Topic: The masonry stove or thermal mass heater

Introduction:
Over ten years ago, I met Chris Hedderson from Rocky Mountain environment Technologies outside the Denver log home show. Chris had an outside booth with a masonry stove (modular refractory kit) fired up within a large tent. While it was a very cold weekend, I recall how toasty warm it was inside that tent. I kept his business card and after much research, knew that one day I would install my own stove.
I did just that last summer. This newsletter is a follow up from newsletter 08.
Within the last chapter of this newsletter, I am writing about my personal experience about heating and cooking with our masonry stove at our cabin by the lake.

Definition:
The masonry stove is a free standing heat storage fireplace.
It is a very efficient heating device that burns wood rapidly because of massive airflow intake.
A one hour fire heats the masonry mass which gently radiates the heat to the living space for 12 to 24 hours depending on how well the house is insulated, outdoor temperatures and house design. Radiant heat is absorbed by all the mass of the house. In turn, the walls, floors and furniture heat the air so there is no need to install fans, motors or duct work. No reliance on electricity is another step towards “self sufficiency”. Log homes are particularly suited to the use of masonry stoves as the log walls are huge passive mass heat storage.
Masonry stoves use only a small fraction of fuel compared to other stoves as their combustion efficiency has been rated at over 90%!

History:
Over two thousand years ago, the Romans invented the hypocaust (heat from below) to heat their masonry public baths and private house floors, channeling the smoke exhaust from a single wood fire from one side of the room to a chimney on the other side.
The birth of today’s masonry stove dates from the 17th and 18th century as a direct response to an acute energy crisis precipitated by an overuse of timber for building and heating.
European governments ordered their craftsmen to develop fuel efficient stoves. The Swedish, Finnish, Russian, German and Austrian masonry
stoves all use the same idea of sending a hot, fast fire on a long path through a masonry mass that absorbs the heat. The trapped heat is then
released slowly.
Today the Finnish government encourages the construction of masonry stoves for all new homes. Courtesy of generous tax incentives about 90% of new homes in Finland are heated with wood burning masonry heaters thus reducing the demand for electricity, oil and gas. This lowers the country’s dependency on foreign energy sources.

Design
As log/timber home designers, we almost always incorporate a fireplace or wood stove in the design.
Unfortunately a common reason to add a wood burning fireplace in new homes is for resale value and as an afterthought for using on special occasions only.
Few future homeowners plan to use a wood burning heater regularly for both heating and visual enjoyment.
A masonry stove is both a heater and thanks to today’s large glass door it can become the family entertainment center. It has the potential to reintroduce the hearth as the vital center of home and family life.
For our ancestors there was no home, no family, no life without a fire.
Instead of making the fireplace an optional design item carelessly slapped on an exterior wall in our living room, we can bring back the“magic warmth and hypnotic fire dance” to the center of our main living space, thus drawing the whole family together around this eternal source of comfort and serenity.
The masonry stove can be much more than a heater. It can have a baking oven for bread, pizza or casseroles… a warm bench designed within its mass or even a bed on top, a design feature so common in Eastern Europe.
The masonry heater complex becomes the heart of the home, and the room layout of our home can flow outward from that center…

Construction:
The design and operation of the masonry stove is remarkably simple.
As the firebox is masonry, the fire burns to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit or more, insuring full combustion of the gases contained in the wood.
Heating energy produced by wood complete combustion comes from 1/3 solids and two third gases.
Combustion efficiency measures the heat energy produced to completely burn wood fuel (for example) with little or no air pollution.
Heating efficiency measures how quickly the heat generated by a fire is released into the living space.
Steel wood stoves so common in North America have a low combustion efficiency as they do not get hot enough (about 500
degrees) to burn all the gases contained in wood thus the production of creosote and the necessity to clean chimneys regularly. However they do achieve high heat transfer efficiency as metal transmits heat within minutes of the fire being lit.
My masonry stove does start to heat our cabin within 15 minutes of being lit, mainly from the front glass door. The cold thermal mass of the stove for the first season fire will start to feel warm to the touch after two hours of burn.
The masonry fireplace kit (constructed of castable recycled refractory firebrick) I bought from Chris weighs over 2000 lbs. The outer masonry layer of bricks and chimney is another 2000 lbs for a total load over 4000 lbs which requires a substantial concrete footing with rebar in the crawl space for structural support.
The air comes from outside, channeled through the crawl space by an 8” diameter steel pipe to the air damper just before it enters the base of the fireplace. I open the air damper to full during the burning and close it when the fire is out to stop cold outside air from entering and cooling the stove. The fresh air enters the firebox from the bottom through a 2” wide long slot that doubles as the ash drop. I plan to clean the small amount of ash produced by the stove yearly by accessing the ash clean out door situated in the crawl space.
It took six hours to assemble the masonry kit including the baking oven and install the butterfly smoke damper at the base of the firebox. Then I
covered the inner core with cardboard before starting to lay the outer brick layer so that the outer layer is never touching or cemented to the inner core.
This is a crucial step as the inner core gets very hot and expands under heat stress. The outer brick or stone layer is never too hot to touch even
during intense fires, making the masonry heater so much safer thansteel stoves.
I recycled old bricks to build the envelope around the inner core. As I had no previous masonry experience, it took me weeks to complete this job and build the chimney to 17′ high, the minimum required for a strong exhaust draft.
As part of the design a chimney clean out door is installed at the base of the chimney in line with the smoke damper so I can see past the butterfly damper all the way across the bottom of the heater for future inspection. To ensure a chimney draft is established on a first firing of a cold stove, we use this door access to the chimney to insert a crumpled ball of paper and light it to heat up the column of cold air trapped in the chimney. That creates a strong draft upward and then we light up the top of the wood pile in the stove, close the door and enjoy a fire that comes alive almost in an instant without any smoke seeping in to the living space.

Lighting the stove, The top burn fire:
I only use well seasoned wood. I collect green wood, cut it to proper length and season it for a year under cover. Then I split the wood in smaller pieces ranging from about 4” diameter to kindling size and let it season another year to make sure it is dry and ready to provide me with an intense fire. Green or wet wood is not efficient for the masonry heater! Energy is actually consumed to heat and vaporize the water contained in green wood.
To create a one hour burn fire, use the top burn method of stacking about 40 lbs of wood in the stove.
Burning one pound of wood generates close to 7000 BTU.
40 lbs will release about 280 000 BTU. As the masonry stove has a combustion efficiency over 90%, the stove can produce about 250 000 BTU from one fully loaded fire burn!
Larger 3” to 4” piece are first stacked in a crisscross pattern at the bottom of the firebox. Use smaller size wood piece as the stack gets higher. Small kindling and bark or paper complete the pile. Lighting the load from the top allows the firebox to heat up and greatly reduces smoke emissions. I only see smoke coming out of the chimney in the first seven minutes of lighting the fire. After that no visible smoke comes out during the rest of the firing.
When the fire nears the end, we start to partially close the exhaust damper while only small yellow flames are still visible.
I close the smoke damper 90 % when there are no visible flames and only red ambers left. Then I close the fresh air damper to trap all the stored heat in the masonry thermal mass. When the red coals are gone I close the exhaust damper completely.
These steps maximize the efficiency of the stove by minimizing the amount of heat escaping through the chimney.

The Masonry stove and your safety:
A- Masonry heaters do not burn to the touch except the metal and glass door at the front of the firebox. They are much safer than steel stoves around children as the brick or stone finish is always safe to touch.

B- Masonry stove fires reach such high internal temperatures that they burn off the creosote right in the firebox. There is no creosote buildup on the interior channels or chimney walls. Chimney fires are not an issue so masonry heaters are known to be a low fire hazard by insurance companies.

The Masonry stove and your health:
Each time I have started a fire in a regular steel wood stove or opened the door to reload, smoke invaded our living space, creating much indoor pollution.
This simply does not happens with the masonry stove. After many dozen firings of our stove, I have yet to see or smell any smoke when we start the fire or during operation.
Masonry stoves earn LEED points for indoor air quality in the US green building council’s LEED for home’s rating system.
Particulate emissions (outdoor pollution) are 1 to 2 grams/hour which belongs to a super low emissions category. The US environmental protection agency (EPA) does not require certification for masonry heaters.
Masonry stoves heat the home by radiation and not by convection. The indoor air is not heated so it does not lose it’s moisture content, benefiting the occupants, indoor plants and even furniture. A forced air furnaces heats and blows air, not only drying the air but actually causing a “wind chill” effect. The warmer air goes up and the cooler air rushes past your feet.

Maintenance:
As already mentioned, chimney cleaning is not needed as there is no creosote build up.
After so many firing of our stove, I am astounded to notice the walls of the firebox are as clean as the first time I lit the stove.. I understand that the high heat achieved in the firebox burns away any black marks that appear in the beginning of the firing.
Proper combustion ensures that little ash remains. This can be cleaned out every few weeks through a clean out door in a raised hearth.

