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Title: Sunset's Cabin Plan Book
Author: Ralph P. Dillon, - To be updated
Language: English
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*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Sunset's Cabin Plan Book" ***
_Sunset’s_
CABIN PLAN BOOK
[Illustration: Cabin]
_Edited by_
RALPH P. DILLON
_Illustrations by_
NORMAN GORDON
_Cabin Renderings by_
CLEMENS FRIEDELL
PUBLISHED BY SUNSET MAGAZINE
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
COPYRIGHT 1918, LANE PUBLISHING & CO.
FIRST EDITION PRINTED IN U. S. A.
FOREWORD
Every Westerner wants a “vacation home”! Perhaps it is the nearness to
pioneer days that makes us so alive to mountain forests and ocean sands.
_Sunset’s Cabin Plan Book_ is primarily for those who are still in the
“talking stage.” However, there is much valuable information in its
pages for those who already are enjoying the pleasures of a “second
home,” where they spend week-ends and vacation days, living comfortably
though simply at any time of the year, while enjoying our Western
heritage of the great outdoors.
The planning of a mountain cabin or beach cottage deserves just as
careful and thoughtful consideration as the planning of a real home,
though the actual construction is likely to be on a fairly simple scale.
The size of the cabin, whether it is built of logs, stone or finished
lumber, depends upon what you intend to use it for—a week-end cottage
for yourself and your family, a hunting lodge, a vacation home, or a
little place where you can go off and examine the state of your soul in
the quiet of the woods. You should consider the number in the family and
the number of guests likely to be included, for “week-end cabin” should
not be a synonym for active discomfort. Crowding may be jolly for a few
hours or possibly for one night, but seldom longer than that.
The collection of cabin plans in this book is representative of what we
believe to be the best in Western vacation-home designing. The floor
plans embody features that may be shifted from one to another, since
these are not necessarily working plans, but suggestions around which
you and your architect or contractor-builder can create a cabin to fill
your own needs. The same holds true of the cabin sketches themselves.
You need not sheathe your cabin in bevel siding just because it’s that
way in the picture. The same plan can be used for a shingle house or one
of board and batten.
No attempt has been made to set down detailed instructions for building
any particular cabin, since no two are exactly alike, but we have tried
to present the information needed by an amateur who wants to build his
own place or oversee the work of a crew of country laborers. In addition
to the cabin plans and visualizations there are numerous pages of cabin
lore gathered from many sources as well as from the practical
experiences of the Sunset Staff.
Cost estimates have been omitted purposely, as there are so many factors
affecting the price of materials, labor, and transportation in various
localities. Figures based on one locality would not hold good in
another. The distance from sources of supply is also an influence,
because materials hauled only a few miles would cost far less than if
they were shipped a hundred miles and then transported by truck to the
cabin site. Really, the only satisfactory answer to the cost problem is
to take your plans to a builder in the neighborhood of your locality and
get his figures. Or if you plan to do some of the work yourself with
local labor, your lumberman may be able to help you with cost estimates.
If you want an individual and specialized design, the services of an
architect should be seriously considered.
We hope the ideas in this _Cabin Plan Book_ not only be inspiring but
also so practical and usable.
_Note: Working drawings of the cabin plans are not available. This is in
keeping with the publisher’s policy to furnish ideas but not an
architectural service._
CONTENTS
_Page_
Selecting the Site for Your Vacation Home 3
Your Water Supply and Sanitary Facilities 6
Cabin Foundations 8
Building the Cabin Fireplace 10
Building the Log Cabin 13
Building a Cabin of Stone 17
Frame Cabins and Beach Houses 19
Thirty Cabin Plans 21-48
Cabin Conveniences 49
Cabin Miscellany 51-63
Fireplace and Barbecue Ideas 51-55
Beds and Bunks 57-58
A Score and More of Cabin Ideas 59-63
Bibliography 64
SELECTING THE SITE FOR YOUR VACATION HOME
[Illustration: SELECTING THE SITE FOR YOUR VACATION HOME]
Since you have decided to build a vacation home, your first problem is
to find a location. The whole family will have something to say about
this—half the fun of building a cabin or beach house is the planning of
various details in family councils. No doubt, by the time you discover
the region in which you would like to build, friends will have told you
many of the important things to look for. However, here are a number
that should help you.
If it is to be a summer vacation home and you have a car, the distance
from home isn’t so important, because the Pacific Coast’s network of
fine roads offers easy access to almost every area. On the other hand,
if you are going to be a “week-ender,” don’t choose a site too far away.
It isn’t fun to spend most of your weekend traveling to and from the
cabin, and your friends will avoid you—but perhaps that’s your
intention!
Cost of construction is important. It’s all very well to build a place
out in the wilds, but the farther you go from civilization the more it
costs to transport men and materials to your cabin site.
Watch the Distance
With the whole Pacific Coast to choose from it shouldn’t be too hard to
find an area that suits all the family. You will be smart to pick a spot
not more than an easy day’s drive from home. If it is only a few hours
away, so much the better. Within less than one day’s drive from most
points on the Pacific Coast you can lose yourself in a paradise of
forests, lakes and mountains, or stand on the ocean shore and hear the
breakers boom.
Naturally, you’ll want to invest most of your money in the cabin or
beach house itself. That being the case the best place to go for
low-cost mountain cabin sites is the United States Forest Service, which
controls millions of acres of the finest timber and mountain country in
the world. Beach property, on the other hand, is largely a commercial
proposition, and you’ll more than likely have to consult your real
estate dealer.
The National Forests offer cabin sites to suit every taste and every
purse. However, certain areas are not open to settlement, and all cabins
must conform to standards set by the Forest Service. You can’t buy the
land, but you can occupy it under Special Use Permit. You get low cost,
freedom from crowding and assurance that the area will not be ruined by
commercialization.
The Forest Service opens new tracts for summer cabin sites when those
opened in previous years are filled. Cabins are not crowded together as
they are in some commercial tracts.
Many Sites Available
There are eighteen National Forests in California alone and dozens of
others in the western states offering a diversity of climate and natural
conditions. Of course, not all of the forests are available for cabin
sites, but there is a large group from which to select. Most of the
tracts available in National Forests are in groups of from six to one
hundred lots or more, each lot averaging about ⅓ acre, depending upon
topography and cover.
To obtain a cabin permit from the Forest Service, write or call on the
Supervisor or nearest Ranger of the particular forest in which you think
you’d like to live. Ask him what areas, if any, are open in his National
Forest. If he has a forest officer available, he will arrange for him to
visit the property with you. A personal visit is desirable but not
absolutely necessary before applying for a permit.
Application for permit may be made in writing to the Forest Supervisor,
or Forest Ranger, specifying the location of the property, the use to be
made of it (summer cabin, hotel or resort) and the estimated cost of the
improvements you intend to make.
Permits are granted strictly on a “first come—first served” basis. The
cost—and this will amaze you—averages about $15 per year for cabin
sites, depending on the size and location of the property. Each permit
is renewable annually. You may sell your cabin at any time, but the
transaction must be approved by the Forest Service.
[Illustration: Map showing location of National Forests in the West]
Don’t depend on your own knowledge of the outdoors when you pick a cabin
site. The local forest officer knows more about his particular locality
than anyone else, and he’ll be glad to help you.
When seeking information about a particular forest, be sure you write to
the officer in _charge of that forest_, because he is the only one with
a complete file of data on it. If you don’t know who your nearest forest
supervisor is, write to the nearest regional forester. Here’s a list of
offices:
_Region No. 1_ (Northern Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Western
Washington)—Federal Bldg., Missoula, Montana
_Region No. 2_ (Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Eastern
Wyoming)—Post Office Bldg., Denver, Colorado
_Region No. 3_ (Arizona, New Mexico)—Federal Bldg., Albuquerque, N. M.
_Region No. 4_ (Colorado, Southern Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Western
Wyoming)—Forest Service Bldg., Ogden, Utah
_Region No. 5_ (California and Western Nevada)—Phelan Bldg., San
Francisco, Calif.
_Region No. 6_ (Oregon and Washington)—Post Office Bldg., Portland,
Oregon
_Region No. 7_ (Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Vermont,
Virginia, West Virginia)—Victor Bldg., Washington, D. C.
_Region No. 8_ (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee,
Texas, Puerto Rico)—Glenn Bldg., Atlanta, Ga.
_Region No. 9_ (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
North Dakota, Ohio, Wisconsin)—Federal Bldg., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
_Region No. 10_ (Alaska)—Federal Territorial Bldg., Juneau, Alaska
When you apply for a permit, you must agree to install permanent
improvements costing at least $500, including labor. Only one residence
may be constructed on a lot, and in order to prevent the erection of
unsightly “shacks”—some people’s ideas on cabins would surprise you—each
permitee must submit his plans for approval _before_ a permit will be
issued.
All buildings and all roofs must be painted, oiled or stained. If paint
is used, the color must harmonize with the forest background, and be
approved by the Forest Supervisor. That does not mean that everything
has to be brown and green, but the forest is no place for a pink stucco
cottage.
Permanent construction must be completed by the end of the second season
after the permit is issued.
Cabins built under “special use” permits must be occupied at least
fifteen days each year by the permittee or his family, unless special
arrangement is made with the Forest Service.
The principal requirements of the Forest Service regarding cabins are
that they be built in a workmanlike manner with substantial roofs,
floors, doors, windows, brick or masonry chimneys, toilets and garbage
containers of a type approved by the Forest Supervisor. The general
ensemble must be in harmony with the forest background. You don’t have
to build your house just like your neighbor’s, but all cabins do have to
be of an approved and attractive rustic style.
In large colonies you may be required to install a chemical toilet or
septic tank, a piped water system, or other improvements to safeguard
the general health of the community. Ask about these things.
If you build in a colony of summer homes, you must agree to abide by any
rules and regulations agreed upon by a majority of the permit holders if
they have or organize a cooperative public service group.
Choice of the actual site for a mountain cabin depends on drainage,
view, shelter from storms, sunlight, ease of access, and so on. Probably
the best location is one on a gentle slope, which assures that rain and
snow will drain off, with the front of the cabin facing the center of
interest and the principal windows placed to catch the prevailing
breezes.
A slope is somewhat more difficult to build on than flat land, but in
wet weather you won’t find puddles in front of the door and the floor
won’t get damp. Remember, you don’t have tile sewers to carry off the
water. Too steep a hillside makes building even more expensive, calling
either for excavation or extra foundations. While a hillside site is
attractive, it’s pretty tiresome lugging supplies up hill.
If you build on a slope or hillside, find out about the normal rainfall.
You may need a watershed at the upper side of your lot to keep the
run-off from trickling down into your cabin. A shallow ditch or a low
wall is enough protection—but a necessary one. (See Fig. 1.)
Here are a few other details to think about: How near is the lot to a
good road? It doesn’t have to be close to a main highway, but is it
possible to reach your lot with a fair amount of convenience? Can you
get supplies or help in case of emergency without too great effort?
Next, how’s the water supply?
Water is one of the most important considerations. The forest officer
can tell you what the stage of the water table is at your location, and
you can decide what kind of well you will need. Above all, don’t plan to
use the local trout stream or lake for drinking water. It may be a
lovely lake, and the stream may ripple over pretty stones like tinkling
bells, but pretty water isn’t necessarily pure water.
There are in the National Forests a number of associations of Special
Use Permittees. These associations are formed partly for the advantages
of collective bargaining and partly for the installation of certain
facilities on a tract basis. Many of these associations have installed
water systems, financed by assessments against the lot owners.
The winter climate is an important factor if you build in the snow
country. In the mountains you may get snow ten feet or more in depth—and
ten feet of snow weighs a lot. That requires extra sturdy construction
of the cabin roof.
Actually, in a National Forest you’ll find that a good deal of the
selection has been done by the Service for you. About all you have to do
is to find the particular one that is most pleasing to the whole family
and offers the greatest possibilities consistent with the money you have
to spend. You can be absolutely sure that you will get the lot you pick
out. Nor need you worry that after you get your pet cabin built someone
else will build “Ye Olde Hot Dogge Shoppe” across the road.
In selecting a site for a beach house don’t be led into buying too close
to the water. Remember that ocean storms often send the waves far up on
land, so be sure to get expert advice on the safety of your location.
[Illustration: Fig. 1]
RETAINING WALL
CABIN
MASONRY OR CONCRETE WALL, OR DUG DITCH TO DETOUR THE SURFACE WATER
YOUR WATER SUPPLY AND SANITARY FACILITIES
[Illustration: YOUR WATER SUPPLY AND SANITARY FACILITIES]
One of the first major problems that confronts the city dweller starting
the construction of a summer home is the water supply—or lack of it. Not
only is water hard to get, comparatively speaking, but it is not always
safe to use when obtained unless care is taken to see that its source is
pure. Water cannot safely be declared fit for human consumption unless
the surface of the well or spring remains permanently above the level of
all nearby sources of pollution. Tight well platforms and casings, clean
grounds and wide separation from probable channels of impure drainage
are the best safeguards.
Power Pump Most Convenient
If you are content to pump your water by hand and do without a
flush-type toilet and bath or shower, then a dug well with a bucket and
windlass or one with a hand pump is sufficient. On the other hand, if
you are wise you will install a small power pump—the cost is quite
reasonable—and a storage tank, which can be either in the top of the
house or on some nearby high ground. In estimating the amount of water
you’ll need figure that the average bath takes 30 gallons, one flush of
a toilet 4 to 6 gallons.
Government experts estimate the consumption of water per person in 24
hours is 4 to 8 gallons if only a hand pump is provided; if one faucet
is installed, domestic uses require 7 to 15 gallons per person; if the
house is equipped with hot and cold water in kitchen, bath and laundry,
the consumption rises to 20-25 gallons, a family average of 100 gallons
every 24 hours. That’s a lot of water to carry in pails or pump by hand.
If you build your cabin in the mountains, you may not have much success
digging a well because bedrock may be close beneath the surface. If you
build in or near some community of vacation homes, you can find out what
method others employ in the neighborhood. In the more established
communities you may find a co-operative water system in existence. Many
of the privately developed summer home areas are served by local utility
companies.
Test Your Water Frequently
If you are lucky enough to have a spring on your property, the water
will probably be good—but test it first, and test it periodically
thereafter—at least once a year. Then build a tight covering for the
spring to keep out dirt and wandering animals and pipe the water to your
house. (See illustration below.)
[Illustration: Cover your spring and fence it to keep out animals.
The ditch helps prevent surface water from contaminating your house
supply.]
In some localities sub-surface conditions may be satisfactory for a dug
well. It takes at least two men and a lot of work. One digs the earth
out and the other raises it by a bucket and windlass. Such a well should
be lined with concrete or vitrified pipe and should have a tight
covering. The best covering is a concrete well curb and a concrete or
heavy wooden lid through which the pump pipe passes. A man-hole must be
built, too, to allow entry for cleaning the well occasionally. (See Fig.
2.)
[Illustration: Fig. 2]
MANHOLE COVER
HOLE FOR PIPE TO PUMP
CEMENTED JOINTS
CONCRETE OR CLAY
MANHOLE COVER
A driven well, which is successful in some locations, can be made by two
men also, although it’s not an easy job. The point, a special length of
pipe with a sharp steel point and screened openings to let the water in,
is driven into the earth with a heavy maul or with a weight on a block
and tackle. It is not practicable to sink such a well over 100 feet—a
drilled well is easier and less trouble.
