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R MacDonald | 01-28-2007 07:27 PM
Cordwood Masonry Homes Cordwood Masonry http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/DC_cor4.jpg Defined Cordwood masonry or what is sometimes called "stackwall" or "stovewood" is a form of house construction that consists of laying whole or split wood, width-wise in a bed of mortar. When looking at a cordwood wall, log ends are the only part of the wood that are visible. The wood actually rests on two mortar beds that are each about 4" thick - one mortar bed is the outside of the wall and the other bed is the inside wall. In between each bed of mortar, insulation in the form of lime treated sawdust or other insulative materials fill in any empty space between the logs and mortar. The thickness of the wall is determined by the length of the cordwood used. Typically, walls are anywhere from 6" to 24" thick depending upon the builder's need for energy efficiency. <table align="right" border="0" height="231" width="270"> <tbody><tr> <td> http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/dclodge-1.jpg </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Cordwood Lodge - Upper Wisconsin </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Cliff Shockey of Skaskatchewan, Canada uses two cordwood walls. Each wall is made up of 8" of cordwood and a layer of mortar. Insulation and a vapor barrier are sandwiched between the walls. This method makes for a greater energy efficiency and less air infiltration. Although you would think your labor would be double in such a method, it is not. Pointing the mortar only needs to be done on the outside and inside facing walls. History In an article titled "Poor Man's Architecture" appearing in Harrowsmith No. 15, writer David Square says, "Curiously, the origin of the technique remains mysteriously obscure. In Siberia and in the northern areas of Greece, stackwall structures estimated to be 1,000 years old are still standing. Yet no one is certain where it all began." <table align="left" border="0" width="260"> <tbody><tr> <td> http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/dcpolish.jpg </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Stovewood House, Old World Wisconsin </td> </tr> </tbody></table> In Wisconsin, cordwood houses started appearing with the first settlers. Old World Wisconsin is a village that is made comprised of early settler's houses that were built throughout the state by immigrants. In the village, there is a cedar cordwood house that was built by Polish immigrants sometime in the 1880's. Their chicken coop was built right into the side of the house. This very well may be the first documented case of a cordwood chicken coop! By the way, the house pictured here is not on its original foundation. The house was taken down log by log, each log numbered in sequence and then rebuilt at Old World Wisconsin. The logs in this house are over 100 years old and still look like they were cut only a few years back. Rob Roy states in his book Cordwood Masonry Housebulding "Cordwood building is rather simple and that spontaneously people around the world figured out how to make cordwood houses by stacking cordwood. It's one of history's mysteries." What are the advantages of building a cordwood house? (sorry, misnumbered but complete) <table align="right" border="0" width="262"> <tbody><tr> <td> http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/dcgeorgia.jpg </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Southern Cordwood House, Georgia </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Cost - The cost of building a cordwood house can be considerably less than a standard wood frame house. It all depends how much of the labor you can do yourself and it depends how frugal you are in finding all of the necessary components to build the house. After reading numerous books and listening to those who have built, you can easily cut your building costs in half compared to a standard wood frame house built by contractors. It's a lot of your own labor, but your labor is cheap! Energy Efficiency - Cordwood houses provide two benefits: good insulative values and thermal mass. Since the inside mortar joints are insulated from the outside wall, the mortar acts as thermal mass to keep your house at a more consistent temperature. The cordwood itself is sort of an insulator and the density of the wood will have a slight effect on its efficiency. Sawdust or other materials fill in the cavity between the mortar and help insulate the walls. Cliff Shockey has written a book Stackwall Construction - Double Wall Technique. Cliff lives in Saskatchewan, Canada and knows what it's like to build houses in cold climates. In his book, he discusses the benefits to building two cordwood walls with a vapor barrier and insulation in between. With this technique, you can expect to gain even greater energy efficiency. Rob Roy states that a 16" cordwood wall has approximately an R value of 20. Cliff states that a 24" (8" cordwood + 8" insulation + 8" cordwood) double wall has an R value of 40. Cliff's double wall technique is more time consuming and may require additional post and beam framing, but for those who want a better R value this might be the way to go. Ecology Friendly - Although a cordwood house uses natural resources, it is made of materials that you can "harvest" yourself. There's nothing wrong with thinning trees from a woodlot when a woodlot is managed properly. By cutting your own <table align="right" border="0" width="210"> <tbody><tr> <td> http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/dcalberta2wall.jpg </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Double Wall Cordwood, Alberta, Canada </td> </tr> </tbody></table> wood, you have control over preventing any ecological damage to the land and animals. You can also recycle glass bottles and use them in construction of your walls. The walls look nice with colorful bottles. Easy to Build - Cordwood houses don't take a lot of skill to build. As long as you are capable of stacking logs with mortar and have basic carpentry skills, it's not too difficult to do yourself. Just make sure that you have the necessary building code approvals ahead of time. Rob Roy also has workshops available if you would like to try your hand at it before attempting to build it by yourself. Pride - There's a lot of pride and joy associated with building your own dwelling. Cordwood houses make it possible for just about anyone to experience the thrill of building your own house. Fire Resistance- In the 1994 CoCoCo (Continental Cordwood Conference) papers, there's a good article on fire penetration and flame spread of a cordwood house. The article discusses a real life fire that occurred when a propane-fired freezer exploded. Although the house did eventually burn, it took a two days for the house to be destroyed. The insurance company after witnessing this, dropped their insurance rates on cordwood houses finding them far superior to conventional stick frame houses. What are the disadvantages of building a cordwood house? Time Consuming - Building a cordwood house will take more time to build than a conventional house. Depending upon how much free time you have will determine how long it will take you to build. Building a cordwood house is labor intensive. You're making a trade here with your time vs. your money. Resellability - I don't know if this is a big problem or not. I haven't seen too many cordwood houses on the market, but it might be harder to sell a cordwood house just by the mere fact that most people have never heard nor seen a cordwood house. But then again, once you live in your own cordwood house, why would you ever want to leave? Building Permits - Although I had no problem in getting our building permit, I'm sure that it would be more difficult to obtain a permit in urban areas. Residential areas are always more stringent on building permits. Again, most people (including building inspectors) have never heard nor seen a cordwood house and are surely going to be skeptical of its integrity. It's Addicting - After you build your first, your likely to want to build another... <table align="left" border="0" width="260"> <tbody><tr> <td> http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/dchutchnden.jpg </td> </tr> <tr> <td> Hutchnden House Bed & Breakfast, Ontario, Canada </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Where to go from here? If you would like to find out more about cordwood masonry, there's a number of good books describing most aspects of cordwood houses. Here's a list of books available on the subject (most sold throught the authors listed in the Meet the Masons section) or visit our Links page to view some of the Internet sites available on the web.

