Overview of the Small Cabin Building Materials
There is huge amount of information available on various building materials on the 'Net, in the library and from other sources - I do not intend to have a cabin building material encyclopedia here.This page is a collection of some key points related to selecting building materials used in my small cabin construction.
Spruce Lumber
Spruce is most commonly used construction lumber that is most suitable for the small cabin frame construction.It is cheap comparing to other wood products, easy to work with, and most available from the building material suppliers and lumber yards. Most common lumber sizes used in cabin construction include 2"x4", 2"x6", 2"x8", 2"x10", 2"x12",... with typical lengths from 6 to 24 ft and more. Keep in mind that these common sizes are generalizations (sort of nick-names) - they do not reflect the exact sizes! They're 1/2" less then indicated, i.e. 2x4" really means 1˝x3˝".
Lengths actually reflect the correct sizes, i.e. 8 ft is really 8 ft.
Pressure Treated Wood
You will need to use Pressure Treated (PT) Wood (Timber/Lumber) in cases when wooden parts of the cabin structure come in contact with the ground or are in close proximity to the ground.Regular (non-pressure-treated) wood will rot over time. See a separate page for more information on Pressure Treated Wood.
Concrete Deck -Blocks
I used pre-fabricated concrete "4 Way Dek-Block" for the small cabin floor frame support.Its design accepts 2x4", 2x6" and 2x8" lumber for stringers and 4x4" posts.
Small Cabin Building Materials Breakdown
Floor
- 2"x6" or 2"x8" Pressure Treated (PT) lumber frame
- 5/8" or 3/4" 4x8 ft sheets of Pressure Treated (PT) plywood
Walls
- Frame: 2x4" spruce lumber
- Siding: 3/8" or 1/2" thick sheets of plywood (4x8 ft), or I prefer 3/8", 4x8' SmartSide Panels
- Moisture repellent fabric (Typar, etc.), polyethylene film
Roofing
- 2x4" spruce lumber (frame)
- 3/8" 4x8 ft plywood or OSB sheets
- Asphalt shingles
Doors and Windows
It is easier to use pre-made doors and windows. I used second-hand doors and windows obtained for free from the local renovation company.Posts
You may choose to use posts as cabin foundation option (in case of a ground slope), for the support of the roof in some structures (i.e. gazebo, veranda), etc.Since posts come in contact with the ground, they must be decay resistant. Here are some options and points of consideration:
- Pressure-treated (PT) 4x4" or 6x6" posts
- Cedar - naturally resistant wood (pre-made posts or debarked tree trunks)
- Cedar has natural chemical which makes it decay resistant. You don't need to treat it against decay.
- If you use tree trunks you do need to skin/debark it before digging into the ground. Debarking cedar is fairly easy - the bark peals off once you "catch" it with axe or heavy duty knife.
Tip:
Cedar is a good option if you have cedar trees growing on your property. This was my choice for posts in many cases. Look for them when clearing the site.
Paint
- You can use outdoor latex paint for painting SmartSide Panels (they are already primed)
- For other wooden surfaces your better choice is an oil paint or stain - it better protects from wear and exposure to moist weather conditions.
Nails
Most commonly used nail size for framing is 16d. See translation table of common nail sizes. Other nail points:- When nailing lumber, spiral nails are much better that regular nails - they provide about 30% stronger hold.
- For outdoor nailing use galvanized nails - they are only marginally more expensive but will not rust.