The ultimate source of your water supply should be definitely determined
before you buy or lease a summer homesite. Before you start a well of
any kind you would be wise to obtain the best available local advice.
Sanitation Important
The average city dweller is likely to overlook the important part
sanitation plays in his daily life. Therefore, many summer homes are
equipped with meager facilities for disposing of sewage. The
old-fashioned “outhouse” which plays a rather comic part in song and
story favored by such humorists as the late Chick Sale and James
Whitcomb Riley, can hardly be considered an asset to the health and
sanitation of a summer home community.
If such a building is necessary, at least follow the instructions given
by the Department of Agriculture (see Farmer’s Bulletin No. 1227) so
that it will be sanitary, fly-proof, easily cleaned, and as little of an
“eye sore” as possible. A better type is the vault-privy with a
watertight concrete vault, wide and shallow. It should have a trap at
the rear to provide access for cleaning. A metal container may be
substituted for the concrete work. This should have an airtight lid and
must be removed frequently for cleaning.
There are a number of chemical septic tanks for sale, all of which
dispose of waste matter by the action of bacteria and chemicals. They
are not difficult to install. Further information may be obtained from
the previously-mentioned Government bulletin.
Garbage Harbors Germs
Even though your cabin has running water and a regular flush toilet, the
danger of waste disposal is not entirely eliminated. Garbage and refuse
of all kinds are harbors for germs and flies can quickly spread disease
germs gathered from such sources. The location of the water supply in
relation to sewage disposal is of greatest importance, and it is not
enough that the water source be above the distribution field of the
sewer. It is a good idea to consult the nearest forest ranger, or some
other person who is well acquainted with the locality, before making any
such installations.
For sink drainage and kitchen waste a line of small sewer pipes, laid as
shown in the accompanying diagram, is fairly adequate. Garbage and other
refuse that cannot be drained away should be buried in a good-sized pit.
This hole should be as nearly fly-proof as possible, and each fresh lot
of refuse should be well covered with dirt or sand or sprinkled with a
chloride of lime solution.
[Illustration: Proper relation of water supply and sewage disposal.
But remember that underground water table may not slope the same as
the surface. Ask your Forest Ranger.]
CESSPOOL
WELL
WATER TABLE
ROCK
CABIN FOUNDATIONS
[Illustration: CABIN FOUNDATIONS]
Foundations are the backbone of your cabin. From the structural
standpoint they are probably the most important part of the building.
So, just because they are going to be hidden, don’t skimp or hurry
through with them because you want to get started quickly on the cabin
itself. If the basic framework is out of line, the whole house will sag
and tilt at odd angles. As one cabin expert says, “Wear out your spirit
level and try-square—don’t save them for another job.”
One of the simplest foundations for the amateur builder is made by
resting the sills on supports made of two large somewhat flat boulders.
If your cabin site is on solid rock, then all that is necessary is to
bed the bottom boulder securely on the rock. But if the terrain is
ordinary earth, you should dig down past the “forest floor” of black
humus until you reach rock, sand, gravel or other solid ground below the
frost line. Then you pour concrete piers to the grade level and seat
your boulders thereon, as shown in Fig. 3. _Do not_ use any mortar
between the two boulders. Dampness will creep up past the first boulder,
but if it is not bonded to the top boulder with mortar, the dampness
will stop there and not reach the post supports or sill timbers of your
cabin. Of course the concrete piers themselves, if built above grade,
are perfectly good supports for the sills. But the boulders have more of
a cabin “look.”
[Illustration: Fig. 3]
FLAT TOP BOULDERS
CONCRETE PIER
FOOTING
[Illustration: Fig. 4]
WOODEN FORM FOR PIERS
The number of foundation supports or piers will be determined by the
size of the house. “Not less than seven feet on centers” is a good rule
of thumb.
Concrete piers are not hard to make. Their size will depend on how deep
you must dig to reach solid earth or rock. First, build several tapered
box forms of rough lumber. (Fig. 4.) These should be about 24 inches
square at the bottom and taper to about 12 inches at the top. The taper
makes it easier to get the forms off the finished concrete. Pour a
footing of concrete at least 10 inches thick and six inches larger than
the bottom of the pier on all sides. Then set the form for the pier on
top of this footing.
A satisfactory mixture for foundation piers is _one part_ Portland
cement, _two parts_ clean sand, and _three parts_ gravel—two-inch
aggregate is about right. It is a good idea to add to the mixture
hydrated lime—about 10 per cent of the bulk of the cement—to prevent the
mass from setting too rapidly and to make it work more smoothly.
This type of foundation allows perfect ventilation under the cabin, but
it will not keep out wandering rabbits and other night prowlers.
A boulder foundation is quite enough for the average semi-permanent
summer cabin unless you plan to spend time there during the winter, in
which case an all-around foundation is advisable to keep out the cold.
Full concrete or rock foundations are more expensive and more work to
build but hard to beat for permanence. To construct them, dig a trench
to the dimensions of your cabin but at least twice as wide as your
finished foundation wall is to be and to solid ground below the frost
line. Pour in a “footing” of concrete to a depth of 10 inches. This base
will distribute the weight of the cabin. (Fig. 5.) On this footing build
wooden form walls to the proper height—about one foot above ground level
at the highest point of your grade is usual—and fill them up with the
proper mixture of concrete. To prevent dry rot of the wood construction,
air vents should be constructed at intervals in the concrete wall above
grade. These should be covered with screening to keep small animals out.
Thickness of foundation walls varies according to the weight of the
building. A good rule is to make the top of the foundation two inches
wider than the logs or timbers it is to support.
[Illustration: Fig. 5]
BOLT FOR SILL LOG
METAL TERMITE GUARD
CROSS SECTION OF FOUNDATION WALL
The sill logs or timbers are laid on top of the foundation. If your
cabin is to be of logs, select a number of the strongest and straightest
and lay them so as to form the outside “frame” of the cabin. They should
be bolted tightly to the concrete by means of long iron bolts previously
buried in the foundation walls. If the sills are to rest on piers or
boulders, spike them together. The weight of the cabin will hold the
sills in place. The 2×6 floor joists are cut in or notched over the
sills. They should be set with the 2-inch side uppermost and securely
spiked.
The footing for the fireplace is made just like the concrete
foundations—6 or 8 inches beyond the dimensions of the fireplace plus
the hearth. Pour a slab of concrete about 10 inches deep, in which are
buried ½ inch steel rods laid in both directions—checkerboard
fashion—and wired at the intersections. This may seem like a lot of
extra work but the steel rods prevent settling and cracking. On this
slab build a wooden form to the height of the bottom of the floor joists
and fill with a mixture of concrete, sand and plenty of small boulders.
At this point block off the section to be used for the hearth and fill
in the fireplace proper up to the floor level. This will leave a space
to be filled in later with hearthstones, brick or whatever you decide to
use for the hearth.
[Illustration: Reinforcing rods in fireplace base.]
BUILDING THE CABIN FIREPLACE
[Illustration: BUILDING THE CABIN FIREPLACE]
If the chapters in this book were arranged in the order of their
importance from the standpoint of cabin features, this one, dealing with
fireplaces and chimneys, would probably come first. No matter what other
ideas you may have about a vacation cabin you will undoubtedly insist on
a fireplace as a dominant feature. To most people a cabin without one
just isn’t a cabin at all.
When it comes to building it you can have the work done a lot easier
than you can do it yourself. On the other hand, you’ll probably do a lot
of arguing with the mason because, strange as it seems, there appear to
be comparatively few masons who can build a fireplace and a chimney that
will work to perfection. The instructions here have been collected from
people who do know how, and if you follow them, you should have a
successful fireplace.
In the preceding chapter you have read about the fireplace foundation.
By the time the rest of the house is pretty well along this should be in
good condition for the next step.
A fireplace consists of four essential parts: the fire box itself, the
throat, the smoke chamber, and the flue. The shape and relationship of
these are very important. One simple relation to remember is that the
area of the fireplace opening should not be more than 10 times the area
of the flue. Some people say 12 times, but 10 is a better average.
[Illustration: Fig. 6. Construction of fireplace.]
THROAT OPENING FULL WIDTH OF FIREPLACE
CHIMNEY FLUE
FLUE LINING
SMOKE CHAMBER
SMOKE SHELF
DAMPER
THROAT
8″
FIREPLACE
The over-all dimensions of the fireplace, including mantel, are matters
of proportion and taste, governed by the size and shape of the room. In
almost every case the width of the opening should exceed the height. The
top of the opening should be at least 30 inches from the floor but not
much more than 40 inches unless it is at least six feet wide—and not
many cabins can stand a fireplace as big as that. For a six-foot opening
plan for a depth of about 24 inches. No fireplace should have a depth of
less than 18 inches. Remember, however, that the deeper your fire box
the less efficient it will be for heating purposes. The hearth should
extend at least a foot on either side of the opening and have a minimum
depth of 20 inches.
You may have the opening flush with the hearth, or, as some builders
prefer, lay a course of stone several inches high across the lower edge
and curve the bottom of the fire chamber up to it. Or you may elevate
the entire bottom of the fireplace. It is smart to plan the hearth flush
with the floor so that trash may be swept into the fireplace without
using a dustpan.
Rough native stone, of course, is the most interesting material for a
cabin fireplace and chimney. Brick seems too refined for the woods. If
you want the finished job to look as massive in appearance as possible,
don’t use stones that are too small.
The walls of a stone fireplace and chimney should be at least one foot
thick. But as a concession to safety, the entire fire box—back, sides
and floor—should be lined with good quality firebrick. The space between
the stone shell and firebrick lining is filled with concrete. Since the
back and sides of the interior must reflect the heat into the room, the
back must be slanted forward as it rises, running up straight about
one-third of the height of the opening from the hearth floor and then
slanting toward the front at an angle of from 23 to 30 degrees. The
sides should slope inward, as they approach the back at, roughly, an
angle of 60 degrees.
Regardless of whether the top of the fireplace opening is flat or
arched, you will need a strong support at this point. The best is an
iron bar about one-half inch thick and two inches wide. Extend it across
the width of the opening and set it firmly in the stonework at each
side. Any blacksmith can make this bar for you, and the curve he puts in
it will determine the arch of the opening. A “T” bar, set with the tail
of the “T” upward, is even better, since it is stronger and requires
less iron.
Behind the bar build a wooden form extending back several inches and
sloped slightly upward. Then lay a course of stone on top of the iron
and fill in between the stone and the form with a rich mixture of
concrete reinforced with iron rods. This concrete should rise at such an
angle as to come flush with the edge of the damper. The reinforcing rods
should extend the full width of the arch and tie into the stone at the
sides.
Buy a Good Damper
Since the fireplace is probably the most important feature of your
cabin, don’t skimp on materials. Buy the best dome-type damper that you
can afford. Some fireplace “experts” will say this is nonsense, but
don’t let them fool you. The damper is to a fireplace what a mainspring
is to a watch.
The dome damper is set on top of the fire brick lining where the throat
enters the smoke chamber. The handle to control it may be set in the
front or side as you wish (make sure of this when you buy it) and may
project or be set in a recess in the masonry.
The throat, as can be seen in Fig. 6, is considerably narrower from
front to rear than the fire box—5½ inches is maximum—and should come as
near the front as possible. It should begin 6 to 8 inches above the top
of the fireplace opening, extend the entire width of the fire box and
slant downward toward the back. At the same time the back surface of the
fire box has been slanting forward until it reaches the same height at
the beginning of the throat. At this point construct the smoke shelf,
which is literally a shelf set back to the vertical line of your
masonry.
[Illustration: An arch like this helps prevent downdraft.]
DIRECTION OF PREVAILING WIND
CHIMNEY CAP
Proper construction of the smoke chamber is often the factor that
determines the success of your fireplace. The amount of taper may vary,
but it is a good general rule to slope the walls inward one foot for
every 18 inches of height. The smoke chamber walls must be as smooth as
possible, the best finish being about ½ inch of mortar—or a commercial
steel unit. This cuts down the amount of friction and makes it draw
better. After the smoke chamber walls are tapered up to the desired
dimensions, the flue is straight from here on up.
Use Special Mortar
Government specifications for fireplace mortar, which must be used in
laying all work except the fire brick, are as follows: hydrated lime,
nine pounds to each 94-lb. bag of Portland cement; mix this with three
times its volume of clean sand and enough water to make a smooth
workable mortar. Wet all stones before applying the mortar. _Don’t use
ordinary_ lime mortar for fireplaces and chimneys.
Construction of the flue is the next important matter. The flue is
installed as the chimney is built and must be planned with a fairly
close relationship to the fireplace itself. Fireplace experts estimate
that the correct ratio is 14 to 16 square inches of flue area to each
square foot of fireplace opening.
A round flue is the most satisfactory type. It offers less friction and
is easier to clean. Square or oblong flues should be slightly larger
than if a round one is used. The easiest method—and one that assures a
tight flue—is to use fire clay flue lining, filling in between it and
the stone shell with cement. Be sure that the flue is as straight as
possible and uniform in size right up to the top. Don’t taper it. If
turns must be made in it, make them gradual—never greater than an angle
of 45 degrees.
Don’t try to use one flue for fireplace and kitchen stove or another
fireplace. Make separate flues for each. They may go up the same chimney
but the two or more flues should be separated by at least four inches of
solid brick or concrete unless tile flue linings are used. When you have
reached the top, test the flue for leaks by lighting a fire and covering
the top of the chimney. Escaping smoke will reveal any leaks, which must
be repaired at once.
[Illustration: Diagram of a patented fireplace form showing how it
heats and circulates the air. The masonry is laid around the form.]
SMOKE DOME
DAMPER
DOWN DRAFT SHELF
APRON—TO BE COVERED BY MASONRY
WARM AIR OUTLET
DAMPER CONTROL
HEATING CHAMBER
BOILER PLATE FIREBOX
COLD AIR INTAKE
Location of your house will affect the action of the chimney, since
large objects such as trees or a hill nearby will cause a down draught.
If this trouble is encountered, it may be corrected by building an arch
over the chimney cap. The arch should be placed at right angles to the
cause of the down draught.
The chimney cap itself, which is an important feature affecting the air
currents that pull the smoke out, should be about 12 inches high. It can
be made of cement and stone chips, modeled by hand. Reinforcing rods or
wire mesh may be added if desired. The sides of the cap should curve
from the outside edge of the masonry proper to the top of the cap.
A good type of flashing, which must be installed to prevent leaks
between the chimney and the roof, is made of sheet lead, which is
everlasting. Galvanized iron or copper is also satisfactory. The
flashing should be cut to fit the chimney like a collar and is imbedded
in the masonry. The roofing should overlap the upper edge several
inches, and the flashing must overlap the roofing at the lower edge if
set on a slanting roof. In case the chimney comes at the ridge,
flashings are fastened over the roofing all around.
