Inside Cabins

THE log-cabin idea has been introduced into city houses and similar residences and commercial buildings because the rustic atmosphere pleases everyone. Basement recreation rooms, dens, and even whole houses, when finished with log siding or even real logs or slabs, have a charm never to be forgotten by the guest or disliked by the owner. The boy who has a log-cabin room in which to play and study will be the envy of all his playmates. With log siding and similar materials, it is possible to remodel any type of room tastefully and without great expense.

For a genuine rustic effect, slabs, which are sections sawed from logs when they are being reduced to square timbers, can be purchased at sawmills and lumber yards. These slabs are covered with bark on their curved surfaces. Care should be taken to see that they are not infested with insects. The slabs can be hewed or ripped with a saw to make them of fairly uniform width, with straight edges. The use of real logs gener­ally is not economical or desirable when an interior is being refinished. However, if the rustic room is being established when the building is in process of construc­tion, real logs can be worked in without much difficulty. The logs should, of course, be sound and free from in­sects. No particular precautions will have to be taken to prevent decay because they will be dry at all times. The third possibility is log siding in one of its various forms. Particularly pleasing is siding made of pecky incense cedar. In addition to being durable and attrac­tive, the wood gives off a pleasant odor.

There are various ways of applying the siding or slabs, or laying the logs, so that a genuine-looking in­terior results. Logs should be staggered so that their ends come together in the natural way. They can be notched in the usual manner and arranged without projecting ends, if desired. Standard chinking methods can be followed. When genuine logs are used, adequate supports should be provided to carry their weight.

Log siding or slabs generally are laid in horizontal rows with their ends coming together evenly, where they are mitered to fit snugly. A better but somewhat more laborious way is to stagger the rows so that a more realistic effect is produced. The boards can be fitted together at the corners with the aid of a keyhole or scroll saw. Any carpenter who has had experience with fitting moulding can do the work.

Another way of using logs, slabs, or siding is to arrange the pieces vertically, like the elements of a pole house. Generally, however, this construction is not as pleasing as that more nearly approaching the conven­tional cabin form.

When space is available, a beamed ceiling is a de­cided asset. A gabled construction can be used, the cross beams being of genuine logs either peeled or with the bark left on; or the beams can rest against a hori­zontal ceiling surface of an appropriate texture and color. By placing the beams against a knotty-pine ceil­ing covering, the desired rustic effect will be produced. Instead of logs, beams can be made of hewn cypress, redwood, or pine, either left natural or stained to simulate weathered wood. A silver-gray stain or one of the lighter shades of brown will do.

To complete the cabin effect, a massive stone fire­place is almost an essential. Follow recommended

The illustration above shows bow an interior may be made attractive by the use of log siding.

methods when building this, and design it so that real wood fires can be enjoyed. There may be local building regulations that govern such work. Native stone set in cement mortar is about the only true log-cabin fireplace construction, although some rustic southern slave houses had rough brick fireplaces that were white­washed. It is safest to stick to stone.

The arrangement of rustic chairs, benches, and other furniture; lighting fixtures made from wagon wheels and the like, and the installation of mounted deer heads, mounted fish, guns, snowshoes, and other articles that add to the cabin atmosphere, are matters not difficult to carry out.

There is another use for log-cabin siding, namely the producing of modernistic interiors. The round-log siding usually is employed. It is set vertically, in most cases, and combined with modernistic furniture and fittings. White, black, and colored enamels, and aluminum paints are used as finishes. The combining of curves with straight lines is effectively carried out, as demanded by the modern school of decoration. By using log siding, a modernistic interior can be produced at a reasonable cost. The job should not be attempted, however, without previous study of modern decorative art, for it is easy to produce a monstrosity instead of a charming room.

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How To Build A Log Cabin