Pictured above are photographs of the house I helped build and grow up in as a boy in Waterport, NY. It took 2-3 years of nights & weekends and was finished in 1988.
Cordwood (a.k.a Stackwood) Construction
One of my personal favorites because of my own life experience, cordwood construction is fast becoming a popular form of sustainable construction in the US and abroad. A cost-efficient (can be built mortgage-free) and sustainable building method utilizing log ends (usually 12-24” in length) laid transversely in a mortar matrix consisting of sand, Portland cement, hydrated lime, and soaked sawdust. Cordwood construction takes advantage of a dual layer wall system similar to a double paned window. The cavity between the inside and outside mortar walls is insulated with a mix of sawdust and a small amount of lime (rodent repellent) that keeps the home cool in the summer and holds in the heat in the winter. Cordwood homes started to peak in the mid 19th century in Wisconsin where farmers realized the cost and insulative benefits of this construction method. Cordwood structures built over 100-150 years ago show their durability by remaining intact and (in many cases) still being lived in throughout the United States and Europe.
If you would like to learn more about this incredible building method I would advise visiting THESE sites on cordwood:
1) www.cordwoodmasonry.com – (established in the late 70’s, Rob Roy offers years of expertise in his plethora of workshops)
2) www.daycreek.com – (Alan Stankevitz runs the best online forum for cordwood & sustainability I have seen to date and is EXTREMELY active on answering questions, mostly on cordwood construction. See some of the structures I helped build under ‘Meet The Masons’ – Peter & Dave Turkow)
3)Pine Tree Eco-Hostel in Ithaca, NY - A very cool project done for an Architechural Thesis by Erica Bush.
YouTube Videos on Cordwood Construction:
Cordwood Building Workshop - Good video that shows the basics and how children can be involved in the process.
Building a Roundhouse with Woodhenge and Cobwood - A fast pic-by-pic video showing the construction of a community-built cordwood structure, beautiful!
