Wiring Log Houses

[ROBERT GANDARILLA]

I need help. I just got a set of plans from a contractor for a log house. I haven't wired log houses before. Does anyone have any idea on how to run the wires and how to set up boxes without them being exposed on a log house wall? If you guys know any tricks or about any special materia/equipment I should have on hand, please give me your suggestions.

Thanks for your help

[Brady Electric]

I have wired several log houses and just finished one in March of this year.
I suggest that if you have never done one you need to let it go.
Log houses have changed in the way they are built compared to later years.
They say the holes are pre drilled but in most cases they are not.
I cut my outlets in the logs about 13 inches from the floor or where the box is in the center of a log around 13 inches.
Switches are cut around 43 inches or in a log about that height in the center.
I use long flex bits where needed.
If the house has a full basement it is much easier.
If the house is on a foundation or crawl space sometime you have to cut the outlets in the baseboard.
Each house is different and I strongly suggest that if you don't have allot of electrical experience you need to stay away from them. It is easy to loose money because nothing goes as planned.
I like wiring them because the price is about double of a stick house but like I say its hard if you don't know what you are doing.
If you choose to do this be careful in pricing .
You will need to use metal gain-able boxes.
Some homes don't have a place to put the panel so you need to set a weather proof one outside at the meter base. I like to use a meter base combo panel if that's the case.
Good luck on making the right decision. Semper Fi Buddy

[Dennis Alwon]

Robert-- it really depends on the style of log that is being used. I have done a few many years ago. The first one I did had a flat log at the floor level (flat on the inside) and I was able to mount a 4x4 box with a plaster ring and just drill straight down into the crawl space. They then created a baseboard there and hid all the wiring and boxes.

The switches were wired on interior walls where we could but otherwise we had to drill through the logs and notch out the logs. We drilled the holes with extensions to the auger bits and we did it before the roof or the second floor was install so we could drill straight down. A real PITA.

[electriciangirl]

I've done a few and actually kinda like wiring log homes. They present a challenge and give me a break from stick frame after stick frame. The last one I did I switched from metal gangables to Arlington's black boxes with the screws inside. I believe the cat. number is F-101, F-102, etc. depending on the gang of the box. You have to chew a little more wood out to get them in, but you get so much more box volume to work with.

[blue spark]

Lots of "tricks" to log home wiring. One thing I'll tell you is doors and windows are your friends. If you can get there before they install but have the RO's cut out you can router out channels for wires and drill up and down with a 4 foot auger. Switch and recep locations I use a grinder and flatten the log to the plate size. Then trace the box on the flat. Drill in with a 3/8 at the corners slightly at angle away from corners. Then a jig saw. On bigger boxes I use a 2 1/8 self feeder to remove some wood before I cut with the jigsaw. If you can find a log home being wired and get in there, it would help you a ton. We do about 4 a year. There's alot involved.

[ptonsparky]

Did a few some years ago. We marked the floor of the entire house before the first logs were set with device locations. The GC drilled the logs as they were set and cut the holes for boxes. Takes some planning on everyones part including the owner. NO kitchen cabinet change is allowed.

[bkludecke]

We have done hundreds of them over the years. I agree with most of the tips already offered. If I were in your shoes (and I was once) I would look at this as if I were paying for continueing education. Go slow and learn from your mistakes.

On my first one I took a few pieces of scrap log home and practiced drilling and cutting in the boxes. That saved a lot of embarasment on the jobsite. You may develope your own methods. We use plastic boxes and wire the first floor from underneath which means a lot of crawling (no basements out here). As stated previously, doorjambs and window opennings can save you. Just be sure to protect your wires properly before the doors are set. Also co-ordinating with the other trades is a must, you'll be making many trips to the jobsite.

If you never do one you'll never get good at it. As for pricing, I price as usual and then add one to one and a half manhours per gang in the logs plus a lump sum (usually 1-2k$) for the PITA factor.

[satcom]

Just run in EMT, on surface, and your done.

[frankft2000]

Just run in EMT, on surface, and your done.


Ya, youl'll be done before you get to the second box!! lol

[satcom]

Ya, youl'll be done before you get to the second box!! lol

We have plenty of cabins around here, and most of them are surface wired, why would anyone try using standard wiring construction on a Log Cabin?


EMT, and stub ups on the walls, makes a nice job without notching, and doing a butcher job. on the Logs.

[bkludecke]

We have plenty of cabins around here, and most of them are surface wired, why would anyone try using standard wiring construction on a Log Cabin?

'cause it looks bitchin'. These are not machine shops, they're people's homes. We take alot of pride in seeing how nice a job we can do and how much of the HOs $$ we can spend. :D


EMT, and stub ups on the walls, makes a nice job without notching, and doing a butcher job. on the Logs.

We don't 'butcher' anything. We take our time, talk to the log in low quiet tones, play soothing music to the log, ply the log with some good wine until she is willing; then we ever so gently have our way with the log. Never any regrets the next morning.:wink:

[480sparky]

We don't 'butcher' anything. We take our time, talk to the log in low quiet tones, play soothing music to the log, ply the log with some good wine until she is willing; then we ever so gently have our way with the log. Never any regrets the next morning.:wink:

That's one reason they cost so much.... all that labor is necessary. In a 3,000 ft² 'normal' house, I can usually switch & plug the whole thing in less than a day. But a log home? Sometimes 4-5 days just plugging & switching.

