At Doralnic we talked about log house ramming, log wall positioning, mentors and future plans

Most viewed video from the youtube channel Wooden magazine is about log houses. It is a subject that has always aroused interest, and the information conveyed by Dorin Văideanu and the certainty with which he speaks is, in my opinion, what captivates those interested. Doralnic, the company represented by Dorin, is one of the best known log house builders in the country. We recently went back to Coșna, to the Doralnic building site, to see what he has been doing since we last saw each other, what houses he has built, what plans he has for the future. For me, meetings with Dorin always mean interesting technical discussions in a field where quality information is hard to find.

Tasering, left and right shafts and other technical topics

The theme we had left Bucharest with was the tasking houses in bușteni. This is one of the most important aspects of this type of house and if it is not given proper attention, big problems can arise. I had the opportunity to see the aftermath of subsidence in a cottage near Gheorgheni where we stayed for one night. The floor, where the rooms were, was all tilted. After a short time in the room I had the continuous feeling of losing my balance, I was dizzy. The doors would hardly close (if at all) and the water in the shower failed to drain.

The wood is stained due to the drying of the wood. As the trunks are whole, water is harder to get out and it takes 3-5 years to reach equilibrium. Immediately after felling, free water comes out, which has carried nutrients into the tree. The wood quickly reaches a moisture content of about 30% without dimensional changes or tension. These occur when the bound water, which is part of the wood cell wall, comes out. This is how contracting which changes the size of the log. The most important changes are in the radial and tangential direction, while those along the fibre (longitudinal) are insignificant. As a result of water loss, the diameter of the log decreases, leading to its repositioning in the wall.

The construction of a log house is done in two stages. The first takes place on the builder's site, where the logs are processed and laid out to form the wall. This is also the first stage of the ramming. After processing, a gap of 1-2 cm remains between the logs, which disappears during the 3-4 months that the house is on site. At the end of the period it is disassembled, the logs are numbered and transported to the customer where the second stage of construction takes place. The house is erected again according to plan, after which it is left for a further 6-8 months before the windows, doors and installation and finishing work is carried out. The way the logs have been processed is crucial at this stage. Correct processing will ensure that they find their correct place in the wall resulting in solid, well-fitted houses. Incorrect processing will result in loss of tightness and holes in the wall, uneven planks.

Taxation continues after this period, but at a slower pace. In order not to damage doors and windows, they are mounted in a special frame with a weatherstripping box on top. The cassette will take up the pressure, the windows will not warp or crack and the doors will close normally.

Talking to Dorin we found out that logs can't be put in the wall of the house anyway. The addition of wood mass to the annual ring follows a helical pattern in resinous, like that of branches grown in a year on the trunk. In most trees this fibre twist is to the right. There are, however, also left-handed trees. Their contraction is different during drying and therefore they cannot lay down randomly. The tree's shape can be seen after removal of the bark, especially if it is done with a water jet. That's why Dorin bought such a system for peeling.

Mentors - teachers and log home builders from the USA and Canada

To get all this technical information, Dorin tracks down famous log home teachers and builders in the US and Canada. In the site office, among the chainsaws, chains and wood treatments, there's a small library of books by Robert Chambers, Allen Mackie and other specialists in the field. Chambers is a well-known teacher, consultant and home builder in the US, and Mackie is a teacher and log home builder in Canada, where he founded the log home school that bears his name.

In order to keep up to date, he is a member of the International Log House Builders Association (ILBA) from where he regularly receives newsletters with the latest building techniques, methods and materials. That's how he ended up bringing special strips from Canada for better sealing between logs.

Not quantity but quality. Better performing homes as close to "the key"

For Dorin it is not important to build more but better. He doesn't want to build more houses like last year, but more special ones, with new challenges. He wants to make log - timber frame houses, to have the opportunity to build large buildings that will challenge his skills.

A project for the future is to provide customers with the most complete service possible. That means from architectural design ideas, to strength design calculations, to interior design so that the client gets the house "turnkey". In this way they will be able to ensure quality to the end according to Doralnic standards. But it's a tough project that takes time, money and energy. Because a log house is hard to make, has a long lead time and the investment is only justified if the project is of a certain scale.

I talked a lot with Dorin, and I was on site from morning till evening, at the end of the program. We also filmed, so about all these topics, but also about the price of log houses, you now have the opportunity to learn more in the video below, made with Dorin Văideanu at Coșna.