HOW TO BUILD A VIKING LONGHOUSE

By Jesse HallPeriod 1

January 5, 2011

Supplies Needed

Shovels axes saws hammers Framing lumber varying lengths and widths Branches twigs and mud Rough hewn lumber 6 feet long (quantity of all materials subject to size) Roof joists Ladders 1 long center beam of thick wood 6-foot long poles

The Site Layout

Step One: Find a Level area that can support your longhouse, shaping the layout of the house like a Viking longboat with two arching side joining each other at both ends. Provide enough room for an extended family and servants.

Step Two: Make a second line about four feet inside the perimeter line to mark the edge your benches that will rim your inside wall.

Step Three: Every six feet around the perimeter of your longhouse, dig holes about three feet deep that are large enough to hold the framing posts.

Wall Construction

Step One: Set the post in the holes that you have dug. Notch crossbeams where they line up with the tops of the posts. Fit them together tightly. Lash the beams and posts together with green branches.

Step Two: Pack the Earth around the framing posts.

Step Three: Lash pre-cut rough lumber onto the wooden frame with green branches.

Wall Construction, cont.

Step Four: Daub thick mud into the joints between the boards to seal out the weather.

Step Five: Leave a six-foot gap in the middle of one wall to extend into a square entranceway.

Step Six: Build the frames for your benches that will line the insides of both walls. Clad the frames with rough lumber. The Benches should be about thigh high extending four feet inside from the wall.

Roof Construction

Step One: Join two pairs of roof joists on the ground. Hoist them above the two widest points, before the roof tampers down at both ends. With temporary posts, secure the two roof joists upright.

Step Two: Raise the pre-cut center beam between the tops of both end joists and attach all three sections together Securely.

Step Three: Attach all other roof joists to the center beam, spaced three feet a part.

Roof Construction, cont.

Step Four: Lay two more beams from the center beam to the opposing points. Attach shorter roof joists to complete the boat-shaped roof frame.

Step Five: Weave branches between the joists to support the outer roof layer.