A Log-End Cave
(Page 4 of 5)
January/February 1981
By Robert L. Roy
In addition to the windows, we installed three double-paned acrylic skylights to let the sunshine into other parts of the house. They were moderately expensive ($348 for three, in 1977) but of good quality. (Keep in mind that a skylight admits about five times more illumination than does a wall window of the same size.)
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To provide for ventilation, we installed large beadboard-covered vents—in every room—which can be adjusted to produce any cross-draft situation we need. Our woodburning stoves get their combustion air from the outside via 4" under-floor vents.
The fact that we have an excellent view of the nearby forest from our south windows contributes to the house's airy atmosphere, as does the open plan for the living-dining-kitchen area. Our chimney is centrally placed to provide a "roomy" feel, too, with one woodstove on each side of a massive stonemasonry heat sink. The perimeter chambers are separated by internal timber-framed walls, which keep the bedrooms four to eight degrees cooler than the living area . . . just the way we like it for sleeping.
CUT THE COST
Another factor that we had to consider in designing our home-and one that's not peculiar to underground housing —was that of cost. Earth-sheltered homes have the reputation of being expensive, since contractors generally charge about 10% more to build a belowground dwelling than they do for a surface home of the same size.
If the structure is owner -built, however, the cost can be kept down to between $10 and $15 per square foot, depending upon the builder's resourcefulness and upon whether or not his or her area suffers from overly stringent building codes. Our LogEnd Cave's total price—including excavation, landscaping, and $660 worth of outside labor—was just under $8,000. (By building near the cottage, we saved the cost of duplicating its already installed windplant and septic system.)
And just where, you may wonder, was stackwood masonry used in the underground structure? Well, it serves as infilling on the south wall and north gable end, and as an interior design feature. Our external walls consist of 10" cedar log-ends laid within a heavy post-and-beam framework, much as did those of the cottage. We also found that short 5" log ends were ideal to fill in the spaces where the 4 X 8's passed over the 10 X 10 barn beams.
In our four years of experimentation, we've found that "sawdust mortar" (consisting of 3 parts of sand, 3 of sawdust, 1 of Portland cement, and 1 of lime) is ideal for use with wood masonry. It seasons slowly, eliminating mortar shrinkage, and is extremely strong. (Remember, though, when mortaring the log ends together, that an insulation space should be left between the external and internal joints to arrest heat loss!)
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