THE RETURN OF THE CORDWOOD HOUSE

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I feel that there are three areas where prospective builders might well benefit from a different point of view.

[1] FRAMEWORK. I found the lack of framework in both the Henstridge house-and in the Steward house mentioned with it-disconcerting to say the least. And when Mr. Henstridge says that he started with "relatively green wood" and that he anticipates a four-foot accumulation of snow on his sod roof (a very heavy roof to begin with), I honestly fear for the longevity o1 his beautiful home.

There is little or no chemical bond between mortar and wood. Concrete blocks and lintels are often cast in wooden frames for that very reason (the frames are easy to remove). Besides that, logs check and shrink. The greener the chunks of wood used in cordwood construction, then, the looser the log-ends will even tually become in the mortar matrix. And even very dry log-ends will work slightly as the seasons change. Therefore, it's just as important to incorporate a load-carrying framework into a stack wood house as it is to include the stovewood masonry itself.

A good framework should support all of the roof load on a stackwood house. Our own cottage (see photographs) has a stun dy post-and-beam framework made of sound old barn timbers Such barn beams, we feel, are probably the best timbers to use with stovewood masonry infilling because they're dry (it would take five years to sufficiently season freshly cut beams of the same dimensions). They are also attractive and offer a pleasing contrast to the masonry, something like the Elizabethan "black and white" style of construction.

[2] TYPE OF WOOD. While it is true that "any kind of wood can be used to build a stackwood wall, as long as the wood is dry", I believe that cedar is by tar the best for any form of stovewood masonry construction. Remember that the end grain is left exposed to the weather in a cordwood wall and that water does not shed easily from such a rough surface. This means that you should take every possible precaution to protect stackwood construction from rot.

Cedar, as I've already pointed out, is far more resistant to rot than any other kind of wood. If you can't get cedar, try for Douglas fir, western larch, or old utility poles discarded by the telephone and power companies. Hardwoods and soft pine have the least resistance to rot of all and should be avoided whenever possible. It's also a very good idea to build a minimum twofoot overhang onto the roof over any stovewood masonry wall.

[3] INSULATION. Another reason I like cedar is because it is light and airy and, therefore, must have more insulation value than most other woods. Tightly grained hardwoods have a low "R" (resistance) value of .91 per inch, and softwoods, in general, have an "R" value of about 1.25. Although I've never seen test figures for cedar, I'm sure that it must run up to about 1.5 per inch . . . and-as you know-the higher the "R" number, the better the insulation.

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