Effective Practices and Methods for Handcrafted Log Home Construction
by ILBA

This document describes methods, practices, materials, and techniques for building handcrafted log homes that are made from logs that largely retain their individual and natural shapes. Construction methods include: walls constructed of horizontally-laid logs, with interlocking overlapping notched corners, and with full-scribe-fit long grooves.

"Effective" practices and methods are defined as having proven themselves over time for large numbers of experienced and skilled log home builders. In preparing this publication, the International Log Builders Association (ILBA) has relied upon the experience of the hundreds of ILBA Members, who are log home builders, designers, and engineers. The Effective Practices & Methods (EP&M) provides reliable advice to help you make informed decisions.

Download a 13 page sample of the EP&M - 1.6MB PDF

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$22.50 plus tax (download as PDF file - 43.9MB)

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$28.00 plus $6.95 shipping and handling ($34.95)

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Log Home Construction From Log Shell to Finished Home
by Dalbor Houdek

This publication focuses exclusively on finishing the log building. It covers provisions right from the foundations to ensure that the sill log will be tightly sealed, all the way to the installation of kitchen cabinets in a manner that will allow the logs to settle without damaging the cabinetry. Each chapter of this book depicts one aspect of the building process and provides several options for finishing them using a diverse selection of techniques and products available to builders of log homes. Drawings depict the placement of high performance sealants e.g., sealants, wind-proofing membranes and vapour barriers, and explicitly show how to use and install them so that they effectively perform their function. The book is intended to be a guide, educational material, or at least a food for thought when developing new log building solutions and assemblies.

$49.99 plus $15.00 shipping and handling ($64.99)

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Robert Chambers DVD Box Set 1 "Building Log Walls"
by Robert Chambers

One Boxed Set with 3 DVD discs -- 5 hours of video! It's the most modern, best produced, most complete log home dvd on the market. Excellent production values, and modern log building skills like underscribing, compression saddle notches, selection rules and selection mapping and more . . .

$89.95 plus $6.95 shipping and handling ($96.90)
ISBN 978-0-9715736-2-8

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A Boy’s Big Book of Jigs
A LOG BUILDER’S REFERENCE TO JIGS, TOOLS + TECHNIQUES

Cost: $95.00 plus $15.95 shipping ($110.95)

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Log Span Tables for Floor Joists, Beams and Roof Support Systems
by A. Mackie, N. Read, T. Hahney.

Includes tables for sizing log joists and beams as well as Log Building Standards for Handcrafted Construction printed at the back.

$25.00 plus $6.95 shipping ($31.95)

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The Swelling and Shrinking of Wood: A Practical Technology Primer
by Otto Suchsland

This book addresses "the fundamental concepts of the swelling and shrinking of solid wood and wood-based composite products and serves as an invaluable guide in the design, manufacture, and use of these products." Order a copy from the Forest Products Society. www.forestprod.org or phone 608-231-1361 ext. 202.