building hogan style home with burnt tree logs

[hoganmtnlady]

I am getting ready to build my 8 sided hogan with logs coming from burnt standing trees from a fire in 2006. Does anyone have the same experience using burnt trees? Are there any websites that would be helpful to me? I live in the lower mountains of west central Montana and need to know what pitch on the roof would be the best beings it will also be 8 sided. We do not get heavy snowfalls, deepest this year and preceeding years has never been so far over 1 foot deep in certain areas of my site for building. I am putting in my two layers of cement blocks on a cement footing right now, so need all the info anyone can share with me soon. Thank you ! Kat

[rreidnauer]

You really need to contact your local building department and ask what the required live load specification is. From there, an engineer will be able to tell you the allowable horizontal spans for different dimensions and materials. Roof pitchWhat size home are you planning on? What placement of vertical supports (if any) is intended?

Standing, fire-kill logs are just as good (if not better) than any others, as long as you get to use them before any rot, fungus, or pests begin to degrade their quality. Usually, they should be used within a year of being killed, but drier, cooler climates can extend that time to two or three years.