The air wash door design from the RME Technologies stove keeps the door glass perfectly clean. That was not the case with any steel wood stoves that I used in the past. I had to periodically clean the glass with a specific cleaner made for that purpose if I wanted to fully view the fire.

Last words… from personal experience.
Because I built my stove using recycled bricks and ceramic flues froman old masonry fireplace, I spent $5000.00 to complete this project.
My costs include the masonry kit delivered from Rocky Mountain Environmental Technologies in Edmonton Alberta, the air damper, ash door in the crawl space and many bags of “S” type masonry cement.
If I had hired a professional mason to build it and bought bricks and ceramic flues, I estimate the cost would have probably been up to $14000.00
As the attached photos of the firing cycle shows, my stove looks rustic and amateurish. A professional mason would have done a much better job laying the bricks…
I have experimented with baking using both the firebox for high temperature cooking after the fire is out and the baking oven for slow cooking casseroles with delicious success.

By Cyril Courtois  (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)
www.loghomedesign.ca

Topic: Solar energy log home design

Three main solar energy systems are available for household energy needs.

1-Photovoltaic power generation systems are designed to produce electricity when sunlight hits photovoltaic panels usually installed on roof slopes with southern exposure.
Those systems may cost up to $100 000.00 for an average size home to meet its energy needs. Performance drops sharply to negligible level for cloudy days.
For properties off the grid, it may be cheaper to install panels and batteries instead of connecting to power line miles away. Check for availability of government grants and loans in your area.
To determine feasibility of a solar electric system for your home, consult sunlight performance logs taken over many years closest to your building location.

2-Solar water heating produces hot water for showering, washing dishes and even heating your home!
Passive water heating systems rely on convection or thermo-siphoning to circulate water from absorber tube panels to a hot water tank above. This system is used for summer cabins and although inexpensive, is less efficient than an active system because of the slow water flow rate.
An active system uses pumps to move hot water to storage tank which can be installed below and away from collectors.
An open loop active system pumps water through the collector panels down to the holding tank and/or directly to be used in the house. This system is for summer use or works in areas where it does not freeze.
A closed loop active system pumps glycol water antifreeze through the solar panels to a heat exchanger. The heat is then transferred to the potable water. It can be used in freezing weather.
In many locations, solar water heating may not warm your hot water enough to run a dishwasher properly or for a scalding hot shower. Using solar water heating in conjunction with a gas fueled tankless water on demand will considerably lower operating costs.

3-Passive solar heating is about designing your log home to capture sunlight using south facing windows thus converting the sun’s energy to heat the inside of your home.

A/ Maximizing solar exposure at your building site.
The best orientation for your passive solar log home is true south (northern Hemisphere). Within 10 degree to east or west, solar gain is close to 100%. A common solar home footprint shape is usually a long rectangle with a long south facing wall, including lots of windows to collect the sunlight. Kitchen is usually located on the north side and at the north east corner to enjoy the morning sun at breakfast time. Two story homes are more energy efficient and comes at a lower construction cost.
Although winter solar gain only decreases to 92% at 22 1/2 degrees off true south and respectively down to 70% at 45 degrees, summer solar gain is greater the further the house solar collectors (window and door glazing) orientation deviates from true south, thus creating serious overheating in the summer months.

B/ Glazing: For optimal solar performance, locate most of the house glazing on the south wall. However beware off over glazing, a common mistake of the past. Have only minimal windows on the north side. Windows on the east and west side should also be minimal to control summer solar heat gain unless you need light or have a view to consider.
Use low-e glass (low heat emissivity) whenever you expect unwanted solar heat transfer in or out of a particular window in the house design.
Interior thermo-shutters are a great way to dramatically reduce window heat loss at night. A common design consist of bifold foam panels sandwiched by 1/4” plywood sheathing. Curtains can be attached to the interior facing side for a pleasing decorative finish.
You may plant deciduous trees to block the summer sun, install exterior shutters, roll blinds, sunscreens at those windows. Better, build covered decks/patios on east and west sides or add arbor to grow vines to protect the log walls from weathering.
Evergreen trees on the north side is a great winter wind break.

C/ Roof overhang is the fixed projection of the roof beyond the exterior wall and its length must be carefully calculated to block the high summer sun from entering the house thru the south glazing. However the roof overhang is short enough to allow the low winter sun to flood the inside of the house.
The amount of roof overhangs is proportionate to the height of the window opening and location on the wall and a factor of the latitude of the building site.
Some design flexibility is required to account for different daily solar gain by season for a same latitude.
A log home situated in the pacific north west will likely receive little sun in the middle of the winter because the sky is mainly overcast. In this case roof overhangs are reduced to allow sun heat in the fall and early spring.
Montana receives much more sunlight in the winter and roof overhangs will likely be a bit longer to block the sun in the fall and early spring, to prevent overheating.
Roof overhang calculations are site specific and should be handled by a knowledgeable designer/architect.
Architectural computer programs using 3D modeling of your log home can precisely calculate the right amount of overhangs needed at your site for each window openings, taking in account your local heating requirements and seasonal sunlight availability.

D/ The thermal mass of your log home are the exterior and interior log walls, masonry fireplace, concrete floors…
The solar heat that enters the house during the day must be stored to be slowly released the following cold winter night, like a thermal battery.
The Trombe wall is a solar collector including a south facing glass wall with an air space between it and a dark concrete wall inside. When the sun heat passes thru the glass, the concrete wall stores the heat and radiates it back to the inside of the house.With vents installed at top and bottom of the wall, warm air rises between the glass and the wall, then flow in the living space from the top vents.
Unfortunately the reverse airflow occurs when the sun is gone, sucking the heat out of the living space. To stop this loss, exterior insulated panels would need to be deployed every time the sunlight is not hitting the glazing. This is obviously not a viable option. As well, building a concrete wall on the south facing side of your home instead of enjoying view and day light is hard to imagine for most of us.
The solar slab is a more sensible idea engineered by James Kachadorian in the late 1970’s. The sunlight would hit the south facing side of an insulated concrete slab with vents and fans circulating air under the slab from north to south of the building. However moisture can easily build up in those buried vents creating a mildew and mold problem, thus contaminating the indoor air supply of the house.
A simple well insulated concrete slab for a walk out basement floor can act as a thermal storage collecting sun heat from south facing glazing. As well a light weight concrete in-floor heating slab over a framed main floor system can also collect that sun heat and add more thermal mass storage to the house.
Much has been debated about the thermal mass of log walls.
About two years ago I visited a large log home in Arizona that RCM CAD designed many years ago.
The owner had installed an expensive air conditioning system for his log home and never used it as he was able to keep the house cool all summer long by simply running an exhaust fan upstairs at night. The day heat never had a chance to heat the logs to the point where the heat would penetrate the house as he was able to take advantage of the cool night air to cool off the log walls from within. The thermal mass of the exterior log walls worked well to avoid using the expensive air conditioning system.
Thermal mass slows down heat transfer and is proportional to the thickness of the log walls.
Providing it is a clear day, the winter sun can warm the logwork in the day, releasing that stored heat back inside the home when the sun is gone.
The R value of wood hovers between R 1.2 and R 1.5 per inch of thickness, depending of wood specie. D-fir being a denser wood has a lower R value and Western Red Cedar being a lighter wood has a higher R value.
Handcrafted log walls about 13” (33cm) diameter midspan are comparable to 2×6 frame walls with (R 19) fiberglass insulation .
Wood acts as a solid insulation and does not require any plastic vapor barrier on the inside or moisture barrier on the outside as frame walls do.
Log walls also store heat from sun light and from interior radiant heat source like wood stoves or masonry stoves, creating an even temperature interior environment, day and night.
A masonry stove is a great back up heat in solar home design and when placed where the winter sunlight can hit it, they act as another massive solar storage for your home.

Last word…
Passive solar heating and cooling your log home follows simple principles that have been discovered centuries ago by our ancestors.
However designing your solar log home requires precise calculations for sizing roof overhangs and adequate thermal mass for your specific building site.
Exposure of the main glazing side of your log home should be to the South to maximize winter solar gain and keep the sun heat away from entering the house in summer thanks to adequately designed roof overhangs and use of shutters, sunscreens, covered decks and landscaping for example…

By Cyril Courtois  (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)
www.loghomedesign.ca

Topic: Lateral resistance of log walls to earthquake and wind loads.

Earthquake and wind forces act on a building in the lateral direction or parallel to the ground. Engineers call this lateral loading.
Earthquake and wind are natural phenomena laterally acting on a building.
However, they are fundamentally very different forces that call for unique and specific design solutions.
Earthquakes:
Earthquakes produce the most natural destruction to our homes on a terrifying grand scale.
The Haiti Earthquake of last month is the latest deadly reminder that we must design our homes to withstand natural destruction.  The knowledge and building technology is available. Log construction is one of many solutions…
Earthquakes alone do not kill. The buildings we design kill its occupants as they collapse over our heads because they are not adequately designed and engineered to withstand local seismic forces.