While you’re up on the roof finishing the chimney, it would be a good
idea to take the measurements of the entire top. In your leisure time,
make a fairly tight cover, shaped like a shallow box, that will fit on
top of the chimney when you close the cabin for the season. It can be
lashed down with wire or rope. The object of this will be well known to
anyone who has left a cabin chimney open for several months, because it
seems to have a great attraction for birds and squirrels—not to mention
the fact that snow and rain get in and rust the flue lining if it’s made
of metal.
In planning your cabin fireplace don’t fail at least to investigate the
several so-called “patented” fireplace forms which circulate heated air.
(See illustrations.) These are especially worth considering if you
expect to rely upon your fireplace for heating the cabin during the
colder months, and also greatly simplify the intricate job of fashioning
a fireplace.
When using these forms the fireplace is constructed with an air chamber
behind the fire box. Cold air is drawn off the floor and circulated back
in the room as warm air. This gives you both direct radiated heat and
warm air from absorbed heat. Various installations are possible, with
the added heat being used in an adjoining room—or even upstairs.
[Illustration: Another patented fireplace design showing how warm
air may be piped to adjoining rooms]
WARM AIR OUTLET
COLD AIR INTAKE
BUILDING THE LOG CABIN
[Illustration: BUILDING THE LOG CABIN]
Mention of a “cabin in the woods” brings a vision to the average man of
one thing—a _log_ cabin. And, although few people will ever build a real
log cabin, most of us have inherited from our pioneer ancestors a
romantic attachment to the sturdily constructed homes of our early
settlers. The pioneers built of logs primarily because they had no other
materials and also because they needed a shelter that would be a
protection against Indians, wild animals and rough weather.
But just because a cabin is built of rough logs instead of finished
lumber doesn’t mean that it will be less expensive in this day and age.
According to such experts as C. D. Aldrich, who designs some of the
finest cabins in the country, a log cabin costs about twice as much as a
frame cottage of comparable size and design. A one-room-and-porch cabin
that can be built of lumber for about $500 would cost roughly $1,000 if
well built of logs.
There are two styles of log cabin construction—the traditional kind with
the logs laid horizontally and the stockade type in which the logs or
half logs are placed upright. The latter is easier to build since
skilled axe work is not required to notch the log ends and the principal
task is to hew down the sides to make them fit closely. On the other
hand, a cabin built with horizontal logs is the favorite with most
people—probably because it is the most familiar.
Logs for a stockade style cabin need not be particularly heavy since
they are to be spiked to the horizontal members of a timber frame, but
care should be taken to obtain pieces as straight as possible to avoid
waste. Second growth timber is most frequently used. Chinks between the
timbers are caulked with oakum, or, if the fit is very loose, combine
oakum with willow wands or narrow battens. However, most people building
a recreational home of logs will want the horizontal type of
construction, so this chapter will be devoted to that subject.
One of the first things to decide after the rough plans are drawn and
the list of materials estimated is whether the cabin is to be of peeled
logs or logs with the bark left on. Logs that are to keep their bark
must be cut in late October or November and stacked on skids until
spring. Be sure they are piled so that plenty of air circulates. Logs to
be peeled should also be cut in fall or winter and seasoned—preferably
for six months or more. To prevent cracks when they begin to weather,
have the logs scored down one side—a two or three inch strip of bark
removed the entire length. Then if the logs crack a bit, they will do so
along the scored lines and they can be laid so the cracks won’t show in
the finished building.
The size of your cabin, or rather the dimensions of the various walls,
is not necessarily limited by the length of the logs, because they can
be spliced. (See Fig. 7 for the best method of splicing.) If you are
counting on leaving a projection at each end beyond the wall, then you
can figure that logs 20 feet long will give you a room with inside walls
about 16 feet long. Logs between 20 and 30 feet long are most
satisfactory unless you have a large crew to help. They should average
about 10 inches at the top end with as little taper as possible. If you
get smaller logs, it will require too many to gain the needed height,
and logs much larger than that are unwieldy to handle.
[Illustration: Fig. 7. How to splice logs.]
The best timber for a log cabin on the Pacific Coast is redwood or
western cedar. Balsam, hemlock, pine, and, if you are lucky, tamarack
also make good logs. The latter are especially fine. You may buy your
logs from a lumber company, from a public utility company’s supply of
power-line poles, or you can hire a good woodsman to cut them for you—if
you can find the timber. Certain sections of the National Forests are
available for cutting logs and stumpage charge is very nominal.
There are several possible methods of fitting logs together. The choice
depends entirely on how much time and labor you care to devote to it,
but once a style has been adopted carry it throughout the whole house.
Use similar logs or poles instead of dressed lumber wherever possible.
They’re more “woodsy.” Speaking of style, all log ends that project
should be finished off with an axe, not sawed.
After the sill logs are laid on the leveled boulder foundation, or in
the case of a concrete or stone wall underpinning bolted to the
foundation, the next step is to lay the floor joists. They should be not
less than 2×6 material, spaced not over two feet on center. Notch them
into the sill log and the first log above as shown in Fig. 8 and spike
them in.
Use Spirit Level Frequently
You are now ready to start erection of the walls. Make frequent and
careful use of the plumb line and spirit level in this work. Without
constant checking the walls have a way of going off at odd tangents.
The simplest and least difficult style of fitting logs is the “saddle
and notch,” in which the logs are given a rough notch and laid together
without special fitting or trimming. The spaces are later caulked with
oakum. While this is the simplest method, it is the poorest from the
standpoint of weather tightness.
[Illustration: Four methods of notching logs.]
Another and better method is the same as above except that the notches
are so carefully cut that the logs fit closely and must be hewn down
along two sides to provide neatly joined surfaces. This also will
require some caulking but not as much. It is customary to lay a strip of
oakum between all logs, regardless of the style of fitting.
Cupped Logs Fit Snugly
A third method is to use “cupped” logs. The same saddle and notch is
used at the corners, but the upper log has a concaved channel cut its
entire length, which makes it fit down snugly over the lower log. The
cup may be cut with curved-blade adz or with a heavy gouge. This is more
work but well worth it. Cut each cup to fit its individual lower log,
marking the cup with a pair of dividers to insure a close fit. When you
have a perfect cup (which means rolling the log into position several
times to try its fit) lay a layer of heavy oakum along the lower log,
roll the upper into its final position and spike it down.
The finest method of all is a further refinement of the cupped log
style. The upper log is cupped as above but, instead of a simple notch
at the end, the upper log is cut out exactly to fit down over the lower
tightly, while the lower is not notched at all. Oakum is strung the same
as for other methods and laid in at the corners. In the best work of
this type no oakum should show. Although the pioneers put their cabins
together without nails, they did so because they had no nails to use. To
be safe, spike all logs together with 12-inch spikes—the largest size
made.
Before you get the walls too high, give a thought to windows and doors.
There are two ways of taking care of them. The extravagant way, much
used by our forefathers, was to build with logs to the top line of the
proposed opening and then cut out a hole the required size. An
easier—and less wasteful—way, if you are doing your own work, is to use
short logs, leaving a more or less rectangular opening. Then nail a
couple of straight boards where your frames should come and saw off the
rough projecting log ends as illustrated above.
[Illustration: PLANKS NAILED AS GUIDE FOR CUTTING]
LOWER LOG HEWN OUT
Incidentally, in planning your house remember to take into consideration
that a log cabin’s interior absorbs a great deal of the light unless—God
forbid—you intend to whitewash the walls. Therefore, plan for as many
windows as your walls will allow without unduly weakening them or
disrupting your interior plans.
Use timber at least two inches thick for window and door frames and wide
enough to protrude slightly on the outside of the log wall. The bottom
piece—or sill—of the window frames should have a pitch of about one inch
to the outside and project two inches to allow for drainage of
rainwater. Don’t try to build your own windows. Order them to size from
a mill and set them in.
Roof Should be Sturdy
The pitch of the roof and the width of the eaves are largely matters of
personal taste and the kind of cabin you are building. A low pitched or
flat roof, however, must be thoroughly braced if it is to bear a heavy
load of snow, and the additional materials may cost more than a steeply
pitched roof. The most effective roof for many cabins is low pitched
with wide eaves—not too wide, of course, but wider than you’d have on a
city house. Build the gable ends to the height you finally decide on;
then trim down the rough ends along a line marked to the pitch of the
roof.
If you have been wise, you have a long, straight log of unquestioned
strength saved for your ridge pole. This should rest in notches at the
very peak of the gables, and since it forms the keystone of your house,
be sure it is solid and well bedded in oakum. The auxiliary roof
supports, called purlins, run parallel to the ridge log and should be
set by notching out the gable log where the purlin end rests. Cope the
log above it so that the two gable logs grip the purlin firmly. These
purlins ought to project eight or ten inches beyond the roof itself to
allow for axe-trimmed ends. (Fig. 9.)
Smaller Logs for Rafters
Rafters are the next problem. Choose smaller timbers, yet ones that are
well proportioned to the purlins. For the average cabin, logs with
four-inch butts are about right. They should be spaced not more than two
feet on the centers. Saw a square cut into the plate log—the top logs of
your walls—then square a place on your rafter to fit into this cut.
Drive it well home. (Fig. 9.)
[Illustration: Fig. 8]
FIRST LOG OF SIDE WALL, NOTCHED TO FIT OVER JOIST
JOIST FLATTENED VERY SLIGHTLY
SILL, HEWN FLAT ON TOP
FOUNDATION
GAIN
TENON
Each rafter should be cut in slightly to the purlins and spiked tightly
to each purlin and to the ridge log. When setting in any of these pieces
don’t forget to bed them well with oakum to make sure that they are
weather tight. Dressed siding is good material for the roof. On this
nail the roofing you have selected.
The type of roofing used depends on how much you want to spend.
Composition roofing is fire resistant and will last quite well, but it
is not particularly attractive on a log cabin. Shingles laid in the
customary way with the butt ends exposed for about one-third of the
length make a good roof. Shakes probably make the most interesting as
well as durable roofs for a cabin, although they are more expensive.
Shakes come in various sizes and add a final distinctive touch to a
house.
If you expect to use your cabin in very cold weather, a double roof
would be the wise provision. After laying your sheathing, cover it with
a layer of building paper or other insulating material. Then nail on a
series of 2×2 timber strips parallel to the rafters beneath. Across
these strips lay another layer of sheathing and then the shingles or
shakes. This forms a dead air space that is effective in insulating the
house against cold.
Use Planks for Cabin Doors
If you are going to keep the pioneer atmosphere in your log cabin, don’t
spoil it by buying millwork doors. Good, honest plank doors—made of any
dressed timber, with cross pieces firmly nailed and clinched—are more in
the spirit of things. A little ingenuity will go a long way toward
making a beautiful door out of humble materials. Have some country
blacksmith make a set of strap hinges and an old fashioned latch. You’ll
be well pleased with the effect. A good, strong snap lock is a necessity
to keep out intruders in your absence, of course.
If you want a good floor with a cabin “look” to it, get a supply of
planks in widths varying from 6 to 12 inches—and have them
tongue-and-grooved at the mill. Instead of nailing them, bore ¾-inch
holes half way through and fasten them down with screws. Into each hole
drive a hardwood plug, gluing it for tightness; then cut it off and
smooth it down flush with the floor with sandpaper. This gives the
effect of a “pinned” floor, which was very popular with the pioneer
cabin builders.
Tongue-and-grooved flooring in narrow widths should be
“blind-nailed”—the nails driven in at a slant from the sides and set
with a punch, but for wide planks it is perfectly all right, if you
wish, to nail through the boards and let the heads show.
How to Prevent Pests
Log cabins, particularly those where the bark is left on, fall heir to
many evils in the form of borers and beetles that make their homes in
the bark. Winter-cut logs are less likely to have borers than others,
and if they are to be peeled, peeling should be done in the spring
before the first flight of the beetles. Cedar and redwood are almost
entirely free from borers. Peeled logs are not likely to attract boring
pests, but they may be the home of larvae previously laid there.
If you do not care if your logs are stained, they may be painted with a
solution of liquid oil coal-tar creosote. This stains the bark a dark
brown, if used straight, but diluted with three parts kerosene it stains
only slightly. The odor is rather unpleasant, but if the treating is
done several months before the logs are used, it will wear off.
Pyridine, a colorless liquid, is one of the best pest killers. It also
has a strong, unpleasant odor. It should be applied on a windy day and
in the open air. It burns the skin slightly, so be careful. Also, it is
highly inflammable.
Paradichlorobenzene is a very effective control but is not permanent in
effect. It will, however, rid your logs of existing pests by slowly
liberating a gas which kills the insects. Dissolve three parts, by
weight, in a gallon of kerosene and apply either with a spray gun or a
brush. Small logs may be dipped in a trough filled with the solution.
Two gallons will saturate about 100 square feet of wood surface.
For logs that are to retain their bark, it is also well to paint all cut
places and knots with crude creosote soon after cutting and again before
use.
[Illustration: Fig. 9. Gable end showing ridge pole and purlins with
rafters notched over them.]
BUILDING A CABIN OF STONE
[Illustration: BUILDING A CABIN OF STONE]
Next to a log cabin one of the most effective in appearance is one built
of stone—rough field stones and boulders that can be picked up on the
shore of any lake or stream. Naturally, such a house is a pretty big
task for an amateur builder—not that it requires much more technical
knowledge but because stones have a way of getting pretty heavy when
they have to be lifted 8 or 10 feet off the ground. However, the result
is well worth the effort.
If you are ambitious enough to want to build a stone cabin, here are
some simple directions about how to do it. They are the result of actual
experience but, of course, cannot be taken as a practical course in
masonry.
The first step is like the old recipe for rabbit stew—you get some rocks
and a load or two of aggregate, clean sand and numerous sacks of cement.
(Tell the cement dealer what you plan to do and he’ll advise how much of
each you’ll need.) You’ll also need a quantity of rough lumber, 2×4’s,
1×6’s, and such, for the framework and a more or less water-tight mortar
boat in which to mix your mortar.
A cabin of stone requires a full concrete or rock foundation. The walls
will be extra heavy, so the footings as well as the foundation walls
should be proportionately wider and thicker than those described for log
and frame cabins.
[Illustration: FOUNDATION]
MORTAR FILL
SMOOTH FORM OF PLANKS OR PLYWOOD
MORTAR
FOUNDATION
After the foundation is poured, erect a frame for your house to the
height of your roof plate on the inner side of the foundation walls,
putting rough boarding on the outside of 2×4 studs. This will give you
something to work against to insure plumb walls.
Stone walls should be at least one and one-half feet thick at the bottom
(remember this in building the foundation) and taper to eight inches or
so at the top. The larger rocks, of course, should be used lower down,
although, if the work is carefully done, an occasional large one may be
set in higher up to lend effect.
Mix Mortar Thoroughly
Start the first course of stones about three inches from the board form
and fill in the space between with mortar. The correct mixture for this
mortar is six parts of clean sand to one part of cement. After a little
experimentation you will find the correct consistency, but be sure that
it is well mixed. As one expert says, “Mix the stuff with your hoe until
your back is broken and then mix it some more.” Wet the stones
thoroughly before setting in the mortar.
The end of each stone should be firmly bedded in the mortar, and as soon
as several courses of rock have been laid, tamp the mortar well down.
Small pieces of rock may be pushed into the mortar if you wish to make
it go farther.
