DEREK......I`VE NEVER WITNESSED THE LOGS ROTTING ON THE INSIDE IN CONVENTIONAL LOG BUILDINGS.THE HEARTWOOD IS MORE RESISTANT THAN THE EXTERIOR SAPWOOD.ALTHOUGH SOME TREES ARE SUBJECT TO HEART ROT AND SOME GET PUNKY.WHERE YOU SAID THE ROT FOLLOWS A CHECK THIS WOULD BE TRUE AS THE WATER COULD LAY AND RAISE THE MOISTURE CONTENT TO OVER 19% WHICH IS IDEAL FOR ROT.
BUT IN SCANDINAVIAN SCRIBE FIT THE LOGS HAVE WEDGES DRIVEN TO CREATE A CHECK IN THE JOINT.TO ELIMINATE EXTERIOR CHECKS..NOT 100% EFFECTIVE.PLUS AFTER ALLOWING THE LOGS TO DRY AND SEASON AND WHEN TREATED PROPERLY CHECKING CAN BE ELIMINATED ACCORDING TO SOME COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS.SHOULD THEY CHECK AFTER SEASONING FOR AWHILE YOU CAN JUST TURN THE CHECK DOWN TO DRAIN NATURALLY.PLUS A GOOD OVERHANG OR WALK AROUND PORCH CAN PROTECT THE LOGS EVEN FURTHER.TREATING THE LOGS WILL KILL OF THE MICRO ORGANISMS ,SO IF THEIR FOOD SUPPLY IS CUT OFF NO ROT.
ALL WOOD CAN ROT ON THE EXTERIOR FROM WEATHERING ... EITHER FROM MOISTURE OR UV RAYS.THATS UNLESS THE WOOD IS TREATED.
DEW POINT WOULDN`T EXIST IN ALL WALLS.AIR TIGHT CORDWOOD WALLS 24" THICK OR 30"+ EARTHSHIP WALLS SHOULDN`T HAVE
ANY DEWPOINT.WHEN THE MASS IS THICK ENOUGH THE WARM AIR AND COLD AIR SHOULDN`T MEET TO FORM MOISTURE/DEW POINT.WALLS THAT HAVE MOISTURE PROBLEMS WOULD HAVE A VAPOUR BARRIER.VAPOUR BARRIERS AREN`T REQUIRED IN LOG BUILDING,CORDWOOD OR EARTHSHIPS.LOG BUILDINGS ARE KNOWN TO BREATH NATURALLY AND CONTROL THE MOISTURE THATS WHY NO VAPOUR BARRIER TO MEET CODE.
DEREK......WOOD BREATHS,MASONRY BREATHS AND CONCRETE BREATHS.LOGS EVEN IN THE 1000+ YEAR OLD CHURCH I MENTIONED WOULD BREATH.A CONVENTIONAL LOG HOME WALL SHRINKS AND SWELL TO MEET THE EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE AIR.THEORETICALLY,A LOG WALL WILL RISE AND FALL ABOUT 1" EVERY YEAR WITH THE SEASONS.
SWELLS IN WET SEASONS AND SHRINKS IN DRY SEASONS.TO PROVE THIS
LOG HOMES HAVE STEEL THREADED RODS THAT HAVE SPRINGS TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS.I`M SURE EVERYONE HERE ON THIS FORUM HAS HAD A WOODEN DOOR SWELL AND THEN SHRINK BACK LATER THE SAME PROCESS
DEREK......WOOD KEPT WET CONDSTANTLY IS DEPRIVED OF OXYGEN.THEY ARE MINING 400 YEAR OLD LOGS OUT OF THE GREAT LAKES AND SOME MAJOR WATER WAYS USED IN LOGGING IN BYE GONE DAYS.
THESE LOGS ARE PERFECT FOR MILLING.THEY EVEN DUG SOME CEDAR LOGS OUT OF AN ANCIENT BOG AND MILLED THEM.FOR WOOD TO ROT YOU NEED THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE,OXYGEN AND MOISTURE.REMOVE ONE OF THESE ITEMS AND THE WOOD IS PRESERVED.NOT ALL WOOD ROTS IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.PAO LOPE CAN LAY ON THE GROUND IN BRAZIL FOR OVER 50 YEARS WITHOUT DAMAGE.HURON PINE CAN LAY FOR CENTURIES ON THE GROUND AND THEN BE USED.I BELIEVE I READ A POST HERE ON THIS FORUM WHERE A GUY FOUND A LARGE LOG LAYING ON THE GROUND.HE KICKED IT AND FOUND IT SOLID ON THE INSIDE.HE DECIDED TO USE IT AND FOUND IT SOLID ON THE BOTTOM.THE ONLY ROTTING I`M AWARE OF IS IN SILL LOGS AND AROUND WINDOWS WHERE THERE WERE LEAKS.THIS CAN BE PREVENTED WITH BETTER BUILDING PRACTICES.IN THE SCANDINAVIAN SCRIBE FIT METHOD,WATER WOULD HAVE TO DEFY GRAVITY TO CAUSE ROT IN A WALL.THE WALL NATURALLY SHEDS RAIN WATER.
THERE ARE CORDWOOD SAUNAS
DEREK...NOT ALL LOG HOMES USE LOGS HORIZONTALLY,THERE ARE VERTICAL LOG HOMES AS WELL.[THESE ARE POPULAR IN ALASKA.]


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