Cabin Log Plan Sitemap

Preface - THIS year more and more American families will pile into their cars and take to the hills — or seashore — to seek refuge and blessed escape in their own little —or large—cozy retreat. Sheer luxury, yes, but at prices, we have found, that are well within the reach of most of us.

We have run across many interesting people in the preparation of this book —in fact all the folks we've contacted were somehow relaxed and thoughtful types. This, we discovered, was no coincidence.

1. The Eagle's Nest - THE EAGLE'S NEST—designed espe­-cially   for  HOW  TO  BUILD   20  CABINS  is the country cousin to Egil Hermanovski's famous bird-in-flight home design The Eagle (lead story, today's woman low cost homes, Fawcett Book 217). In addi­tion to The Eagle's Nest, Mr. Hermanovski is also represented by the succeeding three cabins—The Hermitage, The Gypsy, and The Four Winds—all incorporating enough sheer verve to pick you up and keep you there through whatever vacation time you can afford to spend in them.

2. The Hermitage - THE unique design shown here solves a difficult problem—how to build on hill property which slopes sharply to one side. Hillside houses may be constructed to hug the natural contour of the land or to be set against it. If they are built at an angle to the hill, the upper levels project forward, as in The Eagle's Nest. If they are built to hug the slope, the upper floors are on the highest part of the ground.

3. The Gypsy - SHOW Mr. Hermanovski still another hill (see The Eagle's Nest and The Hermitage) and he creates sheer fantasy! At least, the roof of The Gypsy is the sheerest we've ever seen. To say nothing of the wall of windows. In fact, we suggest decorative drapes or blinds for occasional privacy.

The concrete work for the cabin can becut to a minimum by using piers instead of the solid foundation wall illustrated, leaving it solid only toward the hill for protection. Another variation would be to build The Gypsy as a combination boat-house cabin.

4. The Four Winds - THE fourth cabin by Egil Hermanovski is the largest and best suited to con­struction on level ground. Its breezy de­sign and spacious four-in-one capabilities nicely carry out the theme its name implies.

Whether you are planning to use The Four Winds as a summer cabin, or a hunt­ing and skiing lodge, its sleeping capacity is one of the most important factors to be considered. The more persons a cabin can accommodate the better it is.

5. Leisure House - A HAMMER, wrench and a ladder are theonly tools required to erect this all-purpose cabin designed by Campbell & Wong, nationally known San Francisco team of young and imaginative architects.

Their functional vacation type house is suitable for residents of a metropolitan city within driving distance of the mountains; the seaside or just pleasantly suburban areas of relaxation.

It is also a ski hut, a play house, a garden shelter, a pool cabana, resort cabin or even a motel or rental unit . . . whatever you may have in mind as you take up hammer and wrench and climb the ladder.

6. The Little Lodge - FOR a number of years my wife, our two children and I had been making vague plans to build a cabin somewhere in the woods beside a lake, but it always seemed too expensive and too time-consuming. Then a little over a year ago we found our ideal spot just a few miles from home on a wooded slope of Bluff Point, the peninsula of Y-shaped Keuka Lake, in the Finger Lakes Region of central New York. After investigation of such factors asbuilding restrictions, availability of electricity, responsibility for road maintenance, and local sewage disposal codes, the land purchase was made and a bulldozer was hired to break a driveway through the undergrowth and level off an area for the cabin, lawn, and parking space.

7. The John Alden - AWAY OF LIFE"—perhaps best de-cribes log cabin living. These were the words of Editor Ray Gill when he re­cently paid a visit to this particular cabin in Babylon. Long Island. It is a product of the Ward Cabin Company of Presque Isle, Maine and serves as a year-round home and model.

As you can see, this is a three-bedroom house with a good-sized living room, and a  kitchen  designed  to  provide  adequate space for a dining area. The l0xl0-ft breezeway is a pleasant spot to spend those summer evenings in addition to adding in­teresting lines to the cabin.

8. The Six-Shooter - THE PROTOTYPE shown, built in Gor-donsville, Va.. by Mr. and Mrs. George F. R. Pollard of Newark, N. J., is another Ward log-on-log constructed cabin (see The John Alden. page 32. The Rustic, page 44, and The Logger, page 48).