R MacDonald | 01-28-2007 07:39 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry GOOGLE LINKS Cordwood Masonry: Earthwood Building School <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Cordwood masonry is an old building technique whereby walls are constructed ... Cordwood masonry is also beautiful, combining the texture of stone masonry ... www.cordwood masonry.com/Cordwood.html - 6k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->Cordwood Masonry since 1981 : Welcome to the Earthwood Building ... <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Workshops in West Chazy, New York by Rob and Jaki Roy in cordwood masonry and earth sheltered housing. www.cordwood masonry.com/ - 8k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->Cordwood Masonry <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Join us on our adventure to build a cordwood house in Minnesota. Day Creek Journal is updated almost on a weekly basis as we build our house step by step. www.daycreek.com/dc/html/DC_cordwood_masonry.htm - 23k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->FAQ's about Cordwood / Stackwall <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Frequently Asked Questions About Cordwood Masonry (a.k.a Stackwall) ... A. Cordwood masonry is a wall building technique commonly used to build homes, ... www.daycreek.com/dc/HTML/faqs.htm - 19k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->Remodeling : Earth-Friendly : Cordwood Masonry : Home & Garden ... <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Cordwood masonry construction offers the strength of masonry with less cost. www.hgtv.com/hgtv/rm_architecture_ecological/<wbr>article/0,1797,HGTV_3661_1378607,00.html - 36k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->Green Home Building: Natural Building Techniques: Cordwood <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Describes the technique of building with cordwood, which uses short pieces of round wood embedded in masonry, for creating natural, sustainable buildings, ... www.greenhomebuilding.com/cordwood.htm - 41k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->Countryside Magazine <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Cordwood masonry is low in cost, easy to do, highly energy efficient when done ... But it is not a problem with cordwood masonry, because we lay the wood ... www.countrysidemag.com/issues/3_2001.htm - 49k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->Cordwood Masonry <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Cordwood masonry (also known as stackwall construction) is a technique that has been in use for several centuries. There are reputedly older structures ... http://www.geocities.com/PicketFence...945/index.html - 11k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->the Otherpower.com Discussion Board || Cordwood masonry <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">Cordwood masonry | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 editorial) ... "people have actually build a small cordwood masonry log home very cheaply and lived in it ... www.fieldlines.com/story/2005/9/21/14857/5123 - 34k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--m-->Book: Cordwood Masonry Housebuilding by Rob Roy <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="j">The key advantages to cordwood masonry construction are: economics, energy efficiency, ease of construction, esthetics and ecological harmony. www.baproducts.com/cordwood.htm - 6k - <nobr>Cached - Similar pages</nobr><!--n--></td></tr></tbody></table> <!--z-->

