# Log Cabin



## flashmn (Mar 29, 2007)

Looks like a SIP house not alog cabin.


----------



## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

The outside walls are foam walls. It's not exactly a log cabin. The logs get done after, put on the outside of the walls.


----------



## rrolleston (Mar 6, 2012)

Last log home I did was with logs 12"+ thick that had the holes drilled in them as they were put in and you had to drill and chisel out the holes on the face of the logs so you could fish the wires through.


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Looks like a log veneer, not a true log home.


----------



## nolabama (Oct 3, 2007)

I hear McClary is a log home expert. Lol. I couldn't resist man sorry


----------



## flashmn (Mar 29, 2007)

All the SIP houses we've done had channels for the wires premade in the walls. Both vertical and horizontal. Careful where you make holes. The manufacture limits how big and where.


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

If it is a log veneer, you need to hold off installing boxes until the veneer is in place (unless it's an exceedingly thin veneer). When I've done these, I leave a 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-gang box with the install crew so they know what size hole to cut.

I bundle all the NMs that go into that box together (after labeling and taping them up), and write the size of box needed on the adjacent stud.

After the log veneer is up, I slide in a box and make it up. This is usually done at trim.


----------



## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Looks like a log veneer, not a true log home.


That would be it.


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

thoenew said:


> That would be it.


How thick are they?

Next: How wide are they?


----------



## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

This is the view outside. This is the wondrous Missouri River.


----------



## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I thought you were out by Kearney or hastings. North of Omaha or south?


----------



## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

nolabama said:


> I hear McClary is a log home expert. Lol. I couldn't resist man sorry


And he has pictures to prove it.


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

480sparky said:


> If it is a log veneer, you need to hold off installing boxes until the veneer is in place (unless it's an exceedingly thin veneer). When I've done these, I leave a 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-gang box with the install crew so they know what size hole to cut.
> 
> I bundle all the NMs that go into that box together (after labeling and taping them up), and write the size of box needed on the adjacent stud.
> 
> After the log veneer is up, I slide in a box and make it up. This is usually done at trim.


I never let the "other" guys cut my holes. One house with sloppy cutouts was all it took.


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

backstay said:


> I never let the "other" guys cut my holes. One house with sloppy cutouts was all it took.



Just depends on how good the 'other' guys are. I've always had great ones... make damn good-looking holes.


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

480sparky said:


> Just depends on how good the 'other' guys are. I've always had great ones... make damn good-looking holes.


You might want to put your name on that.


----------



## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

sbrn33 said:


> I thought you were out by Kearney or hastings. North of Omaha or south?


I'm in Northeast Nebraska.


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

One lady in town called me in to wire her log cabin

seems it was erected by some out of state company

not a single hole drilled in the entire structure

she went batsh*t on me when i informed her of the interactive nature required to wire them

~CS~


----------



## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

OP, i would like to know your method for the SIP ceiling. thx.


----------



## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

My brother used to wire log cabins when he started in the trade years ago.

Myself, I have never had the displeasure of wiring one. I did do a service call for one once though.


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

So........does this one have chaseways....?

~CS~


----------



## Awg-Dawg (Jan 23, 2007)

480sparky said:


> Just depends on how good the 'other' guys are. I've always had great ones... make damn good-looking holes.


 
Are those hand cut?

Or, do they use power tools


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

Awg-Dawg said:


> Are those hand cut?
> 
> Or, do they use power tools


They look like they are cut with a chain saw. I cut mine with a large plunge router. I figure 1 hour per hole when estimating. That's cutting in, grinding the scarf out and setting the box.


----------



## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

3xdad said:


> OP, i would like to know your method for the SIP ceiling. thx.


We got all our light wires pulled yesterday. Had a couple guys on a telehandler lift run the wires up the raceways where we needed them. Had a guy on the inside comunicating where to go and pulling from the switch box locations. I was an scaffolding inside drilling the holes and getting wire to me. For hanging fixtures from the logs, I just drilled a 4" hole up 1/2", chiseled out the wood from the hole. Drilled a 3/4" hole through the log for the wire. pulled the wire through and put in the pan box. End result was the pan box recessed up into the log with the wire in it.



chicken steve said:


> So........does this one have chaseways....?
> 
> ~CS~


Yes.

As far as cutting holes in logs and siding and such, the carpenters do it. They are very good to work with. It's a smaller company than many of you are probably used to dealing with. These log veneer houses are his main thing. He puts a lot of effort into making them near perfect. His son does work with him and does a lot of the finish work, trim, siding and such. He helped us yesterday and it shows that they care more about the final project than just their responsibilities. They want the H.O. to be satisfied withe everything, not just their woodwork.


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

backstay said:


> They look like they are cut with a chain saw. ......


The hole for the box is. But who cares what IT looks like?




Awg-Dawg said:


> Are those hand cut?
> 
> Or, do they use power tools


They had built a custom machine to do these. Every one was the same. 

It's nice to work with someone else who gives a damn.


----------



## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

480sparky said:


> It's nice to work with someone else who gives a damn.


that sums up my alternate building experience in 11 words 480:thumbsup:~CS~


----------



## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Another thing about log homes:

You're limited (at least on the log walls), to how high off the floor to put receps and switches.

You need to find out how tall the logs are going to be, and figure out how high (AFF) to put devices. The reason being, I like to put them all at the same heights, even if they're not in a log wall (drywall, wood, paneling, etc.).

Makes everything consistent for the HO.


----------



## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

thoenew said:


> We got all our light wires pulled yesterday. Had a couple guys on a telehandler lift run the wires up the raceways where we needed them. Had a guy on the inside comunicating where to go and pulling from the switch box locations. I was an scaffolding inside drilling the holes and getting wire to me. For hanging fixtures from the logs, I just drilled a 4" hole up 1/2", chiseled out the wood from the hole. Drilled a 3/4" hole through the log for the wire. pulled the wire through and put in the pan box. End result was the pan box recessed up into the log with the wire in


So there are "toilet paper chases" accessible from the eave outside where the wall meets the roof sip? Did you have to run any smokies?


----------



## thoenew (Jan 17, 2012)

There actually aren't any eaves yet. They have to put them up yet (and of course they want to put lots of can in)

The chases line up, where the roof panels meet the wall, we just ripped out the foam to feed the wire around. 

We got kind of lucky on the smokes, two bedrooms have a loft above them, so there is an 8" I joist ceiling. The side of the roof paneling for the master bed could be seen from the inside of the house. We just ran up the wall and drilled through the foam and landed a smoke there.

It's the white diagonal line above the guy in the picture.


----------



## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

thoenew said:


> There actually aren't any eaves yet. They have to put them up yet (and of course they want to put lots of can in)
> 
> The chases line up, where the roof panels meet the wall, we just ripped out the foam to feed the wire around.
> 
> ...


Is the loft floor made with 3/4? Here the floor is T&G 2x6 so the floor above and ceiling below are the same board.


----------

