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Charlie Echo
03-03-2009, 04:18 PM
I just saw this picture on the main page and was wondering what a safe distance from the ground should be between the ground and the base log. This sample picture looks really close to the ground.
I guess it's good or it would not be on the sample page. What's the minimum that would be across the board in all states.
I am sort of a casual student to log home building. I always seem to have time or money, but not both at the same time to work on my project.

http://www.loghomebuilders.org/files/images/log-home-bham-pump-house.preview.jpg
Shark
03-03-2009, 05:08 PM
18" is generally safe. It also depends on your overhangs, if you have gutters, if you keep the area around the building clean & free of vegetation etc.
StressMan79
03-03-2009, 05:19 PM
is the recomended distance, but I suspect it is more for the crawlspace to meet code than the lower log being splash free. I do agree that you don't want water splashing up on your logs, but I have never seen a water drop splash up 18"! I suspect if you have a full basement/slab on grade, you can get away with considerably less (~12" would not bother me much)

-Peter
Klapton
03-03-2009, 05:21 PM
Snow can pile up and sit against your logs too. That would be VERY bad.
Shark
03-03-2009, 05:39 PM
is the recomended distance, but I suspect it is more for the crawlspace to meet code than the lower log being splash free. I do agree that you don't want water splashing up on your logs, but I have never seen a water drop splash up 18"! I suspect if you have a full basement/slab on grade, you can get away with considerably less (~12" would not bother me much)

-Peter

Hey Peter,

Our bottom row of logs actually were getting rain/mud splashed on them, from the rain water coming off the roof.
Once the gutters were installed, the problem stopped. Our logs were over 18" from the dirt.
3' overhangs on the sides.
StressMan79
03-03-2009, 07:14 PM
guess mud can splash up that far. I will have 5' overhangs, and be building a slab on grade (only 8" from ground) FPSF shed. I will be building in a semiarid climate where most of the precip falls as snow. The back overhang where the snow slides will be 7'. All the members here are right. Keep your logs dry with overhangs and by keeping off the ground as far as you can. You can make some mods as appropriate. You can get away with a lot in dry climates.

-Peter