In January 1995 a devastating earth quake struck Kobe in Japan.

Since 1993, I had been designing log homes mainly for the Japanese market. Log homes are popular in that country because Japanese consumers believe log homes are able to withstand seismic tremors better than other type of construction. Watching the news, I was shocked to view the almost total devastation of the city… except a few homes were still standing untouched among all the rubble. Those were log homes…
Log homes are uncommonly strong to lateral movement created by earthquake or wind forces because the interlocking log cross-corners, the friction between logs in the long laterals and the weight of the logs can provide great flexibility and resistance against lateral forces. Earthquakes displace the ground laterally thus shaking our buildings from the foundation all the way to the roof.

The key to designing earthquake proof buildings is to find ways to absorb as much seismic energy within the flexibility of the building material and structural deformation but keep enough structural stiffness to hold the building together so it will not collapse.
Engineering adequate anchorage of the bottom logs to the foundation is essential to prevent uplift of the log shell from seismic forces. Using 5/8” diameter anchor bolts anchored a minimum 8” deep in concrete foundation and spaced at 32” on center to tie in the sill log to the foundation is a common construction specification to keep friction between the sill or bottom log and the concrete foundation. However, anchor bolts will lose tightness as the sill logs lose moisture content and shrink.

Using thru bolts tied to the anchor bolt with couplers all the way to the top log is a good solution favored by engineers.
Thru bolts are only necessary in seismic areas and are not used in low seismic zones like Texas or Minnesota for example. This works as long as the thru bolts are regularly tightened during the settling of the log walls which can take up to five years when using green logs.
Unfortunately, experience tells us that home owners almost always forget to maintain thru bolt tightness during the settling of the log walls.
Some log builders go as far as visiting the log homes they built to tighten thru bolts and adjust screwjacks at bottom or top of vertical log posts to ensure the log shell will settle evenly and keep friction to a maximum. Using automatic pressure springs at top of log walls in this instance is a solution to keep adequate friction between log to log and log to foundation.
For detailed information on log homes versus seismic and wind lateral loads, please refer to the most excellent study written by Structural Engineer Tom Hahney @2000 “How log buildings resist lateral loads” published in Log Building News, October 2000.
Tom Hahney concludes: “Log buildings survive quite well in an earthquake as long as they stay on their foundation. In fact log joinery helps dissipate the seismic energy”.

Wind:
Lateral forces created by wind depends on the wind velocity at the building site, the building shape and roof slopes and as well how much the site is protected by topography and trees.In hurricane areas, roof slopes are usually low to lessen lateral wind load. Hip roofs are also best as they do not offer much grip to the wind compared to roofs with many valleys.
During a wind storm the roof is likely the weakest part of the house and it will be the first part of the building to be blown off, so special attention must be taken to ensure the roof is securely attached to the log walls.
As log home roof overhangs should be designed to protrude at least 4’ to 5’ beyond exterior log walls to protect the log work from weathering, roof systems must be engineered to be fastened with lag screws to top plate logs, and plate logs in turn may need to be lagged or thru bolted to logs below to prevent wind uplift forces.
If the logs are large diameter, the weight of the top logs is often sufficient to anchor the roof.
If the local wind load is expected to be high, then the top logs need to be lagged or thru bolted to lower logs and possibly foundation to maximize friction between logs and the overall dead load the roof is attached to (Figure 3).

Large glass towards the local wind direction needs special attention during the design and engineering of the building.
Avoid large garage doors and opt for multiple single car garage doors instead of the double type.
A quick internet search will guide you to many historic examples of log homes surviving hurricane force winds in Florida, North & South Carolina…

Screwjacks (adjustable threaded rods) at vertical posts supporting deck roofs, (used to be adjusted to handle log wall settling) should be installed at the bottom of the post instead of the top where it creates a weak hinge point vulnerable to wind loads. Too many deck roofs have collapsed due to that simple design mistake.
As a general rule screwjacks should be installed under posts to avoid structural failure to lateral forces, inside and outside the log shell. 90 degree upright screwjack installation is crucial to maximize its load bearing capacity. A five degree off plumb position can easily half the bearing strength.
Screwjacks must be engineered for all point loads in the log structure.

Last word…
Log home design has evolved from the simple almost windowless log cabin with four cross corners built by the American pioneers two hundred years ago, to large complex log homes with huge glass walls and high vaulted ceilings maximizing view and grandiose interior space, thus weakening the log home structure ability to withstand lateral loads.
Log walls with cross corners at both ends have unique lateral load resistance capabilities superior to conventional wood frame building systems and have great seismic dissipation characteristics allowing them to survive powerful earthquakes.
However, it is crucial that the design takes in account local seismic and wind loads. Further structural engineering analysis is a must to ensure your log home will stand against nature’s extremes.

By Cyril Courtois  (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)
www.loghomedesign.ca

Topic: Solid log/timber homes and fire safety

According to US National Fire Association, leading causes of occupancy related home fires start:
1-In the kitchen when cooking is left unattended
2-From heating systems that are not professionally checked and maintained.
3-From bad smoking habits resulting in bedding or couch/armchair smoldering.

- Fire resistance of solid log/timber homes
As a designer of log homes, I often encountered difficulties convincing local building departments all over North America of the great fire resistance of log walls. Designing solid log walls between attached garage and house living space was a problem as building inspector insisted on covering the log walls with a layer of gypsum wallboard!
In 2001 Dr. Dalibor Houdek conducted laboratory tests to measure the fire resistance of a scribe fit solid log wall.
The log wall withstood 3 hours of 1100 degree Celsius or 2000 degree Fahrenheit fire on one side before losing its load bearing capacity and integrity.
Please refer to Dalibor Houdek “ Fire resistance of log walls” published by Log Building News @ International log builders association Number 35, September 2001 for more details.
Solid log walls that are a minimum of 6” thick at the narrowest point are now accepted as the equivalent to one hour fire-resistive rated construction by building codes in North America.

As far as the walls are concerned, log walls do not have the cavities common to regular frame home construction where fire can easily spread as soon as the fire has caught one part of the wood frame.

Wood char insulates against fire:
Although logs are made of wood which is combustible, log walls act as a fire wall because the charring effect of wood (wood turning to charcoal) creates a protective barrier over the surface of massive log/timber members, acting as a strong retardant against the assault of fire.
The burning rate of massive wood varies from 1.6 inch per hour (D-fir) to 2.2 inch per hour (Pine) allowing the massive wood structure to remain sound for one, two or three hours depending on structural design.
For comparison, steel structures at 1000 degree Fahrenheit lose 50 % of its strength and quickly bend and buckle.
Please note that log/timber burns twice as fast in the vertical position compared to the horizontal (as log homes are built).

Comparing stack log/timber construction to post and beam:
Massive log/timber wall construction spreads the loads above (second floor and roof for example) into the entire log wall structure, enabling a log home to stay structurally sound for hours while on fire.
Post and beam construction will collapse much quicker because above structural loads are concentrated on a few posts that are usually exposed to fire from three or four sides at once.

Fire containment:
Log/timber homes are most likely built in rural areas instead of cities were building density is a fire issue to consider.
Log home building site locations in rural areas make them vulnerable to forest and bush fires.
Your home can be designed to minimize that risk.

-Clear all fuel sources from around your home from 30 feet to 100 feet depending on level of fire hazard in the area.

-Vinyl windows are not recommended. Metal clad windows with multiple glazing with a minimum one tempered pane are a better choice. All exterior doors should be solid core, exterior metal clad.

-Use class “A” fire resistance roof covering like concrete, clay, slate, metal tiles. Avoid asphalt or wood shingles.

-Roof fascia must be 2” nominal thickness minimum solid wood or stucco. Eaves should be enclosed with 7/8” thick stucco or 5/8” Type”X” drywall and no vents should be allowed to suck red ambers into the roof system.

-Gutters and downspout to be noncombustible material.

-Firewood storage to be at least 30 feet from house or in enclosed building.

-Concrete patio on grade around the house is a great choice. Decking surfaces, exterior stairs and balconies should be constructed of ignition resistant material or heavy timber or fire retardant treated wood.

-Install an outdoor sprinkling system to cover roof and immediate surrounding area. A man made water supply such as a pond can be a good investment with minimum 1000 gallons per minute flow for 30 minutes being recommended.

-A minimum of two ¾” water faucets with hose connection served by ¾” waterline prior to any water flow reducers at outside perimeter of the house is a must.

-Install proper spark arresters in all chimneys for fireplaces and heating appliances.

