Logs should be cut, peeled, and laid on skids well above the ground for at least 6 months before being placed in the building. This may not always be possible, but it is a good rule to follow. Logs should be stored in a single deck with 2 or 3 inches between them to permit complete exposure to the air. Logs having a sweep or curve should be piled with the curve uppermost so that their weight will tend to straighten them while they are drying. Where the skidding space is limited, logs may be double-decked, using poles between tiers. Unrestricted air circulation materially aids seasoning.
Sort the logs carefully before starting construction, using the better ones in the front or other conspicuous walls of the building. If the logs are not uniform in size, the larger ones should be placed at the bottom of the walls.
For practical reasons the dimensions of a log building are the inside measurements taken from one log to the corresponding log in the opposite wall. Outside dimensions vary somewhat with the size of the logs, thus accounting for the use of inside measurements. Where projecting corners are desired, logs should be at least 6 feet longer than the inside dimensions of the building. In erecting the walls, the logs should be kept even or plumb on the inside faces if it is desired to finish the interior with wallboard or plaster.
The corner is one of the most important aspects of log construction. On it the appearance and stability of the structure depend. Different types of corner construction are in use in the United States, each varying in accordance with local building customs or individual taste.