R MacDonald | 01-28-2007 07:53 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Frequently Asked Questions About Cordwood Masonry (a.k.a Stackwall) http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big> Q. What is cordwood masonry?</big></big> A. Cordwood masonry is a wall building technique commonly used to build homes, barns, saunas -- just about any structure that uses walls above grade. The walls are comprised of debarked cordwood and some form of a mortar. The widths of the walls are equal to the length of the cordwood. Typical wall widths vary from 8" to 24". Various species of cordwood can be used and typically builders use species that are commonly found in their area. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. What is the difference between cordwood masonry and stackwall?</big></big> A. Cordwood masonry, cordwood construction, stackwall, log-end and stove wood all describe the same type of housebuilding method. Canadians tend to favor the word stackwall while us Yanks tend to use cordwood masonry. Other names for cordwood masonry are: stovewood, stackwood, log-end and cordwood construction. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. Where did cordwood masonry originate and how long has it been in use? </big></big> A. Cordwood masonry's origins are unknown. There are some homes in Canada that are between 100 and 200 years old. In the United States, there's a house at the Old World Wisconsin Museum that was built in the 1884, complete with a cordwood chicken coop. There are also known examples over 100 years old in Sweden. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. How much does it cost to build a cordwood home?</big></big> A. This varies based on how much of the labor is done by the builder and by the materials used. If you have your own supply of wood, the only cost to building a cordwood wall is the mortar and sand. The foundation, roof, floors, plumbing, electrical and fixtures are all up to the home builders discretion and therefore can vary the cost greatly. If one fells their own trees and barters construction materials, a house can be built for around $10 per square foot. (Cost of well, septic and electric not included.) http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. Are there any species of cordwood that are not recommended for building cordwood walls?</big></big> A. It is best to use softwoods but if in your area hardwoods abound, it is still possible to use them in certain circumstances. Different species of hardwoods can have quite different expansion capabilities. It is highly advisable to build a test wall first to see how they expand after being mortared into the wall. IF the hardwood is extremely dry, there's a chance that the wood will significantly expand causing structural damage to the wall. (There is a known instance in which oak cordwood expanded to the point that it lifted a post and beam frame off of a bolted foundation plate. ) Test first! http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. How do you know when the wood is dry enough to build a cordwood wall?</big></big> A. The debarked wood is dried just like any other piece of firewood. Under protective cover, wood is typically dry in 6 to 12 months depending upon the species and weather conditions. If you take two pieces of wood and hit them against each other they should make a "clinking" sound. If they make a "thud", there probably still too green. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. Do the logs shrink after a while?</big></big> A. Yes, this is true. Especially after the walls are dried out by internally heating the house. There's a good chance that you may need to caulk around the logs after a couple of heating seasons, but you should only need to do it once. Silicon caulk or Permachink are commonly used due to their elasticity. The key is to let the wood dry out first before applying the caulk. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. How much maintenance is there to a cordwood home?</big></big> A. Not much other than the initial caulking. The walls will probably outlast you as long as there is an adequate overhang on the house to keep the walls dry the majority of the time. Other maintenance such as the roof and internal wear of the house is pretty much standard maintenance just like a conventional home. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. Is it hard to build a cordwood wall?</big></big> A. No, just time consuming. There's a lot of manual labor involved in building a cordwood house. Building the walls can be done by just about anyone, but it is labor intensive. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big> Q. Do you need to point the mortar?</big></big> A. Pointing is the process of smoothing out the mortar around the logs and giving some "relief" between the mortar and the wood. Some people prefer the flush wall look and others like the logs to extend outwards slightly from the mortar. Pointing tends to give the wall a more finished look, but does extend the amount of time that it takes to put up a wall. It's a personal preference. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/images/line.gif <big><big>Q. What's the deal with the bottles?</big></big> A. Some builders like the look of adding colorful bottles to the wall. Bottle-ends as they are called is nothing more than two bottles (necks inwards) wrapped in tubing, mortared into the wall. If you want to use colored bottles, make sure that one end is clear otherwise they will be too dark. It's not a necessity, but quite a few builders use them. It also helps bring in outside light to a dark room such as a closet. http://www.daycreek.com/dc/HTML/faqs.htm

