Cordwood construction is an old fashioned building technique by which walls are constructed of short logs – called “log ends” – laid-up widthwise in the wall, like a rank of firewood. The walls are easy and economic to build, and are green and energy-efficient because of the special insulated mortar matrix which surrounds each log-end. In addition, the walls have a unique and attractive appearance, combining the warmth of wood with the pleasing texture of stone masonry.
Richard & Becky Flatau of Cordwood Construction Resources in Merrill, have been teaching this building technique for 27 years, and will be conducting a 2-day Cordwood Masonry Workshop on Sept. 11-12 at UWSP’s Treehaven campus near Tomahawk. The workshop will be the cordwood infilling of cordwood greenhouse next to Treehaven’s organic garden. For more information, call Richard or Becky at 715-536-3195, 715-212-2870, email them at [email protected] or go to www.daycreek.com and click on the Tomahawk cordwood workshop link for registration details.
Or go to http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/treehaven/publicPrograms.aspx Registration can be paid in a half now, half later arrangement.
Cordwood has a unique history in Wisconsin. Cordwood Construction traces it roots to three distinct localities: Scandinavia, Quebec and Wisconsin. Many homes and barns were built in Door County in the late 1890’s. There is the Kruza cordwood home with attached barn at Old World Wisconsin (Eagle, WI) which was built in 1884. The Meichalski Cordwood Store near Pelican Lake, WI was built in 1899 and was restored by the Kohler Foundation in 1986 and now serves as a museum for the town of Jennings.
Hundreds of modern day cordwood homes and outbuildings have been built in Wisconsin in the past 30 years. These homes are energy efficient, green, esthetically attractive and economical to build. There is also a beautiful, round cordwood home in Land O’ Lakes, WI built by Frontier Log Homes in 2002.