Fire detection and fire suppression systems:

Smoke alarms:
A working smoke alarm detects smoke and sound the alarm giving house occupants time to escape. They save lives at a very low cost and are mandatory in all occupancy buildings by all building codes in North America.
They should be placed at each floor, in all sleeping rooms as well just outside bedrooms. As smoke rises, best location is on ceiling or high on wall. Avoid installing them close to bathrooms, windows, ceiling fans and of course heating and cooking appliances.
As smoke alarms are battery powered or have a battery back up, test them monthly and replace the battery at least once a year. They should be interconnected and hardwired directly to house electrical wiring for new buildings.
Heat alarm in the kitchen is code in many countries as a smoke alarm is not advisable close to cooking appliances.

Residential sprinkler systems:
Smoke alarm only alert occupants to a fire in a building.
Sprinklers can contain or extinguish a fire.
8 out of 10 fire deaths happen in residential homes.
They are no instances of death by fire in residential homes equipped with a working inspected fire sprinkler system.
Municipalities across North America are adopting bylaws requiring all new homes to have sprinkler systems installed.
It is only a matter of a few more years before fire codes across the continent regulate mandatory fire sprinkler installation in all new homes.
Schools, factories, commercial and office buildings, as well as multiple occupancy housing are all required by law to have operating sprinkler systems.
There is much resistance by the home builders industry to force new homeowners to install sprinklers because installed cost adds an average of 1% to 1.5% to the overall building budget.
There is much information available online for or against home sprinkler installation. It can get quite confusing reading all the conflicting pros and cons claims.

An independent home fire sprinkler cost assessment study dated September 2008 prepared by Newport Partners Davidsonville, MD has impressed me greatly.
The research encompassed 10 very different communities in North America (9 in the USA and 1 in Canada).
The results shows that cost of sprinkler system vary significantly from $0.38 to $3.66 per sprinklered square foot depending on water supply source (municipal or on site), use of cheap CPVC piping compared to copper piping, need to use anti-freeze for freeze protection in winter…
A sprinkler system can cost from $2500 to $16 000 for an average size new home.
Most insurance companies consider home sprinkler system to be a fire protective device. However insurance discount savings only average 3.42% of annual premium or about $22 average discount savings per year.
The good news is that insurance companies do not charge any penalty or fee to cover risk of accidental water leakage from the system.
In the movies when one sprinkler goes off, all the sprinklers goes off simultaneously. That is not the case in the real world.
Only the sprinkler above a fire will go off minimizing the water damage in the house to an average cost of under $2000.00

Final word…
Sprinkler systems do save lives. It is estimated that about one life will be saved per 100 000 houses fitted with sprinklers. How much is a life worth?
Sprinklers are the fastest effective method of controlling and possibly extinguishing a home fire immediately upon detection, thus minimizing toxic smoke and fatal gases from killing the occupants.
It is hoped that the cost of home sprinkler systems will decrease as the installation of home fire protection grows.

By Cyril Courtois (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)
www.loghomedesign.ca

Topic: Why should you seriously consider building a log home.
Those of us who have had a chance to live in a log home describe the experience as one of security and serenity.
The massive log walls surrounding us muffle the exterior noises and make us feel calm. More than any other type of construction, a log home is a healthy sanctuary, exuding strength and stability, protecting us from nature’s extremes.
Unlike steel, concrete, glass, vinyl and drywall so common in today’s homes, wood feels good to touch. Wood is the noble material of our ancestors. Its colors and textures are soothing to our soul. Its unique character and endless beauty is one of nature’s most fascinating masterpieces…

Basic terminology:
1-The carbon footprint of a building material is defined by the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released in the earth atmosphere to manufacture, transport and use a product to build your home for example.
2-Global warming (Wikipedia definition) is the increase in the average temperature of Earth’s near surface air and oceans since the mid 20th century and its projected continuation.
3- The main Greenhouse gases (GHG) are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone…

1- Log and timber homes carbon footprint:
   Why building a log/timber home may be the most environmentally sound decision you could make to fight global warming…if you believe CO2 emissions play a large role in global warming of the Earth.

In the United States, the construction and manufacturing of building products account for close to 40% of the total CO2 emissions, largely because of USA’s heavy reliance on concrete and steel.
  For comparison, in Finland that number is 5% as wood is a major building material in that country.
A newly released Finnish study (2009) on the environmental impact of construction in that country concludes that using wood whenever possible would further reduce existing CO2 emissions from the building industry by another 25% which would be more than the currently proposed improvements to the energy efficiency of buildings in Finland.

A milestone report prepared in 2006 by the Edinburg centre for carbon management states, that the production of cement and steel accounts for over 10% of global annual greenhouse gas emission (GHG). That percentage includes GHG associated with extraction, refining, manufacture, processing and delivery of cement and steel. The following study shows that if the usual building materials used in Scotland were replaced by wood whenever possible, the carbon footprint of new buildings would be reduced by an average of 81%!!! Because wood has a negative carbon footprint as long as wood is taken from sustainably managed forests.

Wikipedia definition: Sustainable forest management (SFM) in simple terms is defined as achieving a balance between society’s increasing demand for forest products and the preservation of forest health and diversity.

Wood comes from trees. Trees absorb the CO2 from the air to extract the carbon it needs for its structure to about half its dry weight by using the sun energy, water from rain and some nutrients from the soil. In this natural process called photosynthesis it releases oxygen back in the atmosphere.
  Trees are a carbon sink. Carbon is stored rather than being emitted during the production of wood “the Alpha building material”.
It is estimated that approximately 3.5 billion metric tons of carbon is stored in wood construction today in the USA.
That is a lot of carbon stored away from the atmosphere!
So much more could be done to store more carbon in our buildings by using as much wood as possible.
To compare building materials carbon footprint, here are figures released by University of Victoria New Zealand
2003 Center for building performance research
CO2 emissions for a selection of common building materials…in KG of CO2 per cubic meter of material.
Timber= - 690 (negative value)
Concrete=+ 376 
Steel = + 9749 
Aluminum= + 21600

On average trees absorbs 1 metric ton of CO2 for every cubic meter of wood growth! 
When the trees mature the absorption of CO2 slows down.
Harvesting mature trees and replanting maximizes a forest carbon sink potential.
Using more wood in construction increases the demand for sustainable forests, increases the need for new forest plantation and provides a renewable source of carbon neutral energy.

According to Robert Chambers excellent book “log construction manual”, the carbon emission value of wood used for handcrafted log home manufacturing is even better for the environment as it takes only about 200 liters (53 gallons) of fuel to produce a 2000sqft log home shell from raw trees, Robert also states that it takes about the same amount of wood to build a 15″ mid span diameter handcrafted log shell as it takes to building the same house with conventional frame dimensional lumber.
To produce a volume of frame lumber, Sawmills produce more volume of waste (when sawing and surfacing the trees to lumber shape and size). However about 60 % of that waste on average is used as energy to run the mill.

To conclude this chapter, log home construction is arguably the most energy efficient building practice available to us, with the lowest carbon footprint compared to using any other building material available.

2- Longevity of log homes
Log homes are a great investment for many future generations to come. They have proven time and again to last centuries. 
In the USA, the oldest still standing log home was built in 1800 with dovetail corner joinery in Perry county Kentucky.
In Europe, many examples of Scandinavian style log homes dating from 1200s to the 1500s are still lived in.
In Sweden about 150 log homes have recently been carbon dated to the middle ages when Vikings were the rulers of the land. 
Many of those remaining log homes were built on above ground stone basement and have very large single gable roof overhangs that protected the logs from rain and snow…

3- Log homes and your health
In North America we spend close to 90% of our time indoor.
It should make sense that we scrutinize the materials we use to build our homes where we and our children spend so much time. Indoor pollutants are a great concern to health experts in Europe and North America.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has identified indoor pollution as one of the top health risk we face every day of our life.
Exposure to indoor pollutants is one of the main reasons for respiratory health problems and cancer for millions of our children.
We assume that building products must be safe, and if we can buy them, then they must have been tested by some government agency. That assumption is completely wrong. 
To make our homes more energy efficient, we live in airtight plastic bubbles breathing air loaded with chemicals coming from our carpets, vinyl, insulations, paints…
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted by a wide range of man made chemical building materials we use today in our homes.
A ground breaking book written by architect Paula Baker-Laporte “Prescriptions for a healthy house” goes in great details on this subject.
I highly recommend that all future new home owners read it.

Log homes are made from wood that is 100% natural and does not emit VOCs. Solid wood is the only building material that is recyclable, biodegradable, energy efficient and healthy for your family and the environment.

