How to Build a Cabin in the Backyard
Building a quaint cabin in the backyard may provide the respite needed from long days at work or from the stresses of everyday life. Much as Thoreau decided that dropping out of society to live among nature was not only a reasonable, but a desirable way of life, many people today dream of having their own little chunk of the natural world. Building a backyard cabin could be just the ticket to feeling freed from the "rat race." Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Stakes
- Sledgehammer
- Polyline
- 2-by-4-inch lumber
- Cement
- Prebuilt rafters
- Large lag bolts
- Plywood
- Shingles
- Tar paper
Instructions
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Pound a stake into each corner of your cabin's layout with the sledgehammer. Stretch the polyline from one corner to the next and pound a stake in every 8 feet along the line. Nail a 2-by-4 horizontally between the corners and the stakes you pounded in along the edges. Continue in this same manner around the entire floor.
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Pour a quarter of the cement load into each of the corners. Fill the forms all the way to the top and drag a board horizontally across the tops of the forms to smooth out any imperfections in the cement surface.
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Allow the floor to dry and then build solid rectangular wall frames with vertical studs every 16 to 24 inches, making sure to frame any windows or doors that you will be including. Secure the frames to the floor with the large lag bolts.
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After the wall frames are up, enclose the entire structure with three-quarters-inch-thick plywood. Add insulation and install the window and door according to the manufacturer-supplied instructions.
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Bolt the prebuilt rafters to the top of the wall frames and then enclose the roof with plywood. Install tar paper on the entire roof and then follow that up with shingles. Move your furniture in and start enjoying your new freedom.
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Tips & Warnings
Using prebuilt rafters aids in construction as it allows you to get the cabin "under roof" as quickly as possible, which keeps weather from ruining the inside.
