Haliburton Ontario Cabin Winterization

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Small Cabin Forum / Cabin Construction / Haliburton Ontario Cabin Winterization


Author	Message
spcampbell Member	# Posted: 11 May 2026 11:47am Reply I am winterizing a 50 yr old cabin that us built on ~ 16 piers and would appreciate ideas on best wall/ceiling insulation and skirting methods . The cabin had simple horizontal siding attached to the exterior of the studs. There is no plywood or other in between. I’m concerned about trapping moisture in the walls once a Vapor barrier and internal paneling is applied . Re skirting , I’m leaning towards framing between the exposed piers leaving 2-3” open above the ground to plug with compressible foam. Is that enough to allow for frost heaving to not damage the frames? Any other ideas Thank you!

rpe Member	# Posted: 12 May 2026 06:59am Reply For skirting I built fence board panels that hang on french cleats fixed to the support beam. The bottom of the panels is kept several inches above summer ground level. In our Ontario waterfront property, frost heave can be 4-6" in places, buckling previous skirt attempts. The french cleat idea makes these panels easily removable for quick access to the inevitable collection of items that end up stored underneath. Funny story - neighbour stored his ATV under the cottage, as it fit with a few inches clearance in the fall. In early spring he tried to remove it, and found frost heave had pinned up hard up against the floor joists. He needed to wait a few weeks for frost to leave before he could extract it!