Making a good cabin great

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What a nice log house!

This home is a great example of how a large home can be made from two smaller log cabins. I especially like the addition of the central sided area which provides visual contrast as well as extra living space…  a different “feel” has been created inside and out, and, at a reduced price per square foot than the log sections.

And, who doesn’t love that long porch?

If I had designed and built this home I would have made three changes, that I feel would have made this home perfect…

The home lacks the presentation of an exterior stone chimney, something we have come to expect to see on a log home… I would have placed one on the log section to the left in this image.

I would have also added more windows, one on each side of that added chimney… on both floors… and two more windows added on the framed section, above the porch roof.

And finally, I wouldn’t have aligned these three sections of the home so flush with each other on this side of the home. By stepping back each section a couple of feet this home would have developed much more character… more depth… and then each section would have not only blended with each other, but would have been appreciated for it’s uniqueness.

Originally posted 2015-12-30 14:25:48.

Making a good cabin great2019-06-29T10:26:20+00:00

Stone outbuilding

Camera Setup: "BetterLight 6150  |  IR 2mm  |  NorthLight 900W", Artwork Image: "04738.tif", Artwork Colors: "04738_ref.txt", White Image: "04738_wc.tif", White Colors: "white_card_ref.txt", Yoked Image: "04738_yoked.tif"

For those looking to try their hand at building something out of stone… a stone outbuilding like this one would add a great deal to any property.

Originally posted 2015-12-30 13:51:33.

Stone outbuilding2019-06-29T10:26:18+00:00

The chimney betrays the era

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She is a cute cabin… rustic and simple.
The men who restored her did a good job… they replaced the bottom log (the sill), the chinking was applied correctly (recessed), and the tin roof is a nice touch in keeping her modest in appearance… a working family home of the mid-1800’s and beyond.
My only disappointment is the chimney… the masonry “veneer over cinder-block” is given away by the random pattern of the stonework and the running bond pattern of the brick. I don’t mean to be critical, but imagine a time in the future when cabins will be restored and the chimneys will be re-built out of plastic that “looks like” stone and brick… I’m sure many will love it… but those with a keen eye will likely comment “what the heck is that?”…”couldn’t they have found someone who could have built it the way it was built?” lol

Originally posted 2015-12-30 13:37:46.

The chimney betrays the era2019-06-29T10:26:17+00:00

Tool #1 The mighty pencil

Here in this first of a series of videos we cover the most critical and important tool a builder can have… the simple pencil… but as you will find in this video, there are things about pencils that you might not know!

Originally posted 2015-12-29 21:10:19.

Tool #1 The mighty pencil2019-06-29T10:26:16+00:00

Stone

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Stone… you just can’t go wrong with it.

Originally posted 2015-12-27 15:47:43.

Stone2019-06-29T10:26:15+00:00

Roof bracing

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A cute little log cabin with some extra bracing to support the roof overhangs. I suppose this is a northern (perhaps Canadian?) cabin.

Originally posted 2015-12-27 15:41:27.

Roof bracing2019-06-29T10:26:14+00:00

New stone wall

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I wish I knew who the mason was that built this stone wall… one of the finest examples of stone masonry that I’ve seen.

Originally posted 2015-12-26 14:43:06.

New stone wall2019-06-29T10:26:13+00:00

Northern light vs. Southern light

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It seems there are no advocates for the benefits of light that comes through northern faced windows… and that’s a shame.

The world today focuses it’s admiration on southern facing windows touting the merits of heat gain and the intense amount of light that can be gained from exposure on this side of a house. To even slightly hint negatively against southern windows is considered politically incorrect.  But the fact is that the southern heat gain is not desirable during the warmer months of the year and that this direct light is harmful to a home’s fabrics and furnishes.

Yes, the north side of a home is colder… but the light that comes in from this side of the house is the most pleasant to work under, and to be in.

Originally posted 2015-12-26 14:29:55.

Northern light vs. Southern light2019-06-29T10:26:12+00:00

Easy on the eyes

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Here we have a cabin with a “wine bottle” chimney.
Notice the “handmadeness” of this entire cabin.
By avoiding manufactured materials (and the overt perfection that these materials achieve) we have a cabin here that is… well… easy on the eyes.

Originally posted 2015-12-26 13:33:10.

Easy on the eyes2019-06-29T10:26:11+00:00
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