4- Conclusion to this newsletter:
We are going in the right direction…
In the USA alone, forests have expanded by 25% since 1975.
Green building construction is increasing rapidly all over North America. 
Designers and architects are enthusiastically responding to the green challenge. It is sociably trendy to be green and talk sustainability and loudly promote “green products” of all kinds. To the point where so many supposed green products in the construction industry make very dubious and false claims. 
Consumers are starting to feel apathetic and suspicious towards green claims and I am one of them. 
Greenwashing is a term used to describe marketing products with a green claim that upon some scrutiny shows no proof, is irrelevant, comes with hidden trade off or lesser than two evils arguments.

Among all this confusion, wood, as a building material, is emerging as the answer to fighting global warming in the construction industry all over the world.
Sustainable forestry practices must be quickly expanded worldwide and new forests planted to answer the projected increasing demand for wood in construction and at the same time naturally extract the excess CO2 from our atmosphere.

Log and timber construction is one of the great answers to save our planet.

By Cyril Courtois (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)
www.loghomedesign.ca

Topic: Wood heating options for log and timber homes.

Wood is a renewable energy resource and contrary to general belief wood burning does not contribute to the climate changes we are starting to witness around the planet.
Fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal which are extracted from deep beneath the earth surface are the main source of greenhouse gases.
Trees recycle CO2 from the air to grow, using the carbon to build its structure to about half the weight of wood.
When the tree dies, it rots on the forest floor and slowly releases the carbon back in the air completing the natural carbon cycle.
When wood is burned, it quickly releases similar amount of carbon in the form of CO2 thus completing the same carbon cycle.
Wood is known as a carbon neutral source of energy.
For example, using wood from responsibly managed forests to build our homes actually stores carbon for many decades which positively offset greenhouse gas emission by delaying the carbon cycle.

Thermodynamics tells us that heat always flows towards colder than itself.
There are three means of heat transfer.
By conduction… direct contact to a heat source
By convection… heat is transferred thru the motion of air or water for example
By radiation… heat is transferred without direct contact by infrared electromagnetic waves just like the sun warms our earth by radiation.
Radiant heat makes us feel warm even though the air around us may be cold.

Conventional open pit fireplaces are still used for visual enjoyment. However they are so inefficient due to lack of tight fitting casketed door, lack of properly designed
heat exchanger and combustion chamber, they are close to or below zero efficiency. They only partially burn wood, creating much pollution outside and inside the home which is nowadays unacceptable to most of us.

Fireplace metal inserts are wood stove fitted in an existing masonry firebox or within a wood framed enclosure. Certified inserts using a properly sized stainless steel liner can be close to as efficient as wood stoves.

Wood stoves are the most popular space heaters in North America. It is best to locate the stove in the center of the main living area (open floor plan design) with flue pipe going straight into chimney close to roof ridge.
Since early 1990 wood stoves have been redesigned to be more efficient and meet mandatory smoke emission limits dictated by EPA in the US and CSA in Canada.

Catalytic stoves are the most efficient on the market but they require more maintenance to run at peak performance. They can burn wood cleanly at a low heat setting. Restriction of the gas flow thru the catalyst can cause some draft issues. They do need regular cleaning and replacing catalyst every few years.

Non catalytic stoves are by far the most common stove on the market. They are about one third more efficient than the old pot belly stoves of the past and produce up to 90% less pollution.
However they can not match the even heat output from catalytic stoves.
Once fired, those stoves will quickly take the chill out of room. But they need to be restocked quite frequently and once the fire dies, the stove and the room cool off rather fast.

Masonry stoves are made of masonry rather than steel.

They were invented in Europe during the first energy crisis in the early 1800 as close wood supplies disappeared from over harvesting.
They are fired once or twice a day for an hour. The heat is stored within the high thermal mass of the heater before being slowly radiated back in the room during the next 12 to 24 hours.
Consequently the first burn of the heating season will take a couple of days to start warming a cold home.
No instant heat but instead constant, even heat with only one daily firing defines this type of stove heating performance.

The efficiency of masonry stoves is comparable to catalytic stoves as they burn wood quickly at high temperatures (over 1500 degrees Fahrenheit). Soot and creosote do not survive those temperatures.
The exhaust from the fire is channeled thru a maze of flue passages thus trapping the hot gases long enough to allow the heat to be soaked in the masonry. The exhaust being finally released from the house is depleted of most of its heat. Therefore almost all the energy contained in the wood is used for heating your home.

Iron stoves will burn at the touch when lit.
Masonry heaters are much safer as the surface temperature is much lower allowing installation of warm seats and beds into or above the stove mass.

Particulate emissions falls well within EPA or CSA limits. They need to be in use only 1 to 2 hours a day compared to 24 hours a day for 24 hours of heat for all other stoves.
Partly because of this limited burning each day, wood consumption is cut by about a third compared to other stoves. This is a large savings in labor from harvesting and hauling the wood fuel, storing it and feeding it to the stove.
Another exiting option is the installation of a baking oven on top of the firebox to bake by radiation pizza, bread, roasts and casseroles…

Disadvantages of masonry stoves are as follow.
They require a large reinforced concrete foundation base to support the mass above.
Installation is easier to plan for new construction.
Cost of a custom masonry stove will be over $20 000.00 with design and installation requiring an experienced mason in that field.

A much cheaper alternative is to buy a masonry stove kit at about a quarter of the cost compared to custom from a reputable and experienced company specializing in the construction of thermal mass heaters.
My wife and I have recently decide to purchase a kit masonry stove from Wildfire Rocky Mountain environmental technologies in Edmonton, to replace our EPA/CSA approved wood stove at our cabin by the lake. The installation is taking place this summer 2009.
We are looking forward to drastically reduce our wood consumption, enjoy even heat day and night and as well use our baking oven to the great enjoyment of our family and visiting friends.
I will be reporting our experience this winter within another newsletter.
Pellet stoves burns compressed wood or biomass pellets.
There are a versatile wood heating option that runs automatically with hopper pellet storage, auger pellet feeder and at least two electric fans.
A hopper load can last more than 24 hours.
You can control the heat with thermostat and remote control.
Special direct vent thru a wall can eliminate costly chimney thru the roof.
Those stoves are high efficiency with low emissions.

Limitations of pellet stoves:
They are dependent on electric power.
The pellet fire does not match the natural look of wood burning flames we are used to.
Stove performance and pollution output are dependent on quality of pellet fuel.
A high grade pellet minimizes maintenance and extend electronic components life cycle.

Outdoor wood burning boilers keep wood handling outside the home. Water heated in the boiler is piped underground to one or more buildings.
Heat distribution can be forced air, in floor heating or wall registers.
Hot water house needs may also be handled by these boilers.
This wood heating option is least desirable as the units are inefficient because they do not burn wood completely. Few municipalities allow them as they produce high level of smoke and creosote.

By Cyril Courtois  (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)

  www.loghomedesign.ca

Topic: How to select the building site for your new log or timber project .

Selecting the building site for your future log or timber home is your first and most critical design decision.

  Choosing the appropriate site for your dream home is a lengthy complex process not to be taken lightly.

A/Before you buy a property…you need to ask many questions.

1.      Is the site buildable? Are you allowed to build a log or timber home? Check with local building department for the right zoning for your project (contact planning commission in Europe) and contact subdivision home association if applicable to make sure what you wish to build is allowed.
2.      Is the allowable building envelope large enough for the size home you are planning including garages, outbuildings, access driveways, leach fields and landscaping?
3.      Is the building site accessible by large trucks to deliver long logs and timber and all other building materials? Will you be able to drive safely to your home any time of the year, under all weather conditions?
4.      What are the covenants, set backs, easements and right of ways attached to the property? Getting variances to change any of the above is costly, time consuming and at times unrealistic to achieve.
5.      What services are available (electricity, gas, sewer, phone, cable…)?
6.      If sewer connection is not available, can you install a septic system? Contact health authorities to learn about feasibility, costs, past percolation tests…  Hire a septic engineer to ensure a proper septic system can indeed be installed and at what cost.
7.      What type of soil is present at the chosen building site? Expansive, unstable soils can be a problem.  If solid rock is present under proposed site be aware that blasting and anchoring foundation to rock can increase cost significantly.  What is the soil bearing capacity? Has any geotechnical analysis been done in the past?
8.       Earth quake faults and sink holes are important issues that if suspected must be addressed by a professional geotechnical engineer to assess extra cost of development.
9.        If building by a lake for example, ask about the high water mark. How much will it cost to design and build a proper drainage of storm water around the building? Is the site located in a flood plain?
10.        If you are in a rural area and are not connected to a municipal water system, what is the cost of drilling a well and most important what is the water quality and quantity available in your area. Ask neighbors and local well drillers. To obtain a building permit you will likely need to prove a year round minimum gallon per minute flow.

Those are basic questions among others to ask before you sign anything. I have done hundreds of site visits with our customers in my career and at times one of those points above has become a painful issue that has delayed or outright stopped a future home owner’s dream.  

B/If you already have a piece of land, you are looking for the best building site for your future log/timber home on your property?

  If your site offers a view to a lake, river, ocean, mountain range… then most likely you have decided on a site that will maximize that view.

If you can combine this view catching site with a gentle slope as much south facing as can be possible, then you already know site location and orientation of your home.

A gentle slope with about an 8’ drop from front to back is great for water and air drainage. It will allow for a walk out basement that gives you cheap extra living space with a view. A sloped site is generally better than a flat site as basement excavating will provide you with that extra fill to use around the house for landscaping and shaping good drainage around the foundation.

  A very steep slope will on the other hand require excessive digging and make the building phase more costly as it would be harder to work on the house from all sides.

  A fairly flat area is needed to install a septic leach field.

A south facing slope is best as in winter the final grade of the land is more perpendicular to the sun rays (northern hemisphere) and thus would be warmer. The design of a log home on a south facing slope will maximize the house passive solar energy potential and sun light.

  If the site is not south facing then the design of the house needs to be more creative to catch the view and still catch some sun from other directions.

  In hot summer climates, trees bringing shade to the south-west and west side of the home are very desirable.

  Deciduous trees to the south will shade your home in the summer and let the sun light and heat thru in the winter.

Prevailing wind direction may change with seasons and can be specific just to your site due to topography of the land. If your site is treed, then look for the direction large trees have fallen. I advise you spend a full year visiting your land to familiarize yourself with all weather conditions.

  Prevailing winds should be taken into account when designing your log/timber home. Your designer/architect should use that information to add more roof overhangs and covered decks for example on the wind swept side of the house to protect exposed wood.

Air drainage requires attention as cold winter air needs to move freely around your home and not be trapped and create a frost pocket on one side of your home. Low laying land and valleys are prime sites for frost pockets.

If you are planning to build your home on a ridge or hilltop, (great location to catch view and maximize air/water drainage) please plan for wildfire raging up the hill from the prevailing wind side by adding fire breaks like road, water ways, irrigated garden…and land clearing if necessary.

If you plan to build close to a lake, river, seasonal stream or marsh then inquire where the 100 year flood plain is located and move your site well above that line.

In colder climate, be aware of the shorter construction window available. From personal experience, a tightly planned construction schedule on paper rarely happens as predicted at the building stage. Construction delays are all too common as many trades are involved in the process.

C/ Planning your building site for the future…

  Prepare a master plan on how you will likely develop your land in the years to come by adding swimming pool, pond, trees, garden, greenhouse, orchard…

  Take extra attention to what could be built or planted by your neighbors that may block your view or destroy your cherished privacy (visual, smell, noise and light).

  A good relation with your neighbors is well worth the effort.

D/ Your building site and your health.

  Your new log/timber home is possibly going to be the place you and your cherished family will spend considerable amount of time indoor and outdoor. A healthy building site should therefore be a priority second to none.

1. Avoid building close to high voltage power lines, cellular phone and microwave relay station.  Electromagnetic fields are dangerous; however we do not see them, they will hurt you, your children and pets.  If requested public utility companies should provide you with site measurements for background fields at your site.  Wind power is becoming more popular since the energy crisis. Wind turbines should be built far away from your home as we are now learning of wind turbine syndrome which may increase stress, headache and sleep disorders.
2. Do not build close to industrial areas and upwind from agricultural land where fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides are used. Get your well water analyzed for contaminants and level of purity.
3. Assess level of noise and light pollution at the site before deciding to build. If in doubt seek the help of a professional.
4. Know the history of the site. Industrial and agricultural toxins may be in the soil. If in doubt hire a licensed environmental inspector. That up front cost is minimal compared to clean up costs later down the road…

Last word…

  Spend lots of time on your land at different seasons and trust your instinct. A place where you feel that “positive energy” that makes you happy is likely the right choice.

Remember that the location you finally choose for your future home will go through dramatic transformation as you build. Trees may be cut down (check first for possible tree cutting local restrictions) and animals may be displaced.

  No matter what you do, there will be a significant ecological impact from your actions.

  Should you care?

  May be,

  It is usually better to get along with all your neighbors.

By Cyril Courtois (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)
www.loghomedesign.ca

In North America about 2 million people live in a wheel chair.
Wheelchair and walking aid users live in 30% of households.
One out of five of us have one or more disability.
Our population is aging rapidly.
In 2040 one in four will be 65 or older!

Basic terminology:

ADA (American with Disabilities Act 1990) applies to public and multi-family buildings accessibility mainly for people with mobility and agility disabilities.

Disabilities may come gradually (aging) or suddenly (accident) and they can be temporary or permanent.
The range of disabilities that will influence the quality of your life in your home goes much beyond access and mobility problems.
Partial loss of strength in arms and legs will make simple actions like kneeling, sitting and standing difficult.
Lower sense of touch and dexterity may change our ability to cook or simply open a door.
Hearing problems perhaps mean not hearing the door bell or the smoke alarm.
Reduced vision makes it difficult to read appliance labels, misjudge height and depth of stairs treads or kitchen counters.
For some, loss of the sense of smell is part of the aging process which can lead to obvious danger at home.

Maximizing safety and allowing us to function normally in our home despite some disabilities is most often resolved with simple costless modifications to design and careful selection of features that will help overcome most problems.

Accessible design means installation of noticeable and permanently fixed features like wide doors and hallways, minimum clear floor space for wheelchair traffic, grab bars in bathrooms, lower counters and knee space under sink (kitchen and bath), wheelchair access ramp to house from outside…

Many people with no mobile disability do not wish to live in a home with ramp access to reach the house, hospital looking bathrooms, kitchens with counters too low to work standing and lost storage space in lower cabinets for example.

Adaptable design uses features that are adjustable to sitting or standing position like height adjustable counters or shower head, or features that can be quickly and easily added or removed like grab bars in baths or removable lower cabinets under kitchen sink so to fit individual needs and choices and so without structural or finished material changes.

Universal design means safe and friendly design for all, including kids, seniors and people with many different disabilities.
Universal features are integrated in the house design to become unnoticeable or invisible.
For example instead of building a wheelchair access ramp to the house front door which may reduce your home market value, use site grading and landscaping to create a low maintenance more natural safe wide path with a gentle slope (without railing) leading to a step free entry. 
For new homes most universal design features add no cost to the building overall budget.
However increasing the size of baths and hallways to allow wheelchair maneuverability and oversizing the garage for wider path around the vehicles will add to the square footage of the footprint and thus may increase the budget by up to 5% overall.
Remember that the marketability of your house will be higher as it would be user friendly to most prospective buyers.

1-Who is going to live in your new log home?
You and your family is the most probable answer.
The majority of our log home design customers is close to retirement or just retired, dreaming to live away from the city and close to nature. Most are planning a log home for the present when they are still healthy and mobile.

2-How long are you planning to stay in your new log home?
Most senior homeowners want to age in a familiar environment in comfort, in safety and to be as independent as possible no matter age and disabilities.
They do not want to be a burden to their kids and want to stay in their home full of memories.
Certainly moving to an assisted living old age home is a last choice.

3-Universal design and log homes…
It is crucial to plan for universal design features at the design stage of your log building project and not while building or after moving in.
Log home construction does not easily allow room layout changes, corridor widening or larger bathroom after the log home is built.
The log structure (exterior and interior log walls, log joists, log posts, log roof beams…) is not agreeable to be moved around.
Just moving a partition frame wall that is joined to a log wall is not recommended as the log wall has been slot cut vertically to receive the wall finish on both sides.
Planning your dream log home for the long term future must happen at the early stage of the design process.

4-Applying universal design to log construction.

A/ Site design
A level walkway graded at 1:20 maximum slope up to a covered deck or porch accessing a no step entry door is ideal. Still allow a minimum of 18” from bottom of log wall to finished grade around the log home as lower logs do not suffer being wet or half buried in snow. The entrance should be covered for shelter and gently slope down to exterior using earth berm, small bridge…
At least one entry to the house should be designed that way.

B/ General room layout
The main floor close to ground level on one side minimum should include kitchen, dining, living room, laundry, bedroom big enough for wheelchair traffic around furniture and a large accessible bathroom. An open floor plan with kitchen dining and living room as one large area is a common design feature of log homes that reduce traffic space an eliminate partition walls.
Accessing upstairs by wheelchairs can be achieved by planning a future elevator. Stacking a large closet or storage space (at least 60” square) at all levels of your log home with easily removable knock out floor will allow quick installation of the elevator.
A chair lift installed on a one straight flight of stairs (minimum 4’ wide) is half the cost of a small elevator and can be used by walking aid users.

C/ Stairs
Stairs should have 10” to 11” deep stair treads and maximum 7” risers (height from one step to the next).
For small children safety the stairs should not have open space between steps and steps should not extend out beyond the riser to avoid tripping. This is incompatible with log stairs that are commonly built with open risers.
Color contrast anti slip strips should be applied to edge of each step.
Stairs handrail should extend minimum 12” beyond the top and bottom risers to steady people with poor balance.

