You can use a small cabin for a trip like a vacation getaway, a hunting excursion or just a retreat from the hustle and bustle of your normal workweek. You can build this simple, inexpensive and easy-to-maintain cabin yourself in your spare time with regular carpenter's tools. Even if you have never attempted a project of this magnitude, with a little planning and hard work you can end up with professional results.
Instructions
1. Design a floor plan. Keep it simple for ease of construction and to keep costs down. A 24-by-24-foot cabin will be more than big enough for a bedroom, a full bathroom, kitchen and eating area and a small living area or den. Make a material list and price all of your supplies before making any purchases. Plan ahead and have all of your materials on hand before starting construction.
2. Determine the type of foundation you want for your cabin. Use concrete pillars (stacked concrete blocks) set on undisturbed virgin soil for a quick and easy foundation. Dig 3- to 4-foot-deep holes and set 6-by-6-inch pressure-treated wood posts into concrete for a more permanent foundation. Pour a concrete foundation for the most longevity and a more traditional look.
3. Construct the cabin's floor joists from 2-by-10-inch lumber on 16-inch centers. Use pressure-treated lumber for termite and moisture resistance. Cover the joists with 3/4-inch oriented strand board for the subfloor. Nail together the outside walls from 2-by-4 lumber, using the cabin's floor as your workspace. Raise the walls and brace them using scrap lumber. Build your inside walls in the same fashion. Lift the roof trusses into place and nail them to the outside wall top plate. Brace as needed until the walls and roof are sheathed.
4. Use metal roofing and siding for a maintenance-free exterior. Screw roofing panels directly to 2-by-4 furring strips installed at 3-foot intervals across the roof trusses. Install a vapor barrier or house wrap to the exterior walls before installing the siding. Use color matched screws with weatherproof rubber washers to attach roofing and siding panels.
5. Install standard-size windows and doors from your building center to save costs. Flash all of the window and door openings using black tar paper. Carefully level windows and attach to the wall framing using 2-inch galvanized screws. Shim and level the doorjambs and screw through the jambs into the wall framing.
6. Insulate your cabin using fiberglass rolls. Use cans of expanding foam to seal all cracks and holes. Add plumbing and electrical wiring if needed. Use drywall for interior walls or wood paneling for a more rustic look. Add kitchen cabinets and countertops. Check salvage shops for used cabinetry and fixtures to save money.
7. Install a stand-alone wood-burning stove or use a vent-free propane wall heater for more even and reliable heat. Plumb your gas lines iron pipe. Use a portable 50- or 100-pound propane tank for your fuel supply if your cabin is in a remote area.
Tags: your cabin, cabin floor, roof trusses, roofing siding, using black