Log Diary: 1808 Bob Timberlake Log Cabin Project |
Log Diary: 1808 Bob Timberlake Log Cabin Project
Restoration of 200-year-old cabin
Who knew back in 1808, when this massive authentic log cabin was built, that 200 years later, it would bring together two gentlemen who share the same passion—old log cabins?
One was Bob Timberlake, a famous, well-known artist from Lexington, N.C., whose work encompasses an array of paintings featuring Mother Nature to a simple flower blooming against an old rock wall to the warmth of his fine furniture collection.
The other man, Butch Phillips, is the founder of Grandfather Mountain Log Homes from Pittsboro, N.C. Although he produces traditional log homes and cabins, his passion is reclaiming authentic antique log cabins. "You cannot reproduce the hand-hewn marks or the aroma of a 200-year-old log, but you can preserve it for others to enjoy for another 200 years to come," he notes.
Through conversation, and mutual interest and friends, Bob and Butch were introduced, and the story begins. According to Dan Timberlake, Bob's son, the cabin to Bob's studio was disassembled and stored. It was clear that there was no more room to build this cabin, and they wanted to know if Butch had interest in buying the cabin. The answer was "yes."
"The purpose of building this cabin is very simple: It is for my family and friends to enjoy—to finally create a cabin that hopefully will be enjoyed by all who sit, relax and reminisce about the past, present and future," Butch says.
Join us as we start the step-by-step journey of rebuilding and recreating a log cabin of yesteryear.
| Log Home Diary: Entry #1 |
 Finding the right location.By Butch Phillips We've finally found it: the perfect location to put the 1808 log cabin! After only 18 months of searching, we have the most undeniable setting you could imagine. During a conversation, Bob Timberlake asked me, "What do you plan to do with the cabin, and where are you going to put it?" I answered the "what" question—to create a guest cabin for family and friends—but in terms of where, I told Bob I had no idea. My wife, Karen, asked me the same question: "Well, where do you put the cabin?" It's simple: The mountains I've been building and developing on the last nine years in Boone, N.C., and Blowing Rock, N.C., along the Blue Ridge Parkway...(Click to continue) |
| Log Home Diary: Entry #2 |
 Blueprints and Third-Party Inspections.By Butch Phillips Obtaining your building permit from the county and/or state can be an eye-opening experience, to say the least. Building inspection offices are for the protection of consumers against people who build or use inferior products. And when it comes to old log cabins, we have to deal with the past, present and future of these products. The past: What can time tell us? Our 1808 cabin has withstood the test of time—storms that can snap trees like toothpicks and make rooftops sail, hurricanes and high winds that can cause walls to collapse. Only solid foundations can survive Mother Nature's unbridled fury. Our cabin stood for 200 years, braving the Civil War, Great Depression and harsh winters, because its builders were great craftsman. The homesteaders built their cabins to endure hot summers and cold winters, harsh times and good times; it was their home...(Click to continue) |
| Log Home Diary: Entry #3 |
 Relocating an Authentic Log CabinBy Butch Phillips How many disassembling and moving processes must an authentic log go through from the time you find it until it is finally reconstructed? The answer is many times—too many to count. In fact, the more I count the heavier the logs become! The thing about old cabins is that, although some cabins are just standing there in their original form, some have been covered with layers of updated siding as the home grew with each generation of homeowners—from old stamped shingle patterns in either red or gold hues to lap wood siding and even additional layers of vinyl, brick or rock. Once those layers have been removed, then you can start actually disassembling the cabin, preferably in late fall after the first good heavy frost to avoid possible bee or hornet nests. (Wintertime is best, but the cold winds can blow right through you.)...(Click to continue) |
| Log Home Diary: Entry #4 |
 Obtaining Additional Reclaimed MaterialsBy Butch Phillips Never in my 19 years of authentic cabin hunting have I found a log cabin that was 100 percent complete—i.e., all the logs were intact and in great condition, the roof had no leaks, all the joists and flooring were without sag or rot—just sitting there waiting for the right person to come by and simply relocate this perfect cabin to its new site. Instead, it is quite the opposite. Six to 10 years ago, you could find cabins that would grade out 80 percent of the logs or better. Today, there are less authentic log cabins, old barns and other wood structures available, so you take what you can get and be thankful. For example, back in 2008 and 2009, we must have looked at 20-plus cabins and purchased three; one man gave us one that wasn't worth hauling off. Finding the a good cabin requires a lot more traveling, reclamation of more old structures and less yield per unit for your work. Count on discarding about 40 percent of the materials in any structure because of damage, decay or breakage during takedown...(Click to continue) |
| Log Home Diary: Entry #5 |
 Surveying the Area and Positioning the CabinBy Butch Phillips One of the major decisions to make during the building process is where to place a cabin. But isn’t it fun. Many people have walked onto their property and said, “This is it. Right here is the perfect spot—no question!” Then they decide to tweak it, moving it backward and forward, right to left. Patience will be tested in by how many times the cabin may be moved. There are so many things to consider: the perfect site, angle, approach and axis. At Justice Plantation, there were only two decisions to make in determining where to place the 1808 log cabin. The area where the cabin would be placed on the plantation was a given, but positioning the cabin properly might take a little planning. Not only did I have to contend with the basic elements of siting the cabin...(Click to continue) |
| Log Home Diary: Entry #6 |
 Weather Issues: Rain Plus Snow Equals DelaysBy Butch Phillips Even the best-made building plans can come to a screeching halt and leave your hands tied. It is called weather. We always factor in additional build time due to weather delays--typically two weeks in flat areas and 30 days in the high country. That does not always work out; sometimes you have only have a few days of bad weather, depending on what time of year you are building. In our case, we are only 89 days behind schedule because we elected to work with the current weather conditions: rain--some days three to four inches--snow, freezing rain, and more rain and snow. The ground was saturated. The grass had plenty of water and was in good shape, but that all changed drastically when we brought in the equipment to dig the footers for our cabin. We created nothing but a mud pit. The grounds went from wet grass to knee-deep mud and a torn-up work area. Even when the footers had been dug out, rain filled them up with water...(Click to continue) |
Butch Phillips and Bob Timberlake pose outside Bob's studio in Lexington, N.C. The larger of the two structures, the cabin used to create the studio was completed in 1809 and measures 26-by-52 feet. The original footprint of Butch's cabin is 20-by-40 feet.
The new cabin will be relocated to Justice Plantation in Pittsboro, N.C., about an hour east of Lexington. This old barn, located on the property, will be deconstructed and turned into rustic reclaimed furniture.
In addition to the reclaimed barnwood, additional materials located on the property, such as mule stones, will be incorporated into the cabin and other structures planned for the plantation.
In addition to the reclaimed barnwood, additional materials located on the property, such as stones from mule stalls, will be incorporated into the cabin and other structures planned for the plantation.
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By dusty fisher on Oct 30, 2009
This is a grate project to see. I have seen reclaimed projects in Montana for sale ( a bit overpriced out there) but its time people used what is out there instead of everything brand new and never as good a quality of old forest wood. Best of luck with this project.
By MIKE MCMILLAN on Oct 31, 2009
I RESTORED AN OLD LOG CABIN THAT BELONGED TO THE GRANDFATHER OF MY WIFE. IT WAS MOVED TO THE MATTHEWS MUSEUM IN GALAX VA. WE STILL REPAIR OLD CABINS IN THIS AREA. BOB HELPED MY DAD DESIGN THE GAS SYSTEM IN OUR MOBILE HOME PARK IN WINSTON SALEM IN EARLY SIXTIES. HIS NAME WAS TROY MCMILLAN