From an aesthetics point of view, cordwood building may not appeal to everyone but that’s okay. What matters is that you like it.
Too much firewood is not a worry for most Canadians. But if you have a plentiful wood source, time on your hands and a lingering itch to create, consider cordwood building.
Like most things, it looks easy — no instructions required. Slap down some mortar, press in a chunk of wood, trowel the excess, keep it straight, repeat ad infinitum. Wrong. Do your homework.
You might want to start by reading Cordwood Building by builder/writer Rob Roy. This revised edition lives up to its billing as A Comprehensive Guide to the State of the Art. Roy has devoted a 40-year career to cordwood building and the result is an illustrated encyclopedia, its history and the dos and don’ts you need to know.
There’s a lot to learn. Roy takes you through it step by step and he’s upfront about problems you may encounter and how to avoid them:
The list is long but here are some of the more important considerations.
--Can you use any wood available? No, softwoods work better for reasons that include thermal R-value, and to avoid checking.
--Do you need to peel the bark first? Yes, Roy explains why and how.
--Can you use a regular mortar mix? No, and he gives you his tried and tested recipes.
--Do you need to season the wood to avoid shrinkage? Yes, but not too moist or too dry. He tells you how to get it just right.
--Do you need reinforced corners? Yes, unless you are building round or curved, and he provides options.
--Do you need to build double walls with an insulating space between? Recommended for insulating value and enduring livability. And more work … but again, he tells you why and shows you how. Nothing beats experience.
If you’re all fired up to try cordwood building, a final word of caution. Baby steps. Build small first to test your resolve and work out the kinks. I wouldn’t recommend an outhouse — those work best if you move them from to time — but how about a shed, small workshop, animal shelter or, if you’re feeling really confident, small cabin.
From an aesthetics point of view, cordwood building may not appeal to everyone but that’s okay. What matters is that you like it. Done right, you’ll get that unique satisfaction that allows you to rightly proclaim, “I did this and it’s pretty damn good.”
- Jim Durham