InspectAPedia ® | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice |
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| InspectAPedia Home |
| | Air Conditioning |
| | Electrical | | | Indoor Environment |
| | Exteriors | | | Heating | | | Home Inspection |
| | Insulate Ventilate |
| | Interiors | | | Mold Inspect/Test |
| | Plumbing Water Septic |
| | Roofing | | | Structure | | | Contact Us |
| Directory of Professionals to Inspect or Test a Building | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS ADVANCED INSPECTION METHODS Basketball Mold Syndrome - BBMS BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CRAWL SPACES Crawl Space Dryout Procedures DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION DECK COLLAPSE Case Study DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-priorities FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES FRT PLYWOOD ICE DAM PREVENTION LOG HOME GUIDE Types of Log Houses - Log Choices Antique & Old Log Cabins Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes Condensation &Moisture in Log Homes Insulation Values of Log Home Walls Leak Diagnosis & Cure for Log Houses Log Wall Height Changes R-Values of Log Homes Sealants, Caulks, & Coatings for Log Homes Shrinkage In Log Home Walls Slab Log Cabin Siding Spline & Gasket Designs for Log Buildings Spline Gaps & Gasket Omissions Vertical Log Walls on Cabins & Homes MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE ROT, TIMBER FRAME SHEATHING, Gypsum board SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board SHEATHING, OSB SHEATHING, Plywood SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS SINK HOLES SLAB CRACK EVALUATION STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION SUMP PUMPS GUIDE More Information InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Privacy Policies Contact Us |
Shrinkage in solid logs used to construct both antique and modern log houses produces some special challenges to the builders of those homes. Shrinkage produces not only checking (large cracks that are normal and are not necessarily a problem) but also an actual reduction in log diameter which can, in extreme cases, mean that a wall may shrink in height by an inch or more after construction. A tall log wall like the one in our page to photo may shrink two inches over its height during the first year or year and a half after the building has been closed-in and heat turned on. Even factory-milled kiln-dried logs may vary in moisture, or they may pick up moisture during transport and storage at the building site. Construction details such as the means of fastening each log course in place and the framing and construction of windows and doors need to take into account this natural movement and log shrinkage that occurs especially over the first 18 months after construction of a new log home. This series of articles provides information on the inspection and diagnosis of damage to new and older log homes and includes description of log house and log siding insulation values and alternatives, and also a description of the characteristics of slab-sided log homes as well as all other types of log home construction. We include illustrations of log structures from several very different areas and climates in both the United States and Norway. Our page top photo shows a modern kit log home constructed in New York State. For modern kit and factory-sourced log structures we include details of common construction and building defects that cause water and air leaks and ultimately rot damage and we point to key problem areas that need to be inspected carefully when buying or maintaining a log home. © Copyright 2009 - 1991 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. An Owner-Builder's Guide to Shrinkage In Log Home WallsLog homes will shrink considerably in wall height as the logs dry during the first one or two years after construction. This is so even in factory cut "dry" logs which may have absorbed moisture in transit or on site, and it is even more true if the logs used in construction were "air dried" or were used while still "green". The more moisture that was present in logs at the time of construction of a log home, the greater the amount of shrinkage that will occur in overall wall height, and the larger and more extensive will be the checking cracks that occur in log walls.
|
Search InspectAPedia |
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
LOG HOME GUIDE
Types of Log Houses - Log Choices
Antique & Old Log Cabins
Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
Condensation &Moisture in Log Homes
Insulation Values of Log Home Walls
Leak Diagnosis & Cure for Log Houses
Log Wall Height Changes
Sealants, Caulks, & Coatings for Log Homes
Shrinkage In Log Home Walls
Slab Log Cabin Siding
Spline & Gasket Designs for Log Buildings
Spline Gaps & Gasket Omissions
Vertical Log Walls on Cabins & Homes
|
|
![]() The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems |
![]() Use this simple, economical mold test kit by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab |
Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
|
![]() Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting |
|
|
01/22/2009 - 09/22/1991 - InspectApedia.com/structure/Log_Home_Shrinkage.htm - © 2009 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark