I was looking through a building book that My Man just picked up at Goodwill and I found a section on cordwood houses (you can read more about their history and construction here - because I'm a chick and not so into that kind of stuff.) I instantly liked the look of them, and from what I read they are not terrible hard or expensive to build. And when I say not terribly hard - I mean the construction is simple, comparatively - they do look rather labor intensive to me, but that's what we have our herd of children for, right?
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| From Jay Builds a House | <><>
I immediately started to read the section on these houses, and oddly enough it was about a familyman who had just lost his job, had his car die on him, and then they he had a house fire - destitute he and his family was. In desperation - he built a cordwood house to live in. That little tidbit only gave me more hope. Against my better judgement, I shoved the book at My Man while he was driving and said LOOK at this!!!
He was all - yeah, I've seen those before. They're pretty cool.
I don't really know what stopped me from actually doing it - but I felt like rolling up his little building book and smacking him with it. I kept my cool though, because after being married for so long you try to stay sane even when you feel like going crazy - why ruin an otherwise good day? That, and I had already tempted fate by making him look at the book while managing his way back up the crazy curvy mountaintop road.
I don't know - I don't really know that much about cordwood houses, other than the little section in the book and a quick Google search, but I think we need to check into this whole idea a bit more, and I was hoping that my special friend (a-hem, Rick) who has mad master building experience, would chime in with his opinion. In the mean time - the images of cordwood house (over 600 sq ft in size, and with running water - both cold AND hot - and not out of a freaking hose in my window....oh, who am I kidding....I don't care about the hose, just give me more space!!) are what I'm falling asleep to at night - between the four year olds delivering kidney kicks and Baby Man wanting a snack, or two, or three.......
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| From Dirt Under my Nails
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Have y'all tried gathering pallets to build with? Alot of places will give you pallets so they don't have to pay anyone to take them. Granted you would need a lot of pallets to build a house but you could build a shed, or sleeping room or a time out room (just kidding)...well you get the ideal...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.oklahomahistory.net/palletshed.html
I assume Nashville is not anywhere near you but here is a post on Craigslist for 100 free pallets...THAT is a lot of wood. If you can haul it you can have it.
ReplyDeletehttp://nashville.craigslist.org/zip/3029378311.html
Maybe you could find something near you. And not just pallets. Building materials. You won't believe what people will get rid of if you just go get it. We have a friend who got a 1960's trailer for free. All he had to do was move it Another friend got a gutted out camper for free and redid it as his "workshed".
Go for it!
ReplyDeleteLike Gorges says, go for it! Great idea!
ReplyDeleteI have researched cord wood houses too. There are some good sites online, that will give you lots of information. This one is the most complete: http://www.daycreek.com/dc/html/allthingscordwood.htm
ReplyDeleteI am LOL at the hubby, men just do not "get it" lol. I am excited to hear if this works out for you.
ReplyDeleteI actually looked into contacting extreme home makeover for you, I had no idea they were no longer on the air!
A couple years back Mother Earth News had a great article on cordwood houses. I thought it was wonderful too. And looks fairly uncomplicated. Like a log cabin but with the wood going the other way.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't wait for the husband to get on board...I'd start stacking! We have a fellow down the road that built a barn out of stacked straw, rebar and then he put stucco/plaster on it...it is awesome! AND he built all by himself.
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who built a small cordwood shed (8x10ish). Took at least 2 years. It's cute as a button but was lots and lots of work. I would suggest you contact actual people that have done this for the real scoop. You could be waiting a long time for a real house with space.
ReplyDeleteI researched Cordwood extensively when I was planning. You have to cut all the wood and let it season before you build it unless you want lots of holes and stuff, and you have to find a place to get the sawdust for the mortar. Around these parts most sawmills won't give you sawdust anymore cause they use it for making pressboard. So if you're thinking about doing this soon you better start cutting, stacking, and seasoning the wood now so you can build it in a year or two. I still think it would be neat to do, but down here in the south I might go for a board and batten cabin out of rough-cut greenish lumber if you're wanting to do something somewhat cheap and fast. If you have time to wait for it to season and you have a good chainsaw, a place to store the wood once it is cut, and access to a cheap, used, or borrowed small cement mixer then I'd go for it.
ReplyDeleteA friend of mine is nearing completion on a cabin in the woods that he has built for around $5000 all told. He stick built it on posts set into concrete and framed the walls traditionally, sheathed in OSB. He managed to pick all the windows and doors from the Habitat for Humanity Restore Building supply store for around $10 each, and found a woodstove on craigslist that had never been used for $140. The cabin is about 700 sq ft or so including a sleeping loft upstairs that is about 12x16 ft long. He said the majority of the cost was the Roofing tin and the siding (he used a rough-cut lapboard type siding). You could come out better on the siding if you used exterior grade paneling or board and batten, but the roofing is gonna cost about the same no matter what. You could probably cut costs by not having a huge porch on it like he did.
