Log Construction

Gable Log Homes Sportin Cabin

Guest Post by Gray Anderson

My name is Gray Anderson, and I am with Gable Log Homes, a cypress and cedar custom log cabin company based out of Sumter, SC. We have recently begun to offer an inexpensive, all materials included, cabin kit that can basically be stacked in one weekend, we call it the “Sportin’ Cabin.” The 16 x 20 cabin with a 6 x 20 porch (lofted sleeping area available to maximize floor space), are made from solid 4 x 8 precut cypress wall logs and can be assembled in one weekend. So this is not your typical wall siding made to simulate a log cabin, it is actually solid cypress logs from the base to the top of the gable! The cabins start out delivered to the site for $12,750, but we do offer package discounts depending on the number of cabins built. Basically, the more you build the more you save!

Not only is it inexpensive and simple to build, it is as sturdy as a rock. Our design for cutting and stacking removes the need for insulation, they do that themselves! I am even in the process of finding the right location to build my own Sportin’ Cabin. See construction photos here.

Montana Mobile Cabins Beam Cabin

by Kent Griswold

Montana Mobile Cabins has been featured on the Tiny House Blog several times, in fact my very first post was about them. They are one of my favorite log cabin builders. Dawndi Kelm of Montana Mobile Cabins recently sent me a note about a cabin they have for sale and wondered if I would share it with the Tiny House Blog readers.

This cabin is a 14 foot by 20 foot beam style log cabin and is the perfect size for a small cabin or small home. Here are the details of the construction and if you would like to learn more click here for Montana Mobile Cabins website.

Floor System

2×6 16” on center floor joists
Rim Joists 6×6
Solid Floor Joist Blocking
Floor: 3/4” tongue & groove OSB wafer board

Walls and Gables

10” square logs/beams, hand stacked, butt and pass corner
Gables-framed – sided with reclaimed metal; excepting interior gable in loft, wood sided-board & bat; insulated with R19 fiberglass insulation
Chinking throughout interior & exterior
Window & Door Jambs-Resawn Lodgepole Pine/Fir

Loft (loft area approx. 10’x13’)

Joists – 2×4
Decking-2×6 rough sawn pine & fir
Railing-2×6 rough sawn pine & fir
Ladder to loft – rough sawn pine & fir-handcrafted

Roof System (8/12 pitch) – Ceiling

Ridge Beam: Log
Hand stacked Exposed Roof System: 2×6 rough sawn pine & fir mix
Felt Paper: 1 Layer 30# Asphalt
2” Firestone foil back rigid insulation in roof
Delta-rib metal roofing; color – Antique Bronze

Windows and Doors

Windows: 3 Milguard vinyl double pane – sliding windows on main floor; 2 each in gable ends; 1 Alpine garden window on main floor
Exterior Door: 1-36” Therma Tru Factory metal door with half light

Treatment

Montana Standard Log oil applied interior & exterior

Price is $27,500 delivered inside the state of Montana. Please contact Montana Mobile Cabins for delivery pricing and information outside of Montana.

Click here to learn more Montana Mobile Cabins website.

Simple Skinny-D Log Cabin

by Kent Griswold

by Frank Mielke

*Updated with interior photos and more details

This cabin was built with “skinny-D” (my term) logs, cut on site, laterally down the center, to make two logs. The cabin is twelve foot by twelve foot, and the log work was done in less than six days. From standing timber to a log set in the wall takes an average time of one hour per log. If you are in a remote location, and have good timber, this is about the cheapest way to build a small cabin. This cabin is located about two miles off the Yentna River in Alaska.

The Place to Go? A “Log Cabin 2 Go”!

by Kent Griswold

Guest Post by Amber Rouleau

Log Cabins 2 Go by Gastineau Log Homes is a new concept using full log wall construction in a park model housing unit. The Log Cabins 2 Go are manufactured in a controlled environment and they are completely finished and ready to enjoy upon arrival at your site. The log construction includes dovetailed corners, are sealed on the exterior, varnished on the interior, and they don’t exceed 410 square feet. This is the only full oak log park model available in the world! (Don’t confuse this with a park model with log siding on the exterior. The Log Cabin 2 Go has full log exterior walls and is built like a real log cabin!)

Here is a picturesque 400 square foot Log Cabin 2 Go that offers its owners a rustic retreat in the heart of Missouri. The couple has roughly 10 acres with a little pond where they can fish and enjoy the outdoors. The owners are retired and their children and grandchildren live in the St. Louis area and visit often to get away from the hustle and bustle. “This getaway home was planned so that it was close enough where the owners could drive to easily, but still is out in the country,” says Lynn Gastineau, of Gastineau Log Homes.

Santa Fe Cabin

by Kent Griswold

Lyle Congdon of Jalopy Cabins sent me an update of their most recent cabin and I thought you would enjoy seeing some pictures of it. I’ll let Lyle tell you more.

A few months ago we were contacted by a gentleman, Pierr, who wanted to view the Ski Hut. After driving up to visit he decided he wanted something a little smaller and the plans for The Santa Fe cabin were put into action. Pierr wanted a tiny house to put on his property south of Santa Fe, NM as he spends a lot of weekends there exploring and hiking. The small cabin would be a place to relax in after a long day of being outside or to escape from less than ideal weather.

Working with Pierr, we built a custom door and cabinet that is about 40 inches tall due to his height (he’s about 6’6?!) – standard vanity height is 32 inches. More importantly we worked with him to ensure that window placement was just right, so he would have great views from the site he had already prepared.

Paul’s Tiny Log Cabin

by Kent Griswold

I’ve featured Paul McMullin’s work here a couple of times in the past. You can view the posts Little House on the Prairie, Paul’s Montana Cabin, and Paul’s Guesthouse. Paul has been busy again this winter and just shared his latest project with me. The quality of his work is something else. I’ll turn it over to Paul and let him tell you about his tiny log cabin.

Well, here in Montana, another winter is almost past. This one seemed to go on like the ever ready bunny. Around the middle of January I decided over a cup of coffer to build a small log home next to our office I share with my wife. Most of the things that I have built in my career have been stick built (dimensional lumber) so this was something new and stimulating for me.

A friend in the next valley over did the log work and what a craftsman he is with his trade. We stacked the logs on a deck, lagging the first log into the six by six pressure treated plates We pinned all corners with sixty penny spikes, three quarter inch pipe through the logs in the field and used long log screws for the rafters. We insulated the roof, handmade the front door, installed double pane windows, chinked and trimmed it out.