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[edit] Kickstart's Answer Page

Please feel free to ask questions in any 'area of non-expertise' that you think I might have some information on.

GREG WEBSTER...........I`D LIKE TO MAKE NOTE THAT YOUR PAGE ON "CORDWOOD",SHOULD BE ONE OF YOUR MAIN AREAS OF NON-EXPERTISE.I HAVE THE LARGEST CORDWOOD BOARD ON THE NET.PLUS I WAS LICENSED BY A PROVINCE TO TEACH IT.I WAS OFFERED GRANT MONEY TO BUILD ONE FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO EXAMINE.I HAVE 44 YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE AND RESEARCH WITH LOGS AS A BUILDING MEDIUM.YET YOU CHOSE TO ELIMINATE MY BOARDS LINK AND TO DISMISS MY INFORMATION.STATING THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN MANY ARGUEMENTS ON OTHER BOARDS....WITHWHOM YOU SEEM TO HAVE SIDED.MY SYSTEM IS BASED ON COMMON SENSE AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE BUILDING MATERIAL.

HERE MY FRIEND ARE THE ARGUEMENTS : [1]I TREAT MY WOOD AS ALL WOOD IN NORTH AMERICA ROTS.NONE OF THE CORDWOOD BOOKS RECOMMEND THIS NOR ANY OF THE OTHER BOARDS.TREATING WOOD ALSO EXTENDS THE LIFE 5-10 TIMES.UNTREATED WOOD CAN ROT VERY QUICKLY.I KNOW OF SEVERAL HOMES BUILT BY THE CORDWOOD BOOKS THAT ARE ROTTING. [2]I BUILD MY HOMES 24" OFF THE GROUND,SEEING THAT ITS ORGANIC AND CAN ROT.NONE OF THE AUTHORS OR OWNERS OF OTHER BOARDS HAVE DONE SO.BUILDING OFF THE GROUND PROTECTS THE WOOD FROM MOISTURE AND INSECTS AS DOES THE TREATMENTS ABOVE.THEY BUILD LOW RIDERS AS I CALL THEM, SPLASHING WATER OR MELTING SNOW WILL SATURATE THE LOGS. [3]I PREFER TO BUILD WITH FULL BASEMENTS,IT HAS TAX ADVANTAGES,CHEAPER LIVING SPACE THAN A TWO STORY.RECOMMENDED BY ALL HOME BUILDING ASSOCIATIONS.YET,THE AUTHORS ARE AGAINST IT. RESALE VALUE ALONE IS A GREAT REASON FOR A BASEMENT.THE AUTHORS USE SLABS,BLOCK WALLS,CRAWL SPACES WHICH ARE HARD SELLS IN MOST AREAS.PLUS STRUCTURALLY INFERIOR. [4] I PEEL ALL MY LOGS TO KEEP INSECTS AWAY...SOME OF THE BOOKS DON`T RECOMMEND THIS. [5]I BUILD 24" THICK WALLS TO EXCEED THE R-VALUE AND TO ENSURE A TIGHTER HOME.THE AUTHORS HAVE BUILD HOMES WITH 9"+ WALLS ,WHICH WOULDN`T MEET CODE.YET TALK ABOUT THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY.DAH! [6]THE BOOKS RECOMMEND SAWDUST AND LIME INSULATION.THE AUTHORS KNOW FULL WELL THAT THIS BECOMES CEMENTINOUS AND WHEN THE LOGS SHRINK THEY LEAVE GAPS IN THE WALL AS IT PULLS AWAY.ALLOWING AIR AND RAIN TO PENETRATE THE INNER WALL.I RECOMMEND STRO FOAM BEADS THAT REMAIN FREE FLOWING AND FILL ANY GAPS. [7]I RECOMMEND THE KISS RULE,THATS KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID.I ONLY BUILD SINGLE STORY HOMES WITH A FULL BASEMENT AND LIVE IN ATTIC TRUSSES.YOU SEE THE MORE MORTAR JOINTS THE MORE AIR INFILTRATION.THE AUTHORS RECOMMEND TWO STORY HOMES.THE EXTRA WALL HEIGHT REDUCES THE ROOFS OVERHANG AS PROTECTION FROM THE WEATHER.ALSO CORDWOOD IS A VERY HEAVY WALL,SO BUILDING IT TWICE AS HIGH CAN BE A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM. [8]I TIE MY ROOF TRUSSES INTO MY WALLS WITH 18" ANCHOR BOLTS TIED INTO THE WALL.THEN SIMPSONS HURRICANE TIES TO TIE THE TRUSSES TO THE TOP PLATES.THE AUTHORS RECOMMEND PLACING BENT NAILS IN THE TOP PLATE AND SETTING IT INTO THE MORTAR.LOCAL ENGINEEERS LAUGH AT THAT. IN MY ARE THE ROOF WOULD BE GONE IN THE FIRST WIND STORM.

            GREG.....EVEN THE AUTHORS IN LETTERS POSTED AGAINST ME ON THE NET,SAY MOST OF WHAT I SAY IS TRUE.COMMON SENSE ALONE WOULD CONVINCE MOST PEOPLE THAT ITS TRUE.SO MY FRIEND 

I SEE YOU SIDED WITH PEOPLE WHO USE INFERIOR METHODS.PLUS THEY TALK ABOUT MYTHICAL WOODS AND 1000 YEAR OLD CORDWOOD STRUCTURES THAT DON`T EVEN EXIST.BUT YOU PUBLISHED THAT!

                      CORDWOODGUY

PS: I`VE TRIED POSTINGS TO GET YOU TO REPLY.EMAILS,POSTING REQUESTS ON SOME OF THE CITES YOU FREQUENT ETC.I HAVE A BOARD WHERE I REVIEW CORDWOOD BOOKS.CAN I GET WIKIPEDIAS PERMISSION TO REVIEW THEIR CORDWOOD PAGE? ITS FULL OF MISTAKES AND MISINFORMATION. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cordwood2

cordwoodguy@yahoo.com