D/. Doors, Windows and Hallways
The entrance door must be 36” wide minimum to allow 34” traffic space with a sidelight to allow looking out sitting or standing. All doors to accessible areas must be 3’ wide minimum and equipped with lever handles instead of round door knobs for easier grip. A minimum 2’ wall space should be allowed on strike side of swinging door side to make it possible for wheelchair users to open the door.

Windows should be easy to open and close with little strength and agility.
Casement and awning windows using crank handles are best suited.

Corridors should be 42” wide or more.
Cutting main walkway corners at 45-degrees is possible in log construction. It will ease wheelchair movement.

E/ Bathrooms
Grab bar (1 ¼” diameter) can be latter installed when need arises in frame walls by installing a ¾” sheet of plywood as a continuous blocking to screw the grab bars to, recessing the plywood in the frame wall so it remains flush with the rest of the wall finish else where in the room.
If you need to install vertical grab bars on log walls around a toilet, it is best to wait for the stacked log wall to complete settling.
Showers and bath tubs are always installed over a frame wall and never directly over a log wall because of settling issues. A frame wall must be attached to log wall using slots in the 2x studs to allow fasteners to travel down as the log wall shrinks in height during drying and compression of the wood.
Curbless showers (minimum 3’x5’) use trench drains flush to shower and room floor that are slightly sloped down towards the trench or gutter. This is an excellent solution to a step less bathroom. A shower seat is a good option.

F/ Kitchen and Laundry
4’ open floor space between all counters and appliances will improve maneuverability around the kitchen.
Appliances should have easy to read controls at the front.
Dishwasher may be raised and be a pull out drawer unit.
Some counter heights to be adjustable with possible knee space under sink…
Kitchen storage at lower cabinets uses pull out shelves, walk in pantry with roll out shelves and lady Suzan at corners.
Side by side refrigerator and freezer is recommended.

Laundry should be near bathroom and bedroom.
Washer and dryer should be front loading, raised and side by side with folding counter on top. It is preferable to design washer and dryer location against a frame wall instead of an exterior log wall.

G/ Electrical
As electrical chases and cavities to receive outlets and switches in log walls must be done before or at reassembly of the log shell on your site, knowing their proper location for easy use by a wide range of people is a must.
Electrical outlets, phone, cable jacks should be placed between 18” to 24” above the floor to make them more accessible to all.
Light switches (large rocker style) should be from 36” to 40” above floor.
Thermostats are placed at 48” from floor.
Circuit breaker panel must be on main floor with top at no more than 54” from floor with clear floor space in front.

Topic: How to Design and Build your Dream Log or Timber Home with a Shrinking Budget.

By Cyril Courtois (RCM CAD Design Drafting ltd.)

Basic terminology:

Handcrafted log homes use a natural log without the bark keeping the unique character of the original tree. The tools used are the chainsaw, scriber, chisel and axe. All the work is done by hand and thus very labor intensive. The minimum midspan diameter size is 11” but 12” to 14” diameter is most common.

Handcrafted log home costs at least 25% more than a custom frame home.

Complex designs with many cross corners, and extensive log roof structure will increase the log shell cost dramatically.

Manufactured log homes are by far the most common type of log home in 

North America. Powerful machinery mill trees to uniform diameter logs, precut to a desired profile like a round to round Swedish cope for example.

The cost of a milled log package depends on the diameter of the log with the most common being 8”, 9” 10”.

Smaller diameter logs do significantly reduce the cost of a log package. However keep in mind that the smaller the log diameter at the perimeter of your log home, the lower the R value (insulating factor) will be.

The cost also depends on the complexity of the log work in the roof structure and number of cross corners and other notches.

A manufactured log package will cost about 2/3 of a handcrafted log shell for the same size log and ready for all framing, electrical, thru bolts, windows and doors openings…to be comparable to a delivered handcrafted log shell.

From data collected from several log companies that sell both manufactured and handcrafted log homes, the cost differential is around 10% cheaper for milled log homes compared to handcrafted log homes when you consider the finished home final cost.

Again this calculated cost differential is based on same size logs and wood species (12”diameter minimum) and with the log shell completed and ready for framing, electrical windows and doors installation, thru bolts… as per a handcrafted stage of completion.

How to make your log home dream a reality with a smaller budget…

As building costs have risen steadily this last decade and our savings have taken a hit recently due to the financial crisis, for most of us, building a log home is now a dream more difficult to reach.

The first step to designing a log home is to calculate your budget to build the house including land cost if applicable, design/engineering/building permits costs, access road, septic, utility connection from the road, drainage, landscaping…

You need to know the average building cost for a custom frame home where you are planning to build. Local general contractors should be able to give you some average price per square foot for your area.

This will help you estimate the maximum size of your future log home whether it is a handcrafted or a milled log shell.

1-      Control the size of the home, specifically the footprint…

Today’s home are an average of 2300sqft. 

In the 1950s homes averaged about 1400sqft

In the 80s and 90s the trend was for bigger homes.

Now many are seeing this trend for bigger homes reversing due to lack of space in cities, smaller families, rising energy and operating costs, but mostly because of the harsher economic climate coupled with still very high construction costs (material and labor).

Designing large homes is much easier than designing small homes where a designer needs to be creative to control wasted space and fit space saving features at every step of the design.

Designing a smaller log home does not automatically dictate small rooms or a boring boxy exterior look. So much can be done to dress up the roof with dormers, and add covered decks, arbors and interesting landscaping work around the house.

Open floor space with wider hallways and large baseboard for interior frame walls will give a roomier feel to the interior.

An open floor plan with kitchen/dining and living as one large room is very popular as it eliminates partition walls and wasted space for hallway traffic and also allows the occupants to freely congregate around the kitchen island during meal preparation for example. New kitchen designs allow the dining table as the center piece of that space.

The formal dining and sitting room is of the past.

The new lifestyle is turning to the outside with main rooms towards decks, porches and view.

Log homes dictate a 9’ ceiling height minimum at main floor and vaulted ceilings all the way to the roof at second floor which increases the sense of space while keeping the footprint under control.

    2- Build more than one storey…

Controlling the footprint of the house is so important.

The foundation and roof covering a defined foot print is the same whether it is a one storey rancher or a three storey home including a full basement and a second floor.

Because of this fact, a rancher style home with one storey is more expensive to build.

Stairs only occupy about 40sqft of living space and when stacked, they access both the basement and second floor.

A basement is about a third of the cost of the main floor to build.

Even if the basement is buried, it can be used for a laundry, mechanical room, extra storage, wine cellar, root cellar, a home office or theatre room.

Bedrooms can be designed using well windows for egress. Baths do not need a window if a sizable fan is installed for ventilation.

A sloped building site allows a walkout basement which means cheap living space opened to the outside with windows and doors letting light and view in.

Building a second floor within the roof slope adds bedroom space, or, so common in log home design, a simple loft overlooking a great room.

To maximize living space, you may have to convert the vaulted ceilings into second floor extra space.

3-Design an expandable home…

You may have to delay finishing the basement and/or the second floor. It is advisable to plan for window spaces to allow light in and doors for egress.

The bonus room over the garage may be just framed with attic manufactured trusses and left unused for years until the money is finally available to turn it into a guest apartment or playroom for the kids.

Just make sure you plan for that bathroom in the basement by installing the rough in plumbing thru the concrete slab or extend the plumbing and electrical wiring to the unfinished upper level.

A room dedicated to be a home office or den can with foresight easily become a guest bedroom as need dictates.

A computer desk can be designed in an alcove or even in the corner of the kitchen.

    4- The basic shape of the economical log home…

A house shaped as a circle (yurt) will have the best ratio between lengths of wall at the perimeter to amount of living space inside.

This house shape is of course not achievable with log wall construction which is linear.

A four corner log home as close to a square shape will mean less perimeter wall length for maximum inside square footage. That translates in a lower amount of wood in the log package.

For handcrafted log construction a 34’x34’ square home using minimum 14” diameter logs with only four cross corners with staggered wood dowels or lags at the laterals will be the cheapest log shell design because only four cross corners are required which means less labor cost.

The more cross corners in a log home design, the more costly the log shell will be.

As well the higher the log walls, the higher the cost of the log shell for a handcrafted project only. Extra round of logs are about twice more labor to build than lower logs in the wall as the craftsman must work of the ground, up and down ladders.

    5- The roof log structure…

The roof log structure could be just one large ridge beam supporting a frame rafter conventional roof or structural insulated panels.

Using manufactured frame trusses is less expensive than stick framing a roof because the frame trusses are already cut and easy to install, and they can replace the dimensional rafters and I beam rafters and still give you the same vaulted ceiling inside the house.

Stick framing a roof one member at a time up at roof height is labor intensive and a long tedious process especially if you use I beams for rafters that requires blockings at cuts and connections in.

