesser means, and a stronger desires than just what everyone else has, the LHBA provides the opportunity and motivation.

Ahead 2 steps.

Now, the class also changes ones perspective on what a house should be. Dellusions of grandeur often set in, and you can easily set oneself up for failure.

With that in mind, after the class my wife and I had some frank discussions on what we wanted in a home, vs what we needed. There's a Finnish proverb that goes: "Happiness is a place between to little and too much."

Hopefully we got/get there.

With that in mind, and some preliminary floorplans (see previous blog entry), I purchased a set of "stock plans" from the LHBA at a much reduce price over what it would cost to have a set designed from scratch (membership hath it priviliges).

With that done, I set out to build a scale model of the house, using 1/2" wood dowels. This is a step highly recommended by members of the association, and I heartily agree. It doesn't need to be fancy (mine definately isn't) or of great detail, but it's a great mental exercise on how the log structure is built. It also allows for experiementing with design details, (and making mistakes) BEFORE you start to build, where doing something wrong, could cost you a lot of $$.

It's also a lot of fun, and makes a great conversation piece, when talking to people such as suppliers, building inspectors, code people, aproval departmets, etc, etc.

Below are the results of my building. It did not take it to a great level of detail (or even completion), but the structure and orientation of everything is there.