Jesse & Kit are living in the 768 sq. ft. tiny cordwood home they built, in central Wisconsin. It has a very smartly designed room-in-the-attic truss that adds an additional 360 feet of living space (2 bedrooms, 1/2 bath). Using best practices throughout, they have installed radiant in-floor heat, post and beam framing, 16-inch cedar cordwood infill and a metal roof. The R-value of the roof is R-50 and utilizes an energy-heel truss.
Jesse and Kit built their home for energy efficiency, using approved construction methods that are code-compliant.
The frame uses 8″ x 8″ posts of southern yellow pine with 6 x 8-inch tamarack posts on the inside to complete the 16″ wall. A dormer has been added to the 10/12 pitch roof to provide space for the two room-in-the-attic-truss bedrooms.
The insulated, split-faced block helps to keep drifting snow away from the cordwood log ends.
Note the large overhangs, gutters and gravel. This keeps splashback away from the cordwood. Work parties with friends and family help to speed the building process. Nearly 100 bottle logs have been made. There are special meaningful momentos in the walls.
Spongebob Squarepants bottle brick (a musky lure) keeps a sharp eye on the kitchen.
Here is an excellent example of using a random pattern approach when building a cordwood wall. About 70% of the logs are split to reduce loosening and primary checking.
The bottle bricks provide a light-show as the sun is setting/rising. Notice how tight and even the mortar joints are. The logs have a 1/2″ reveal that lets them stand proud of the wall.
This lovely house has all the comforts of home.
The kitchen is very attractive and functional.
The bathroom tub provides a place for a good soak and shower after a hard day’s work.
A close up of a nicely pointed cordwood wall. Note the coat hooks screwed into the logs. It’s easy to hang a picture in a cordwood home!
The wiring was “run” up the posts with 14’2′ wire.
The delightful family: Jesse, Kit and the girls.
To see more photos of this delightful home under construction go to https://cordwoodconstruction.org/tiny-cordwood-home
The framework was placed upon a Frost Protected Shallow Foundation (FPSF) with a rubble trench underneath.
The deep window boxes allow for good shelf space for plants, books and tools!
The framing for the deck was started while laying the foundation. The anchor post was placed into the foundation itself.
My compliments and a big thank you to Jody Jackson and Heather Ann for these wonderful photos.
Should you wish to learn how to build a cordwood cottage, cabin or home, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org While you are there, click on the pictures, read the brief articles, check out the latest workshops and newsletter and if you are interested click on the Online Bookstore to see all the cordwood literature available in print and ebook format.
If you have questions that aren’t answered on the website you can email me at richardflatau@gmail.com
Readers have requested a brief bio, so here goes:
“Richard & Becky Flatau built their mortgage-free cordwood home in 1979 in Merrill, Wisconsin. Since then, they have written books, conducted workshops, facilitated the 2005, 2011 and 2015 Cordwood Conferences and provided consultation for cordwood builders. Cordwood Construction: Best Practices DVD, Cordwood Construction Best Practices (print) and Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 are the newest publications available from their online cordwood bookstore.” www.cordwoodconstruction.org
Here is a jpeg of the new Cordwood Construction DVD cover which is also available for immediate download at https://cordwoodconstruction.org/
The 30 part menu for the Cordwood Workshop DVD.
