Small Cabin Picture

Small Cabin Design Options

Small Cabin Layout Design Picture

Choosing Small Cabin Structure Type

There are several options you can select when choosing the type of small cabin structure:
  • Pre-fabricated building kits
  • Log cabins
  • Wooden frame
  • Stone, Concrete blocks or bricks
  • Various recycled materials
  • Mud and Straw ;-)
  • ...

When selecting a structure type for my small cabin, the following factors were considered:

  • One of the primary goals was to minimize cost.
  • Minimize amount of labor and skills required.
  • Use of easily available building materials.
  • Although log cabin was quite appealing option, the cost of materials (quality log timber) is fairly high. Also you would need help carrying heavy logs.
  • Prefabricated small cabin / shed kits are usually limited in available design choices once you apply all your size/square footage requirements, location and number of windows, etc. They are usually more expensive then purchasing same materials on your own.
  • Selecting a larger prefabricated house kit was not an option to me due to cost and permit restrictions I decided to stick with.
Tip:
It is not always clearly stated - most cabin building kits usually do not include foundation! Keep it in mind when calculating the total cost.

The small cabin structure type I selected was a wooden frame based design.

Small Cabin Structure Based on Wooden Frame Picture Therefore further discussion on this website will focus on this type structure design.
You have full flexibility with this design option, plus this is by far the least expensive option.

Frame Stud Spacing

Generally, wooden frame structures are built using either 16" or 24" spacing between frame studs. "Spacing" means "at centers" of the studs.
Obviously, since 16" spacing uses more studs it is somewhat more expensive and requires more work, but it is stronger.

I used 16" stud spacing when building my small cabin. However, looking in retrospect, for the 8x12 ft small cabin, 24" stud spacing would be sufficient - next time I would chose 24" stud spacing.

The selected cabin frame stud spacing will have to persist through the entire cabin frame structure - floor, walls and roofing.
I.e a floor joist will to be under a wall stud, which in turn will be under a roof joist.

Small Cabin Layout

When building a simple rectangular 8x12 ft small cabin, the layout choices are fairly strait-forward - select amount and locations of windows, choose door location. Draw all on paper.

For the nice and pleasant cabin select larger windows - extra light will add feeling of larger space.
Small Cabin Structure Design Layout Picture

Tip:
Find door and windows you are going to use first - the number and size of them will drive your frame design/layout.

 

Small Cabin Floor Plan Design Layout Picture

Small Cabin Floor Plan

Here is the sketch of my small cabin floor plan / layout:

  • It's a small cabin, so the door opens outwards
  • Sofa Bed saves space
  • Battery unit is located under the table at the entrance (left side)
  • Wood stove is surrounded by the metal heat shield - future
  • Lots of windows

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