fritzkrieg | 01-28-2007 08:35 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry I've been studying this method of building for some time now, and expect to build a small structure this summer, if I can get enough logs cut this winter. I really think this method has a lot of merit. I visited a home in Wisconsin that was mostly cordwood, built maybe 15 years ago, and was rather impressed. Material cost is pretty low, but the amount of labor is not insignificant. All in all, it is a viable method for people not afraid of a little work. Also need to qualify for necessary building permits. You have some really good links presented here. Rob Roy, in my opinion, has done more for the alternative building movement in this country than anyone. He has written a number of excellent books on building. If anyone out there is into lower cost DIY house building, Roy will be an inspiration to you.

hoarder | 01-28-2007 08:36 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes Horizontal wood rots quickly. It takes a long time to dry out.

fritzkrieg | 01-28-2007 08:51 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes Quote:
Originally Posted by hoarder (Post 490066) Horizontal wood rots quickly. It takes a long time to dry out.
well, that can happen, of course. But the lime mortar discourages rot, especially with wide soffits. There are some very old cordwood buildings around both in US and Canada. The rounds need to be kept a ways off the ground, at least a foot minimum. Using proper species helps a great deal, also. I am going to experiment a bit on a small building, perhaps a sauna.

Kahlil Gibran | 01-28-2007 08:58 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes 1 Attachment(s) Attachment 23377 End grain rots very quickly. :Zzzz: termite nightmares

Tn...Andy | 01-28-2007 09:16 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes I keep having this picture of the wood rotting out or eaten out by termites, then the masonary shell is left looking a lot like a Swiss cheese house :D

fritzkrieg | 01-28-2007 09:18 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes "End grain rots very quickly." When the cut logs are off the ground a bit, and away from soil contact, they do not rot quickly if they are allowed to dry properly. The end grain does absorb water more readily than through the sides, but again if allowed to dry properly this is not supposed to be a big problem. As far as sealers are concerned, you would think they would be of great help. There are some that say they are not even necessary. But I would think something on the ends would help a lot. As far as termites or other bugs are concerned, they are no more of a problem than in other types of wood construction. High and dry is always the best defense, in any case.

fritzkrieg | 01-28-2007 09:23 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes My biggest concern with this building method is the shrinkage of the wood inside the mortar. No matter what, there is always a small amount in drier conditions. I just think it's a real interesting metod, admittedly with possible drawbacks. But it's a building one man can do himself, totally, and with materials found on his own land, unprocessed. Sometimes you can use trees that would be fit for no other purpose than firewood.

hoarder | 01-28-2007 09:34 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes Quote:
Originally Posted by fritzkrieg (Post 490124) But it's a building one man can do himself, totally, .
Let me tell you I used to be a remodeler and I know several building trades. Getting mortor to do as I say is surprisingly difficult and take quite a while to learn. Don't undersestimate that part. I would rather build a straw bale house than a cordwood one, not that I like either method. Building a conventional framed cabin is actually easier than most people think. Get a carpentry book and build a storage building for practice.

REV127 | 01-28-2007 10:19 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes Cordwood probably works better in colder, dry climates than warm, wet climates. In general I'm a fan of alternative construction methods. I am building my new home out of bones.

hoarder | 01-28-2007 10:30 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes Quote:
Originally Posted by REV127 (Post 490206) Cordwood probably works better in colder, dry climates than warm, wet climates. In general I'm a fan of alternative construction methods. I am building my new home out of bones.
If you built your home out of human skulls mortared together I bet you wouldn't have much trouble with local thugs WTSHTF.

