Building Your Home With Your Own Wood
The most rewarding experience a forest owner can have is to build their own home with trees harvested from their land. Gordon and Patricia Greene have been doing just that, beginning one year ago when they bought some land just south of Spring Green.
The first walk of the woods had revealed several patches of dead Red Oaks that had been killed by the Oak Wilt fungus. There were enough dead trees to construct a Timber Frame cabin, plus provide thousands of board feet of lumber to get their flooring business up and running.
Gordon's son, Alex Greene - felling dead Red Oaks
Lumberjack Mike came over and skidded the logs up to the upper field. Some aspen, walnut and white oak were also salvaged in the area of the oak wilt. A log truck hauled the logs down the hill to the sawmill.
Son in law -Gary, Alex, Friend from Hawaii - Michael, and local builder Joe
Timbers were cut from the centers of the logs for the cabin, and the 4/4 lumber was stacked for drying. The timbers were taken to Baraboo, where Glenville Millwrights performed the layout and notching.
All of the pieces were cut in the shop, then delivered to the building site in March, 2007.
In one day, the timber frame was assembled - with the help of a crane. This is one strong building!
Wood pegs hold the assembly together.
Dovetails join the joists
Alex (right, Gonzo, and Rebecca straight line rip their kiln dry oak lumber to be used as ceiling paneling for the cabin. This will be the next step in construction, followed by the installation of Structural Insulated Panels for the roof system.
This wood was then tongue and grooved with a V-groove at the edges. It is very rewarding to take standing dead timber and turn it into a beautiful home!
Carpenter Dave selects and trims the V-grooove paneling for the ceiling
Brian does the roof work, attaching the oak strips to the purlins
The next piece is fitted into place - one board at a time.
The lower edge will be trimmed with a circular hand saw.
The deck is added - May 1