When you build your wooden form, of course you put up the door and
window frames. They can’t be cut out of the walls afterward as with a
log cabin. Drive numerous long spikes into the outer surfaces of these
frames. This gives you something to “tie” to when you reach that height
with your masonry.
Building a stone house is slow work, and since you’ll have to leave your
work at times, remember that all mortar that has been laid the day
before must be thoroughly wet before fresh mortal is applied on top of
it. And the entire walls ought to be wet down at least twice daily for a
week or more after completion.
When you have reached the top course of stones, set in a row of threaded
iron bolts two feet apart and long enough to allow three inches of the
threaded end to stick up. On these you must bolt 2×4’s, so that you have
something to nail the rafters to.
[Illustration: Window and door frames are set into the masonry as it
proceeds, with long spikes protruding to “tie” them firmly.]
2″×6″ WINDOW FRAME
SPIKES TIE FRAME TO MASONRY
When the walls have set, remove the interior wooden forms and go over
the inside walls to fill up any air holes. These are not important
unless they are too large. The rest of the job is done just as in
finishing any other house. You’ll probably want to cover the interior
with some material, because concrete is pretty cold and might remind
someone of the time he was arrested for speeding.
The cost of a stone house depends on the amount of material you can find
lying around the neighborhood and the cost of labor. Some stone cabins,
with most of the labor hired, have been built for approximately $2.50
per square foot of floor space. This includes labor, materials,
built-ins, electrical wiring and fixtures, and plastered walls. If you
find it necessary to hire skilled stone masons or to transport your
material considerable distance, the cost will be higher. You can, of
course, lower it by doing a larger amount of the work yourself.
Remember that stone work is slow work, so allow yourself plenty of time.
The first course or so of stone will drop into place pretty fast, but
don’t forget that Rome was not built in a day—and Rome was built of
stone.
For making colored concrete, for floors, hearths, etc., a topping
containing the color is put on over the previously-poured base. This
topping consists of _five gallons_ of water per sack of cement, _one_
cubic foot of sand and 1½ cubic feet of coarse aggregate. You may use
factory-colored cement, or mix it on the job by passing the dry cement
and coloring matter through a screen with a ⅛-inch mesh until well
mixed.
An excellent treatment for colored concrete is to rub the surface
thoroughly with equal parts of paraffin oil and benzine. This closes the
pores and brings out the color uniformly.
In considering such permanent types of construction as stone, the great
advantage of concrete should not be overlooked. Walls of this material
are poured between wood, plywood or metal forms in the manner previously
described for foundation walls.
Perhaps you object because the finished structure would not be “in
keeping” with a woods atmosphere. But one method is possible whereby a
facing of natural stone backed by poured concrete combines the
advantages of concrete with a stone house “look.” This is called a Flagg
Masonry Wall after its originator, Ernest Flagg, New York architect. The
illustration shows the method of pouring such a wall.
For a beach house the smooth, modern lines of the concrete walls are
quite appropriate for the clean, clear atmosphere of a beach site.
Concrete is fireproof, termite proof, requires little or no maintenance,
and is not subject to decay. In a house that is often not in use, like a
beach or mountain retreat, the value of a material of these
characteristics is obvious.
[Illustration: This is a detailed plan of the Flagg masonry wall,
showing forms, concrete fill and outer covering of stonework.]
FURRING STRIPS
LATH & PLASTER, OR ONE OF THE PLASTERBOARDS, OR PLYWOOD
FORM LUMBER OR PLYWOOD
CONCRETE
STONE
FRAME CABINS AND BEACH HOUSES
[Illustration: FRAME CABINS AND BEACH HOUSES]
Frame-type cabins present no structural problems that are unfamiliar to
anyone who knows the fundamentals of ordinary frame house construction.
The essential details of building almost any sort of simple frame house
are the same, the main difference being in your choice of exterior
finish.
If your vacation home is a beach house, you may even find the regular
type of stucco finish appropriate for your particular location. Or you
may want to combine stucco finish with wood siding or with board and
batten. The main objective is to keep the structure in harmony with its
surroundings.
This is particularly true of simple cabins in the mountains. A brick
bungalow, for example, would be splendid for warmth and strength for a
hunting lodge, but it would be wholly out of place in the forest, as
would ordinary concrete finish, stucco, or certain types of frame
houses.
There are a number of western lumber companies that specialize in
manufacturing novel types of siding designed primarily for cabins and
other buildings with a forest background. Some of these cost only a
little more than ordinary lumber and make a very attractive cabin.
Among the novelty sidings, you may buy rounded siding that gives the
effect of smoothly finished half-logs, or “hewn” timbers that look
exactly like hand-hewn logs. You can even get special end pieces which,
when carefully attached, give the effect of projecting log ends. As you
can see from the illustrations, this novelty siding can be applied by
anyone who knows how to use a set of carpenter’s tools.
[Illustration: This is the proper way to apply half-round siding to
the studs. The log ends add a very realistic touch.]
If you are planning to build a frame cottage or summer home, the field
of design is, of course, limited largely by the amount of money you have
to spend. If you are not an old hand at carpentering it would be well to
get the assistance of a builder or a lumber company in selecting your
materials. A man with a knowledge of building can keep you from making
mistakes that might not be discovered until the house was built.
One of the easiest and most effective cabins is built with a “board and
batten” exterior. This consists of broad planks ... their width is a
matter of your own judgment ... applied either horizontally or
vertically. Between each pair of planks runs a strip of batten which may
be nailed flat over the seam or, if you get the specially milled
battens, there is a groove into which the wide boards fit. A combination
of board and batten and stone construction makes an exceptionally
attractive exterior if you use some artistic judgment in combining the
two.
[Illustration: This is the effect obtained by use of hewn siding. It
is applied like any other lumber, with extra end pieces to give
illusion of a real log cabin.]
If you are planning to use the house in the cold months, it is well to
insulate the walls at least with heavy building paper. In very cold
climates it is best to finish the walls on both the exterior and the
interior, filling the spaces between the studs with one of the
commercial insulating “wools,” made of wood fibre or asbestos. If you
must save money, you can buy sawdust at the local mill and pack it in.
Hand-split shakes also make an attractive cabin finish. The rough
pioneer effect of the crude shakes is quite in keeping with the
wilderness atmosphere. These are applied in much the same manner as
ordinary shingles.
[Illustration: Shakes, either hand-split or sawed, should be laid in
a definite pattern.]
RANDOM WIDTHS
SAW-TOOTHED
ANGLE BUTTS
[Illustration: Here is an example of charming effect obtained by
using horizontal and vertical board and batten, combined with
stone.]
[Illustration: Any of the methods shown here is a satisfactory way
to fit the corners when imitation log siding is used.]
If you undertake the construction of a frame cabin without the
assistance of an experienced carpenter or builder, you should keep in
mind the minimum requirements set up by the Forest Service as standard
specifications for cabins to be built in deep snow country:
All girders should be not less than 4×4 material spaced not more than
7 feet on centers.
All main posts supporting building should be not less than 4×4, spaced
not more than 7 feet apart in any direction and should rest on rock or
concrete base; this applies to open porches also.
All floor joists (including those under open porches) should be not
less than 2×6 material, spaced not over 2 feet on center.
Studding in sidewalls, where siding runs vertically, should be spaced
not more than 6 feet on center and should be not less than 2×4
material. At least one 2×4 should be placed around the building,
horizontally, between the floor plate and ceiling plate, and the side
boards should be securely nailed to this horizontal ribbon as well as
the top and bottom plates.
On buildings where siding runs horizontally, studding should be placed
not over 2 feet on center on outside walls and be not less than 2×4
material.
Double headers and proper bridging should be installed over all
openings in outside walls. This is not necessary in partitions.
Rafters should be spaced not more than 2 feet on center and should be
not less than 2×4 material on all spans up to 16 feet. All spans of
more than 16 feet should use rafters of not less than 2×6 material and
be spaced not more than 2 feet on center. Rafters and other members of
the roof frame should be of selected, straight-grain lumber.
All ceiling joists should be good, straight-grained sticks not less
than 2×4 material and spaced not more than 2 feet on center. Nail them
securely to both rafters and plate. All buildings with a gable roof
should contain ceiling joists. All spans of more than 14 feet should
have collar beams to support the rafters.
THIRTY CABIN PLANS
a CABIN in the CLOUDS
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
The ideal mountain cabin should be almost a part of the rugged landscape
that surrounds it, with rough walls and stout roof that seem to hug the
rocks. The very majesty and sweep of the hills dwarf any attempt by man
to build himself a tall, imposing mountain home—it is better to build
for simplicity and strength.
In this “cabin in the clouds,” resembling some of the mountaineers’ huts
in the Alps, every effort has been made to keep the atmosphere as rustic
and as rugged as possible, at the same time providing all the
conveniences of a comfortable modern home.
The walls, the designer says, should be of stone, 16 inches thick. The
roof should be of redwood shakes or slates, but remember that any
roofing must stand storms and very high winds in the mountains. The
railing of the car shelter is of stone, also, with roof supports of
heavy hewn redwood timbers.
The living room centers around the massive fireplace, which should be of
rough stone. It is flanked on one side by a built-in seat, and a wood
box on the other, with an outside door. Walls should be finished in
rough plaster or wood panelling, with ceiling beams exposed. All floors
are of wood except the terrace, which is flagstones.
On the front a broad window overlooks the terrace and, presumably, a
sweeping view of a valley. A big sliding door of glass opens on the
terrace also.
Opposite the fireplace is space for two built-in bunks in an alcove,
enclosed by a curtain hung from a ceiling track. The bunk room proper,
with a dressing closet and clothes closet, contains two double-deck
bunks.
The kitchen may seem a bit small, but it is larger than many found in
modern city apartments, and much more convenient.
a BEACH HOUSE MODERN
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
A broad beach, with lots of fine white sand, would be the ideal location
for this ultra-modern beach house, with its clean, sweeping lines. As in
the case of many of the new houses, there is a generous use of glass. In
the outside walls are shown 22 windows, which should satisfy any fresh
air addict.
Construction of this streamlined beach house calls for a concrete
substructure and first floor with wood frame above. To insure a cool
house, the most satisfying exterior would be dazzling white stucco,
which is an excellent heat reflector. The floors should be of concrete
flagstones or tiles, tinted and waxed.
The sun deck is a welcome feature on any beach house, because there are
days when the ocean breezes are cool, and one may bask here behind the
protection of glass screens.
Inside, the plan calls for a single room with high ceiling, and a series
of sliding curtains which cut off the bunk room and a dining alcove if
desired. There is a separate bunk room for guests. If double-deck bunks
are used, eight persons may occupy the house.
The bathroom has the added convenience of an extra toilet, or the space
may be used for another closet. As in all well-planned beach houses,
there is an extra shower just inside the entry from the beach.
The whole interior may be done in plywood panels, either natural color
or painted in a light-colored eggshell finish.
The broad open spaces beneath the house serve several purposes. They
offer ample storage for beach umbrellas, chairs, ping-pong table and
such, as well as a dressing room for bathers. By careful planning
beforehand, a dumb-waiter could be installed to connect the kitchen with
the beach, thus saving many steps when serving a barbecue meal or a cold
snack on the sand. It will be noted that the fireplace chimney base has
been utilized as a beach barbecue, so that food may be prepared without
going up to the main kitchen.
a SKI LODGE in SNOW COUNTRY
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
1^st Floor
2^nd Floor
Here’s a quaint little mountain hut that the Seven Dwarfs might like to
live in. It’s a ski lodge, designed to withstand the roughest weather,
yet its construction is simple and the cost extremely modest. The cabin
consists of a 16-foot octagonal room on the ground floor for living
quarters and a second floor bunk room. Five or six may be accommodated
upstairs, since three beds just fit. A wall bed on the first floor
sleeps two more.
Construction of this unusual cabin is all of wood, with concrete or
flagstone floor. Built for use in cold weather, the walls should be of
double sheathing packed with insulating wool, in addition to the shakes
applied outside. Eight posts form the frame, with 3×4 rafters running to
an octagonal block at the peak. Two 6×8 timbers support the second
floor.
Tiny as it seems, this lodge offers a maximum of room for lovers of snow
sports. The height is 14 feet from floor to peak.
Most unusual of its features is the door in the roof. At first glance
this might seem odd, but the first time the main door is buried under
ten feet of snow, you’ll be glad the roof door was put in.
There’s a fireplace on the ground floor, of course, and all the
conveniences for a week-end stay. However, in such limited space as much
of the furniture as possible should be of the folding type. It will be
noted that no provision was made for bath or toilet. These features
would have to be in a detached structure, which is preferable to
addition of a side room, which would spoil the unique shape of the
house.
A number of cabins of this type have been built on the Pacific coast in
recent years. One of the first, and probably the original one, was
constructed by Fred B. Stephen, Seattle architect, for his family’s use
on a site in the Cascade mountains, 85 miles from Seattle.
a CLUB HOUSE for TWENTY
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Sun Terrace
Wood
Stove
Bench
Tack Rm.
Living Area
Seat
Wood
2 Beds
Bunk Dormitory—18 bunks
SH
Bath
Bath
SH
Kitchen
Dining Area
Car Shelter—6 Cars
Porch
Here’s a good answer to the problem of a low-cost club house for a
hiking or snow-sports group. Since much of the work on such a cabin
might be done by the members, construction is as simple as possible. The
exterior may be anything from rough tongue-and-grooved boards, the
cheapest, to real logs, the most expensive. Interior walls are sheathed
with plywood, stained or painted, and the roof covered with composition
roofing. The long bunk room, partitioned off for privacy, holds nine
double-deck bunks, and has separate bathrooms adjoining for men and
women. A stove should be included in this room, for extra warmth.
One may drive to the front door, unload passengers or supplies, and
proceed to a stall in the car shelter conveniently. The kitchen is just
inside the front door, making trips through or around the house with
supplies unnecessary.
The living room, spacious enough to seat twenty for meals, contains two
built-in bunks. Off it is a tack room for storing skis and other
equipment, which can also be used as a work shop. A large dining table
might be used for ping-pong and other games. Both the woodbox by the
fireplace and in the bunkroom may be stocked from the outside, a great
convenience in winter when fires burn constantly.
Note that the car shelter has space for six machines.
for BATHING and BASKING
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Just because a summer cabin is small and inexpensive is no reason why it
cannot be smart and distinctive in appearance. The little house shown
here could probably be built for less than $1000, yet it has many
features worthy of a vacation home costing many times that.
Construction is entirely of wood, in a fashion reminiscent of Japanese
houses, with wide doors and a broad, low roof. The easiest and most
pleasing finish, both outside and inside would be plywood. The
waterproof variety is durable and not costly, and it is so easy to apply
that any amateur can turn out a pleasing job. Plywood is adaptable to
any of the regulation wood-finish treatments from oiling or staining to
painting, and will last indefinitely.
The roof would be attractive if covered with a brightly colored
composition roofing, or with stained shingles or shakes.
The house consists of one large room, with alcoves for dining and
sleeping. The Pullman-type kitchen, which means that everything is
compact and within easy reach, connects both with the dining area and
the barbecue patio at the rear of the house—a convenience if meals are
to be served outside.
