With little more than an ax, North America's homesteaders turned timber into sturdy, practical homes.
The frontier style log cabin:
- was introduced by Swedish settlers in the early 1700s
- used no nails
- contained only one room
- was only 10 feet wide
- measured 12 to 20 feet long
- had at least one glass window
- included a loft area for sleeping
To build a frontier style log cabin:
- lay a rock or stone foundation to keep logs above the damp soil
- square off each log
- cut notches on the top and bottom of each end
- stack the logs and fit the notched ends together at the corners
- "chick" (or stuff) sticks and wood chips in the gaps between the logs
- fill remaining spaces with mud
- cut open a door and at least one window
- build a stone fireplace
- rake the dirt and gravel floor smooth
Does this sound too rustic? If you prefer your "cabin" to have all the modern amenities, see
Build Your Own Log Home.
