With the ceiling joists finished, work begins on the roof system. Instead of using manufactured trusses, the crew builds our rafters on site. Once the rafters are in place, the crew begins covering the structure with plywood sheeting and an asphalt roofing paper known as roof felt. The crew begins by building an elaborate scaffolding that provides a series of stable work platforms for setting the rafters in place (figure A). Each of the rafters is made from a 16' long board of 2x10 dimensions. Before each board is passed up to the crew, a carpenter cuts and chisels two notches (figure B) that will allow the rafter to rest atop the 2x4 top plate that's nailed to the top row of logs. The first rafter is lifted and set in place, then checked to assure a good fit (figure C). If necessary, the rafter is passed back down to the carpenters to make any minor adjustments to the fit. The first section of ridge beam is placed on the scaffolding so that the men can nail the first three rafters to it. The fourth rafter is then nailed into position at the ridge beam and at the top of the log wall (figure D). This process continues (figure E) until all rafters are installed. With the last rafter in place, the crew begins dropping 4' by 8' sheets of half-inch plywood on the roof and nailing them to the rafters. As soon as the plywood has been started, asphalt roofing-paper is used to cover the plywood decking, keeping it dry in the event of an unexpected shower. Since the roof is too steep to walk on, the crew also builds a walk board from two 2x4s and nails it to the decking ( figure F). An opening is left in the roof (figure G) to make it easier for the workers to connect the porch roof to the main roof later. It doesn't take long for the crew to get the second run of plywood all the way across the length of the house. In just a few hours' time, the entire roof structure is covered with plywood and roofing paper. During the summer, heat will build up inside the house between the rafters, and it's necessary to provide a way for it to escape in order to prevent premature deterioration of the roof shingles. When the last sheet of plywood is installed at the apex of the roof, the carpenters purposely hold it back about 1-1/2". The resulting opening (figure H) will allow excess heat to escape. In order to prevent rain from coming in through the opening, a flexible plastic roof vent will later be installed (figure I). This feature is designed to allow the hot air to escape but to keep rainwater from getting in. The roof vent is installed last, following the shingles. Not every piece of plywood is perfectly even, so the carpenters use a circular saw to trim off the edges of the plywood decking (figure J). This job -- as well as the rest of the roofing phase -- is best left to professional roofers since it involves working in high places and on steep surfaces. To help support the freshly cut plywood sheets, a 16" long 2x4 is cut to serve as a barge rafter running from the peak of the house down to the bottom of the roof. Later, the barge rafter will be covered with a wider, more attractive board called a fascia board (figure K). With the plywood decking installed and covered with roof felt, the cabin structure will be fairly watertight and protected from rain even before the shingles have been installed. This will protect the cabin interior as the crew begins the next phase of construction: installation of electrical wiring.
RESOURCES :
Log Home Repair and Restoration Services
Log Home Repair and Restoration Services
Website: www.loghomerepair.com
Special Thanks for DIY Build a Log Cabin workshop
Blossman Gas
Website: www.blossmangas.com/
Propane
Propane
Washington, DC Phone: 202-452-8975
Fax: 202-452-9054
Website: www.propanecouncil.org/
The Complete Guide to Building Log Homes
ISBN: 0806974869
Author: Monte Burch, Richard J. Meyer, Lloyd P. Birmingham
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com
Log Homes Made Easy: Contracting and Building Your Own Log Home
Model: 0811728471
Author: Jim Cooper
Stackpole Books
Website: www.stackpolebooks.com
The Cabin: Inspiration for the Classic American Getaway
Model: 0879056711
Author: Dale Mulfinger, Susan E. Davis
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
Hands-On Log Homes
ISBN: 0879058056
Author: Cindy Teipner Thiede
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
American Log Homes
ISBN: 0879054581
Author: Arthur Thiede, Cindy Teipner
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
The Craft of Modular Post & Beam: Building Log and Timber Homes Affordably
Model: 0881791318
Author: James Mitchell
Heritage House/Hartley & Marks
Website: www.heritagehouse.ca/hartleymarks/hartleymarks.html
Small Log Homes: Storybook Plans and Advice
ISBN: 1586850431
Author: Robbin Obomsawin
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
Inside Log Homes: The Art & Spirit of Home Planning and Decor
Model: 087905963X
Author: Cindy Teipner Thiede, et al
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
The Log Home Book: Design, Past and Present
Model: 0879056711
Author: Cindy Teipner Thiede, Arthur Thiede, et al
Gibbs Smith Publishing
Website: www.gibbs-smith.com
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