Has anyone built a log home in the desert?

**ccosborne3** · 05-09-2010, 07:20 AM

My parents and most of my extended family have retired to Phoenix Arizona and I've been contemplating the area's suitability for a log home. Outside of Phoenix there are vast acreages available for super cheap. They average only 6" of rainfall per year. What are the major disadvantages to desert building? there must be a reason it's not done. I googled desert log homes and came up with diddily squat.

**loghousenut** · 05-09-2010, 08:57 AM

Take a trip through the desert of Eastern Oregon or Eastern Washington sometime. Plenty of log homes. I know you may get less rain than some of the other deserts in the country but that's not a problem as far as longivity of your home is concerned. Dry is good as long as you can find trees to build with. You'll never loose your home to moss.

**rreidnauer** · 05-09-2010, 10:10 AM

Well, you already called it ccosborne3. Doesn't matter what structure you build, log, adobe, cement, whatever, if you can't get to water, you can't survive. It's consideration number one when it comes to deciding on whether to buy a piece of property or not. As for the effects on logs themselves in a desert, I'd imagine intense UV energy on exposed wood may have some detrimental effects, but even so, I'd also expect it would be far less than moisture related problems. The thermal mass of logs would help greatly in the temperature extremes of a desert too. Not as good as a thick adobe building would have, but quite good none-the-less.
I think the primary reason you don't see log homes in the Arizona deserts is simply a case of they don't fit in with their surroundings. Adobe and masonry is the style for the deserts, just as Cape Cods are to New England. This is not to say you shouldn't build one there. I've always went on the premise that just because everyone else is doing something, doesn't mean that I have to as well.

**rocklock** · 05-12-2010, 01:55 PM

Just a small comment. You can tell how logs react to desert climate by looking at viegas. I misspelled it but they are log logs that stick out of adobe homes. They get totally trashed. You also never see shake roofs in the desert for the same reason. If I were building in Tucson (which I may if I live to be 90 or so.) or some place like that I would build with rammed earth, adove, hay bales or something with bermed walls. Six feet of dirt works wonders when piled up against a wall...

**Yuhjn** · 05-20-2010, 03:44 PM

If I was going to build in the desert I'd go with old tires filled with dirt probably.
I believe there are log treatment products you can use the help protect them from UV. Not sure about how well they work, or if they are bad for some reason.

**actionjoe** · 05-27-2010, 02:14 AM

Phoenix is called the valley of the sun because it's surrounded by mountains and we all know log homes go great in the mountains. The area around Payson is probably the closest source of logs and the very same measures that we are taught to use to protect logs from the rain are the ones that will protect the wood from the sun. Sorry Rocklock but the reason those logs are trashed is because they are constantly exposed to the weather. Now be careful of termites, theres places in the Sonoran Desert where you can actually hear the termites chewing in the ground, but there is no reason that log homes can't be built in the desert.

**ccosborne3** · 05-31-2010, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by rreidnauer

Well, you already called it ccosborne3. Doesn't matter what structure you build, log, adobe, cement, whatever, if you can't get to water, you can't survive. It's consideration number one when it comes to deciding on whether to buy a piece of property or not. As for the effects on logs themselves in a desert, I'd imagine intense UV energy on exposed wood may have some detrimental effects, but even so, I'd also expect it would be far less than moisture related problems. The thermal mass of logs would help greatly in the temperature extremes of a desert too. Not as good as a thick adobe building would have, but quite good none-the-less.
I think the primary reason you don't see log homes in the Arizona deserts is simply a case of they don't fit in with their surroundings. Adobe and masonry is the style for the deserts, just as Cape Cods are to New England. This is not to say you shouldn't build one there. I've always went on the premise that just because everyone else is doing something, doesn't mean that I have to as well.

I've been looking at a town called Tonapah. Ridiculously cheap acreage and a tremendous view of Saddleback Mountain. There is electricity in the area but otherwise there are no city utilities available. There is a vast underground lake used by locals and farmers in the area for irrigation, it had began running out a few years back but they funneled a portion of the Colorado River into it to keep it going. At worst I could always get some underground tanks and store a supply but water would certainly be a big concern. there are a few homes spaced out in the area so I would assume that most obstacles (water, sewer, electric) could be surpassed with ease. Might not be the case of course but I'll do some homework.

**ccosborne3** · 05-31-2010, 04:16 PM

That's the way I see it.

Hypothetically, do you guys think freestanding dead would be the way to go here? Lighter to transport in case I have to travel aways to find decent trees, no moisture escaping too quickly to warp the logs, no termites or other creepy stuff to wreak havoc later on.

**JayRae** · 06-09-2010, 08:40 PM

Certainly standing dead would be the best choice, if available. I love AZ. I would be torn between the dry heat of the Phx area and Flagstaff where my brother is. It's a little more like the Minnesota that I love, with 4 seasons.
JP