We have calculated that we'll need to cut down almost 300 cedar trees in order to build a 1300 sq ft cordwood home. That's a lot! We'd be clear cutting quite a bit of our land. We're not so sure about doing that anymore.
Now we're thinking of building straw bale. With a straw bale home, we can get an R-value of 30-40, which is quite impressive for a wall!
Other issues we've been seeing with the cordwood, is making sure that our mortar mix is just right to ensure no cracking and therefore, no air leaks. The logs will expand and shrink naturally in the walls, and we would have to caulk up any leaks coming through. With the strawbale, there won't be any leaks and we feel that it might be a safer bet since we've got one shot at building our house. Sure it will cost us slightly more per square foot, but we think it will be worth it.
We do still want to build something out of cordwood, and it could be a studio on our property, or a cottage or cabin.
We are still going to document our progress and get really into it when we're ready to build.
The title and meaning of this blog has changed quite a bit, but the goal is still the same. We want to build a mortgage-free home. So, our blog is now called 'Building Our Love Nest... Mortgage-Free!', but the web address will have to remain the same.
I am sorry to those who have been following our blog specifically for cordwood purposes. It's not like we've done much anyway except move into the TS.
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