The same thoughtfulness has gone into planning of the bath. It has one
door into the bunk-alcove and another opening on the pier, so that
swimmers may go to the shower without tracking up the rest of the house.
A curtain shuts off the bunk alcove at night, and pulls back to make
this part of the main room by day. Two double bunks provide beds for
four persons.
Large folding doors at each end of the house open on the pier and the
patio, giving an unusual sense of roominess.
The fireplace arrangement is also quite unusual, having a single chimney
which serves three purposes. It carries flues from the fireplace, the
kitchen stove and the barbecue grill in the patio. The woodbox is just
inside the door for convenient filling.
for SUMMER or WINTER FUN
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
One of the principal drawbacks to a real log cabin is the amount of work
involved, as well as the expense. On the other hand, the cabin shown
here is an example of what can be done with “imitation logs” that give
the effect of real ones, while the task of building with them is no more
difficult than with any finished lumber. In another part of this book
will be found illustrations of the various ways this log siding may be
applied to obtain rustic effects.
If this cabin is to be left unpainted, it would be wise to apply a coat
of silver stain. This gives the illusion of weathering and does away
with the “raw” look of a new house. The roof, of shakes, should be
treated the same way.
To avoid cluttering up the living room, the designer has provided a
separate room for bunks. This one holds two double-deckers and a large
clothes closet. A short hall connects with the bathroom. A really novel
feature is the pair of small windows which light the “upper” and “lower”
of each set of bunks.
The kitchen is well lighted with three windows and a door, and has ample
space for roomy cupboards and a work table. The stove can be placed so
that the flue connects with the fireplace chimney.
The living room is large enough to hold a fairly large fireplace. It has
windows on three sides, in addition to a pair of French doors opening on
a rustic terrace.
One of the advantages of this kind of cabin over a real log one, is the
ease with which the interior can be finished. Perhaps the most suitable
finish would be natural-color oiled plywood panels. Knotty pine or
redwood paneling would also be attractive.
CABIN for FOUR is EASY to BUILD
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
For the amateur builder who wants to try his hand at a cabin, this
attractive design presents a minimum of construction problems and calls
for only a very modest outlay for materials. At the same time, if the
work is well done, this cabin can be made as smart and attractive as one
costing twice as much.
The most satisfactory, as well as the easiest way to build this cabin,
would be with a frame of redwood timbers covered with half-round
imitation log siding. Another finish that is not difficult to work out
is with a combination of vertical and horizontal board and batten,
running the boards vertically for the walls and horizontally at the
gable ends.
Since this is first of all a rustic cabin, it should by all means have a
roof of redwood shakes. The manner in which these are laid is
responsible for lending interest and claim to an otherwise rather plain
roof-line.
The front porch may be either flagstones or heavy planks, although the
latter would, of course, call for a foundation. The two seats make an
inviting place to rest, but as will be seen from an inspection of the
floor plan, they serve for more than ordinary seats. They have
corresponding seats inside the living room, and beneath them are
concealed two roll-away double beds. Such construction for the beds is a
great advantage in a small cabin, since they can be pulled out or put
away as needed. This leaves the whole living room, which is 12½ × 20
feet, for any style of decoration you like.
The fireplace parallels the 20-foot dimensions of the room and may
therefore be fairly large. A general rule is to make it one-third as
wide as the longest dimension of the room.
The kitchen is very conveniently arranged. It has three windows,
affording ample light. A dinette, which could be made with a drop table
and folding seats if necessary, occupies one side of the room. The stove
can be placed so that the flue can go up the fireplace chimney.
This plan was furnished through the courtesy of the California Redwood
Association.
COUNTRY PLACE of CHARM
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Four walls, a roof and a floor, will make a cabin after a fashion. But a
glance at the illustration above will show what a little thought, care
and imagination on the part of a good architect will do to those same
four walls.
This simple, inexpensive country cottage, sleeping four comfortably, has
all the little touches that distinguish a house of real charm. Because
of its simplicity, this cabin is adaptable to almost any site. The
original was designed by Angelo Hewetson, San Francisco architect, to
fit between four huge redwood trees, and to be in keeping with the
natural beauty of the location.
The exterior is of heavy sawed siding, although board and batten would
also be effective. The roof, stained a rich brown, is of shingles laid
irregularly. The siding is stained pearl gray, for a weathered effect,
with trim to match, and the doors are painted a soft rose. Inside, this
cabin is equally charming. The living room is broad and comfortable, and
features a massive fireplace. A “waterback” may be installed in the back
of the fireplace, connected with a storage boiler to furnish hot water
whenever the fireplace is in use. At other times a water heater, burning
liquid gas or oil, would heat the same tank.
The interior finish used by Mr. Hewetson is about as attractive as can
be devised, and it’s inexpensive, too. Walls and ceilings in the living
room and alcoves are sheathed in knotty pine boards of random widths
from 4 to 10 inches, and the doors are all of planks of similar
material. All is stained driftwood gray with a touch of rose for warmth.
The kitchen and bath are in cream with soft green trim.
The porch, open to the sky, offers an ideal place for basking in the sun
without shutting off any light from the interior. In good weather it can
be used as a sleeping porch to accommodate an extra guest.
PLANNED for LAZY COMFORT
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
1^st Floor
2^nd Floor
Just at a glance, would you think it possible for eleven persons to be
accommodated in the cabin illustrated here? It is only 20 × 28 feet in
inside area, yet such a feat is possible by intelligent use of every bit
of floor space. The real secret lies in utilization of the loft formed
by the high roof. This is transformed into a balcony-bedroom, with space
enough for two double beds and a single cot. Curtains or screens give
the necessary privacy. That takes care of five persons.
Downstairs, the living room is furnished with a long refectory table and
benches, several easy chairs and a day-bed that opens into a double bed
at night. That’s two more. Then, in the alcove off the living room, are
two double-deck bunks—and there’s your accommodations for a total of
eleven!
As in the case of most of these cabins, this one is adaptable to a
number of exterior treatments. Real logs or frame construction with
siding and boards and batten are indicated in the drawing. The porches
provide two more suitable rooms, where meals may be served in good
weather.
John Rattray, of Marysville, built the original of this cabin at Lake
Madrone, Butte County, California.
WEEK-END CABIN in the REDWOODS
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
After the noise and confusion of city life, what more enjoyable change
could one find than to spend a quiet week-end in a restful,
unpretentious cabin such as this? Because it has such regular, unbroken
walls, it would be a fairly easy job to build out of real logs, just as
the designer has illustrated it. In many parts of the West, the entire
structure could be erected from materials provided by Nature right on
the site.
Since this is intended for week-end use, it is not quite such an
elaborate cabin as some, but none of the conveniences have been omitted.
The big fireplace, built on rugged lines, would provide ample heat for
the whole house. Note that a second _stone_ chimney serves the
kitchen—don’t ruin the picture by sticking a metal stovepipe through the
roof.
The interior walls would look well if the logs were stained or
varnished, but for added warmth it might be wise to cover them with
wallboard. Inexpensive tongue-and-grooved Oregon pine would be good for
the floors, as they would not be subject to much foot traffic. If the
floors are to be left unvarnished, rub them with linseed oil as a
preservative.
The use of casement-type windows is another good idea, instead of the
ordinary kind. They are much more decorative, and there’s none of the
bother of stringing sash-cords and weights.
THREE PLANS for GUEST COTTAGES
[Illustration: Elevations and floor plans]
This trio of little guest cabins will probably be welcomed by those
families who have had the problem of entertaining frequent visitors in
their vacation home, but who like to maintain a certain amount of
privacy that is almost impossible when a group of people have to eat and
sleep and play in a summer cabin of limited size.
The guest cabin at the top of the page is one made of real logs.
Visitors will enjoy the chance to live in a log cabin, and this one is
particularly attractive because its six windows provide what amounts to
a sun room. Such a cabin would lend a rustic atmosphere to the grounds
of any summer home, even if the main cabin is built of some other
material.
The second cabin, at the right, is a simple affair built on a wooden
frame with a covering of board and batten. The extension of the roof to
include the porch makes this look like a much larger structure than it
really is. Note also the treatment of the side windows which carries out
this illusion.
The third little cabin is quite unique, since it is built of common,
ordinary railroad ties! This is not such a far-fetched idea, either,
because many railroads are willing to sell used ties, and sometimes even
new ones—and they can be used to make a most effective log cabin with
only about half the labor required to hew ordinary logs. Railroads ties
are particularly well suited to a small house, since it is not so
necessary to splice timbers to gain needed length.
All of these guest cabins consist of a living room containing either a
bunk or double bed, and a bathroom. No kitchen is provided, since it is
assumed that guests will take their meals at the main house. However, it
is a gracious gesture—and one that will be appreciated—to provide a
single-burner oil stove or an electric plate, so that breakfast or a
late snack may be prepared without invading the main kitchen.
WHERE SKY and WATER MEET
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
You’d expect to find just such a simple, homey kind of cabin out “back
of beyond” where the sky and water meet, because it’s the sort of place
just meant for the shores of some quiet lake or stream. It isn’t
designed for show, but for comfort-loving people on vacation.
The artist has given us this cabin with an exterior finish of redwood
boards and battens, combined with a small amount of stone for added
interest, but the same plan would be adaptable to almost any
treatment—logs, for example, laid up in stockade fashion, or milled
redwood siding or even an all-over covering of hand-split shakes. The
roof, by all means, should be of shakes, stained brown or just left to
the weather.
A stone terrace and a landing stage for boats is shown in the
illustration, but these features are, of course, optional.
Inside you’ll find a 12½ × 18½ foot living room, dominated by a
fireplace that takes up most of one wall, but well lighted by windows
and doors at each end. The fireplace chimney, incidentally, also serves
the kitchen stove.
The two bunk rooms offer ample quarters for four persons even if twin
beds are used, but in this, as in many modern cabins, it would be wise
to conserve space by using double-deck bunks. There’s plenty of closet
space, too—one of them even has a window in it.
There are a number of other points of convenience about this cabin that
may not meet the eye, at first glance. Note the kitchen has its door
opening onto the terrace, making meals outside much simpler to serve.
The bathroom is far more convenient than some found in urban homes. Just
to keep the whole family happy, the shower has been placed in a separate
enclosure from the main bathroom.
VACATION HOME in SOUTHLAND
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Another of those rather streamlined summer homes which some people call
“functional” style is shown here. Actually, the word simply means
useful, and that is one of the aims of all good architecture. The effort
here has been to get away from the frills and gingerbread that make
“horrors” of so many older houses. Although this was designed for a
beach house, it would do as well in almost any type of location except a
forest site. Streamlines don’t seem quite suitable for a woods home. If
built away from water, the boat shelter would make an ideal workshop,
laundry or storehouse.
Construction is of stucco over wood frame, with a broad, flat roof
extended several feet for added shade. Naturally, this flat roof would
be unsuitable for snow country, but it is quite effective in other
sections. The over-hang, by the way, might be stained green. Foundations
should all be of reinforced concrete block, which is strong and cool.
The porch rails may be either pipe or stained wood.
Inside, the arrangement is extremely simple, yet interesting. The living
and dining areas, connected with the porch by sliding or folding doors,
can be made into one very large room for entertaining. On the north
side, a long hall connects the bedroom and bath with other parts of the
house. A slight rearrangement of part of this hall would make the living
room even larger.
The bedroom has accommodations for two single beds or bunks, and there
are two built-in bunks or divans in the living room.
a CABIN for TWENTY GUESTS
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Not many families would require as spacious a cabin as this, but the
plan can be altered in various ways to expand or eliminate the
accommodations as needed. As it is, this would make a splendid club for
an outdoor group, since it can be built for a fairly reasonable sum and
is not a complicated construction problem.
The long bunk room, divided by a hall, has partitioned enclosures which
will hold either a single bed, double bunk or even a two-deck double
bunk, thus providing accommodations for either four, eight or sixteen
persons. Beyond the bunk room are two dressing rooms and two baths,
making it possible to care for guests of both sexes conveniently. If
additional beds are necessary, several folding beds could be installed
in the big living room.
The screened porch is a feature that is a good addition to any cabin. It
gives an extra room—an ideal place for meals—and by the installation of
inexpensive hinged windows, the porch can be used regardless of the
weather.
Preparation of meals for as large a group as may occupy this cabin
presents somewhat of a problem, so the designer has made the kitchen
unusually spacious. Work-tables are shown along each wall, but these can
be reduced to allow for a refrigerator, large range, etc.
As in the case of the other club house presented in this book,
construction can be as simple or elaborate as the owners desire. If
amateur labor is going to be used, the wisest choice of materials would
be those requiring the least technical knowledge. As shown here, the
cabin is wood frame, covered with imitation log siding combined with
flush siding above the level of the porch railing. The roof is of
shakes.
MOUNTAIN HOME at ARROWHEAD
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
1^st Floor
2^nd Floor
Inspired by a Normandy-French house built on the shore of Lake
Arrowhead, the plan illustrated here presents a spacious summer home for
a large family or one which does much entertaining. An idea of the size
is indicated by the fireplace, which has an opening of 9½ × 5½ feet,
topped by a huge oak beam.
The exterior is pleasingly finished in board and batten with gable-ends
of siding, and a slate or shake roof. The porch is flagstone with rustic
rail.
The first floor, besides a magnificent living room, contains a master
bedroom and bath, maid’s quarters and the kitchen. Upstairs are five
minimum-size guest rooms and a bath. Four of the bedrooms are lighted by
charming dormer windows.
An attractive way to finish the interior, to keep it in the provincial
spirit, would be to use rough plaster walls with exposed ceiling beams
and a plank floor in random widths pinned with wooden dowels. The
furniture should be hand made, patterned after simple French peasant
styles.
When the owners built the original of this home they salvaged old
hand-wrought iron pieces from an abandoned construction camp to make
much of the hardware, and for the rest, they used modern lacquered iron
hardware, with the finish burned off. It was tempered in hot oil and
then hand-hammered to give the proper look of age.
the BIGGEST LITTLE CABIN
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
BIG ROOM 16′-0″ × 23′-6″
Kitch. 6′-5″ × 8′-6″
Ba.
C.
SH.
Some people would be cramped for space in a ten-room house, while others
live with perfect freedom in a pup-tent. It’s all a matter of adapting
oneself to the situation.
Here, for example, is a cabin that might be too small for two persons,
while as a matter of fact it will sleep six without crowding at all.
That’s not just a theory, because a similar cabin has been used for
several years up in the Mt. Rainier country with great success. It’s
just the easy-going, unpretentious sort of place a man would love, where
he can wear old clothes and let his whiskers grow, and the odors of
coffee and sizzling bacon are sweeter than the most exotic perfume.
As illustrated this cabin has an exterior of wide planks and a roof of
shakes. It would make an ideal log cabin, or take any one of a number of
finishes. If any kind of siding is used, a beautiful effect could be
obtained by use of silver-gray stain. It makes a new cabin look as if it
had stood through many winters. If shakes or shingles are used for
roofing, be sure to include about 10 per cent of dark-stained ones with
the lighter colors, to give a dappled look like sunshine through the
trees.
The real secret of this little cabin lies in the use of three folding
double beds instead of the regular kind or bunks. They are hinged at one
end and can be put up out of the way, concealed behind curtains or
cupboard doors. Built-in double-deck bunks are, of course, a fine
addition to any cabin, but they do cut down the space even in a 23-foot
living room.
