Hardwood shrinkage

**Randy A** · 02-24-2010, 01:17 AM

I'm new to this forum but have checked out a lot of topics?tonight about LHBA construction and using hardwood.

I'm considering using either sugar maple or ash for a small log cabin in Northern Michigan. I also have a lot of basswood but it seems to rot away pretty fast once it's down. Perhaps it would be?okay if I?removed the bark asap and got them off the ground.

I would appreciate any comments you may have regarding shrinkage of hardwood compared to softwood. A book I read on cord-wood construction which indicated dry hardwood would tend to shrink away from the mortar more than soft. Seems like it would be the other way around. Does anyone have experience with this in chinking?

Also, after reading so much about the LHBA method, it's my understanding that shrinkage or using green logs is not that much of an issue due to the re-rod supporting them - is that correct?

I read one post that said driving the re-rod through hardwood would be a chore, any other thoughts about using hardwood as far as working with it the LHBA way? Anyone ever use basswood?

Thanks

**Yuhjn** · 02-25-2010, 08:05 PM

You've pretty much come to the point where answering your questions requires the class.

My advice is take the next available class and all those questions will be answered.

**rocklock** · 02-26-2010, 08:16 PM

Bass wood for building - I don't think so...
Alder is a very light hardwood that grows like a weed in Washington and the west. I presume that Basswood is something that grows like that. I use Basswood to carve stuff and I buy it on ebay. No one uses Alder for a log home (although it is used for furniture) and I would presume that Basswood would fall into that category. It is a very light, not very strong wood. I would suggest that you cut it and sell it.

**ChainsawGrandpa** · 02-27-2010, 03:52 PM

Find a small local sawyer (Woodmizer can give you the names
of happy customers in your area who will give a demo).
Take your trees and pay the sawyer for the demo.
Sell the wood, and use the money to buy some Pines, or Firs.

G'pa

**Randy A** · 02-27-2010, 06:15 PM

Thanks a bunch for the ideas, guys. I appreciate it a great deal. I have considered doing another select cut but the offers I had last year were ridiculously low.

I did eventually find the info confirming shrinkage in hardwood is greater than in soft at this site. thhttp://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM329.pdf

Also found some Janka hardness scale charts rating various wood varieties which was kind of informative. <a href="http://www.sizes.com/units/janka.htm">http://www.sizes.com/units/janka.htm</a>

I am very seriously considering the class, but I?m also trying to get a feel for what I can realistically tackle. One thing bugging me the last couple of days is locating a place to buy the logs. When I try to search for them online all I come up with are the kit companies trying to sell me a hand peeled log for like $10 bucks a lineal foot. I have read enough on this forum to learn a more realistic price is like $25-100 per log unpeeled. We have tons of plantation pines here in the state, so how do I get in contact with these guys, do I go buy them from the mill ? stop a log truck or what.

I know they cover this in the class from what I read, but I?m just trying to get a feel for basic expenditures in both time and money. Another factor is whether I want to build a little pioneer sized hunting shack under the radar or go the full blown gov inspected beautiful log home like most of you have.

Anyway, love the quote chainsawgrandpa ? thanks again all.

**StressMan79** · 02-27-2010, 07:06 PM

You never know what you might find... talk to the mill, talk to a trucker, go to a plantation... the more points of view you have the better.

good luck on your search. The class outlines some of the cheapest ways to score logs, including ways you can get them for free (I saw alaska was allowing residents to get state trees for ~25 cents/ft). Anyway, this should give you some places to start. I tell lots of people that the logs should be one of the cheaper parts of the home... A big home should run no more than 10k, delivered. Anyway, there are lots bigger expenses... look into septic, foundation, roof, interior, electrical... Most of these will cost you more than your logs, especially if you subcontract it out.

**Basil** · 03-02-2010, 02:00 PM

online is the worst, not the best, place to look for logs imho...go to the mills, talk to loggers, etc. Being a do-it-yourselfer means being a scrounger as well sometimes. The mill may tell you they don't have log X but instead have log Y, which will work for you, very cheaply.

I suspect that you will have a hard time finding ash on the cheap in the sizes you are looking for, and sugar maple has a number of reasons not to use it...more sap, the sap is sweeter (read-more attractive to insects and fungus), the wood is less stable, etc...

good luck. I built my log home with yellow poplar, which is a hardwood, and paid $100/log for logs with 18-24" butts, 40+ feet long, tops were between 12-16". Prices will have changed since then, i began my project in 2005.