Collar Ties The final step in the framing of the log house is the installation of collar ties -- the heavy wooden supports that connect the rafters. Beams used to make the collar ties are placed on sawhorses and angle-cut to match the pitch of the roof angle (figure A). The beams are lifted up onto the scaffolding and positioned in place, each beam held steady while the ends are aligned with premarked locations on the rafters (figure B). Once in position, the beam is secured with nails. Once it's held in position with nails, the collar tie is permanently attached to the rafter using 3/8" lag screws that are 5" in length (figure C). The lag screws are necessary to support the heavy weight of the collar tie. A hole is drilled in the center of one of the collar ties to accommodate wiring for a ceiling fan that will be installed later. Construction Extra: Though the log-cabin kit used in this workshop included 2x8 lumber for use in building the collar-ties, the owner desired larger beams for a heavier, more "weighty" look. Since the kit also included several surplus logs beyond what was needed to construct the exterior log walls, several of the extra logs were cut to create 4x6 beams. At a local wood-mill facility, the logs were cut down to remove the tongue-and-groove ridges and the rounded exterior profile. The result was perfectly squared-off 4x6 beams (figure D). These larger beams gave a more substantial look to the collar-tie structure, and since they were made from existing materials, there was little extra cost. The moral of the story: Don't discard extra materials until your project is complete. Important : Before installing collar ties, check your building code to find out the required spacing between them. In our case, the required spacing was 4' between adjacent ties. Boxing In the Rafter Tails With the collar ties installed, the rafter tails extending to the house exterior can be finished, or "boxed in." Though it seems fairly simple, this is a somewhat tedious task, and one of the most time-consuming steps in the construction of the house. To begin, the carpenters nail a 2x2 wood strip along the top row of logs, underneath the eaves of the roof. A beveled 1x6 fascia board is attached to a subfascia 2x4 that was earlier nailed to the ends of the rafters (figure E). Shorter lengths of the same fascia board are used to finish out the corners of the rafters (figure F). This is a time-consuming step since it requires cutting several angles for an exact fit. Short pieces of tongue-and-groove 2x6 pine are nailed into place, secured to the bottom of the 2x2 strip and the subfascia board (figure G). The process is repeated until the rafters are enclosed from underneath, all the way around the house. Once all of the pine pieces are in place, and the rafters are enclosed, holes are drilled in the boards with an electric drill and a hole saw. The holes will accommodate the soffit vents (figure H). The vents are spaced about 12" apart (figure I).
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
Log Spirit
ISBN: 0879059257
Author: Linda Arms White
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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