[bkludecke]

That's one reason they cost so much.... all that labor is necessary. In a 3,000 ft² 'normal' house, I can usually switch & plug the whole thing in less than a day. But a log home? Sometimes 4-5 days just plugging & switching.

Where we are the price is usually secondary. These people have money and expect quality (sometimes in the most bizarre ways) and we are here to accomodate them.

Log houses have never made much sense to me. But niether do Hummers in the driveway, $200k in used furniture (they call them antiques), $500k home theaters..............

Our motto is "our only limit is your wallet":smile:

[480sparky]

Where we are the price is usually secondary. These people have money and expect quality (sometimes in the most bizarre ways) and we are here to accomodate them.
Our motto is "our only limit is your wallet":smile:

Same for my log-home customers.

[stickboy1375]

We have plenty of cabins around here, and most of them are surface wired, why would anyone try using standard wiring construction on a Log Cabin?


EMT, and stub ups on the walls, makes a nice job without notching, and doing a butcher job. on the Logs.


I think the industrial look went out awhile back... ;)

[chris kennedy]

Same for my log-home customers.

Ken, could you post the pics. of that last log home you did?

[stickboy1375]

The last log building I did was actually a store on a lake, I roughed the place in with just the deck framed, and the carpenters actually took care of all the log drilling and box cutting in, made the job real nice... at least for me.. :D

[satcom]

I think the industrial look went out awhile back... ;)

When done right, there is no industrial look, you really don't see most of the EMT everything in the ceiling is hidden, and the stub ups are short, even the switches can be set in the door frames.

[stickboy1375]

When done right, there is no industrial look, you really don't see most of the EMT everything in the ceiling is hidden, and the stub ups are short, even the switches can be set in the door frames.


I've always drilled them log by log, but would love to see some pics of your way...

[480sparky]

Ken, could you post the pics. of that last log home you did?

I don't have many of the one I was working on when you were here in hog heaven since that one isn't ready for a photoshoot yet. These are of one I finished early this year....

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04995a.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04991a.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04572a.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04923a.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04893a.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04895a.jpg

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04811a.jpg

[stickboy1375]

I don't have many of the one I was working on when you were here in hog heaven since that one isn't ready for a photoshoot yet. These are of one I finished early this year....






I didn't see any outside receptacles... :D

[480sparky]

I didn't see any outside receptacles... :D

Trust me. There's 9 of them. It's an art form to keep them hidden but handy!

[blue spark]

Hey Ken, regarding the cans in the vaulted ceiling. Was that roof trussed or SIPS panels or......I think those were cans. Sun tubes maybe?

[blue spark]

EMT, and stub ups on the walls, makes a nice job without notching, and doing a butcher job. on the Logs.
Wow! That just would not fly up here at all.

[480sparky]

Hey Ken, regarding the cans in the vaulted ceiling. Was that roof trussed or SIPS panels or......I think those were cans. Sun tubes maybe?

They're cans.... 12/12 pitch slope ceiling cans. The ceiling is framed with 2x16s.

[blue spark]

They're cans.... 12/12 pitch slope ceiling cans. The ceiling is framed with 2x16s.
Interesting. Framing resting on the perlans and rafters then. That's a little different than the systems they use up here. We can't get any cans in the ceiling.

[trigger]

Think about putting in floor plugs around the walls, to help save time in alot of the areas. Also, less mistakes on cutting in the logs. I know that sure has saved me a few times.

[iwire]

We have plenty of cabins around here, and most of them are surface wired, why would anyone try using standard wiring construction on a Log Cabin?

Why would anyone that wants the look of a log home want to see EMT or any other surfaceway? :-? :-?

[480sparky]

We have plenty of cabins around here, and most of them are surface wired, why would anyone try using standard wiring construction on a Log Cabin?


EMT, and stub ups on the walls, makes a nice job without notching, and doing a butcher job. on the Logs.


Because they don't want to see it. I have a difficult time just putting in switches and receps because 'they don't look good' in log homes. But Code is Code... I tell the HO they have to install them. So they want them to look as good as possible.

Here's how mine come out:

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc172/480sparky/DSC04952a.jpg

[jayrad1122]

The one house we are building is half log half stick. The switch boxes are cut in to the center of the logs. Since the box is close to the doorway, the contractor notched out the center of the doorway up until the box. We ran the wire up in the notch then drilled a hole to the corner of the box and put the wire in. This house does have a full basement that will have a drop ceiling so sometimes we are using j-boxes to tie everything together. Receptacles are just drilled up from the basement and all the wire is run under there.

[Brady Electric]

Can't believe anyone would use EMT to wire log houses.
EMT would be O.K. for a small hunting cabin or storage house, but definitely not a fine home.
I bet that really makes the resell value high "NOT"
I have never cut the logs out that much to put outlets in.
Each house is different and I enjoy wiring them.
I try to wire every job like it was mine and never do anything I wouldn't want in my home.
Good luck and Semper Fi Buddy