RiverRat | 01-28-2007 10:30 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes :coolbeer: Good Post RMac... I am quite familiar with the technique and unless you have a source of free timber the cost of the concrete alone will boggle your mind. It will also be a bummer trying to get the local building inspector to approve any construction without a certified structural analysis that meets minimum codes. As a small storage structure or semi greenhouse for personal use the bean counters and county building inspector might let you build it unmolested. However,a full blown residence might be hard to get approved in some areas that discourage all construction of anything but conventional,politically correct designs. In my area they tow the party line. There are no unconventional underground,rammed earth,straw bale,cord wood structures of any kind. Bottom line is they flat out will not allow you to build it. Banks won't finance it,county codes won't pass the plans and if they spot it from the air on their yearly flyover checking for illegal construction you will be fined and forced to tear it down. This might not be a problem in your area...in mine it is hard to get a permit to build a pole barn...they consider it a public eyesore even if it's in a remote area on your property. This kind of mentality is what's wrong with America. They discourage any and all self built construction. I have a friend with a general contractors license and he sees this getting worse and worse every year. JSP will soon not be allowed to put gravel on his driveway without a permit from the bean counters. Codes vary from state to state,and county to county. Just be sure you can legally build the thing before you get your hopes up...if not,relocating to another area might not be such a bad idea. :cool2: :cool2:

Masonic Plot | 01-28-2007 10:30 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes That is very durable construction. Ive been a mason for 15 years now, I have never done one of those but always wanted to. Someday I just may. Rat is right though, this is a big problem in America. I helped build a straw bale home here in Arizona, you can look it up online, just google SOLAR HAVEN. The group that I worked with to build it had to do it all out of pocket, no bank would even look at us. But the owner now is working on getting some sort of backing. Now sure how thats going, but they generally shun that sort of alternative thinking. This is the place we built here in Arizona several years back. Its a real neat place but we had a HELL of a time with inspectors, its COMPLETELY OFF GRID and they dont like that at all. http://www.solarhaven.org/SolarHaven...1200LABELS.jpg

R MacDonald | 01-28-2007 11:36 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes A good lecture on this very subject.... <dl><dt>Actor John Quaid speech on constitution </dt><dt>and common law at 1995 preparedness expose. </dt><dt> </dt><dt>(John Quaid is the Father of famous actor Dennis Quaid) </dt><dt> </dt><dt>DOWN LOAD MP3 </dt><dt> </dt><dt> http://www.oicu2.com/afc/john_quaid.html </dt></dl> Part 2 DOWN LOAD MP3 http://www.oicu2.com/afc/john_quaid2.html I say to TPTB.... http://www.holgilein.de/schauda/vers...dle_finger.jpg

Unclad Lad | 01-28-2007 11:49 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes I'm much more taken with the Earthship concept-used tires are mostly free for the taking.

wallew | 01-30-2007 08:56 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes RR, While I appreciate your dilema, the first mistake you make is ASKING for some one else to give you permission. If you just 'do your thing' and then wait for someone to notice, you will generally get by. Plus, it depends on HOW you handle intruders. If you allow them access, you have created your own set of problems. But I'm a crusty sort that don't call 911 and don't need permission to do things on my own property. Yes, occasionally some terp at the city or county level gets their nose out of joint, but we ALWAYS end up in court where they lose. If YOU OWN THE PROPERTY and are outside the city limits, LEGALLY they can't do much. No, I'm not an attorney, nor do I play one on TV. But way too many people ALLOW all these pin head bean counters onto their property and then THINK that what they say goes. AS DO THE INSPECTORS OR WHATEVER. And they never know how to handle ANYONE who doesn't tow their line and tells them EXACTLY WHERE TO GET OFF. I've been through this several times here in Denver. I always represent myself and have never lost one yet. That sound? That's me knocking on wood. I've got a court case coming up in two days. Neighborhood inspectors tried to 'bully' me into pulling down a perfectly good fence and shed because it doesn't meet their NEW code. But my fence is in good repair and has been in place WAY before any codes were passed. Ditto on the shed. The judges here KNOW the law. So we will see. But this falls under the 'you get what you accept' type of thing. I could have 'followed' the direction of these pin heads, but told them categorically that if they EVER entered my property again without my written permission (after the first run in) that they had best be accompanied by a police officer or they would find themselves under citizens arrest, waiting for the police to arrive to arrest them for CRIMINAL TREASSPASS. Needless to say they did NOT like that. But they NEVER entered my property again. Except once, WITH A COP, to serve me the summons to go to court. Which I knew would come eventually. But when it's all said and done, they will lose and I will win. With the judges ruling of 'not guilty' if they EVER bother me again, I WILL perform a citizens arrest ON THE SPOT, because of double jeopardy rules on the books here in Colorado. just my .02