The little flagstone entry may seem like a fancy addition to such a
cabin, but it is decorative—and insures against mud puddles at the front
door.
The kitchen is particularly well arranged, with lots of work table space
and room for storage shelves above. The bath, although not large,
contains all the comforts of home.
BEACH HOUSE on a BLUFF
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Any family fortunate enough to live near the ocean will find this house,
although primarily a vacation home, is well suited to a year-round
residence. Along the southern coast especially there are many such beach
houses whose owners wouldn’t think of living in town.
A number of very pleasing ideas have been included here by the designer.
Although this appears to be just a two-room house, there are features
which make it as commodious as a four-room one at practically no
additional cost. For example, the living room and bedroom are the
principal parts of the house, but the terrace provides an ideal outdoor
dining room, and the sun deck is just the place for sleeping out when
the weather is clear.
Stucco on a wood frame sheathed with insulating board forms the outer
walls, and plywood is used inside. These interior walls could be
plastered, but this would cost slightly more. All windows, as well as
the sliding and folding doors, have steel frames. Floors are of colored
and polished concrete.
A good color combination would be white for the exterior, with all
exposed woodwork, such as garage doors, stained tobacco brown. The
terrace rail and the spiral stair should be tile red. Inside, the most
restful finish would be flat paint in a pastel blue or green, which is
easy on the eyes in a location where there is so much bright sunlight.
The owner’s bedroom, with dressing room and closet, and the bath
adjoining, make a very convenient unit away from the rest of the house.
A wide closet in the living room will hold one or more roll-away beds
for extra guests. Also, note the spacious woodbox which can be stocked
from the garage.
The dining terrace, with its decorative tree, is protected from the
wind. From here the spiral staircase leads to the sun deck over the
bedroom.
The fireplace is a rather necessary feature even in warm climates. It is
of stucco over concrete blocks. The designer has suggested a novel idea
in this connection: to insure a cool air space between the ceiling and
roof in summer, a ventilator is run from the ceiling up the chimney
stack.
a CABAÑA—MEXICAN TYPE
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
The inspiration for this charming little house has come down through the
years from designs used so well by the early Californians, many of whom
brought with them the traditions of their Mexican and Spanish ancestry.
While the architect, Arthur L. Herberger, of Los Angeles, specified this
as a stucco dwelling, a favorite medium for this type of house, it would
be an ideal design to work out in adobe, such as the builders of other
days would have used. As in so many of these old houses, the front
entrance has an air of welcome, but the patio for private gatherings is
placed at the rear, away from general view.
Adobe clay can be found in many parts of the West, and if your property
happens to have a bed of this earth, the house can be built for very
little if you do all the work. When all labor is hired, however, adobe
is frequently more expensive than some other types of construction.
Properly cured adobe blocks last for centuries.
Two treatments can be suggested for the front entry. It might be framed
with brightly colored Mexican tiles set into the stucco or adobe, or the
lintel and sides might be made of heavy hewn timbers.
Whether adobe or stucco is used, the roof should be of shakes or
sun-baked tiles.
Inside, the early day spirit can be carried out by the use of rather
rough plank walls, whitewashed, or oiled cedar panels. The living room
should extend to the roof, with the rafters stained brown or painted
with a gay Mexican design. Attention to details, such as the fireplace,
which may be of adobe or other handmade bricks, and the choice of
hardware, will add much to the charm of such a house.
CABIN for FOUR in HIGH SIERRA
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Here is a big, comfortable cabin of no particular period of design—just
a grand place to while away one’s leisure time in some secluded spot
where the only sound is the music of the wind in the pines. The broad
flagstone porch is just the spot to spend lazy afternoons, and the
living room is large enough for entertaining but not so large that it
would be hard to heat.
According to the original design, this cabin might be built with a board
and batten exterior, finished with a preparation of linseed oil and
rotten stone—or it would be beautiful covered, roof and all, with
silver-weathered shakes or shingles. In either case, the trim should be
in a bright color for contrast, and the chimney would be best if built
of rough field stones.
Inside, the living room might be finished in knotty Western cedar
vertical-channel boards, sanded until they feel like satin and rubbed
with linseed oil. Here again, for contrast, the trim and doors might be
painted some bright color. The designer suggested waxed vermillion
lacquer for the floor, but if this sounds too bright, it could be left
natural color, or perhaps covered with one of the tile patterns of
inlaid linoleum.
The two bedrooms, just for variety, could be panelled in knotty pine,
while the bathroom and kitchen would be nice in some gay color such as
canary yellow.
The arrangement of the fireplace at the back of the house allows
construction of a feature which is especially popular in southern
California—an outdoor fireplace. A single chimney carries both flues.
The inner fireplace may be used for heating purposes, while the outside
one is ideal for barbecues on the terrace.
for BEACH or LAKESHORE
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Here’s a thoroughly modern little cabin with very trim lines. It will
fit into almost any sort of sloping site. Shown here, it’s a mountain
cabin with stone foundations forming the walls of a garage for two cars.
However, with only a few minor changes, the same plan could be used for
a beach house, and the garage could be transformed into a boat house.
Construction details are quite simple. The foundations, stairway and
retaining walls are stone, which can often be had for nothing on the
site. The upper structure is wood frame, covered outside with milled
siding. The studding is so planned as to make application of wallboard
or plywood very easy, for the interior.
If the cabin is to be built in snow country, such a flat roof would have
to be supported with unusually strong beams. The simplest covering would
be composition roofing. To provide a serviceable walking surface, a wood
floor raised on slats should go over this built up rooting. Another
excellent—and cheap—roofing for a deck that will have considerable foot
traffic is made by applying canvas over the matched roof boarding, just
like the deck of a boat. If kept painted, this type of roofing is
entirely satisfactory.
This is essentially a one-room structure, but it includes in a compact
space all the conveniences of a much larger house. At one end of the
living area is a small but complete kitchen, screened by a cupboard. On
the reverse side of this cupboard is a hinged table that swings down at
meal times.
Sleeping quarters include two double-deck bunks against one wall, with
closet room at one end and the bathroom at the other. This entire area
can be screened off with sliding curtains hung from a ceiling track.
There is also room for a couch or day bed on one side of the fireplace.
Wood storage is outside, but the small closet by the fireplace could be
used for this.
Another interesting feature is the barbecue on the roof deck. It is
built into the chimney, but if such an item adds too much to the cost, a
portable barbecue would do quite as well.
a CABIN in the SANTA CRUZ
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
For anyone who wants to satisfy that inner urge to live in a real log
cabin, no better guide could be followed than the plans shown here. A
glance at the illustration really doesn’t give an idea of the roominess
and comfort of the place that is apparent from a study of the floor
plan. However, this cabin would be quite a task for an amateur builder
to undertake.
The original of this cabin was built by the Hugo Eastmans on a knoll in
the Santa Cruz mountains. The rustic idea is carried out in every
detail, with real logs, a rough stone fireplace and rugged rafters, but
inside are all the conveniences of a modern residence. A pergola of
rustic poles shades the front entrance.
Because of the size of the cabin it is unnecessary to crowd the living
room with beds. There is one, but it folds up and is concealed in a
closet. There are two comfortable bedrooms, each with private bath. One
of the baths opens into the kitchen also.
Since this is a real log cabin, every possible detail should be made of
this material, including door and window trim, porch rail and possibly
the living room furniture. The floor should be of random-width planks,
pinned with wooden dowels.
Light is an important factor in a log cabin, so much care should go into
planning the color scheme. If the cabin is of peeled logs, the most
beautiful interior finish would be to give the walls a couple of coats
of clear varnish. This brings out the whiteness of the logs and makes
them easy to keep clean.
The bedrooms, for contrast, might be done in greenish blue and the
kitchen in grey or tan.
here is a CABIN THAT GROWS
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: 1^ST Stage]
[Illustration: 2^ND Stage]
The building of any sort of a vacation cabin represents quite an
investment for the average family, and it is sometimes necessary to omit
or hold back on certain features in order to make the budget work out.
The plan illustrated here is a splendid example of a charming cabin that
started as a modest little place with just the minimum amount of room.
In its first stage, the owner can erect the central frame, which
includes the living room, a bunk-room, kitchen and bath. This all fits
into a 19- × 20-foot structure, and may be sheathed on the outside with
board and batten, as above, or any type of material that fits the
budget. A feature adding a great deal of charm is the pair of casement
windows at the front.
This much of the house could be built the first year, with perhaps a
temporary shelter for the car at the rear. The following season, or as
soon as needed, two real bedrooms could be added on one side, utilizing
the space formerly taken by bunks for closets. It will be noted in the
plan marked “Second Stage” that a stairway to a cellar is indicated, but
the cellar, of course, is optional.
On the opposite side of the house, the garage may be constructed, either
attached directly to the house, or as shown here, with a small porch and
a breakfast room in between.
Following the style of many of the recent houses, this design uses a
nice combination of board and batten and fitted masonry.
This plan was designed by Howard H. Riley, Seattle architect, and was
furnished through the courtesy of the West Coast Lumbermen’s
Association.
RUSTIC CABIN for TWO FAMILIES
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
This plan of a two-family cabin is presented as a result of numerous
requests from Pacific Coast families who want to enjoy their vacations
together. The problem is somewhat more difficult than planning a single
house, but the features illustrated here should make it possible to give
two families a cabin at only slightly higher cost than an ordinary one.
The construction of such a cabin, in most cases, must be fairly
reasonable. Therefore, the one here is built of wood frame covered with
board and batten, on a low concrete foundation. Roofing may be of any
type that meets the budget.
A large living room with a massive fireplace is the central feature
inside. Here both families may gather, or they may find privacy on
separate porches on either side.
Since meals would probably be eaten at the same time by both groups, the
kitchen and dining alcove have been made common to both sides.
The most interesting feature, and one which should please everybody, is
a separate suite of sleeping quarters, one at each end of the cabin, for
each family. Two bunk rooms, holding either a double bed or a
double-deck bunk, with necessary closet space, will accommodate four or
eight persons in each suite. The bunk rooms open on a short hall
connecting with the bathroom.
An interesting way to finish such a cabin would be to leave the rafters
and beams exposed in the main living room, where a truly rustic
atmosphere is most desirable. If these timbers are given a hewn surface
and stained brown, they make a pleasing contrast to walls of
natural-color knotty pine. The floor should be made of broad planks, to
be in scale with the size of the room.
a CABIN on FOUR LEVELS
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
1^ST Floor
2^ND Floor
In a vacation area where life is maintained on a more or less civilized
plane, this vacation home, with its very modern lines, would be quite
attractive. By “civilized,” we mean that you could hardly imagine anyone
loafing on the terrace in dirty old canvas slacks and a week’s set of
whiskers.
The plan is intended for a sloping site, with floors on four levels
beginning with the garage at the highest point. The roof is flat and may
be transformed into a sun deck. Foundations are concrete, with wood
frame covered with flush siding above. Inside, the walls may be covered
with wall board, left natural color except in kitchen and baths.
The living room is two stories high, with a balcony occupied by two
double bunks. The master’s bedroom and private bath, as well as a guest
bath, are on this balcony level also.
Down a short flight of stairs from the living room is a dining alcove
and the kitchen. The dining alcove opens on a spacious terrace.
This same plan, with a few minor changes such as the addition of a
shower at the first floor entry, would make a fine beach house.
SIMPLICITY is the KEYNOTE
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
This quaint little cottage, with its low roof and wide porches, is
another good example of what can be done with the simplest of floor
plans. It really consists of just one big square room, with partitions
jutting out to form the bathroom and kitchen. Anyone can go that far
without the guidance of an architect or builder, but the added touches
of an experienced hand, as evidenced in the porch rail, the little
martin house on the roof and the stepped-back patio wall, are what give
this cabin its distinctive charm.
As shown here, the walls are of board and batten, with hand-split shakes
laid on the roof in an irregular pattern. The bird house is an
attractive note frequently used on old-world houses. The quaint line of
the chimney is achieved by extending the tile flues above the masonry
and curving the concrete fill up against them.
Since this cabin has such inviting porches, we have shown only one
double bunk inside. Most families will prefer to sleep outside, and
since the porch is protected by the overhang of the roof on two sides,
several beds could be put there and screened from view by sliding
curtains. As a convenience for those who do sleep out, an outer door to
the bathroom has been included.
The kitchen is unusually roomy for a place of this size. It has ample
work room and a door opening on the patio for convenience when serving
meals out of doors.
Another charming feature of this little cabin is the unusual treatment
of the bathroom window. It is screened by small lattices.
SHELTER for TWO in high COUNTRY
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
For the man who likes to go back to his favorite trout stream or hunting
country each year, yet who doesn’t want to go to the trouble and expense
of a permanent cabin, this little log and stone shelter is just about
perfect. Two men can build the whole thing in a few days, using only
materials that can be picked up right on the spot. Even the roof shakes
can be home-made.
Since a hunting lodge is used in cold weather, it would be wise to have
the floor raised off the earth a few inches, either with an all-around
stone foundation as shown here, or with a series of flat boulders. The
latter, however, do not keep out much of the cold.
Hunters don’t demand many luxuries when they’re out in the wilds, so
only the barest comforts have been provided here. By installing an iron
grill in the fireplace, most of the cooking could be done over the
coals, thus saving the space occupied by the oil stove.
There is just room enough for two single bunks or folding cots. To save
the trouble of packing in a lot of bedding, it would be a good idea to
use sleeping bags and air-mattresses.
for VACATIONS by the SEA
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
Proper construction is a most important point in a beach house such as
the one above, because unless the house is well built, your vacation by
the sea can be a pretty miserable affair. Cold damp winds have a way of
finding chinks in the walls and sand _will_ blow under the windows
unless they’re properly fitted.
The board and batten walls of this beach house are as satisfactory as
any you can select. Moisture-laden atmosphere is not as likely to affect
this kind of material, especially if it is well painted. Incidentally,
when buying paint for your beach house, be sure to get the best, because
salt air is very hard on paint. Pay a little more at first and save the
work of a paint job next season.
A shake roof would look nice on such a house, and would be satisfactory
if the shakes were stained. Composition shingles, perhaps, would be a
good idea, too, but they do not make such an interesting roof.
The interior plan of this house makes it a good one either for week-ends
or for semi-permanent use. Indeed, if you like to commute, it could be
occupied all year ’round, since it has all the comforts of a modern city
home. There’s one master bedroom, connected directly with the bath, and
a large bunk room for guests. If bunks are used here, be sure to build
them along the lines of a ship’s berth, just for a nautical atmosphere.
As a matter of fact, a beach house is just the place where lots of
imagination can be used. Door knobs and other hardware of bright brass,
a colored ship’s lamp over the front door, and perhaps a couple of real
portholes instead of the small windows in the bunk room and the bath,
would lend a very salty air. Such items can be bought at any ship
chandler’s. The living room, for example, might have a “deck” of scoured
oak, with linoleum in the other rooms inlaid with anchors and other
seagoing devices. Lengths of fish net, complete with leads and corks,
make fine window drapes—and above all, get a small ship’s bell to call
all hands to meals.
