question on logs

**casey747** · 06-30-2013, 09:18 AM

im am a logger in north idaho i have recently found some old white pine snags and was wondering if they would be good logs to build a home with. they r pretty old, very big, grey in color and have some checks in them. by big i mean about four foot on the but. i fell a couple of them and they held together really good. no breaks and the checks didnt open up at all. i planed on taking the most uniform pieces out of the middle of the tree. i dont know much about building a log home but they r beautiful logs and if they would work i would like to build by home out of them. any info would be great

**rreidnauer** · 06-30-2013, 04:03 PM

Wow, 4 foot butts sounds like they'd be a bit too big to look right, but I suppose it could be done none-the-less. As long as rot hasn't set in, I see no reason why they couldn't be used. In reality, the LHBA method of building doesn't really even require a ton of strength for the wall logs, since the design itself is so incredibly stout to begin with.

In the infamous words of founder, Skip Ellsworth, "Use what you got."

**rckclmbr428** · 06-30-2013, 04:17 PM

I like big butts and I cannot lie

**WNYcabinplannin** · 06-30-2013, 04:20 PM

Tell us more! Where are you? How many logs with butts over 2' do you have?
Of course the biggest ones might be best for the ridgepole and bottom courses.
You'll hear often here, "Take the class!"
Even if you don't, Or ever build a log home with them, you might be able to sell them to a local LHBA log homebuilder for more than the mill will give you.
I'm almost finished with my log cabin, or I'D be hitting you up for a few truckloads of them!
My logs are on the larger side of the scale, and I have absolutely no regrets

**CrossingtheRubicon** · 06-30-2013, 07:52 PM

I never thought I would hear a Sir Mixalot reference when talking about home logs. This is great!

Originally Posted by rckclmbr428

I like big butts and I cannot lie

**casey747** · 07-01-2013, 05:32 PM

i live in st. maries its about 1 hour from couer d alene. the logs come from the floodwoods which is by the dworeshack resivore. i think there is about 11 of the snags on the job im on now all have about four foot butts on them..next job has some more in them. some of the but r rotten but im taking the uniform logs out of the middle of the tree. i was thinking about cutting some lumber out of the but that didnt have rot in them. i would like to keep my logs bigger than 27 inches to about 37 inches. what r the advantags of building lhba method over the over the compression fittings

**rreidnauer** · 07-01-2013, 07:07 PM

Top three advantages that come to mind are:
1) No need to figure for settling (no window/door settling pockets or roof jacks)
2) Less skill/precision required (compared to scribing and fitting logs)
3) Can build with unseasoned logs with no detrimental effects (not that it would matter in your case)

**rocklock** · 07-01-2013, 08:18 PM

IMHO the best logs to build with are those that are about the same size. How many are needed. If you have logs that average 20 in (24 butt and 16 in top) and want an eight foot wall then you only need about 20 logs if you want two stories then you will need twice as many plus other logs.
I would not build with 4 foot logs. 2 foot logs work well. Sell the really big ones. Save the really straight ones for some ones log home. Note. All calculations are bare min.