# Anybody ever wire a log cabin?



## JTMEYER (May 2, 2009)

The boss took me out today to look at a job we got wireing a new log cabin home. The builder has drilled/routed out holes for boxes, and we have a few feeders already in place. But this looks like it could get REAL intresting before it's done. I'm glad it's in bfe cause I think we're going to have to bend the rules a bit to get everything done. These are solid wood walls, and alot of it's already done so we're behind the eight ball. The plans actually call for the ceilings to be finished, then wired from above, then the roof put on!


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

Take pictures and post.

Sounds neat if I'm not bidding it.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

Yep did one in about 30 years ago, we did all the routing, box cutting and drilling. Was a lot of fun, though the inspector was a dunce.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

True log homes can be either a dream or a nightmare, depending on whether you're on-site when the logs are set, or whether you let someone else do it for you.

And you'd better pray the owner doesn't make any changes. :thumbsup:


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## 10492 (Jan 4, 2010)

I wouldn't want a real log home. I like the split log homes.

The outside is half a log on the outside of a 2x4 wall, and the the other half of the log is installed inside the home.

Sounds easier to build too.


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## JTMEYER (May 2, 2009)

480sparky said:


> True log homes can be either a dream or a nightmare, depending on whether you're on-site when the logs are set, or whether you let someone else do it for you.
> 
> And you'd better pray the owner doesn't make any changes. :thumbsup:


I got in on buiding an underground concrete dome house. All the pvc conduit had to be woven through the rebar cause if it was on on side or the other it would be too shallow. We had to use metal 4 squares for some reason, you would have to tape them completely with duct tape to keep the concrete from oozing in. They would put up the inside of the form, and the rebar, then we would locate the box on the inside, drill through, and screw the box to the form. Then weave the pipe, then they would put up the other side of the form and pour. It was a PITA, sounds like this might be close.


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## zoltan (Mar 15, 2010)

did they router out for coverplates too? Are they going to chisel out for them?I think it looks janky when they ***** around boxes/cover plates. 

You may want to buy a good router if you don't have one. Hopefully they are chinking the logs? Door and window bucks(outside rough frame) are sometimes your only option for vertical gain. Router out a nice deep channel, fill with Romex, cover with appropriate 1/16" steel strip. Dive into horizontal log joint till under or above desired box location, and use long forstner bit to angle down from the box and up/down from log joint. large paddle and forstner bits are usefull for making their box holes deeper and more useable. Lots of fun drilling involved. 
Get some quality ship auger extension bits. Take advantage of any framed walls, and try to get them to frame out behind kitchen/bath counters.

For next time recommend floor outlets!


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## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

As far as the roof is concerned, sounds pretty much like any house with exposed beams. Lots of of wiring done up top. Just be careful up there.
:thumbsup:


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## nolabama (Oct 3, 2007)

*really old thread*

this should be of little help
http://www.electriciantalk.com/f2/log-cabin-wiring-975/


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## JTMEYER (May 2, 2009)

I put in a few hours out there today. It is a "kit" log home. The logs have been sawed square on 3 sides with a tongue and groove arangement on top and bottom. So the inside wals are all flat, no chinking. The builder has routed out all the box holes for us (thank god). And he has drilled down at each box also. There will be several floor recepticles throughout. As for he lighting, they were finishing the sheeting on the roof today, and I heard the boss and builder talking about doing something diffrent. Not sure what, but not top down.


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## zoltan (Mar 15, 2010)

A laser with plumb line is great for laying out the lighting. Sometimes it's difficult to get straight measurements off of log walls.


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## wvwirenut (Apr 24, 2009)

I wired a cabin last year and was able to run the outlets along the bottom log. It was a kit and had a 4" recessed area in the bottom log. Lucky for me too, the builder had drilled the holes for the wire as it was built.


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## Eric7399 (Sep 13, 2010)

I built my own log home from a kit about 5 years ago. I wired it myself. The logs are 6" wide X 12" high with tongue and groove between. The bottom log had a groove for wiring and was covered by a 1X8. I routed out the boxes myself. I drilled through to the basement at a box for the home run to the breaker panel. Wall switches were routed and I routed up from the floor and to the ceiling along the edge of the door opening before the door frame was installed I drilled from the end of the log into the routed out area for the boxes. The lighting wiring was to be routed along the top of the beams in the first floor ceiling. When it came time to do the lighting wiring, the carpenter had nailed tongue and groove flooring on the beams, so I had to do some surface wiring for lights. If you can coordinate this with the builder, you can prevent this from happening. Wiring a log cabin is a lot more work, but you can make it look good with a little enginuity.


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