Log Houses and Log-Drying Methods
Log houses are among the rarest types of house most Americans prefer. Aside from its naturally artistic features, its construction is a lot easier than a typical wooden house. Hard as it may seem, but the construction is mainly focused on selecting logs and placing them one over the other to form walling, unlike modern wooden houses which involves a lot of cutting and milling. Other components can be formed by basic carpentry works.
Nevertheless, modern construction of log houses involves milling and some profiling. The two types of log homes – handcrafted and milled – differ in the process of preparing the log for installation. Handcrafted are those logs that are peeled but not totally changed from how they were cut as trees, while milled or machine-profiled logs are applied with slight milling to form them into more identical membranes.
Constructing a log house is easy but preparing the materials, especially the logs, require great patience. Fresh logs are not immediately brought to the site and assembled to form the house. Instead, they undergo several drying processes. Green logs refer to logs that are freshly cut from the forest and milled without undergoing drying. The moisture content of the log is not yet changed at this state.
Once the green logs are already profiled or milled to the desired forms, they will now undergo either of the two methods of drying, which are air-drying and kiln-drying. Any of these methods can be done in DIY home building project using logs, especially when there is available kiln in the area. A kiln is a closed structure where logs can be dried using a traditional oven.
In air-drying method, the profiled logs are normally stacked with spacers in the open air and allowed to sit for a long period of time to dry. Dryness is sometimes measured in year per inch of thickness. This type of drying can produce good result. However, it is not preferred for DIY home building projects because of its lengthy process.
On the other hand, kiln-drying is a faster method of reducing the moisture content of the lumber. The logs are placed in an oven where heat is applied for force drying. Kiln-drying is usually part of most DIY home building kits using logs. Experts suggest additional procedures such as re-milling to remove the burnt regions of the logs.
About the Author
Visit http://eaglesnesthomes.com/ for more details.
Honest Abe Log Homes – Loading Dry Kiln
|
|
General Tools MMD4E Digital Moisture Meter $30.00 Generals ultra-sensitive Digital Moisture Meter easily detects hidden leaks in wood, concrete, plaster and carpet. Providing accurate moisture level readings make this moisture meter great for new home inspections, locating roof leaks or even selecting dry lumber at the yard. Ideal to use in woodworking, building construction, agriculture restoration and floor-laying. Used to check wood, drywall a… |
|
|
General Tools MM1E Pin Type LED Bar Graph Moisture Meter $17.99 Ideal for use in woodworking, building construction and agriculture. Meter is also used in the restoration business to check for moisture in carpets and sub-flooring. LED Display. Check wood, drywall and concrete before painting, sealing or treating. Locate and identify water leaks in roofs, floors and walls. Ideal for selecting dry lumber. Great for home owners, contractors and inspectors. CE and… |
|
|
HQRP 2-pin Wood / Firewood Moisture Meter HQ-2G – Wood, Wall Damp Meter and Home Inspection Tool, plus HQRP Coaster $14.91 General Features: Digital large size LCD display Model # HQ-2G Test Range: 5% to 40% Resolution: 1% Accuracy: +/-1% Measuring Range: 5% – 40% High resolution and quickly response Can hold value Symbol and unit display, read and get conveniencly Low battery symbol “-+” Power: one 9V battery INCLUDED Dimension: 126x70x29mm Weigh: approx.150g (including battery) Operation temperature: 0′C to 40′C Her… |
|
|
4 oz Pouch Model Magic, Red $2.44 Soft squishy modeling material! Includes 4 ounces of red Model Magic. Features: lightweight and spongy will not crumble or stick to skin and clothing fun to decorate and great for projects at home or school. Safe and non-toxic. Do not allow product to freeze. Do not store product over 120 degrees fahrenheit. Conforms to ASTM D4236. Made in USA…. |
|
|
Crayola Products – Crayola – Air-Dry Clay, 5 lbs., White – Sold As 1 Each – The clay makes solid, durable forms without need for baking in an oven or firing in a kiln. – Smoother, finer and less sticky than traditional clay. – Softens easily with water. – Quickly cleans from hands and surfaces. – Paint with tempera, acrylic or watercolors when dry. $17.55 Crayola – Air-Dry Clay, 5 lbs., White – Sold As 1 EachEasy-to-use, clay makes solid, durable forms without need for baking in an oven or firing in a kiln. Smoother, finer and less sticky than traditional clay. Softens easily with water. Quickly cleans from hands and surfaces. Paint with tempera, acrylic or watercolors when dry. Clay/Pottery Type: N/A; Color(s): White; Age Recommendation: Ages 5 an… |
|
|
Crayola Model Magic, 4 Oz, Mylar Pouch, White $2.44 Soft squishy modeling material! Includes 4 ounces of white Model Magic. Features: lightweight and spongy will not crumble or stick to skin and clothing fun to decorate and great for projects at home or school. Safe and non-toxic. Do not allow product to freeze. Do not store product over 120 degrees fahrenheit. Conforms to ASTM D4236. Made in USA…. |
|
|
Raku Glass – A Kiln Firing Process $23.85 Raku Glass A Kiln Firing Process, continues, from Kiln Fired Glass – Copper & Metal Inclusions, the use of copper inclusions with the introduction of Boyce s new Reactive Dry Enamels. Copper and aluminum when reduced with reactive enamels create unexpected and stunning colors. As in Raku, the fire in the kiln alters the copper and produces fuming metals with iridescent qualities, a natural consequ… |
|
|
Fine Woodworking on Wood and How to Dry It: 41 Articles (Diy) $6.06 Learn how to buy, dry, store and mill timber. This text explains which species are good for which jobs and how to design joints that accommodate wood’s seasonal swelling and shrinking…. |
|
|
Vacuum Kiln Drying For Woodworkers: How To Build And Use A Vacuum Kiln For Drying Wood $19.95 Want to dry wood faster? Without defects or damage? Start your woodworking project in a few days instead of waiting months or years for your wood to dry! Whether you make furniture, carvings, inlays, turnings, or other wood art and craft, this book will show you how to assemble and use your own vacuum kiln for quickly drying small batches of wood. You will learn – * about the nature of wood * how … |
Tags: kiln, kiln dry wood temperature, kiln dryer for wood, kiln drying, kiln drying lumber, kiln drying wood, lumber, solar, wood, woodworking