Another way to design your roof is to use log or timber horizontal structural beams at 4’ to 5’ apart depending on snow load and install 2×6 Tongue and groove decking over the beams to have both a finished ceiling and the structural above the roof beams to support none structural foam panels (ISO) and sheathing over it for the roof finish. ISO panels come in different thickness giving you continuous foam insulation over the decking with high R value.

   In the same line of thought, 2×6 T&G decking can be installed over log or timber joists for a ceiling finish below and a floor deck at the second floor in one shot instead of framing a regular floor system over the joists.

The decking is much cheaper for material and labor.

However electrical and plumbing work can not be hidden with a simple decking.

Gable dormers are more expensive to build compared to shed dormers. Tower and shell roofs are beautiful but also labor intensive and thus more expensive.

Overall a complex roofline with many valleys is more costly.

Using structural log trusses will enhance the exterior and interior appeal of your log home and at the same time increase the cost of the log package.

    6- The hybrid solution…

If you are in that financial situation that will not allow you to buy a full log shell for your dream log home but you still badly want to enjoy some log or timber work, we do design a large number of conventional frame homes with log and timber accent.

This means you can add some log character posts and a log truss for your covered entry to enhance the street appeal and may be get some roof log or timber structure to give a wow effect to your great room ceiling for example. Log or timber accent is a popular solution for tight budget.

   A log or timber accent does not mean a post and beam construction style. There are little to no savings building a post and beam log or timber home compared to a full scribe log home. Although the amount of logs in the package is so much less, the work to adapt the frame walls between the log posts and beam above, add the exterior and interior finishes, insulation, vapor and moisture barriers will bring the completed cost of this type of construction to the same level of a full log exterior wall home.

   7- A few last comments from Cyril…

Our log and timber design studio has been designing close to one thousand log and timber projects of all sizes in the last 15 years.

I have followed up with most of our design customers thru all those years and learned so much about what makes a log/timber building project a success or a failure.

When it comes to where you can save to make your dream log home a reality, concentrate on the design and materials you plan to use but not as much on the log shell package.

You must compare what is comparable and that is not easy.

The lowest quote you get is to me also the most suspicious.

To offer the lowest quote, a log supplier will either sacrifice log and /or craftsmanship quality and/or service.

Remember it is too late to fix problems with a log package when it is assembled on your building site without spending much more than what you thought you would save.

A full log package is on average 20% to 30% of the overall cost of your finished home depending on design and your selection of appliances, finishes, cabinetry…

To make your log home project a success do not go to the cheapest bid, especially when the difference is great. You will likely be sorry.

The log shell should include foam gaskets to be installed between all log to log and log to framing contact areas at exterior and interior to avoid having to later chink the whole log package.

The roof is the building, its contents and occupants’ primary protection against rain, snow, hail, wind, cold, sun light and sun heat.

Basic terminology:

The roof pitch is the angle at which the roof rises from its lowest support (pitch plate) to its highest point (Example: the ridge).

A roof hip is a sloped ridge formed by the meeting of two roof planes like a pyramid which has four hips. The hip sits at the exterior corner of a house and usually rises to the ridge. Hip roofs are ideal in hurricane regions.

A roof valley sits on an internal corner of a building and joins two sloping roof planes and rises to the ridge to form the opposite shape to a hip.

The soffit is the underside ceiling of a roof (horizontal or sloped) from the exterior wall to the eave or exterior roofline.

The Fascia caps the end of the roof at the roofline and support the rain gutter.

The roof overhang is the roof projection beyond the perimeter bearing exterior wall.

For log homes and exposed timber or log construction, large overhangs over 4’ to 5’ wide minimum are a must to protect the wood from rain, sun weathering and damage.

In passive solar building design; to maximize energy savings, roof overhangs are designed to block the high summer sun light and heat from entering the house thru windows, doors and perimeter walls. In winter the overhangs are designed to let the sun light and heat flow through the window and door openings as the sun is much lower in the sky to reduce heating costs especially in temperate to colder climates.

Different roof designs and roofing materials are used around the world depending on the local climate, material availability and cost, local traditional architectural practices, building codes and bylaws.

Choosing the right roofing material for your home:

Homeowners want an inexpensive roof that last forever and requires minimum maintenance.

With the skyrocketing cost of energy we also need a roof that minimize cooling cost in summer

Over 90% of roof in the world uses dark color roofing materials like asphalt, ceramic & stone tiles, or wood shakes for examples.

Those dark roofing materials absorb vast amount of sun heat and thus dramatically increase the need for cooling which is not energy efficient.

The cool roof:

A cool roof can reflect part of the infrared, ultraviolet and visible wavelength of the sun and thus reduce the transfer of sun heat to the home:

The cool roof is also able to release much of the absorbed solar heat that was not reflected back to the sky. Add large attic ventilation to maximize energy savings.

Solar reflectance is a percentage of the amount of heat reflected back to space.

Asphalt, tar and gravel roofs have a solar reflectance from 3% to 18%.

Ceramic tiles vary from 10% to 35% depending of lightness of the tile color.

Highly reflective light color metal roofs do much better with a solar reflectance from 60% to 70%.

White paint roofing finish can reach up to 90% solar reflectance.

To evaluate roof coolness a simple value (SRI) called solar reflectance index is used, combining solar reflectance and emittance.

Black roofs have a very low SRI value and can reach temperatures over 180 degrees F or 85 degrees C.

This means higher cooling cost and shorter roofing material life span. This translates in higher roof maintenance cost and more roof waste to the landfill.

Cool roofs are a must in hot and temperate climate to save energy.

A light color roof with significant roof ventilation also works well for cold climates. In winter snow tends to stay on the roof adding more insulation to the existing heavy insulating material dictated by local building codes.

Thermoplastic white vinyl roofing reflects about 80% of sun radiation and emits 70% of the heat absorbed by the house making it one of the best cool roofing materials available on the market.

White paint coated on an existing black roof significantly drops cooling energy consumption.

Green roofs also qualify as a cool roof that can last up to 50 years in right climate conditions.

They provide great insulation especially against heat and noise.

They absorb large amount of rain as they behave like a sponge.

However they cost 5 to 10 times more than conventional roofs and require stronger structural support due to the added weight of soil, plants and water.

Green roofs are not suitable to all climates and have high maintenance costs and expensive repair cost to find and repair leaks.

Common roofing materials:

Roof finish, ventilation and roof insulation must be designed to work together to control interior ambient air moisture content to a minimum and as well control inside temperature with minimum energy consumption.

Fiberglass roofing is available in sheets, shingles and corrugated panels. They are light weight, durable (25 to 30 years) and less than half the cost compared to most roofing materials.

The most popular fiberglass roofing is opaque white.

Asphalt shingles or composite shingles are popular because of its low cost with a life expectancy from 15 to 25 years depending on thickness.

Metal cladding or metal tile is light, fire resistant and has good reflective quality. In snow areas it is used to shed snow as it is a sliding roof material. It may be dangerous to let the snow slide and most ski resorts have bylaws requiring installation of snow clip to hold the snow on the roof. Golf course communities do not allow reflective roofs for obvious reason.

It is an affordable roof that last 30 to 50 years and is the number one choice for many home owners.

Ceramic and concrete tiles are expensive but have a great traditional aesthetic look. This roofing is very popular in hot climate and last up to 100 years. They are fire proof and are the most used roofing material in the world.

Slate is good for up to 200 years but will cost about the same as the house itself. Roof structure needs to be robust to support the weight.

Red cedar shakes are attractive giving a rustic look to your home. They last about 25 years.

They can be installed over asphalt roof but they are much more expensive and far less fire resistant unless impregnated by fire retardant.

Rubber tiles use recycled material like tires… This roof is best for areas where hail is an issue. Cost is similar to metal roofing.

Rubber tiles are thick with R3 insulation and are great sound insulators. This is a new exiting eco friendly material but there is little information on its life expectancy at this time.

Roof ventilation is often underestimated. Most homes are under ventilated and thus roofs have a reduced life because of moisture damage to roof framing, sheathing…

A house produce about 5 pounds of water a day and that moisture must be vented out thru the roof by using air intake at the soffits along the length of the lower roof and exhaust using attic vents and vented ridge caps.

Log homes design calls for vaulted ceilings. If a traditional frame roof is used a minimum of 2 1/2” airspace is required above the insulation to move the moist warm air from soffits to vented ridge cap. Venting must be allowed at roof valleys to flow freely up the inside of the roof to ridge.

Roof maintenance is crucial to a long life roof.

Leaks happen mainly at protrusions like chimneys, vents and at roof valleys. Roofs should be checked twice a year. Clean debris with air blower, check old caulking, and hammer back sticking nails. Replace broken tiles and missing shingles. Clean gutters and downspouts to allow good drainage.