Have You Ever Seen A Vertical Log Home?

Have You Ever Seen A Vertical Log Home? BUILDINGS Houses Contributing editor Dee Goerge and her husband Scott have built a number of custom log homes over the years So when a couple of story ideas came into FARM SHOW about building “vertical log” homes – instead of placing the logs horizontally – we asked Dee to find out what’s going on Want to build a log home but don’t have access to a stand of tall timber? No problem Just stand your shorter logs on end     That’s just one of the reasons why Mickey Clement built his first vertical log home several decades ago “I also liked the fact that I could do it myself because the 8 to 10-ft logs were much easier to handle ”     Clement says “Because the wall logs are positioned in an upright direction water is shed away from the logs The possibility of center rot is virtually eliminated Logs will also weather much more effectively in a vertical position One person can complete almost all phases of construction on his own There is no need for cranes or work crews Logs for upright buildings can also be taken out of the bush much more easily and inexpensively because of their shorter length ”     With his crew Clement now 84 has built more than 500 vertical log buildings Many were for cabins in the bush But he also built expensive homes for hockey players and resorts     “I even know a couple of farmers who built vertical log barns ” Clement says     He suggests cutting and peeling logs in late fall to early spring then stacking them to dry for about a year Cover them with plywood not plastic to prevent them from turning grey     These days Clement and his wife live in a vertical log cabin next to a river Their son Gilbert continues to build in the vertical style Over the years the Clements have adapted new products such as flexible chinking and have refined their technique For example instead of using a chainsaw to cut grooves for plywood splines between logs Gilbert runs logs through a sawmill to cut wide grooves for larger splines and insulation     “I think vertical log buildings are good for farmers tourists or even in town if you plan and build properly to meet codes ” Clement says     Clement wrote a book called “Upright Log Building” about 20 years ago that describes the process     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mickey Clement Box 757 Wawa Ont Canada P0S 1K0 ph 705 852-1125

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