Tn...Andy | 01-30-2007 09:09 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes You might also arrest them on federal charges, Wallew.....to wit: Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241 Conspiracy Against Rights This statute makes it unlawful for two or more persons to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person of any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the United States, (or because of his/her having exercised the same and Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242 Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law This statute makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to willfully deprive or cause to be deprived from any person those rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution and laws of the U.S. Acts under "color of any law" include acts not only done by federal, state, or local officials within the bounds or limits of their lawful authority, but also acts done without and beyond the bounds of their lawful authority; provided that, in order for unlawful acts of any official to be done under "color of any law," the unlawful acts must be done while such official is purporting or pretending to act in the performance of his/her official duties. This definition includes, in addition to law enforcement officials, individuals such as Mayors, Council persons, Judges, Nursing Home Proprietors, Security Guards, etc., persons who are bound by laws, statutes ordinances, or customs. Punishment varies from a fine or imprisonment of up to one year, or both, and if bodily injury results or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire shall be fined or imprisoned up to ten years or both, and if death results, or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death. The original intent of these statues were to stop whites from preventing blacks the vote......but clearly this applies to ANY official attempting to deprive you of your rights using the "law" ( or even local regulations ) as an excuse.

R MacDonald | 01-30-2007 09:53 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes And the County 'Permit' Office says........................... :smokin: To Protect (the banksters) and to Serve (you papers)... http://www.madisonsheriff.org/images/FL000003.jpg

Scorpio | 01-30-2007 09:55 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes gasilat, your meat locker? Masonic, fantastic, nice pic also, definitely two thumbs up Rat, You are such a friggin' downer..........take some No Doz man and chill, :coolbeer: La, LaLa, LaLa, LaLa, For you Rat: Humpty Dumpty was up on this friggin' wall you see, 'til he fell down and broke his damn head open, dumb a$$ As for the subject at hand, why bother? Too much fiddlin' around with masonry, when you can get the virtual same mass effect using hand hewn logs of sufficient size. Over time, masonry joints can go bad if the improper type is used, as evidenced by the old limestone mortar they used years ago. Crumbled to nothing, rendering foundations worthless. Couple that with endgrains, and it doesn't work for me. One of those earlier pics was in Wisconsin, and it held up. There are no termites here, too cold. We typically don't have the very extended periods of excessive moisture, either in rain or humidity, to cause problems in expansion of the wood vs the mortar.

blueice | 01-30-2007 11:21 PM
Re: Cordwood Masonry Homes Quote:
Originally Posted by RiverRat (Post 490219) :coolbeer: Good Post RMac... I am quite familiar with the technique and unless you have a source of free timber the cost of the concrete alone will boggle your mind. It will also be a bummer trying to get the local building inspector to approve any construction without a certified structural analysis that meets minimum codes. As a small storage structure or semi greenhouse for personal use the bean counters and county building inspector might let you build it unmolested. However,a full blown residence might be hard to get approved in some areas that discourage all construction of anything but conventional,politically correct designs. In my area they tow the party line. There are no unconventional underground,rammed earth,straw bale,cord wood structures of any kind. Bottom line is they flat out will not allow you to build it. Banks won't finance it,county codes won't pass the plans and if they spot it from the air on their yearly flyover checking for illegal construction you will be fined and forced to tear it down. This might not be a problem in your area...in mine it is hard to get a permit to build a pole barn...they consider it a public eyesore even if it's in a remote area on your property. This kind of mentality is what's wrong with America. They discourage any and all self built construction. I have a friend with a general contractors license and he sees this getting worse and worse every year. JSP will soon not be allowed to put gravel on his driveway without a permit from the bean counters. Codes vary from state to state,and county to county. Just be sure you can legally build the thing before you get your hopes up...if not,relocating to another area might not be such a bad idea. :cool2: :cool2:
Good post, Rat. With some exception I totally agree with you.

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