Synopses & Reviews
Build that Get-Away Retreat You've Always Dreamed About. If your've ever dreamed about building your own rustic cottage in the woods or the hunting cabin of your dreams, or even homesteading off-the-grid, this handy reference provides a logical, sensible, and easy-to-follow approach to building a permanent shelter in that perfect out-of-the-way place. Cabins and Cottages includes everything you need to knwo. It takes you through the basics of choosing a site, creating an electrical power source, and clearing the land all the way to constructing a sturdy retreat that will withstand the worst that Mother Nature can dish out. You'll learn the carpentry and building techniques for constructing a basic cottage with pre-fab walls, an A-frame cabin, and a rustic log cabin with a framed roof. There's even a special section on designing your retreat with heavy snow, high winds, flooding, and even earthquakes in mind. And, once you've got the structure completed, you'll find instructions on how to install all the basic comforts of home - like running water and heat. There's no reason why getting away from it all should be uncomfortable. If you can dream it, you can do it. With Cabins and Cottages, you can make the dream of retreating fromt he chaos of the daily routine to a peaceful cabin you built yourself an affordable reality.
Synopsis
Whether building a summer cottage in the woods, the hunting cabin of your dreams, or homesteading off the grid, this handy reference provides a logical and sensible approach to building permanent shelter in out-of-the- way places. Including everything from choosing and clearing a site and creating an electrical power source, to clearing the land and creating a foundation, this book offers instruction on building an A-frame cabin and a rustic log cabin with a framed roof. There is also a special section on designing small buildings to cope with Mother Nature, including earthquakes, heavy snow, high wind, and flooding.
Synopsis
Building a rustic cottage or log cabin is a project any DIYer or woodworker would like to tackle because with knowledge of basic concepts, it can easily be achieved. This book gives you the complete know how, from clearing a site to raising the walls and adding the amenities.
About the Author
John Kelsey is a journalist and editor specializing in woodworking and furniture making. He has a degree in woodworking and furniture design from the School for American Craft at the Rochester Institute of Technology. He is a former editor in chief of Fine Woodworking magazine and a publisher of woodworking and home building books at the Taunton Press. He is the author of Furniture Projects for the Deck and Lawn. He lives in Newtown, Connecticut.
Table of Contents
1. Getting Started *Generating power *Clearing the building site *Removing logs, stumps and roots *A foundation on poles *Masonry piers for stronger supports *A continuous block wall 2. Four simple structures *A cottage of prefab panels *The A frame *A house suspended on poles *A strong framed roof *Ready made roof framing *Covering the roof *A rustic log cabin *Raising the walls *Finishing the building 3. Making the Best of Nature's Worst *Strengthening a house in earthquake country *Tying a house together against the wind *Lay of the land: clues to foil a flood *Preparing for deep snow 4. Adding the Amenities *Tapping a water supply *Picking the right pump *A submersible pump for a drilled well *Putting in an all purpose sink *Self contained toilets *Simple waste disposal *Heating with wood