I got an understanding from a tour guide at a historic log cabin that they would often build the upper level wider than the ground floor.
It looks odd and even seems like it should be less stable.
But she said that it would make the walls stronger somehow, and had a little toy model to show it.
But now I’ve tried to tell someone else and lost the logic of it.
Anybody know about this?
It could since not lining up the walls for the full height would facilitate triangular bracing. You can simulate this easily with a model and show that the rectangles will not deflect as easily if the vertical walls are not full height.
However, my understanding was that the offset was primarily to provide better weather protection and durability. On a two story building, the eaves don’t do nearly as good a job of protecting the walls if they are continuous.
Sorry, no references, so I guess it’s just IMHO or IIRC.
Um. Triangular bracing? From above? Held in place itself by what? The lower story, perhaps, which is held in place by the foundation . . .
Cantalevering an upper floor, in the context of an old log cabin, was very difficult, and had nothing to do with making the structure stronger. In fact it had the opposite effect,and required then, as now, that the lower walls be made stronger to hold up the additional weight. As a practical matter, projecting the upper walls over the lower ones allowed one to shoot down at anyone who wished to gain entry without permission.
Gairloch