Log house

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Devin38115 said:
We are currently working in a log house that the home owner wants the outlets in the chinking of the logs. Any ideas on what kind of box we could use?
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Can you elaborate a bit more.
I have seen wires in the chinking but not outlets, too small a space.
I usually carve a niche for the outlet boxes and drill down or up to the box. Use jam keyways to bury wires too and drill across.
more info as to what you are referring to would be great.

I like wiring log homes. They give you a real chance at your skills.
 
This is a "natural" log, house, the gaps between the logs in most places are at least 4" the customer does not want any logs drilled or scalloped, wants them placed in the chinking horizontally. Thus is a first for us also.
 
Do not use metal

Do not use metal

Do not use metal boxes on log homes! I did my house almost twenty years ago and coming from the old school of them plastic crap boxes, I used metal boxes in my house. WRONG choice they are all rusting bad due to the treatment in the logs. I've done a few and never put them in the chinking but I would check to make sure there is no adverse affects from it with the wire cover.
 
Devin38115 said:
This is a "natural" log, house, the gaps between the logs in most places are at least 4" the customer does not want any logs drilled or scalloped, wants them placed in the chinking horizontally. Thus is a first for us also.
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I have done several log homes with natural logs anywhere from 12" to 20 inches in my day. I have never seen one where the chinking gap is 4". That chinking will srink and look terrible. Also of all the log homes done the best looking ones are the ones where we took the time to flatten an area for the plates wether vertical or horizontal.
Do you have a picture.
If I had a customer that was that pickey and trying to re-invent the wheel I would pass. Who knows what is next.

good luck!
 
Sierrasparky said:
I have done several log homes with natural logs anywhere from 12" to 20 inches in my day. I have never seen one where the chinking gap is 4". That chinking will srink and look terrible. Also of all the log homes done the best looking ones are the ones where we took the time to flatten an area for the plates wether vertical or horizontal.
Do you have a picture.
If I had a customer that was that pickey and trying to re-invent the wheel I would pass. Who knows what is next.

good luck!
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not sure his reasoning
 

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Devin38115 said:
not sure his reasoning
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Don't see how a horizontal box is going to fit without sticking way out. Your wires should be in before the chinking backing.
What happens when you get to the switch boxes with multiple switches , dimmers and stuff. How is the plate going to sit? The HO is going to build up a big wad of chink to surround the boxes. That will look great!
Also looks like the logs are pre finished. So what , that can be re-done and featherd in.

Why not use the old cloth covered stuff from the 1900's and do it knob and tube style. NOT!

I feel for you , But been there done that, I would run from this job. We electricians are not magicians. Sometimes we amaze ourselves but that is our imagination.
I see this customer going sour.
 
480sparky said:
I cannot make any suggestions as I can't comprehend 4" of chinking. Not no way, not no how.
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My sentiments.

If they are looking for old world, then maybe surface metal boxes and conduit. Ugly as all but I've seen it.
Push button switches
 
Re

Re

I should have taken a pic of a diff place the boxes fit no problem it's supporting them we decided on Arlington adjustable boxes so we had a to fasten to the log and also get the box out where it needs to be thankfully there is not all the many boxes in the logs and only 1 four gang switch box to deal with. It's a real pain but it's going some where. The HO is staining the logs as he has time to....we may not be magicians but we are the next thing to it some times, at least that's the way it feels
 
Last log house I wired had wide gap between logs, probably 4". Galvanized sheet metal strips fit chanells top and bottom, rubbery chinking material troweled on metal.

We used snapin boxes but it did not work out very well, if I get talked in to wiring another of these I'll use a different method.

It was Hearthstone Log Homes, handhewn logs.
 
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