FIVE ROOMS in a ONE ROOM CABIN
[Illustration: Elevation]
[Illustration: Floor plan]
The amazing things that can be done in a limited space with a curtain or
two and some careful planning with furniture, are nowhere better
demonstrated than in this one-room cabin. The designer started with
nothing but an 18 × 20-foot rectangle for a floor plan, yet he has
evolved a comfortable week-end cabin for at least four persons.
The exterior walls of this cabin have been treated in an unusual manner
which makes something quite unique out of what might have been just
another cabin. The end walls, chimney and porch are constructed of
rough-hewn stone, while the front and rear walls are board and batten.
The roof could be shakes, shingles or slates. Of course, this same cabin
could be built any one of a number of ways, using logs or shingles
instead of the stone and wood combination. The front door, to carry out
the atmosphere of simplicity, should be of planks.
The cabin, which was the inspiration for the one illustrated here, had
an interior of cedar panels, uncolored except for a treatment with hot
oil. This makes a good wall finish, although if you prefer them, plywood
or wall board would be appropriate and not costly. Because of its
limited size, perhaps a light interior of natural or tinted wall board
would be most satisfactory.
Just inside the front door, at the left, is a kitchenette with two
built-in seats and a drop-table to form a dinette such as many
apartments have. Additional seats may be built on the other side of the
kitchenette if desired.
At the far end of the room is a space for two double beds or bunks. The
latter would be more pleasing, since they offer attractive lounging
places during the day. Between the bunks is a washroom and two closets
which form a partition and divide the space into two bedrooms. A sliding
curtain conceals the bedroom end when desired.
Because this is intended simply as a week-end cabin, no provision is
made for an inside toilet. However, it would be entirely feasible to add
an adjoining room at the rear for a complete bathroom.
CABIN CONVENIENCES
[Illustration: CABIN CONVENIENCES]
Make your vacation home as comfortable as you can for the amount of
money you have to spend. Remember that the four major comforts in any
house are light, heat, water, and cooking facilities.
Proper lighting is one of the most important comforts. You can get water
from a stream and boil it, if you have to; you can cook and warm
yourself with a fireplace, but you will find it harmful to your eyes to
depend entirely upon candles or ordinary kerosene lamps for light. If
you are building within range of power lines, by all means install
electric lights, even if it costs a little more than you had planned to
spend. If you want primitive effects, you can get them very effectively
by a proper choice of fixtures without sacrificing good lighting.
Next best to public utility power is your own private electric plant,
operated by a gasoline engine. Such an installation, consisting of
engine, generator and storage battery, may be had for as little as
$75.00, not including wiring the cabin itself. This minimum-priced
outfit will light a small cabin and operate an electric iron and
toaster. You can go as much higher as you want up to a $1500
installation, which will supply almost enough power for a small summer
resort.
If you must get along without electricity, the best portable devices are
gasoline lamps and lanterns. You should have several of them. They burn
with a mantle like old-fashioned gas but give an intense white light and
use ordinary gasoline. Be sure, though, not to use gasoline treated with
tetra-ethyl lead. These lights are satisfactory for reading, and you can
take a gasoline lantern out in a storm without danger of its blowing
out.
In most cases, if you use your cabin only in summer, the fireplace will
provide sufficient heat, especially if you have the air circulating kind
so located that the warm air can be utilized in adjoining rooms. If more
heat is required, and it will be if you use the cabin in winter,
investigate the oil-burning heaters that combine directed heat with heat
circulation and heat radiation. Portable oil or electric heaters are
also handy at any time of the year. Central heating is generally not
necessary unless your cabin is to be used as a year-round home.
[Illustration: Even though your cabin is beyond reach of gas and
electricity, you need not be without modern kitchen conveniences.
Oil burning ranges and refrigerators provide the same service as
found in a modern city home.]
If you are going in for real cabin comfort, you will naturally have
running water in the kitchen and bath. The next step in comfort is an
adequate supply of hot water. Electric, gas- or oil-burning equipment
will give you all the hot water you want.
With an insulated storage tank you can have automatic hot water with an
electric heater. The cost will depend on your power rate and you must
decide if it fits your purse. If you have one of the so-called “bottled
gas” installations, you can use this fuel for your hot water. An oil
burning water heater will provide an adequate supply of hot water at
reasonable cost.
Water-heating coils in the back of the fireplace or in a wood burning
stove provide inexpensive hot water, but not always timely or in
adequate amounts. It is possible to connect these coils with a storage
tank that is also heated by oil or gas appliances, so that you only use
this fuel when the fireplace or stove does not supply enough hot water.
Probably one of the most neglected comforts in the average cabin is the
kitchen in general and the cook stove in particular. If the cook is to
have as good a time as the rest of the family, the cabin kitchen should
be modern and conveniently arranged. A wood burning cook stove does not
add to the pleasures of feeding the family and guests. But a possible
point to consider: a kitchen range is an excellent added heater in a
cabin that is to be used in cold weather.
Today’s cabinet type oil range, with burners and fuel reservoir
concealed, is as attractive in appearance as the modern gas or electric
range. Burners are quick in performance and adjustable to any degree of
heat desired. “Bottled gas” installations are also practical if your
cabin is located where it can be serviced by the sales representative.
The gas, compressed to liquid form in a steel cylinder, is piped to your
stove like ordinary city gas. However, burners must be especially
adjusted for it, or if you are buying a new stove, get one made for this
fuel.
Refrigeration adds to the comforts of cabin life as much as to city
life. If you have electricity, you can use the conventional electric
refrigerator. Also available are mechanical refrigerators that use gas.
Modern oil burning refrigerators also give effective performance and are
usable anywhere, requiring no outside connections. There are two
types—one having a continuous flame and the other requiring the burners
to be lit about two hours a day, the burners going out automatically
when the required quantity of oil has been consumed.
While the space may of necessity be smaller, the kitchen of the vacation
home deserves as much thought in planning as that in the city house.
Apply the same principles of convenience and workable arrangement and
provide plenty of storage space, for the family on vacation does not
ordinarily go food shopping every day. On the following pages you will
find a number of kitchen conveniences that with a little planning can be
incorporated into your cabin kitchen.
[Illustration: This diagram shows how the hot water tank can be
connected with heating coils in the back of the fireplace or in the
firebox of a wood-burning stove. A stand-by gas or oil heater
supplies additional hot water when needed.]
TO FAUCET
KITCHEN STOVE
TANK
HEATER
FIREPLACE
INTAKE
CABIN MISCELLANY
[Illustration: CABIN MISCELLANY]
Native Stone Lends Charm and Ruggedness to Cabin
Fireplaces and Barbecues
Native stone, gathered from near the site, seems to be the most popular
material for the cabin fireplace or barbecue. Skillfully handled, it may
be adapted to a variety of artistic treatments, and it lends to the
cabin, inside and out, the atmosphere of ruggedness sought after by most
cabin builders. Sometimes the stones are gathered one by one over a wide
area for their appearance, beauty and other characteristics, so the
fireplace itself becomes almost a collector’s item to those who have
gathered far and wide the material for its construction. Where stones of
the proper size are not available, they are frequently blasted from
larger boulders.
The various ideas for indoor and outdoor fireplaces and barbecues shown
here have been sketched from photographs of fireplaces actually built in
Western cabins. They show some of the wide possibilities of design and
of decorative treatment. Among them, or from a combination of their
various features, you should be able to find the design of your ideal
fireplace.
[Illustration: This attractive all-stone fireplace shows what a
little ingenuity can do in arranging a mantel without the use of
wood or set-back in the masonry. A carefully selected long flat
stone, imbedded in the chimney wall and supported by three oblong
stones, makes the mantel and adds a touch of master craftsmanship to
the entire fireplace.]
[Illustration: A metal hood gives a rustic effect to this small
fireplace and adds to its efficiency as well.]
[Illustration: For a large cabin room this massive fireplace lends
an air of warmth and comfort. The large mantel area is obtained by
building the fireplace out into the room and setting back the
chimney. Suggested by the fireplace at Rainbow Gibson’s Weasku-Inn,
Grants Pass, Ore.]
[Illustration: Increased floor area in the smaller cabin is obtained
by setting the fireplace back flush with the walls. The chimney
could have been set back still farther and covered, but running the
stone work to the roof breaks up a long wall.]
[Illustration: Hand-picked boulders, skillfully arranged and tapered
toward the ceiling, make this fireplace look as if it had been
transplanted from a frontier cabin. It is an effective and
interesting treatment where a mantel is not desired. From the W. B.
Jones cottage at Kaweah, California.]
[Illustration: A huge oak beam, hand hewn, tops off this large
fireplace and gives a massive effect in keeping with a large cabin
living room. The warming-ledge with its old-fashioned cast iron
kettle adds a note of charm.]
[Illustration: Here is an interesting treatment of massive stones
that shows still another mantel arrangement. In this case the mantel
is a quarter log supported by two heavy hewn beams imbedded in the
masonry. It fits in charmingly with the atmosphere of a log cabin.
The bar support for kettles is even more pioneerish than a pot and
crane and in keeping with rugged charm of the fireplace itself.]
Outdoor Cooking Awakens Primitive Impulses and Sharpens Vacation
Appetites
All the world likes to return to the primitive at times. In most cases
this return takes the form of cooking and eating a meal outdoors. There
is something about a fire outdoors that awakens impulses lost in us ages
ago. And a well cooked outdoor meal makes hearty vacation appetites even
keener.
Since the purpose of your vacation home is to get closer to nature, you
should plan to get the most out of it by providing facilities for
cooking and eating at least some of your meals in the open. On the other
hand, you will want to arrange to have greater convenience than the open
fire on the surface of the ground that served your ancestors long ago.
The outdoor grill, or an outdoor fireplace with a grill built in,
provides the comfort and facilities that the modern generation demands.
[Illustration: This barbecue grill and fireplace built in the stump
of a great redwood looks as if the tree had actually grown around
it. From the E. D. Thompson summer home at Ben Lomond, California.]
[Illustration: This barbecue layout consists of grill, oven, and
separate fireplace. The oven is heated by the draft from the
fireplace or barbecue, which passes around it, but it may also have
a separate firebox. Note the handy adjustable grill, which is one of
several types sold by Pacific Coast manufacturers.]
[Illustration: An isolated area surrounded by trees and shrubbery
makes an ideal setting for the outdoor fireplace. Be sure, however,
that there is no dense growth overhead to interfere with the draft.
Large logs make rustic seats, one on each side. Place the rough
table about ten feet away with split logs for benches.]
Outdoor grills range from the simplest form U-shaped brick cooking
place, covered with a heavy steel screening, to huge affairs of brick or
stone with chimneys and dampers, Dutch ovens built into the sides,
warming places for plates, and perhaps a roaring separate fireplace to
soften the chill of the evening air. All of them are relatively easy to
build and reasonably inexpensive. However, you must keep the fire
hazards in mind, and in the National Forests, before you begin to build,
have your forest officer approve your plan and location.
Construction of the outdoor fireplace is much the same as that of an
indoor one except that the chimney and flue are not carried to such a
height. Nor does the footing need to be as thick unless your fireplace
is very heavy. A concrete base eight inches thick with four inches of
this above ground is usually ample. You may use the chimney of your
cabin fireplace for your outdoor fireplace or grill but be sure to
provide a separate flue.
[Illustration: Here is a combination outdoor fireplace and grill
large enough to cook for the neighborhood. After the steaks are
broiled, large logs can be rolled in to provide a roaring fire for
the evening. The grill can be supported by a three-sided frame of
firebricks built up to the proper height.]
[Illustration: The feature of this barbecue and oven is a sliding
fire pan. The fire may be used to heat the oven until the coals are
ready and then slid across under the grill, or with two pans both
grill and oven may be heated at the same time.]
[Illustration: To make this barbecue pit, a framework was built up
of an old barrel and scrap lumber and then covered with concrete. A
slow fire burned out the wood when the concrete had hardened. It is
set on a platform of concrete and bricks against a rough chimney of
rock.]
[Illustration: This barbecue of stone is built with the firebox and
grill at a convenient height. A chimney is desirable but not
necessary. Note the device for raising and lowering the grill.]
There are several methods of adapting the outdoor fireplace to cooking.
The simplest is to provide yourself with a pair of rather high andirons
and a grill to lay over the top of them. The grill may also be hinged to
rear of the fireplace or you may install sliding adjustable grill as
illustrated. A pot and crane adds to the appearance as well as the
utility of the outdoor fireplace.
The design of the barbecue grill or outdoor stove is a matter for your
own taste. For comfort’s sake you will want to have the grill top about
the height of your kitchen stove. Build up the firebox so that when the
coals are glowing, they will be about eight inches below the grill,
which should be made of ³/₁₆-inch steel rods spaced about one inch apart
in a metal frame. A groove or seat for the grill may be made in the
masonry, or you may provide supports by imbedding projecting pieces of
iron in the firebox walls. A piece of sheet steel laid over the grill
will provide a fry plate when one is needed.
A chimney is a good addition to a grill of this type. It not only adds
some architectural character but it will draw off fumes and give a
better draft to your fire. And if you want even more efficiency, you can
include some sort of damper arrangement to control the draught.
[Illustration: This outdoor stove is simple to construct and may be
used for cooking over flame or broiling over live coals. You can
make it even simpler by omitting the chimney and the door on the
front of the firebox.]
[Illustration: For roasts over the coals a revolving spit is
indispensable. A half-inch iron bar can be bent in the form of a
crank at one end, sharpened at the other, and set in a pair of
bearings or saddles designed to straddle the walls of the firepit.]
[Illustration: You don’t have to wait for good outdoor weather to
enjoy grilled steaks if your fireplace is equipped with a hinged
grill that hooks up out of the way when the fireplace is not being
used for cooking. For this type of grill use ¼-inch rods spaced
about 1¼ inches apart. The andirons, or metal legs attached to the
grill, keep it at the right height from the floor.]
[Illustration: A pot and crane add interest to the cabin fireplace,
whether it is indoors or out. Any wrought iron shop can make this
crane. You might even get it done by the country blacksmith.]
[Illustration: Another way to convert an ordinary fireplace into a
barbecue is to install a sliding grill. By providing additional
slides you may adjust the height from the coals. Two types of metal
slides are shown. Don’t forget, when having the grill made, to
adjust its shape to the side walls of the fireplace and to allow for
heat expansion.]
[Illustration: A barbecue belt is a great convenience in keeping
important accessories handy when you are cooking in the open. You
can make one of leather or oilcloth or several thicknesses of cotton
material interlined with buckram. Make pockets to hold the salt and
pepper shakers, provide clasps for your pot holders and loops to
hold your fork and spoon. Now you are ready to cook. If you prefer,
you can build these features into a chef’s apron.]
[Illustration: Fireplace tools that stay up out of the way when not
in use may be hand forged by any good blacksmith or wrought iron
worker. A simple bracket with projecting prongs, as illustrated, is
fastened to the fireplace wall and each tool hangs by a collar.
Rough forged tools are more in keeping with the cabin effect than
the factory-finished kind. If the maker is skillful enough, the
heads may be made in various designs. Animal heads are popular.]
