Cordwood Drying Shed shows-off Tuck Pointing Perfection

Chuck Hine of Calumet Michigan built a magnificent wood drying shed on the western shores of Lake Superior. The tuck-pointing on his cedar wood drying shed/bunkhouse is excellent. His mortar joints are clean, the wood is standing proud 1/2 inch and the overall random shapes add to the appeal. The open eaves allow for airflow. They could be easily filled in with snow blocking to make this into a tight, Tiny Cabin (192 sq. ft). The detail of the boards overlapping the cordwood shows the level of workmanship.

Tuckpointing is a way to compress and thereby strengthen the mortar. It should not be overdone. Three times is enough or you risk pulling the lime out of the mix.

The first tuck-point is done with the gloved hand. The mortar is compressed and firmed.

The second tuck point is done with a knife or a spoon.

The final tuck point is done with a brush to smooth the mortar. Log faces can also be cleaned at this time.

The logs and the boards were cut with a Woodmizer and stickered before they entered the drying shed.

The wood is stickered with 1″ by 1″ sticks to allow air to flow through, moisture to escape and prevent the wood from twisting.

Incredibly valuable information for those who are planning to take the cordwood plunge. IF you are going to build using the cordwood method, why not learn to do it the best practices way? Many people have made terrible mistakes by now following time-tested methods. Learn to do it by watching and listening. Then build a practice wall. If you need more experience take a workshop OR build a small shed.

The Cordwood Workshop DVD is the absolute best video available. Over an hour of specific instruction on everything from plumbing, electrical, framing, wood selection, drying, mortaring, tuckpointing, curing, maintenance, etc.