Man Constructs Log Cabin In Forest By Himself With $500

Jun 08, 2021

A cozy cabin in the woods seems like a fantasy getaway one can only dream of. However, in reality, they are costly and not easy to build. One ambitious young man completed an incredible feat when he built a log cabin for himself in the northern woods of Canada. The location is isolated from the outside world and makes for a peaceful home.

The builder had no prior experience in construction, just a passion for the project and the help of his friends and youth group. Fortunately, he documented the entire build on video and posted it to YouTube in 2013, so anyone can follow in his footsteps.

The cabin itself is not very large; the structure is 10 feet by 10 feet, while the roof section is 11 feet by 16 feet.

It took 52 logs that were approximately 25 inches in circumference at the base. The man was also given the windows and stove for the cabin, and the door used to be a coffee table that one of his friends was getting rid of. These donations helped him stay on budget. 

There was not only a budget for money but also for time. The man only had 8 months to complete the entire project. This is why the builder decided to leave the bark on the logs to save time, although he mentioned that if he had debarked them, then the cabin could last over 100 years. In the future, he also plans on replacing the roof with a metal one and lifting the entire cabin up on footings, so the logs don't lay on the ground.

Construction of the cabin began in the fall and was completed in the spring, which means most of the hard work came during the winter months. "I am aware that 8 months isn't necessarily a fast building time, but keep in mind: this cabin is somewhat isolated, no machinery was used, all the logs and materials had to be carried on our shoulders, I often worked alone and in at least 3 feet of snow," the builder shared in the caption of his video. 

He continued his explanation, "I built this in my spare time when I wasn't working 50 plus hours at my jobs, or spending time with my family. And any construction project takes longer when it's out in the bush."

The project was not easy to complete because the man had no prior knowledge of building the cabin and had to do research and learn as he went. The winter weather did not help either. "Although I had a lot of people who helped on various occasions, I worked alone most of the time, often in temperatures of negative 30, with only a chainsaw, an axe, and my arms," the builder said.

The video showing off the man's cabin has over 4 million views. The man added to his caption to answer some common concerns that viewers had. "Obviously it is dangerous to keep a gas can near a running stove. The only reason why the gas can is there, is because I temporarily put it there for filming. The stove was off, and as soon as I was done filming, I returned the gas can back to where it belonged; outside," he wrote.

The builder explained how he felt with the finished product: "Although I had to take a couple of shortcuts (because of my constraints), I do not regret any decision I made in the cabin's construction. In the future, I plan to build a bigger log home. And when I do, I will be sure to take the time to build the cabin exactly the way it needs to be built." The cabin turned out well for being built under such strict conditions.

The man stuck to his budget and broke down the cost of the items it took to build the cabin. He said, "Most of the money went into the lumber that I put into the roof. As for the items that were donated, all of them were scrap to begin with. That means the donated items were worth $0, and they only took on value when I was able to make use of them."

This popular video has gained over 3,000 comments from viewers wishing the builder well and reacting to his awesome cabin. One commenter wrote, "And people out there pay more than that for a pair of shoes. Well done sir. This is what having a vision and passionately pursuing can do. Well done."

People were so impressed with how well this novice builder completed such a challenging task. "Excellent job! Wonderful execution and use of available resources! Really nice project to build with friends and family. I love this video! Top notch," wrote one other person. Hopefully, this cabin lasts for years to come!

What do you think of this little log cabin? Are you impressed with how it was built under such challenging conditions? Let us know your opinion, and be sure to send this on to your friends and family who love building things!