How long should log cabin logs dry before building?

I would say a year. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Alex

My family made a post frame building and we used the popular trees right away.

Either way, you have to make room above the windows and doors for shrinkage. The only disadvantage to green logs is the weight.
Some of the best log builders in Europe climbed the trees and girdled the bark below the crown, the tree then uses up the sugars and starches, drys out a bit, gets a bit more pitch impregnated, and there is less food left in the wood for bugs and fungus. The tree finally starts to die after a year or so, then they cut it and built with the logs. Some of these buildings have been standing for several hundred years.
The oldest log building in Sweden, still in use, the trees were cut in the year 1237, and it was built sometime soon after.

I've built several log cabins from green logs. Some of the logs were cut, peeled and laid up all in the same day.

My friends and I built a cabin out of green logs, it turned out fine.

Dale, what species of tree do you recommend in Minnesota?

dale on green logs is there a formula to use to calculate the anount of gap to leave for shrinkage above doors and windows depending on the moisture content of the logs

I would say red pine (Norway pine) would be good, it doesn't tend to have extreme taper, its not extremely heavy, easy to work, and strong. If you can find a stand of straight jack pine, that should be good too, but its usually branchy and tapered. I have seen really nice jack pine in places too. White pine sap stains bad, hard to find in the right size too, otherwise its nice to work with. White cedar is light and lasts long, but it usually tapers very fast, making for difficulties in the corners. We built ours out of white cedar, and the big butts and the small tops were very difficult to notch and fit tight.

I'm building my sauna with an old time summer kitchen attached out of red pine, cause that is what I have. I will have to line the sauna room with cedar or poplar, cause pine knots will burn you and drip hot sap in the hot sauna room.

My dad planted a few acres of red pine 50 years ago, and I need to thin the plantation.

I am going to build a hewn log building with Scandinavian scribe fit and corners. I'll get the foundation ready this summer and cut the wood next winter.

I don't remember the formula for shrinkage. I'll have to look it up, its different for different species. It might be 3/4 inch for 4 of vertical wall, but that might be wrong. You have to make telescoping flashing for brick or stone chimneys so the building can slide down the chimney as it shrinks.

interesting dale i noticed on timber kings even tho they use seasoned white cedar they still use settleing devices in there vertical supports to allow for the house to settle ,but i have yet to see a close up of there window and door framing to see what there allowing for settling and shrinkage . timber kings is a great tv show there homes are incredible

If you're just building a log cabin like for a trapping cabin it doesn't matter, use green logs if you want. If you are building a log home and doing the Swedish cope and scribing the logs then they should be seasoned for a year. On "log homes" you do need to allow for shrinkage and settling at the windows and doors. It's not necessary on a "log cabin" to do that, unless you are going to extremes and coping the logs on the cabin.

14X16 built with green logs.


10X12 green logs.


16X18 green logs


12X14 originally built with unpeeled green logs.


These were all built in the early to mid '70's. Then the bark beetles moved in, and after that I had all the seasoned logs I needed to build with. I built 8 or 9 more out of the beetle killed trees and they were much lighter logs to build with.

Almighty Cabin Building anyone?
Scanner you could change the name and a star could be born???
Those are awesome Spek
Would really love to build a cabin some day. If you ever want some help let me know.

I'm thinking I may have one more in me Len, but haven't made a definite decision on it, but if and when I do make up my mind on it I'll let you know. I love cabin building, but sorta detest log home building. Lot of difference between the two.

Nice cabins , Spek!

I wish I had pictures of the one my friends and I made, we were 14-15 years old and built it on mining company property, they found it after 5 years and were about to burn it down, so it got taken apart and moved about 3 miles, it took them about 8 years to find and burn it then. It was only 12X15.
I have worked on log buildings since then, but have not built one for myself.

I'll check with my friends, maybe someone has a picture. We built the whole thing with axes. Cut the trees and dragged them out with a dirt bike.

Can anyone do a tutorial on log scribing?

Scanner I like it!

I'm catching on to this.

Easier to find. They don't have a tendency to get lost. Maybe they might just make it into an archive some day.

Spek has great photos! Show us some trapping pictures sometime.

Spek, I feel the same way, I'm just building a small cabin sized building for my sauna, and then maybe a couple more small ones for rent or sale as hunting cabins. 20x24 max size, maybe smaller.