Archive for October, 2014

Summer of 2014 Closing Thoughts

Posted: October 28, 2014 in Uncategorized
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It was a long ‘summer'(actually April 15-October 30).  My friends were right…it did take longer to accomplish just about everything.  But we did put the log garage up…we did get it ‘weathered’ in…we did establish water and power.  I was tired but ecstatic.  This was the first property I had developed and I learned a lot.  builders' blissBonnie and I want to thank everyone who spent time helping us that first summer.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.  It took a lot of people to accomplish what we accomplished.  Bonnie and I left ‘Elk Lookout Ranch’ that summer wiser and ready to complete our log cabin ‘dream’ the following summer.

Sealing The Logs

Posted: October 15, 2014 in Finishing Logs
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Before pressure washing

Before pressure washing

IMG_2568Take care of your logs and they will take care of you.  The pressure washing took care of the mold that had spread while laying on the ground over the summer.  Prepping the logs for sealing…grinding the knots flat(I used my 4″grinder with a coarse wood disk)…took maybe 20 hours.  Left jagged the knots would be dangerous to walkers by.  Besides it made the logs look finished.  IMG_2126Now it was time to seal the weather out.  There are many choices on the market for sealing logs/wood.  I went with Jack’s experience and choose Sikkens Prolux Cetol Log/Siding Sealer.  $350-$400 per 5gallons.  Quite a bit to spend until you think about all that you have into your log structure both time and money…and you consider the frequency of re-application later.  Spend it.  It took 10 gallons to cover one coat over our 24×30 garage.  I am in the process of adding a second coat.  That should protect the logs for four years.  Remember, the eaves and gable ends do the most protecting.  FYI-you can buy Behrs sealer for $130 for 5 gallons.  Go with experience…Sikkens.  For the 2x6TG eaves and gable ends we decided to use an exterior paint instead of the Sikkens.  That should keep things protected for 10 years.  You loose the wood grain but we thought it was worth the extra protection and less effort overall.  We choose a ‘light cream’ color to match the yellow 2×6 wood.  Kim and Chris came out to help us many times over the two years.  Tom and Yvonne spent close to a week pitching in doing anything from concrete work to painting and sealing.  Thanks guys!  Sure it helps bunches to have friends come and help…but it is wonderful to spend time with friends side by side talking, laughing, sometimes struggling and campfires at night.  This log cabin will have so very many memories ‘built in’ by the time we get done.  Priceless.  Kim and Chris have spent hours and hours on our multiple trails down to the river.  We hope in the future to build a treehouse closer to the river down one of those trails.

Roof Roof.

Posted: October 13, 2014 in Garage Roof
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The next step is the 2×6 TG(tongue &groove) decking on top of the rafters.  Remember, these rafters are trees…peeled…not milled to perfection.  Yes, we laid them as best we could to maintain a semblance of uniformity(levelness) but they looked pretty gnarly IMG_2515to me.  IMG_2514As we laid the 2×6 I watched for any ‘high’ spots and took care of them with the chainsaw.  We had a whole crew out to put up the 2×6 but it still took two days.  The weather was deteriorating since it was now into October so we didn’t get the metal roof up but instead had to settle with the famous ‘Blue Roof’…at least famous here in the state of Washington.  The IMG_2598IMG_2610‘Blue Roof’ held all winter and in the summer of 2015 we were able to install the real metal roof.  We decided to forgo any type of insulation for the garage.  It would have added $3-5k  so we will live with our choice.  You can be sure we will install some very good roof insulation in our cabin.