Your Log House
The On-Site Manual For The Do-It-Yourselfer
What's the book about?

• Preface
• Illustrated Glossary of Terms

  1. Introduction
  2. Why a Log House?
  3. House Design
  4. Traditional Principles & Contemporary Design
  5. Log Acquisition
  6. Getting Started on the Building
  7. Organizing the Site and Equipment
  8. Foundations
  9. Timber Layout
  10. First Logs & Floor Joists
  11. The Chainsaw
  12. Setting Wall Logs
  13. Openings
  14. Framing Walls
  15. Building the Roof
  16. Round Log Piece-en-piece
  17. Stair Planning
  18. Thermal Resistivity of Wood

• Includes 15 House Plans!

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The Book: Your Log House

5. Log Acquisition

“Where do you get your logs?” is a frequently asked question. The answers can vary from region to region. The ideal source is, of course, one’s own property or homestead if it boasts a good stand of suitably large and straight conifers. Usually, the prospective builder will have to bring his logs in from a source off his property. I will list a number of sources to pursue, keeping in mind that local geography, timbered land tenure and ownership, and a host of other regional factors will come into play in the search for building logs. Some suggestions follow:

  1. Obtain a cutting permit from the appropriate government agency, such as the Forest Service, to cut timber on government reserves.
  2. Make arrangements to clear forested right-of-ways for developers putting forested private land into commercial use.
  3. Purchase suitably sorted logs from:
    a. Private logging companies or sawmills.
    b. Companies specializing in pole cutting and commercial thinning.
    c. Private log structure builders who have a good supply and understand your needs and specifications.
  4. Bid on suitable stands of timber as they become available for sale or auction. This will necessitate marketing the unsuitable logs, as well as getting involved in the many facets of a logging operation.
  5. Import logs from the nearest state, province, or country.

I have employed most of these methods to greater or lesser degrees and have found the cost of the tree standing is negligible. The handling by way of falling, skidding, and transporting is where the cost is. Therefore, I find the most practical and least time-consuming method is to simply purchase logs of my specifications and settle on a price which includes delivery to my building site.

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