Measuring 32 ft.. 4 in. wide, the kitchen wall side is a full 22 ft. in length. The longer right wall, due to the additional gabled bedroom, measures 26 ft.
The Six-Shooter boasts of a beautiful, cross-ventilated living room—with fire­place, access to all rooms, and a double or picture window in the front. Of particular interest is the unusual inner foyer leading to both bedrooms and bath. Here is "up­stairs" privacy in a one-level structure.

9. The Rustic - RUSTIC, indeed, is this Ward Cabin-designed and built for Mrs. Deloris Bridges—wife of the honorable Senator. Featuring double, gabled extensions, these wings create a cozy closed-in effect for front porch relaxing—without affecting the straight-on picture window vista.

The Rustic measures 44 ft. across, 26 ft. 4 in. down the sides. The extra-large living room area is 22 ft. deep, 19 ft. 9 in. wide. Plenty of room here for that large, open fireplace you've been dreaming about! In addition to the front door to the porch—a rear door is provided in this room for easy access to your future patio.

10. The Logger - ANEAT silver-gray log cabin sur­rounded by pine trees may be just the vacation home you have always longed for. This compact dwelling contains a large living room occupying more than half the house with windows on three sides, a bed­room with two exposures and an efficient kitchen. You may install a bath inside if you wish or build outside facilities.

The cabin is available from the Ward Cabin Company, Presque Isle, Me., for $1,693. All logs and planks are numbered and cut but the rest is up to you.

11. The Scout - WHEN MARINE Sgt. Bernard E. Jarvis came home from the wars he had his mind made up on one thing: He was going to build himself a cabin in the Michigan north woods where things were peaceful and quiet.

The general design was worked out on some distant Pacific island, and Jarvis built his place on a piece of ancestral property on the south shore of Black Lake, near Onaway, Mich.

12. Spring Bay#1 - WE erected the Spring Bay vacation cabin near the end of a road leading no­where in the northern Michigan wilderness. The site is at Spring Bay, three miles north of isolated DeTour village, on the broad St. Mary's River looking northeastward into Canada. The island-studded river lies 35 feet from our breakfast table.

13. Spring Bay#2 - HEN A MAN has a home in the wil­derness his building work seems never done. He is only part way through one project when another demands im­mediate attention. We were fortunate to have finished our original building, down to the last nail and dab of paint, without stopping to take a look around. When we did take that look we saw a tremendous number of projects crying for immediate completion.

14. The Trailblazer - WHILE definitely a kit type of structure each plank and board coming to you precut and numbered. The Trailblazer be­longs in this book by virtue of its "log cabin" construction.

One of the newest Norge designs (their Forest Hills) The Trailblazer provides plenty of light and air as there is a picture window in each of the front rooms, and two double windows in the dinette-kitchen.

15. The Vagabond - THIS ready-to-assemble home was de­signed especially to meet the demand for larger rooms. Its 15 ft. 10-in. x 14 ft. 8-in. living room sports a handsome brick fireplace and a big picture window. Every other room—the dinette-kitchen and two large bedrooms—has double windows. In the summer, the dining area is extended to the screened porch.

16. The Hunter - THE HUNTER, newest of all Norge cabins (their Alden) embraces many new features such as large overhanging gable, storage and utility room, large linen and coat closets, high front bedroom win­dows and outsize picture window fronting a spacious living room.

The room layout of The Hunter was selected as the best from among scores which were considered, as offering the most to the home purchaser.

17. The Seneca - WHERE'S A PLACE on Michigan's famed Au Sable River where in bygone days two huge cedars fell into the water, forming a V. Currents cutting under the logs dug a hole in the soft bottom, creating a protected pool along a shaded bank. Large trout frequently found this pool and claimed it as their own. Tailing in the cur­rent, they waited there for the riches of the river to drift in.

18. The Hideout - POSSIBLY the simplest construction for a frame cabin is the board-and-batten type (or shiplap, as shown) because less framing is required, the upright boards carrying the load in place of studs. The con­crete slab floor also eliminates much car­penter work and lumber expense, and has the advantage of offering no refuge for rodents underneath.

19. The Hiawatha - POSSIBLY the most popular approach to constructing a "log" cabin is in the use of rounded log-like siding. Mr. Swan (quote "like the bird"), has been flying high with this standard cut material—sell­ing it in almost kit form through his Mo­hawk Cabin Company in New York City.

The Hiawatha shown (Mr. Swan's "Mo­hawk" plan with variations) was pur­chased precut and partially assembled by Mr. and Mrs. William P. Peterson of Larchmont, N. Y., for approximately $2,650. Interior pine paneling, purchased later, was extra.

