COAST TO COAST LOG AND TIMBER BUILDING DESIGN
Part 1: The concrete work
Site preparation:
Owner or general contractor is to conduct soil tests and dig test holes to determine soil type and drainage properties of the building site.
A surface drainage pattern should be established to drain the entire area and direct water away from the house.
DetailsBuilding material delivery and storage:
Prior to log package delivery and set up, foundation and first floor system must be completed and ready to bear structure.
All concrete must be cured and the first floor system must be fully nailed and anchor bolted to concrete walls.
DetailsAccording to US DOE EERE (US Department of energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy), inefficient windows, doors and skylights are responsible for over 25% of heating and cooling cost in a typical home.
Windows are an essential and expensive component of home construction that ensures ventilation and fresh air to perimeter rooms but also keep out wind, rain or snow, allow daylight to brighten the interior of the house and with good design will enhance the aesthetic beauty of your home.
DetailsThe roof is the building, its contents and occupants’ primary protection against rain, snow, hail, wind, cold, sun light and sun heat.
Basic terminology:
The roof pitch is the angle at which the roof rises from its lowest support (pitch plate) to its highest point (Example: the ridge).
DetailsHandcrafted log homes use a natural log without the bark keeping the unique character of the original tree. The tools used are the chainsaw, scriber, chisel and axe. All the work is done by hand and thus very labor intensive. The minimum midspan diameter size is 11” but 12” to 14” diameter is most common.
Details In North America about 2 million people live in a wheel chair.
Wheelchair and walking aid users live in 30% of households.
One out of five of us have one or more disability.
Our population is aging rapidly.
In 2040 one in four will be 65 or older!
Basic terminology:
ADA (American with Disabilities Act 1990) applies to public and multi-family buildings accessibility mainly for people with mobility and agility disabilities.
DetailsSelecting the building site for your future log or timber home is your first and most critical design decision.
Choosing the appropriate site for your dream home is a lengthy complex process not to be taken lightly.
A/Before you buy a property…you need to ask many questions.
Wood is a renewable energy resource and contrary to general belief wood burning does not contribute to the catastrophic climate changes we are starting to witness around the planet. Fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal which are extracted from deep beneath the earth surface are the main source of greenhouse gases that destroys the environment. Trees recycle CO2 from the air to grow, using the carbon to build its structure to about half the weight of wood. When the tree dies, it rots on the forest floor and slowly releases the carbon back in the air completing the natural carbon cycle. When wood is burned, it quickly releases similar amount of carbon in the form of CO2 thus completing the same carbon cycle.
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