[Illustration: Discarded railroad rails make excellent material for
hand-forged andirons that are heavy enough and crude enough for any
cabin. Simply have the blacksmith turn up one end of each piece of
rail. If you want to be more original, you can have the end forged
into some special design, as shown.]
[Illustration: The old-fashioned California ranch-type dinner gong
will round up the family from far and near when the meal is ready.
Any blacksmith can forge one of octagonal tempered steel. Suspend it
by a steel wire from a wrought iron bracket.]
[Illustration: A handy supply of wood is a great convenience in the
cabin. So, plan a woodbox when you plan the fireplace. Here is one
built in the fireplace wall. You can put a door on it, if you wish,
but the exposed wood does not look out of place in the cabin. Don’t
overlook the possibility of a two-way woodbox that can be filled
from the outside or from the garage or wherever the wood is stored.]
Your Vacation Home Deserves the Right Kind of Furnishings
Many vacation homes are so obviously furnished with discarded town house
furniture—odds and ends from different rooms—and with misfit draperies
and scraps of old carpet. After a few seasons they are likely to look
like a cross between a second-hand store and a rummage sale. Rooms
containing such odds and ends can scarcely be called restful and yet a
cabin home is supposed to exist for rest and relaxation.
[Illustration: The fold-away bed is popular in well-ordered cabins.
You can buy the old-style apartment house beds or construct the
folding arrangement yourself with hinges or braces and legs as
shown. The shelf and curtain plan is the simplest way to conceal it,
but if you want better appearance in the daytime, recess the bed
into a closet to fit and enclose it with doors.]
[Illustration: Four single bunks arranged Pullman style provide a
lot of sleeping capacity in a small room. However, don’t overlook
the problem of comfortable ventilation.]
[Illustration: Imitation log siding made the framework and finish
for these built-in bunks. Note that space between the bunks is
sufficient for daytime lounging without striking a tall lounger’s
head against the upper bunk.]
If you are buying new furniture, give consideration to the newer
so-called California style furniture, which retains the Spanish or
Mission influence. It is now made by various manufacturers. It has
simplicity and sturdiness, is not easily damaged, and does not need a
great deal of care. It is perhaps the most distinctive kind of furniture
for the purpose and, when set in an environment of rustic simplicity
with gay fabrics and correct accessories, is admirably suited to
informal living.
[Illustration: Here is a space saving arrangement—a bunk and trundle
bunk. The bunk at the right slides through the living room wall and
under the high bunk in the bedroom. A variation of this arrangement
is a bed that slides through the living room wall to the sleeping
porch so you can sleep indoors or out as fancy dictates. From the W.
B. Fairweather beach home at Balboa Island, Calif.]
TRUNDLE BUNK ROLLS UNDER
If old furniture must be used, try the magic of paint. It is wonderful
what may be accomplished with some cans of paint and brushes. Then cover
the old seating pieces with some gay cretonne slip covers, use the same
fabrics at the windows, and a cheerful, colorful result is obtained.
When refinishing old furniture try remodeling it to fit its new
surroundings. Chest and chairs and such, dating from the early days of
the century, are likely to have a lot of gingerbread decoration. By
removing as much of this as possible and getting down to the simple
basic lines of the piece much improvement may be made.
[Illustration: These bunks, attractively curtained with cretonne,
fit into the atmosphere of the cabin living room without detracting
from its appearance. If the curtains are made to slide closed,
Pullman fashion, they provide privacy for an early retirer.]
[Illustration: Folding or sliding doors from the living room or
bedroom to the sleeping porch help make the beds more accessible to
the center of things in the cabin. If you have double-deck bunks on
the porch, provide a second door and ladder to it. From an
arrangement in the Walter Doty home, Los Altos, Calif.]
Before painting any piece previously coated with shellac or varnish go
over it with varnish remover or use a hook scraper and steel wool,
cleaning down to the bare wood. Apply a coat of flat white and, when
dry, at least two coats of one of the quick-drying enamels. Go over each
coat with very fine sandpaper or steel wool and brush off the resulting
dust before applying the next coat.
If you are working with maple, walnut or cherry, the natural color of
the wood is often more pleasing than a paint or stain. Remove all traces
of enamel, stain or varnish and sand the surfaces smooth. Then apply a
thin coat of clear shellac—orange if you prefer—and after sanding this
once more polish with ordinary prepared wax.
[Illustration: Steamer style bunks are particularly effective in the
beach house. The ladder provides safe and easy access to the upper
one. Don’t overlook the possibility of providing drawers for storage
space beneath the lower bunks. From the Seton I. Miller residence,
Van Nuys, Calif.]
[Illustration: A unique arrangement of fireside seats made from
automobile seats, which may be bought at any wrecking yard. Special
framework has been constructed to hold the seats at the correct
height and angle. The upholstery may be covered with material to
match the decorative scheme of the room.]
SMALL TABLES
[Illustration: This rustic version of a four-poster bed is made of
four-inch posts with a large pine cone on the top. The post may be
with or without bark and the framework may also be of poles instead
of finished lumber.]
A Score and More of Cabin Ideas
Rustic furniture, of course, is attractive in most cabins, but it
frequently takes considerable skill and ingenuity to make it
comfortable.
Where considerable room is required to sleep weekend party guests, give
a thought to furniture and fixtures that can be converted into
comfortable beds on short notice. Studio couches provide lounging by day
and sleeping by night. Double-deck bunks use a minimum of floor space
and provide attractive and comfortable sleeping accommodations. Hinged
wall beds that disappear under shelves and curtains or into closets are
likewise popular.
[Illustration: A good cooler. Make a large box-shaped frame and
cover with several thicknesses of burlap. Put it in shade under a
water hydrant set to drip continuously but very slowly on the top of
box.]
[Illustration: These diagrams show the various steps in making a
comfortable barrel chair. The seat, which may be the barrel head
dropped down until it wedges tight, can be upholstered to suit your
own taste or you may make a rope lacing for seat support as shown
above.]
1-INCH HOLES SPACED 4 INCHES APART and 1¼ INCHES BELOW LINE OF CUT
ROPE LACING FOR SEAT SUPPORT
FURNITURE WEBBING OVER ROPE SUPPORT FORMS GOOD UPHOLSTERY FOUNDATION
[Illustration: Here is a simple and sturdy cabin table that can be
built in a few hours. Allow two linear feet of space for each
person, and build the top of the table 29 inches from the floor.]
2-INCH SLABS
HALF-ROUND SPLIT-POLE CLEAT
HALVED JOINT WHERE TABLE LEGS CROSS
SPREAD OF LEGS AT BOTTOM EQUALS WIDTH OF TOP
[Illustration: An extremely simple yet effective camp stool made
from a smoothed half-log. Bore four holes at least two inches deep
for the legs and be sure they are spread well apart.]
[Illustration: This “dummy waiter” type of underground cooler
consists of a hole or well about 10 feet deep lined with concrete or
bricks, with a frame over it to hold a series of shelves hung on a
pulley with a counterbalance.]
[Illustration: A small skylight trapdoor above your cabin cook stove
serves as a ventilator and an escape for smoke and hot air. The
drawing shows how it should be rigged. The box keeps out rain and
snow and should be flashed all around with drain holes on the lower
side.]
BOX
WIRE SCREEN
FLASHING
[Illustration: The simple two-way stool shown here is made by
knocking out one side and one end of a fairly strong box. Round off
the corners and fill the box with pillows or tack pads inside. It
can be used as a low backrest on the floor, and when inverted makes
an ordinary flat-topped seat.]
[Illustration: A rope-wound keg with sponge rubber cushion makes an
unusual stool. A similar keg may also be used as a table base. Tack
rope to hold in place.]
SPONGE RUBBER CUSHION
½-INCH ROPE
LINOLEUM COVERED TOP
[Illustration: Any home craftsman can make this hurricane
candlestick. Vent holes should be drilled on the underside to
provide air for combustion. An ordinary lamp chimney is used. It
will not smoke the chimney nor blow out in the wind.]
[Illustration: An old-fashioned, long-handled skillet, an electric
clock and the skill of a manufacturing jeweler are the ingredients
that go into the making of this unusual cabin timepiece.]
[Illustration: Steps in making traditional backwoods chairs. Seat
and back can be woven of rawhide or covered with plywood and padded.
If bending is not done when wood is green, steam wood in very hot
water in covered trough.]
TWIST ROPE WITH STICK
WOOD BLOCK
BEND
WEDGE IN TENON TIGHTENS JOING WHEN DRIVEN UP
SLOPING SHOULDER
MORTISE & TENON JOINT
[Illustration: This wagon hub lamp is simple enough to make and
carries out the farmyard motif.]
[Illustration: A wagon wheel gate makes an interesting entrance to
the cabin pathway.]
[Illustration: This illustration shows how the guest-book may be
given a permanent support. It might be placed in the living room or
on a covered porch.]
Guest Book
[Illustration: A chandelier made of an old wagon wheel and with the
electric fixtures encased in old-fashioned lamps is an interesting
and appropriate lighting fixture for the cabin living room.]
[Illustration: A novel hatrack made of the mounted head of a buck
and four legs that have been cured and tied to make a right angle
and then inserted and securely fastened in holes bored into the back
board.]
[Illustration: Refinished shutters from old ranch houses make ideal
and attractive screens for use in vacation homes. Put them together
with small brass two-way hinges, patch up old cracks and holes with
plastic wood, scrape and sandpaper all of the old finish until the
wood is in fair condition. You can then give the shutters any type
of finish that will fit in with your decorative scheme.]
[Illustration: If your vacation home happens to be situated where
you have R. F. D. mail service or a daily newspaper delivery, why
not get away from the ugly and conventional mailbox? Your own cabin
built in miniature will make a mailbox that is unusual. Your name on
the side of the cabin or on the post below will help to guide the
guests to your place.]
[Illustration: The apartment idea of using cupboards to divide the
kitchen and the dining alcove merits consideration when you are
planning your cabin. These cupboards give you the effect of two
separate rooms and, of course, supply a good deal of storage space
without taking up valuable floor space.]
Mountain Cabin Pictures
A mountain cabin scarcely requires the conventional kind of pictures on
the walls. However, here are two kinds that fit the cabin picture. Have
some extra large enlargements made of photographs of your choicest
scenic spots. Mount these and frame them with strips of cedar bark.
Geological survey maps or the forest service maps of your vicinity,
similarly framed, are an appropriate cabin decoration.
Metal Lined Closets
It is a good idea in every mountain cabin to provide one metal lined
closet with floor space the size of a single bed mattress and high
enough to store your entire supply of mattresses and bedding, as well as
other things you do not wish to go into chipmunks’ and packrats’
warehouses. Tin or zinc is a satisfactory lining. One or two metal lined
food storage compartments should also be provided in the cabin kitchen.
[Illustration: This old-fashioned but rustic dining room table is
easy to build. Four seasoned posts, some heavy plank, and a supply
of nails complete the bill of materials. The table is particularly
effective when rustic chairs are used with it.]
Starting the Fireplace Fire
A cupful (not more) of Diesel oil over the laid hearth fire just before
lighting is a safe starter with no flare such as kerosene gives. It
allows a successful immediate fire with no paper, less kindling, and
greater warmth. Diesel oil is efficient and cheap, and the small
quantity used for this purpose seems to make no obvious increase of
soot. Its safety and cheapness can lead to many adaptations of it as a
fire starter in camp or lodge.
If members of your family are not familiar with lighting such fires,
warn them against tossing gasoline or kerosene on the flames. It is
positively dangerous.
[Illustration: Ordinarily there isn’t space for a bath tub in the
average cabin, but a shower is usually acceptable to all but the
very small members of the family. If you have young children, you
can solve the problem by walling up the shower with cement to a
height of two feet from the floor and providing for a stopper in the
drain. This makes a small tub that young children will appreciate,
and it is easy for adults to step over the wall.]
[Illustration: This ox-yoke lighting fixture fits into the cabin
atmosphere.]
[Illustration: Any wrought iron worker can make this door knocker
from an old horseshoe.]
[Illustration: This interesting lighting fixture is made by
suspending an old kerosene lamp on a hame from a discarded set of
harness.]
[Illustration: Horseshoe andirons give a ranch effect to the cabin
fireplace. Branding irons also make good andirons.]
[Illustration: These horseshoe hinges will add interest to the cabin
door. The nails shown are ornamental, the necessary support being
provided by strong screws countersunk in the iron.]
[Illustration: A sheep bell hung from a strap iron spiral makes an
interesting door bell. A pull at the bottom sets the bell to
jingling gayly.]
[Illustration: This portable and collapsible table is easy to make
and a great convenience in the kitchen or at the side of the
barbecue when you are entertaining outdoors. You can make it of
rustic materials or of ordinary lumber. Cover the top with strong
canvas or a good grade of oilcloth, or both.]
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ever since the first man came down out of a tree and set up housekeeping
in a cave, he has been interested in making his dwelling more
comfortable and more beautiful. Naturally, the amount of material that
has been written on the subject has been enormous, because man is also
interested in telling his neighbors all about it. As a prospective cabin
builder, undoubtedly you will want to read more fully on the subject of
houses and methods of construction. The various books listed below
should prove helpful. They are among the most recent works published,
and should be readily obtainable from any good book dealer. If you are
building a vacation home, you will find them a source of knowledge as
well as inspiration.
_The Real Log Cabin_, by Chilson D. Aldrich. (Macmillan.)
_How to Build Log Cabins, Lodges & Bungalows_, Popular Science
Publishing Co.
_More House for Your Money_, by Elizabeth Gordon and Dorothy Ducas.
(Morrow.)
_Home Owner’s Handbook_, by C. B. Smith. (Housing Publications, Inc.,
N. Y.)
_The Householder’s Complete Handbook_, by Hawthorne Daniel. (Little,
Brown & Co.)
_First Aid to the Ailing House_, by Roger B. Whitman. (McGraw-Hill, N.
Y.)
The editor wishes to acknowledge the co-operation extended by the West
Coast Lumbermen’s Association, Seattle; the Red River Lumber Co.,
Westwood, Calif.; and the California Redwood Association, San Francisco.
Readers desiring additional data on cabin building may secure it by
writing these organizations.
Government Bulletins
For the amateur builder, one of the best sources of concise,
authoritative information is the series of bulletins issued by the
Government Printing Office at Washington for the Department of
Agriculture. They are called “Farmers’ Bulletins” because they are
intended for use on farms, but the material they contain is applicable
to the cabin builder’s needs, since conditions on a farm and out in the
woods, as regards plumbing, sanitation, water supply, etc., are
identical. If you want copies of these pamphlets, write to the
Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.
C., enclosing 5c for each one.
Sewage and Sewerage of Farm Homes Farmer’s Bulletin No. 1227
Farm Plumbing “ “ No. 1426
Farmstead Water Supply “ “ No. 1448
Painting on the Farm “ “ No. 1452
Protection of Log Cabins, etc., from “ “ No. 1582
Injurious Insects
Construction of Chimneys and Fireplaces “ “ No. 1649
The Use of Logs and Poles in Farm “ “ No. 1660
Construction
Transcriber’s Notes
—Silently corrected a few typos.
—Retained publication information from the printed edition: this eBook
is public-domain in the country of publication.
—In the text versions only, text in italics is delimited by
_underscores_.
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