20. The Fireside - THE FIRESIDE, another Mohawk cabin, boasts of three good-sized bedrooms, an extra-large living room, full kitchen, bath, porch and a 6x8-ft. utility room. The model shown was photographed on the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain in Vergennes, Vermont. Purchased pre-cut and about forty per cent prefabricated, this model was built for less than $3,500.

21. The Triton - IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY there was a merman named Triton, half man and half sea creature, who lived with his par­ents in a golden palace on the bottom of the sea.

When Mrs. Violet Shankin visualized the summer home that she had and her husband Paul would have some day she saw in her mind's eye the golden palace of Triton. The Shankins compromised with mythology.

22. Where to Build It? - CHANCES are that you have already given some thought to the land you will build on. You may already have the deed in your pocket. On the bet, however, that you still may be speculating on whether to get that fine lake-front lot, or the exhilarating mountain-slope location with the tremendous view, we've planned this article.

23. Pumps and Plumbing - PLANNING and installing the plumb­ing in your cabin consists of two basic steps: Choosing the cabin site near an ade­quate supply of unpolluted water, then planning and installing as .many fixtures and conveniences as your budget will allow. Once you have your own private water supply, with running water under pressure inside the cabin, the matter of fixtures is easy.

Since plumbing is altogether contingent upon the supply of water available, decide how and where this water is coming from before you start work on your cabin or even obtain the site.

24. Heating the Cabin - EATING THE CABIN is much simpler than heating a full-sized house, pri­marily because cabins are usually smaller and generally are not occupied the year around. A source of quick, economical heat is usually desired, with the availability of fuel determining just what type of unit will provide this source.

In addition to your local heating con­tractor, building supply dealer, contractor and city inspector, here are more sources of information dealing with the heating of a cabin:

25. The Widgeon - THIS is a single-craft onshore boathouse designed in the modern manner. The jaunty overhanging roof and portholes give it a distinctly nautical air. The single slip gives it ample room along either wall for storage space and work facilities. It's an ideal small boathouse for a community of modern summer homes. The bill of ma­terials shown opposite lists all the supplies you'll need to build The Widgeon except interior finish.

26. The Snipe - A SECOND floor containing a sundeck And a large room distinguishes this two-craft boathouse. No attempt has been made to divide the second-floor area, which can home a hobby room or contain dressing rooms for swimmers. Lines are simple to aid easy construction, yet have a very definite modem note. All materials neces­sary to building The Snipe are listed on the opposite page with the exception of those needed for the interior finish.

27. The Wood Duck - PILE type offshore boathouses are usu­ally most successful in warm regions or sheltered bays where there is little danger of ice damage. However, the Wood Duck has been used even in the Far North­ern states. It is a pile type which houses a single craft. Construction is extremely simple, but flagpole and large window give it a modern touch. Necessary materials are given opposite with the exception of sup­plies needed for interior finishing.

28. The Bluegill - HERE is an easily constructed type of boathouse which makes maximum use of space, and provides perfect dry stor­age for a single boat Its simple lines make it readily adaptable to the use of logs, stone, metal sheeting or the most easily obtainable materials in any locality. (Bill of materials shown opposite does not in­clude interior wall finish.) This design also may be adapted for use of a connect­ing canal instead of the runway.

29. The Pike - The floating boathouse suits rivers where water levels vary seasonally.....

Floor plan is  a rectangle  with central slip.  The .....

30. The Bass - THE BASS—A well-lighted shelter for three boats, whose low lines provide for complete harmony with the surround­ing shoreline. Space is ample to provide dead storage for one broad-beamed craft such as a sailboat, and two smaller craft. Multiple windows at the roof line also aid ventilation.

The ramp extends the full width of the structure to permit any of the three boats to be moved.

31. The Tidewater - This floating dock adopts to fluctuating water levels...

32. The Cozy Cove - If water levels seldom change, use a pile-driven installations...

33. Carports - AFTER BUILDING your cabin, you'll . need a place to keep your car. The least expensive shelter is a carport—simply an open garage with either decorative sup­ports or side panels for protection against wind and rain.

In the case of a flat roofed structure, the roof of the house may be extended to cover the carport as well. An example of this construction may be seen in the photo­graphs below. The most common approach is shown in the drawing at the left.

THE END