Regardless of what type of structure you build, if you are planning on building something, I would start checking the Habitat Restores around your area regularly for good deals on doors, windows, etc.
Just some thoughts. Good luck, and I'm sure you guys can build something great with all those helping hands you have around. :)
ps. there was an article in one of the homesteading mags i read on occasion recently about a family that built a cabin in wisconsin starting with almost nothing. they had a picture of their cabin and it looked easy enough to build. it was 10x14 and 7 of them lived in it. Something like that might be a supplemental housing project, seeing as I can't imagine having 5 kids living in 140sq ft. lol. I looked. it was in the Countryside May/June 2012 issue. The family's website is http://www.homesteaddryingracks.com/blog.html but i dont know if they have any pictures of their cabin.
don't make the same mistake I made. I planned so much I ran out of time to actually do it. Building is for young people who feel good. Get started! Nothing as rewarding as working with your hands and your family. the rat
ReplyDeleteLike mohave said, building is for the young and healthy. You only need two things to get things done: A willing man...........or a willing woman with a skill saw.
ReplyDeleteI'm willing. I have all the tools. I know what I'm doing, but dammit, I'm old. I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm good once, as I always was.
The most expense in any idea will be the concrete - water - a wheelbarrow - and strong arms.
I still think the best temporary solution is to find a small camper on the cheap and either attach it to your tin can, or use it for storage or a detached bedroom for yourself and four of your youngest.
My son-in-law located an old cargo trailer that was once used to haul meat. For free.
Metal, large, nearly a bunker!! They started out using it for storage, but after meeting a man with a torch, she now has windows, a door and plumbing.
There are ideas out there.
Looks amazing but... I might start clearing land and cutting up logs the correct size for this to age.... After all, even logs you heat with should be aged...you will always use it for something! Using pallets for things are amazing! There is a pallet barn that you would find very useful possibly. You don't disassemble them which is a big plus. As you have time, willing hands and not a lot of money, just start collecting materials for several projects. With your energy, need and imagination, you will certainly come up with what you need. You inspire us!
ReplyDeleteHubs & i have been checking out Shipping Containers...for the base then adobe/stucco on the skin..you can marry two or more together for a nice sized home ...and structurally Very sound. If the County will allow it...
ReplyDelete..Whatever home you build...Remember to become fast friends with the County people...IF you can get THEM on Board with your ideas, things go SO MUCH easier when it comes time for inspections. If THEY don't like you...they can be the end of your dream home.
my Sister & her Hubby built a Gorgeous Log cabin 30+ years ago. Even though they Are off grid, the County INSISTED they install their Solar based electrical system with the capability to accept input from the Power company:<
The first guy out threatened to condemn the whole project(i think they were a bit more heavy handed back then about "Hippy people" up and building their own homes). Fortunately my Brother-In-Law was able to befriend the Next Inspector by asking His advice before he did any more work..THAT guy took an interest in the building of this Octagonal log cabin and made it HIS project to work with my Sister & her Hubs...he became a family friend:)
i was able to help a tiny bit:].. it was a TON of work ... but So worth it! A true Work of Art!
i'll have to post a picture of it someday Soon.
Listen to Mr.Smythe... GO!
You Can Do It!!!
Go here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dorothyainsworth.com/
A waitress built her dream home - a log cabin...which burned to the ground the day after she finished it...so she rebuilt it. Its gorgeous.
Have you considered a yurt? I understand that with the proper insulation they can be warm and toasty.
ReplyDeletesome of the other commentors suggested pallets. You have to remember alot of them are doused in chemicals that you wouldn't want in your home or around your kids. I second going to resuse it store like habitat. We have scored doors,windows, gas fire place and the list goes on some better prices then craigslist. We sold everthing to build our house and now have a shell of a house and living in a traveltrailer with 4 kids, my heart goes out to you. We have been in the trailer for 2 and a half years now with no end in sight.
ReplyDelete~shannon
They are also aged thin softwood. I wouldn't want to build much more than a storage shed out of them.
DeleteAnother consideration is safety -- Monolithic Dome Houses made of concrete are becoming popular because they are impervious to tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes & fires, as well as rot & insects. When you look at the total destruction of homes that takes place during tornadoes, it might be worth a look at monolithic dome houses. Sure, they look a bit like Fred Flintstone, but if you and your family were safe inside during a tornado, it would be worth it.
ReplyDeleteMM ~ we have a cordwood building! :~) Here's a link that gives you a look-see. (Tiny House Talk featured us...:) Sorry about the cut and paste on the link... http://www.tinyhousetalk.com/the-wee-house-a-tiny-cabin/ You can follow the link provided within, to see the entire story on our original Blog. :~)
ReplyDeleteWe made a cordwood and bottle building for my candle making crafts-shop. When I had bees, I also extracted honey from my hives there.
ReplyDeleteI love mine!
Have you looked into straw bale houses at all?
ReplyDeleteWhat I need is a way to build a house of beer cans or bottles.
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